She’s All That – Film Review

Posted on August 27, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Robert Iscove

Screenplay by: R. Lee Fleming Jr.

Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr. Rachael Leigh Cook, Matthew Lillard, Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin  

Rating: ★★½

Netflix have just released He’s All That, a gender-swapping remake of the 1999 film, She’s All That, which is a reimagining of the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. Apparently 1999 was the year for teen high school comedies based on classic plays. She’s All That was released two months after 10 Things I Hate About You, which was based on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew.

Zackery Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr, Scooby-Doo) is the most popular guy in school, he has his pick of collages to attend and his dream girlfriend. Nothing can go wrong, until his girlfriend comes home from a trip and breaks up with him. He makes a bet with some friends that he can make anyone prom queen by taking them and sets his eyes on Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children). Laney is a geek and an outcast, who spends more time in her basement than at parties.

The plot to this film is completely by the numbers. You know that going in and it doesn’t do anything unexpected. From the first few minutes you know every major plot point, every twist and the ending. It’s all be done before and since in every which way. Despite that, the film is still decent enough to be enjoyable.

The performances are all good and everyone is charming enough to make the jokes land, the emotional moments feel real. There are a lot of people in this film. Aside the two leads, there’s Matthew Lillard (Scooby-Doo, Scream), Paul Walker (Fast and Furious), Anna Paquin (True Blood), Elden Henson (Daredevil) and Kieran Culkin (Scott Pilgrim). Everyone is great and makes the film that much more in enjoyable just to spot them.

She’s All That is a standard high school rom-com. It does nothing special and is an enjoyable film while it’s on. It pales in comparison to 10 Things I Hate About You, which is a highlight of the genre, and probably suffered from being released so close to it.

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Top 50 Films Part 8

Posted on August 27, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

I’m back again with part 8 of my top 50 films, if you haven’t read the previous parts catch up here:

PART 1,  PART 2,  PART 3,  PART 4,  PART 5,  PART 6,  PART 7, 

This is the last week that’s in a random order, but it’s still random for now. After this week we will be counting down the top ten.

Godzilla

The original Japanese Godzilla is an almost perfect film. This is so close to being in my top 10 and if you asked me on a different day, it probably would be. From the moment this starts and the amazing score kicks in, it’s just pure brilliance. The effects were ground-breaking at the time and still look great now. Beyond the monster story it’s really about the effect of nuclear weapons and was made at a time when American occupation was still felt in Japan, and censorships on the effects of the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were only just being eased. There isn’t really anything negative about this film, it’s outstanding and a must see. There is a Criterion release of this as well, that contains all of the Showa era Godzilla films, it’s a little pricy, but it’s worth it for the documentaries that put the film in its context with a lot of great interviews with the filmmakers.  

Poltergeist

When I first saw Poltergeist, it gave me the same kind of feeling that any of Spielberg’s films do. There’s a well-produced, high budget, and a (even though it’s horror) family feel to it. I know that Tobe Hooper directed the film and that’s clear, but you can still feel Spielberg’s touch on it. This is a great film and has some of the most memorable moments in all of horror history. It’s not the scariest film ever made, but watching this on a dark night with a bowl of popcorn is a hard one to beat.

There is a documentary series on Shudder, called Cursed Films, which dedicates an episode to Poltergeist and the so-called curse. It isn’t worth watching, it basically sums up what any rational person already knows. There isn’t a curse. I only mention it because the legacy of this film and its sequels seem to focus on the curse when it really shouldn’t.

The Dead Zone

David Cronenberg’s adaptation of my favourite Stephen King book is also my favourite Stephen King film. It manages to take a 500+ page book, boil it down to 90 minutes and somehow not miss a beat. Christopher Walken is brilliant in it, as is Martin Sheen. It’s a story about grief and loss, while also having a sub-plot asking if you could stop something horrible before it happens, but it means killing someone, would you? I don’t know why this film isn’t spoken about more, especially when people talk about adaptations of King’s books. It’s long overdue to be seen as the masterpiece that it truly is.

The Exorcist

There is nothing that can be said about The Exorcist that hasn’t been said before. For some it’s the scariest film ever made. Some people completely dismiss it as being overrated. I wasn’t allowed to watch this growing up, one of the few films left out of my reach. My mum hates it, even the music (which is excellent) is enough to chill her. When I was older, I finally got a chance to see it (My mum wasn’t happy when she saw the film on my shelf) and while I don’t think it’s as scary as some people make out, it’s an expertly made film and is a horror film that could have only been made in the 70s. Long after watching it I kept on thinking about it, and I believe it is worthy of the legacy it holds.

Scream

Scream is my go to Halloween film. I’ve seen it many times and I absolutely love it. It takes all the trappings of horror and is completely self-aware about it. I didn’t really get it the first time I watched it, but after seeing more and more horror films, went back and found it even better. It’s something that rewards repeat viewings and is a treat to all horror fans. Wes Craven was a master of horror and this is his best film (in my opinion). I could watch this at any point. There is a part where they show snippets of John Carpenter’s Halloween (One of my other favourite films that didn’t quite make this list, although it was in draft copies), and that makes me want to watch again. I also think the sequels are good and can’t wait for the fifth one, due out in January. The TV show was really good, but I haven’t seen season 3.

Have you seen any of the films above? Love them, hate them? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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Candyman – Film Review

Posted on August 26, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Bernard Rose

Written by: Bernard Rose

Starring: Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Xander Berkeley and Kasi Lemmons

Rating: ★★★★

With the sequel to Candyman arriving in cinemas this week, it’s a good time to look back at the original classic. Based on Clive Barker’s short story ‘The Forbidden’, the original film explores a class and race division in Chicago, centred around the Cabrini–Green Homes, a low-income housing area. The title character is an urban legend that Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen, Dune) is researching for a paper. After hearing the stories of Candyman she goes to Cabrini-Green, where the legend came from to investigate further and discovers that there’s more to it than just a legend.

Everyone knows the story of Candyman, that if you say his name five times in a mirror, he will appear behind you and kill you with his hooked hand. After hearing the story Helen does exactly this in her apartment bathroom and seemingly nothing happens. You know from almost the opening that this film isn’t going to have a happy ending. There is a sense of foreboding and impending doom that works really nicely and creates a good sense of tension and horror.

The main setting of the film, Cabrini-Green was a real housing project in Chicago, that’s since been torn down. When preparing for the roles, Virginia Madsen and Tony Todd (Candyman himself), visited the project to get a sense of what it was like to live there, and would later say it was a distressing experience. A few scenes were shot there as well, and at once point the crew was shot at. There is a moment in the film where one of the characters says you don’t even drive past Cabrini-Green and that was a real feeling outside of the film. Candyman captures the tensions and divisions between races in Chicago, a drastic change from the original story that is set in Liverpool, UK. By doing this, Rose added another layer to the story and gives it a gritty feeling.

Candyman is a creepy film. It’s unsettling and the opening is one of the most captivating and engrossing openings to a horror film ever. The story is hinted at and slowly revealed to you and it works really well. Even at the end of the film, you get the impression that there is more there, that we just don’t know. It really captures the idea of an urban legend. Helen’s role in the story is left ambiguous at the end, there are hints that she is a reincarnated person from Candyman’s past, but this isn’t ever explicitly said. It’s a really nice touch.

The score by classical composer Philip Glass, is one of the best horror scores of all time. It’s spooky but doesn’t tell you when to be scared like so many other scores do. It sets a perfect mood of tension and builds the horror nicely to the grand showdown at the end.

Since it’s nearly 30 years old, there are some dated moments in Candyman. The effects aren’t much by today’s standards, and without any spoilers there is one particularly bad effect that is distracting. If you can ignore that and enjoy it in the context of a lower-budget horror from the early 90s, then there is still a lot to enjoy. The bee scenes are all real and they are really unsettling. A lot of the crew suffered stings from the bees and it’s not for the faint hearted.

Candyman is widely considered to be a classic horror film and it deserves that title. It’s chilling, gripping and builds to the perfect ending. The new sequel has a lot to live up to.

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Peach Boy Riverside, Volume 1 – Book Review

Posted on August 26, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Thank you to Kodansha Comics for the copy of this Manga in return for an honest review

Saltherine is a princess who dreams of going on an adventure. Her father won’t let her leave because their kingdom is filled with dangerous monsters. A traveller, Mikoto, enters the kingdom and becomes friends with Saltherine. After monsters attack and Mikoto manages to stop them all single-handedly, he leaves. Saltherine decides to stand up to her father, and rejecting her title goes off on an adventure of her own.

I really enjoyed this manga. The story flows so nicely and I ended up reading the first volume in one sitting. It feels a little like One Piece with Aladdin mixed in. The art style is really nice and clear. As usual with this genre of manga, there’s a lot of humour and it’s very charming.

The characters are great. When Saltherine’s journey starts she meets a demi-human, Frau, who is half-human and half-hare. They’re a fun combination and it’s entertaining to see them go on an adventure together and bond.

The manga feels very short, even though it is the usual 200ish page length. It flies by and before you know it, the first volume is over. I’m glad volume 2 is close to release so I can pick that up as soon as possible. It’s a charming and feel good adventure.

Peach Boy Riverside may not be the best manga off all time, it’s not breaking any new ground, but it’s definitely a good read. It’s full of great imagination, characters and the story flows nicely. I’m looking forward to reading more of this.

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The Cat O’Nine Tails – Film Review

Posted on August 25, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter
The cover to the new 4K edition

Director: Dario Argento

Screenplay by: Dario Argento

Starring: James Franciscus, Karl Malden. Catherine Spaak and Cinzia De Carolis

Rating: ★★★

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dario Argento’s second film as a director, The Cat O’Nine Tails. A spiritual sequel to his debut The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, and another thriller instead of the horror films he would go on to become famous for. Argento would go on to tell interviewers and fans that he was disappointed with Cat O’Nine Tails, going as far as to say that he was depressed after he saw the final film for the first time.

Franco ‘Cookie’ Arnò (Karl Malden, A Streetcar Named Desire), a blind puzzle enthusiast, notices some strange events around his home. There’s a strange man in a car and he hears something happening the same night. The medical institute nearby is broken into, but nothing is reported as stolen. Arnò and a local reporter Carlo Giordani (James Franciscus, Mr Novak) work together to solve the mystery.

At the time this was released it was marketed as being nine times more suspenseful than The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. That’s a tall claim that would be impossible to live up to, but this isn’t even as suspenseful as Crystal Plumage. The suspense is still there and as the mystery unfolds it is compelling and you want to figure it out, but it’s not quite as brutal as Crystal Plumage, and the main characters never really feel like they’re in danger, even when they supposedly are.

The effects, with this being a low-budget film that’s half a century old, aren’t that great. It’s not too distracting, but they aren’t anything to write home about. The best effect is one of the doctors being pushed in front of a train, it looks a little tame by modern standards, but the body flopping about under the wheels is still shocking to watch.

The best thing about this film is Arnò. Karl Malden gives a strong performance and is an absolute joy to watch. There’s a sense of humour with most of his lines, especially in the first half, that heighten this film and make it more than worth watching. He’s brilliant and it’s when he’s on screen that the film really gets going. There is a long sequence in the middle where he is absent and is sorely missed.

When the killer is hunting people, we see this from a first-person perspective. It’s chilling to watch, with close shots of the killer’s eye. Argento knows how to direct suspenseful sequences and it’s on full display here. Combine that with a masterful score from Enrico Morricone, which echoes throughout perfectly, and you have some great tense moments.

At nearly two hours, Cat O’Nine Tails does feel like a long film. It’s not boring at any point, but you feel the length. The ending, which is heart-stoppingly tense is a great moment of chasing the killer across the roof. It’s the only real time you feel that the reporter Giordani is in real danger. The end does feel very sudden, which is intentional, but I personally don’t feel it works. There was an extra scene in the original script, which would have been nice to see, to wind down the film before the credit’s role. Instead the ending is harsh and sudden.

The new Arrow 4K edition is a gorgeous restoration of the film with a ton of extra features, including an interview with Argento and some of the other crew and cast, a selection of trailers, a poster, postcard sized art prints and a 60ish page booklet with essays written about the film, including one from Argento who goes into detail about why the film disappointed him when he first saw it. This is a must buy edition of the film for any Argento fan.

Cat O’Nine Tails isn’t Argneto’s best film, it’s not as good as Crystal Plumage but it’s definitely an interesting film and has one of the best characters of the mystery/thriller genre. There should be a whole series of films about the witty blind puzzle enthusiast Arnò. The story will keep you guessing until the final reveal

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