Platoon review

 Number 192 on the top 1000 films of all time is Oliver Stone's war film 'Platoon.'

Platoon follows a group of soldiers fighting within the Vietnam War. The main character is the young, liberal Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) who quickly becomes disillusioned. His superior officers, the hot-headed and psychotic Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and the more enlightened Elias (Willem Dafoe) clash on the best way to lead their troops. Keith David, Forest Whitaker and Johnny Depp all co-star.

Since I started this challenge, I've watched my fair share of Vietnam war films and I don't think that Platoon was anything special. It didn't bring anything new to the table. Sure it was entertaining and watchable. It was frenetic, fast-paced and dramatic, but there wasn't enough to delineate it from some of its contemporaries. I think a lot of that was down to the characterisation. The cast was large and confusing with the different characters not being clearly delineated enough from each other. In fact, the three main characters are really the only ones I can remember with any certainty. The heinous Sergeant Barnes was definitely recognisable, but all of his cronies blended into one. And Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen always stand out anywhere. And like with many war films, all of the characters are dressed the same - in uniforms and helmets only serving to make things more confusing.

Furthermore, the characters were all just so unlikeable. Okay, Sergeant Barnes is the villain - he kills a Vietmanese woman in cold blood and later tries to rape two Vietmanese girls - so you would expect him to be nasty. Barnes has plenty of cronies that are just as bad as him. But there really wasn't any likeable characters that you wanted to root for.  Even the protagonist Chris shows signs of instability, at times, blindly shooting at anything in sight. True, at times, he does do the right things like preventing Barnes from raping those girls, but there wasn't anything in him that made me want him to succeed. Part of that was down to Charlie Sheen. Honestly, I don't think he's the greatest actor in the world. 

The platoon's commanding officer was Lieutenant Wolfe (Mark Moses) but he was too young and ineffective to be any good. And another of the sergeants - O'Neil (John C. Mcginley) is a coward and spends most of the battles hiding in the foxholes. Largely, the film is just nasty people doing nasty things. I get it, war changes people. War can turn the best men into monsters. But it doesn't make them the most likeable of characters.

Platoon was certainly watchable enough, but I'm not sure how much I actually enjoyed it. It was just horrible people being horrible to each other.

Monster review

 Number 998 on the top 1000 films of all time is the true crime biopic Monster.

Based on the shocking true story, Monster focusses on Eileen Warnoss (Charlize Theron.) She is a prostitute in Daytona Beach, Florida, who begins a killing spree after her 'John' Vincent Corey (Lee Tergesen) rapes and tries to kill hjer. Warnoss also forms a toxic relationship with the young Selby (Christina Ricci,) a young, gay woman living in a repressive, Christian household.

True Crime is a genre that has always been popular. Over a century later, we are still speculating over the true identity of Jack the Ripper, the movie 'Zodiac' immortalises the Zodiac Killer's crimes and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was inspired by the crimes of murderer and grave-robber, Ed Gein. However, it is also a genre that's come under a lot of scrutiny. The recent Netflix show about Jeffrey Dahmer was criticised for its romanticisation of Dahmer and for how it retraumatised the families of his victims.

You can argue that, to some extent, Monster romanticises Warnosses' crimes. It initially portrays her as a victim who is taking back her power by killing the man who assaults and rapes her. But, conversely, there is nothing romantic about this tale. In fact, it portrays a brutal and gritty perspective into the reality that many prostitutes face every day. Prostitution is largely illegal in the US and it is theoretically legal in the UK - the act itself is legal, but many of its associated acts are not. Neither brothels nor street side solicitation are legal.

Many prostitutes are desperate - coming from broken households or have addiction issues or a greedy pimp to pay. They have little choice, but to follow their Johns and be driven to a remote area where they could be raped and killed - as is the sad reality for some sex workers. The aforementioned Jack the Ripper targeted prostitutes, as did Peter Sutcliffe. Perhaps if prostitution was fully legalised and regulated, there wouldn't be so many young, lost women losing their lives.

Charlize Theron was outstanding in the role. She won the best Actress Oscar and I completely understand why. I'm inclined to agree with film critic Roger Ebert's assessment of it being one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema. She absolutely embodied Warnoss, portraying the neuroticism and the agitation to a Tee. Warnoss has always maintained that all of her victims tried to help her and she acted in self-defence. Theron brought a lot more nuance than that to the role. She portrays Warnoss as neither a helpless victim or a cold-blooded killer, but a psychologically damaged young woman in desperate search for human connection. She attempts to go legitimate, but due to her past reputation, she's laughed out of every job she applies for. Perhaps if there wasn't such a stigma behind prostitution, Eileen Warnoss' killing spree might have been avoided.

Of course, I'm not justifying Warnoss' actions, but highlighting the morally grey that Theron exhibited. She kills her first John in self-defence, but her last murder was completely unprovoked. Her last victim did not deserve to die. And this raises more moral questions. Do we ever have the right to take the law into our own hands? Warnoss thinks we do. And Theron just disappeared into the character. She was unrecognisable.

Christina Ricci was great as well. She is best-known for playing kooky, off-the-wall characters, like Wednesday Adams, so it was great to see her play a more human role. Like Eileen, she comes from a troubled background. In search of a strong, adult, role model, she latches herself onto Warnoss. The two of them form a toxic, co-dependant relationship. Selby's life is turned upside down by Warnoss' erratic behaviour. And I think you can argue that Warnoss should have taken more personal accountability and stayed away from Selby. As Selby rightly says, she is being used by Warnoss. Certainly, no romanticisation there.

But this was a great film. It is doomy, hard-going, often traumatic, but with an outstanding, Oscar-worthy performance from Charlize Theron. 

A Time to Kill review

 Number 969 on the top 1000 films of all time is Joel Schumacher's 1996 legal drama 'A Time to Kill.'

Based on John Grisham's book of the same name, A Time to Kill focusses on the relationship between white Mississippi attorney Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) and his black client Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson.) After Carl Lee's ten-year-old daughter Tonya (Rae'ven Larrymore Kelly) is brutally raped and almost murdered by two racist rednecks Billy Ray Cobb (Nicky Katt) and James Willard (Doug Hutchinson.) Carl Lee takes the law into his own hands and shoots them dead. Brigance decides to defend him. He is aided by his old mentor, the alcoholic Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland) and law student Ellen Roark (Sandra Bullock.) But Brigance is up against stiff competition as district attorney Rufus Buckley (Kevin Spacey) takes up the case for the Cobb family. Billy Ray's brother - Freddie Lee (Kiefer Sutherland) also resurrects the Mississippi KKK chapter to exact his revenge on Carl Lee.

Joel Schumacher is so well-known for almost killing the Batman movie franchise with the abysmal Batman and Robin, it is easy to forget that he has made other films. A Time to Kill is one of these films. It's just as cheesy as Batman and Robin, but it is a million times better. That is a low bar and it's certainly not perfect, but it's watchable enough.

A lot of that is down to the star-studded cast. To be honest, I don't think McConaughey was anything special. Brigance is your classic, intelligent, handsome clear-cut hero - there's not much more to him than that. But I thought Samuel L. Jackson was great. He's so well known for either action roles or over-the-top, eccentric oddball, it was refreshing to see him in a more human role. He played it well conveying a brilliant vulnerability. Carl Lee is an obviously sympathetic character. His daughter is raped and left for dead. She is attacked because she is black. He only did what any father would do. Is that so wrong? 

According to Spacey, it is. Men must not be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Spacey shone, as he always does, playing a slimy lawyer, who only takes the case to build his own public profile. And he does that Southern drawl so damn well. I couldn't help but be reminded of one of Spacey's most famous roles: President Frank Underwood on House of Cards. Kiether Sutherland was also enjoyable as the villainous Freddie Lee Cobb. Hell-bent on revenge, he starts up the local KKK chapter and terrorises everybody involved in the trial. Granted all the roles I've seen Sutherland in are villains/morally dubious, but he does them well.

The only character I was unsure about was Ellen Roark. An ACLU activist and law student, she helps Brigance pro bono, so to speak. Yet she was such a poorly written character. It seemed like Sandra Bullock was only cast because she was hot and not because of her great acting ability. As she doesn't really have a chance to do much except to riffle through cabinets and have sexual tension between her and Brigance. Perhaps her character is there to tempt Brigance into an extra-marital affair and put a strain between Brigance and his wife. But these ideas never came to fruition. An affair between the two is teased, but Brigance always stops himself before things go too far. But this is never something that makes it home to his family. In fact, rather than Roark, it is the KKK leaving burning crosses outside of Brigance's home that drives a wedge between him and his wife. She and her daughter soon leave for their own safety. And so does any potential for narrative tension.

If the intention was to force some sexual tension then it failed dramatically. And if it wasn't then what was the point of the character? Why would you squander Sandra Bullock's acting ability - she is a best actress Oscar winner? Why would you put two young hot people like Mconaughey and Bullock together if they're not going to get it on? Sure, he might need a paralegal, but why does that have to be somebody like Bullock. He character seemed so contrived. Also Bullock was in her thirties while filming - too old to be playing a law student.

The ending also seemed too contrived and cheesy. Brigance *spoiler alert* convinces the jury of Carl Ray's innocence, but his method is what troubled me. He effectively tugs at heart strings rather than using the law. He asks the jury to close their eyes and to imagine the rape and attempted murder of Tonya. He ends by saying "imagine if she was white." Obviously race is a presiding issue and Tonya suffered a horrific hate crime, but as, Spacey spends much of the trial protesting, it isn't Tonya's rape that is at issue, but Carl Lee's murder of her rapists. During Brigance's impassioned speech, Spacey doesn't object once, nor does Judge tell the jury to strike it from the record. This was all too difficult to believe.

I also found it troubling that Freddie Lee and the other KKK don't face any proper consequences for their actions. Sure, we see them being quietly confronted by the cops, but nothing more. Freddie Lee left a burning cross outside of Brigance's house, he beats his secretary husband's to death, he tries to shoot Brigance and he kidnaps Roark, takes her to the woods, strips her and leaves her tied to a tree. Yet his actions are effectively brushed under the rug. All I needed was the coppers clasping him in irons and reading him his Miranda rights.

Also there was a mysterious man operating through the film. He warns Brigance's family of the burning cross through a shadowy phone call. But was the person's identity ever revealed? Was it the same man who rescued Roark or was that just a stranger?

So yes, this film is cheesy, unrealistic and relegates Bullock to playing little more than a sex object, but I do think it is well worth a watch. Look past the cheese and you'll find an entertaining and gripping thriller. Just a shame that Schumacher followed this up with Batman and Robin.

K-Pax review

 Number 965 on the top 1000 films of all time is the science-fiction film K-Pax.

Prot (Kevin Spacey) claims to be an alien visiting earth from the planet K-Pax, while manifesting in the form of a human male. Upon his arrival in New York, he is quickly remanded to a psychiatric facility. Where he comes into the care of Dr Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges.) Dr Powell is determined to prove Prot a liar, but he is confronted with increasingly convincing evidence.

Kevin Spacey has undoubtedly become a problematic figure, but there is no denying that he was one hell of an actor. By the time he filmed K-Pax, he had already won acting Oscars for the Usual Suspects and American Beauty. He brought the full force of his acting skills to this role too. As far as aliens go, Prot is a little bit like a Vulcan - observing the customs of humans with a scientific curiousity, and, at times, a quiet exasperation. If Dr Powell asks him whether he has K-Pax equivalent of a human custom, Prot will rationally explain why something like that would be nonsense.

In the hands of a lesser actor, these explanations would sound like rubbish, but Spacey pulls off the awkward dialogue with finesse. And even a bit of humour. For a science-fiction film, there were a lot of jokes and Spacey played them well. As well as making us laugh, he pulled at our heart strings too. To unlock the truth, Dr Powell hypnotises Prot and discovers that Prot - or at least the human form he is assuming - was once known as a man called Robert Porter who worked in an abattoir. His wife and daughter are raped and murdered by a paroled convict. In his grief, Robert kills the murderer. To protect his fragile state of mind, he creates a delusion of being an alien from K-Pax. Spacey was brilliant in these scenes. 

Jeff Bridges was great too - often playing the Dr Bones to Spacey's Spock. And as he becomes more obsessed with the case, his relationship with his family becomes strained. Bridges plays a man caught between two worlds. But like Spacey, he plays the comedy well, often acting as the straight man.

A lot of science-fiction films that deal with big philosophical themes tend to be self-indulgent and pretentious, *cough  cough* 2001: A Space Odyssey, as they try to prove how clever they are. K-Pax was nothing like this. It was a simple and straightforward plot. There wasn't anything pretentious about it. Rather than vaguely answering big questions, it hyper-focussed on what it means to be human.

And was Prot really an alien or a delusional human trying to survive a severe trauma? Like any good science-fiction, it doesn't tell you what to think, but lets you make up your own mind. Personally, I think that Prot and Robert Porter had a symbiotic relationship. Prot needed a human host and Porter needed a reason to not be himself anymore. But what do you think?

The Descendants review

 Number 939 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2011 comedy-drama 'The Descendants.'

Matt King (George Clooney) is an Hawaii-based attorney. While he is the sole trustee of his family's massive fortune, he has a strained relationship with his wife and children. When his wife is terminally injured in a boating accident, he has to reconnect with his estranged daughters: the older Alex (Shailene Woodley) and the younger Scottie (Amara Miller.) Both girls have troubled pasts.

The Descendants was penned by Nat Faxon, Jim Rash and director Alexander Payne. The former two also wrote and directed the great coming-of-age drama The Way, Way Back. Faxon and Rash produced another entertaining and enjoyable film. Although it had the potential to be morose and whiny, it was light-hearted, but poignant throughout. A lot of that has to do with the film's tone. The film is full of great jokes while also addressing serious topics. Family is the most important theme whether that is Matt's relationship with his estranged children or his relationship with his cousins who have all squandered their inheritance and are desperate for them to sell their land to make them a tidy profit. 

But despite these pressures, he is never a self-suffering protagonist. He always tries to do the right thing and, while, he has every right to be mad at the driver of the boat who injured his wife, he always chooses to take the high road. He is also an honest character - constantly despairing about how to connect with his children. Even when Alex reveals that Matt's wife was having an affair with an estate agent called Brian (Matthew Lilliard), explaining some of the resentment between the two, Matt just wants to give Brian a chance to say goodbye.

George Clooney was great as Matt King. He made the attorney sympathetic without making him pathetic. In fact, it's his hope and optimism that makes him such an endearing character to watch. He also had a great chemistry with Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller who played his daughters. It was lovely watching these three characters become a family again. Woodley and Miller were great as well. Granted both of them start as spoiled brats, but they both develop into strong, young women especially Alex. Woodley gave the character a wonderful vulnerability and she held her own against Clooney. She would have been only twenty in this role and she's since gone onto have a great career.

Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne and Jim Rash won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for this film, and it's easy to see why. Within the Descendants, they crafted an enjoyable, funny, and, at times, tragic story, that is never self-pitying or morose.

Black Dynamite review

 Number 938 on the top 1000 films of all time is this parody of 1970's Blaxpolitation genre: Black Dynamite.

Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is a former CIA agent and Kung Fu Master. After his brother is killed by a shady organisation, Black Dynamite soon discovers a deeper conspiracy.

There is a fair share of bad parodies out there, but Black Dynamite is not one of them. While I'm not particularly familiar with the Blaxploitation genre, I've watched my fair share of 70's films, and black Dynamite lampooned these tropes wonderfully from the vivid colour scheme to the massive hair to the main character's name being sung out at pivotal moments to the silly kung-fu sequences.

Instead of being a string of bad jokes and inane, pop culture references, Scott Sanders', Byron Minns' and Michael Jai White's, who wrote as well as starred, script produced some genuine laughs. I loved the boom mic appearing in shots or the characters reading out their stage directions. But my favourite gag was the spoofing of the insta-love that happened between Black Dynamite and his love interest Gloria Gray (Salli Richardson.) Over the course of a few minutes and a walk in the park, they are enamoured with one another. As far as film cliches go, this can be one of the worst. It was great to see it parodied here.

Sure you can argue that the plot is absurd. Black Dynamite's quest for the truth takes him all the way from Kung-Fu island to the White House - and the characters are all racial stereotypes, but that's supposed to be the point. Inevitably, not all the jokes land and some of them are crude and vulgar, but nevertheless, this is a brilliant comedy that will have you rolling in the aisles.   

Master and Commander: Far Side of the World review

 Number 917 on top 1000 films of all time is the period-drama Master and Commander: Far Side of the World.

Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and Dr Stephen Matinue (Paul Bettany) are stationed on the HMS Surprise during the onset of the Napoleonic Wars. They are tasked with hunting down and catching the feared French frigate, the Acheron. But Jack's dedication to his duty soon turns to arrogance, as he is determined to catch this ship at all costs. In doing so, he endangers the lives of his whole crew.

I've never been a fan of period dramas. That's usually because there's a lack of stakes. I'm not saying I need gunfights and explosions, but a sense of life and death helps to add some drama. Obviously, the stakes aren't the same in a period drama, and, as such, they're not always very exciting to watch.

At times, I felt the same about Master and Commander. Although, it is Lucky Jim's brashness that is putting the crew into danger, how much danger are they actually in? Nobody of any significance dies until the final act. The exception that proves the rule is Captain of the Mizzentop, William Warley (Joseph Morgan) who is thrown overboard in a storm. Caught between saving his crew member or his ship, Jack saves the ship. Yet he doesn't face any consequences from this action. In fact, Will's death is attributed to Midshipman Hollam (Lee Ingleby) who is ostracised by the crew as a Jonah. He later commits suicide. Perhaps the characterising as Jack was "lucky" was a mistake. He and his crew too easily overcome all their obstacles.

This isn't to deride Russell Crowe's performance. I've not always spoken too fondly of Crowe - I think he is quite wooden at times, but he was good here. His accent was certainly more consistent than some of his other films.

Honestly, the stakes felt higher with Paul Bettany's character of Dr Steven Maturin. He had something to lose. A scientist, first and foremost, he has the opportunity to study the animals of the Galapagos islands. But despite multiple promises from Lucky Jack, he never gets the chance. This puts their friendship to the ultimate test. Both actors worked well together with Bettany being a calming presence to Crowe's megalomania.

Although this film was watchable, it wasn't really for me. The two leads gave good performances, but I'm just not a fan of period dramas.

Suspiria review

 Number 851 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Italian 1977 horror film Suspiria.

Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) is an American student who enrols in a prestigious ballet school in Germany. However, when staff and students alike start dying, she realises that the school is at the front of a supernatural conspiracy.

As was common for Italian films at the time, all sound was added in post-production. This meant that all the actors were dubbed. To say this was distracting would be a massive understatement. It very much broke the immersive nature of the film. And this also interfered with the sound mixing. At times, the dialogue was too quiet and, at others, the sound effects were too loud. The film opens in a massive storm, noisy enough to drown out the character's speech.

Perhaps I've been spoiled by modern-CGI, but the special effects looked dated. When the deaths do occur, the bodies look more like waxwork models. But technical aspects aside, this was a scary film. The setting of a ballet school was a refreshing change to the haunted houses which is usually par for the course. Suzy progressively gains more agency and becomes more likeable. Granted, while her friend Stephanie is being murdered, Suzy is drugged up and of little use. But she gains enough bravery/stupidity to go into the restricted area of the school and confront the head witch.

I also enjoyed the supernatural element. Slasher movies were popular in the seventies - Suspiria is sandwiched between the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. Witches made a nice change to your deranged serial killer. And the film had some genuine scares. Instead of solely using jumpscares, David Argento created a tense and unsettling atmosphere from the word go. The original score performed by Italian progressive rock band Goblin sent the fear factor through the roof.

All in all, I did enjoy, if that's the right word, this 70's horror film. Weird dubbing aside, it had me on the edge of my seat. Will I be watching the 2018 remake? Maybe with my eyes closed.

Deconstructing Harry review

 Number 896 on the top 1000 films of all time is Woody Allen's 1997 black comedy 'Deconstructing Harry.'

Harry Block (Woody Allen) is a neurotic academic and writer driving to his alma matter to receive an honourary degree. En route, he imagines himself interacting with many characters from his work, as well as flash blacking to the most important parts of his life. Tobey Maguire, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Jennifer Garner, among many others, all co-star.

Reportedly, Woody Allen was highly influenced by the work of Ingmar Bergman, in particular Wild Strawberries. Wild Strawberries is about an old man having an existential crisis while driving around. Deconstructing Harry has a similar plot albeit with a lot more sexual humour. Thankfully it also has a lot less introspection, silences and dead space than Bergman's work. But it also contains an important question: why? What is the point of all this? Why do I care?

I remember thinking the same when I watched Annie Hall. Yes, it was funny and witty, but, at the end, I couldn't help, wondering what was the point of it all? Sure, the set-up is great, but what's the punchline? Great comedies don't just make us laugh, but they make us think too. There is no doubt Woody Allen is a funny man. This was a comical film. The gag of Robin Williams being out of focus was hilarious to watch, but I'm not sure of its importance.

It's another aspect of Harry that we need to deconstruct. But why should I care about Harry? He's just another of Woody Allen's highly neurotic characters. And I do feel like neuroticism is the only role Woody Allen can play. Yes, he does it well, but it becomes quite one-note after a while.

There is no doubt Deconstructing Harry is a funny film, but beyond its comedy, how much substance does it have? What's the point of it all? What is the punchline?

Precious review

 Number 894 on the top 1000 films of all time is Lee Daniels' 2009 drama film 'Precious.'

Claireece 'Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is an overweight, illiterate, black sixteen-year-old trying to survive in Harlem. Bullied at school and subjected to horrific abuse from her mother Mary Lee, (Mo'nique) her life is a miserable one. Upon falling pregnant again, she starts to attend an 'alternative' school, where she sees a way to escape her old life.

Word of warning, Precious is not a pretty film. It is raw, gritty and unapologetic. It grabs you by the throat and refuses to be shaken free. Showcasing the horrors of an abusive household, it's difficult to not flinch away at times. But none of this violence ever felt gratuitous. Unfortunately, this is the sad reality for many youths across the US and it's a reality that shall not be ignored. 

Also, could you believe this was Gabourey Sidibe's first acting role. The character of Precious was cast an open audition and Sidibe was selected despite having no prior acting experience. Precious is not an easy character to play - she carries the sexual trauma of being molested, raped and impregnated by her father. Not to mention, the terrible abuse she receives from her mother. But Sidibe was great in the role. She provided Precious with a humanity and a vulnerability. But she wasn't pathetic nor a character you pity. 

Upon attending the 'alternative' school and through the close tutelage of teacher Miss Blu Rain, (Paula Patton) Precious starts to learn how to read and write. As her literacy improves, so does her self-confidence. With a lot of troubled kids, all it takes is somebody to believe in them and that somebody can be a brilliant teacher like Miss Blu Rain.

Lee Daniels balanced the humour and heartbreak well. As a means of escapism, Precious imagines herself in a number of fantasy scenarios from singing in a gospel choir to performing on stage as a soul-singer. But the funniest had to be when she imagines her and her mother in an old black-and-white Italian film. Watch the scene at 3.30. These little fantasies, other than providing some much needed relief, also balanced the dark with some light. They were also a little sad - Precious was imagining a life, that to her, would always seem out of reach.

Mo'nique won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as the villainous Mary Lee and I can understand why. It was an absolutely brutal role and she did it well. Jealous that her boyfriend took more interest in his daughter than her, she takes out her frustrations on Precious. As Precious is financially dependent on her, she can't up-and-leave, as is the case for many abusive relationships. But 

Lastly, a quick shoutout to Mariah Carey who played Precious' social worker, Miss Weiss. All made-down, she was utterly unrecognisable. A last-minute substitute for Helen Mirren, she did the role justice.

This was a really good film. It will make you laugh and it will stay with you long after the credits have rolled. It might just be too brutal for a rewatch.

The Way Way back review

 Number 856 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2013 coming-of-age drama 'The Way Way back.'

Duncan (Liam James) is an introverted fourteen-year-old who is holidaying in Massachussetts with his mother Pam (Toni Collette) and her boyfriend Trent (Steve Carrell.) In a water park, he meets the fun-loving, hedonistic Owen (Sam Rockwell) who encourages Duncan to come out of his shell.

I think it was Sam Rockwell that gave this film its place on the best 1000 films of all time. It was a good film, but without Rockwell I think it wouldn't have been anything particularly memorable. He provided a shot of adrenaline with a chaotic energy. But it was that chaotic energy that made him so great to watch. Unlike many of the other characters, he was authentic and genuine. There was no facade and no lies. 

This is in contrast to the lying cheat who was Trent. Despite pretending otherwise, Trent obviously had no interest in Duncan as a stepson - the film opens with Trent rating his confidence as 3/10. And he spends much of the film belittling Duncan while spoiling his own daughter Steph (Zoe Levin.) But, most importantly, he is also cheating on Pam with his friend Joan (Amanda Peet.) It was interesting to see Carrell in a villainous role as usually he plays the comic lead. But I think he did well in the part. He certainly encapsulated the disinterested, suburban father burdened with a son from another marriage. 

Considering his background, it's no wonder that Duncan has retreated so much into himself. I think Liam James was good in his role. Characters like Duncan run the risk of being portrayed as either the weird kid or as a petulant brat, but Liam brought the role to life. He made Duncan a sympathetic character and seeing his journey from a shy, retiring teenager to a young man able to stand up to Trent was entertaining to watch. A lot of that was down to Owen's influence. Unlike Trent, he is the father that Duncan never had. He helps Duncan to grow and mature. And a quick shoutout to Jim Rash who played Owen's neurotic colleague Lewis. He was one of the funniest actors in this film, perhaps even funnier than Owen himself.

All in all, I did enjoy this coming-of-age drama. The water park was a great setting. And Rockwell gave a great performance, but Liam James was brilliant as well. It was entertaining watching Duncan's journey, but I particularly liked Steve Carrell's turn as a villain.

Mean Streets review

 Number 850 on the top 1000 films of all time is Martin Scorsese's directorial debut - the crime drama 'Mean Streets.'

Charlie Cappa (Harvey Keitel) is a low-ranking mafioso in New York. His best friend is the hot-headed Johnny Boy Civello (Robert De Niro.) Johnny Boy is reckless, aggressive and rude. He also owes a lot of money to many loansharks including the dangerous Michael Longo (Robert Romanus.) Cappa has to work hard to keep his friend out of trouble...and Johnny Boy gets into a lot of trouble - angering almost every gangster in the neighbourhood.

As well as being Scorsese's directorial debut, it also marked the start of his many collaborations with actors Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. Their relationship is at the heart of the film and the actors work brilliantly together. De Niro provides a chaotic, even manic energy which is balanced out by Keitel's straight-man approach. Johnny Boy antagonises every lone shark in the neighbourhood by stubbornly refusing to pay back his debts. As the film progresses, so does the tension and the drama. 

I certainly think you could argue that Mean Streets isn't always the most believable. No loan shark will give a little hot-head like Johnny Boy chance after chance to pay him back even if Charles Luciano was vouching for him. They might knock him around once or twice but if they don't get their money soon then they'll simply kill him. It is only at the end of the film that Michael Longo shoots Johnny Boy as punishment for not repaying his debts. And this happens as Johnny is attempting to drive to safety. And it's a botched attempt too. The car crashes and Johnny Boy stumbles to an uncertain fate. In reality, a loan shark would never let things get this out of hand. A loan shark would kill him earlier and far more efficiently than Michael Longo does. But this is a film, and not real life, so I'm prepared to suspend my disbelief. 

And I think that's because Scorsese creates such a fantastical world. Mean Streets, being Scorsese's first film, obviously didn't have the same budget as the Irishman or the Wolf of Wall Street, but Scorsese did well with what he had. He brought his world to life. And it is a dirty, gritty world. We are far away from the splendour and romance of the Godfather. It's grotty, ugly and unglamourous. But the best thing is that he presents this world without judgement. By completely immersing us in his world, he doesn't pass judgement on any of the characters living within it. Rather he allows the audience to judge for themselves. And I do judge Johnny Boy as a being an impetuous, little boy who would never measure up to the likes of the Corleones.

Also a quick shout out to the sound track. There were some great tunes that exemplified the sixties and the seventies. All of this helped provide some colour to a morally grey world.

If you're a Scorsese fan and you haven't already watched his directorial debut then what are you doing? It's a hell of a ride. Granted, not the most realistic of rides, but a great one nonetheless. 

Ghost World review

 Number 819 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2001 black-comedy drama Ghost World.

Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) have just graduated high school. Other than living together, they have no plans for the future. For a laugh, they respond to the lonely, middle-aged Seymour's (Steve Buscemi) classified dating ad. But seeing how devastated their actions have made him, they decide to make amends by finding him love for real.

I have to admit that this film had to grow on me. At first, Enid and Rebecca were a little annoying. Enid was, at least, Rebecca didn't seem to have a life or personality outside of her friend. But both girls are very nihilistic, bemoaning the exploitative nature of the capitalist world. There isn't anything inherently wrong with nihilistic characters, but there has to be more to them than their "I hate the world" shtick. Otherwise they're little more than annoying, negative Noras. Hardly characters you like and want to root for.

Things picked up immensely with Steve Buscemi's character of Seymour. Buscemi excels in anything he's in and Seymour was no exception. Seymour is a sad, lonely man who only finds joy in his extensive collection of blues records. Like Thora and Rebecca, he is cynical, but unlike them, he isn't completely jaded. He is still trying to find happiness rather than resigning himself to a lifetime of misery. This did make him a likeable character. And he and Enid brought out the best of each other. As Enid schemes to find him love, she realises she is falling in love with him, and he with her. Eventually, they consummate their relationship.

In a post #metoo movement world, you could probably read a weird subtext of an older man sleeping with a nineteen year old Thora Birch, but 2001 might as well be two centuries ago. And the past is another world.

This was a strange film. If you can get past the slow beginning, then I think it's well worth a watch.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty review

 Number 755 on the top 1000 films of all time is the adventure comedy-drama 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.'

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) works a tedious office job at Life magazine. To help escape the boredom, he zones out imagining fantastical scenarios. After Life Magazine is bought out, Walter's job is threatened unless he can track down a negative still sent to him by legendary photojournalist Sean O'Connell (Sean Pean.) Kristen Wiig stars as Mitty's colleague and love interest: Cheryl Hiloff.

What followed was a funny, charming and relatable tale. Who hasn't zoned out at work imagining a ridiculous scenario that would never happen in real life? Walter Mitty has even entered the cultural lexicon meaning to take flights of fantasy. Mitty was also a fun character who undergoes a true hero's journey. Stiller played him perfectly. He was pathetic enough to be a nerd, but not enough to be unlikeable. In many ways, he is an everyman working hard to please a corporate boss who couldn't give a damn about him.

And a quick shoutout to Adam Scott who plays Mitty's boss, Ted Hendricks. Scott excelled at playing the slimy, callous, corporate boss who couldn't give a damn about his employees. You could argue his ignorance about his staff or company was unrealistic, but I think it's a damning indictment of capitalist America. Hendricks' obvious disdain for Life magazine provided a lot of the film's humour.

And Mitty goes through a great hero's journey. Mitty starts as a bumbling, sadsack who is afraid of his own shadow. Despite having an eharmony profile, it is largely blank as he hasn't travelled anywhere or done anything. This is why it was so funny seeing him pushed to the edge of his comfort zone from jumping out of a helicopter into shark-infested waters to trying to outdrive an erupting volcano.

Walter Mitty's zoning out had every potential to become a repetitive gimmick, but it was used well. Although it happened a lot to start with, as Mitty becomes progressively more adventurous, they begin to reduce. Once an integral way for him to escape, he no longer needs them. This was a nice way to stop the trope from becoming overused.

I also enjoyed how the missing still was more than just a Macguffin. I thought that, while being the launching of Mitty's adventure, we the audience, would never get to see what the negative contains. However, it is vital that Mitty recovers it, as Hendricks wants to put it on the cover of the final edition of Life. At the end, it is revealed that it is a photo of Walter Mitty accompanied by the caption "Life, dedicated to those who made it." This was a heartwarming way to end the film.

If I were to criticise anything, it would be Walter and Cheryl's relationship. It is at the heart of the film, but I didn't like them getting together at the ending. This was too easy and obvious. Walter Mitty's journey and transformation from a meek-mannered man into somebody who is comfortable in himself is so important that it should be something he accomplishes by himself.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable film. It balances comedy and emotion with a great, lead performance by Stiller. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a Walter Mitty of my own.