constellationofcygnus

I have always been a big fan of portmanteau films, especially those from Amicus or Tyburn. Lurid classics like Tales that Witness madness are pure exploitative fun, whilst From Beyond the Grave is a cast iron classic and one of my favourite films of all time. However, I've largely found myself disappointed by their modern equivalents. The VHS films, apart from a couple of segments, have been a let down and the myriad other low budget attempts have left me cold. Which brings us to Southbound. A film that does something genuinely new with the concept. Instead of the usual wrap around story each episode segues into the next. Not always too smoothly but in the main it works. Real care and attention has been given to ensure the disparate stories, from different writers and directors, all feel very similar. The film manages to deliver a real sense of otherwordlyness, some graphic violence and good performances. Its not perfect, some of the CGI is quite poor but thats understandable given the ultra low budget. And I for one am getting heartily sick of the squidgy analogue Carpenter-alike scores that every indie horror film seems to have these days. The sooner this trend ends, the better. A cross between the EC comics of the 50's and 60's and the more mind bending episodes of The Twilight Zone, Southbound is worth seeking out by fans of real horror films. A definite breath of fresh air 8/10.

The Revenant -

Hot on the heels of the success of his Oscar winning Birdman, Alejandro González Iñárritu turns his hand to the Western with a tale of double cross and revenge. DiCaprio plays fur trapper Glass, who is gravely wounded during an attack by a bear (in a fantastic and utterly convincing sequence) and ultimately abandoned and left for dead by some of his companions. How his lust for vengeance keeps him alive is the crux of the rest of the story. First of all the film looks fantastic, with a real Kubrick/Barry Lyndon feel to some of the visuals. From the snow on distant mountains to the mist winding through the forest its a fantastic looking piece. The score, by Japanese legend Ryuichi Sakamoto with Alva Noto and Bryce Dessner is also great, sparse and haunting. It mirrors the landscape perfectly. The acting by leads Leo DiCaprio, an almost unrecognisable Tom Hardy and Will Poulter is universally great, with DiCaprio in particular giving a completely committed performance as the wronged frontiersman Hugh Glass. If I had to criticise I would say that not everything works, some of the dream/fantasy sequences seem a bit naive and contrived, and it could also have benefited from being maybe 20 minutes shorter. But although the story is pretty slight and one-note I didn't find myself checking the time at all. I actually preferred it to Birdman. Overall its now my second favourite weird and violent snow draped western, losing the top slot to the vastly underrated Ravenous 7/10

The difficulty reviewing a film like 'Landmine Goes Click' is that its one of those rare films where the less you know going in, the better. The set up is that 3 American friends (a couple and their mutual best friend) are on a walking/climbing holiday in the beautiful and remote Georgian countryside. Things take a turn for the deadly when one of them accidentally steps on an old landmine, a leftover from the war that ravaged the country a few years ago. What happens from here is so full of twists and turns that to say any more would definitely spoil things so I will advise not reading much about the story (or watching the trailer) before watching. Needless to say the story goes off on brutal and twisted tangents throughout that definitely keep you interested. The direction, acting and cinematography are all solid, the real outbreak star being the gorgeous Georgian landscape. The film isn't perfect. Some scenes drag on a tad too long, and the pace dips a little in a couple of places. I also felt that it should have been 'nastier' but maybe thats just me. There is limited on-screen violence. Having said all this I do recommend the film to anyone prepared to try something different. It definitely makes you think as the credits start rolling. The film certainly doesn't go where you expect it to, and ultimately these days, thats high praise in itself.

6.5/10