stuart-432 Reviews

The Numbers Station (2013)

How it probably is...

[10/10 · 20 July 2017]

I have no personal experience of the dark worlds of espionage and the so-called "security" services. It has intrigued me that the supposed lives and exploits of those who inhabit those worlds have been used to such an extent in books and in films. I have always suspected that the truth is probably too nasty and too boring to make really good box office. This is a film which probably gets closer to the truth of it all than any I have seen. It might be a little bit more violent and it might over emphasise how alone those sort of people are... but it has a feeling of "reality" which is reliably absent from so many in the genre.

But that is not all. This film is so much more than a "bang, bang, woop, woop" espionage thriller. This is thanks to the writing, the setting and the performances from the actors. We start with Cusack, inhabiting a grey world with "no life outside" and Akerman tantalising... and yet neither trying nor likely to succeed in re-connecting him with "life". It's not very long and there are no seismic shifts in their surroundings... even though quite a lot of stuff does go bang. Which means that the character development... and there is quite a bit of that... rests entirely on the two leads. It's subtle so don't be embarrassed if you miss it. They do a brilliant job and it's been a long time since I was inclined to applaud.

It seems to me that this film is ultimately about redemption, primarily Cusack's but also Akerman's. If anything it's underplayed... but it's all the more effective because of that. I congratulate all those involved in making a film which allows you to care about the characters and which actually has something to say.

Tall in the Saddle (1944)

Something special

[10/10 · 29 October 2014]

The entire cast of this film are as near to flawless in their performances as is possible. Marin's direction, the writing of Fix and Hogan... it is all drawn together to deliver a very special experience for those of us lucky enough to enjoy it.

The word "masterpiece" is over-used, so I will simply remark that this film is something special. It is difficult to envisage it working in any other setting than the American west. It is a "western"... but oh so much more as well.

Gabby Hayes delivers a performance which can only be described as "iconic". For someone who many say could not act, John Wayne's portrayal of a man with hidden wounds as he boards the stage with Gabby Hayes at the beginning of the film is subtle and under-stated but very, very good. For those who wonder what I am blathering about, consider the line "I never feel sorry for anything that happens to a woman." The dialogue throughout is first rate and where else could you see a thoughtful John Wayne in an apron, kneading dough ? Ella Raines's entrance into the story is packed with power and intensity... and she never lets up for the rest of the film. A memorable performance.

There are extraordinary depths to this film. It seems to me that the writers and the director were well acquainted with how humankind can get it "wrong". There are no really "bad" people in this film... just people who, through weakness, delusions about who they are and what they are entitled to... mess up their own lives... and the lives of others. Note that these people tend to be "professionals"... with definite hints of accountancy or legal qualifications. They've missed "the point" and all that life has to offer.

Like all great films, it is clearly a team effort... and when they made this one, boy did they have a team.

The Restless Breed (1957)

Miniscule budget but who cares...

[7/10 · 5 August 2013]

There is an obvious absence of finance behind this film but it excels for all that. Somehow, even the obvious stage/studio setting enhances the experience of this modest effort. It is a play... and if the audience is to be drawn in... it will be through the characterization, the dialogue and the drama... not through stunning visuals and computer generated crowd scenes.

The fundamental flaw is the age of the two principals. Bancroft was 26 at the time this was filmed and Brady 33. Angelita (Bancroft) is supposed to be a "child" of about sixteen and Mitch (Brady) is playing the part of an educated young man (late teens ?) so incensed by his father's murder that he is in danger of "taking the wrong road". It's remarkable... when you contemplate that this detail of age is fundamental to the story and to the drama... that the principals carry the thing so well and that it still works.

For its time, it must have been something of a "blood fest" with people being killed from the outset. And again, they get it right. Lots of blood, guts and gore does not add significance to the fact that someone is killed or murdered.

Some nice touches of humour and some becoming self-parody by some of the actors adds to the stage play quality of the film.

The Fourth Kind (2009)

Ethically appalling and a bad movie to boot

[1/10 · 22 July 2013]

I have rarely felt moved to write a review, preferring that others be allowed to decide for themselves. Furthermore, I like to say good and constructive things about other people's creativity.

Sadly, this movie and the people involved have sunk to such depths that I cannot remain silent.

I will start by being positive about Will Patton's performance. He carried a difficult role with great aplomb. Other supporting performers were okay.

So why is the movie so bad ?

Firstly, the simple fact is that there have been many unexplained disappearances and the twisted people behind this film seem to regard the very real grief and anxiety of those "left behind" as fuel for their project.

Secondly, alien abduction is a very real and serious subject deserving of serious treatment. Only recently have respected scientists and academics been willing to hazard their reputations in considering these phenomena. Projects such as this movie serve only to put money in the pockets of the unscrupulous.

Thirdly, to rely so much on surrounding your project with false evidence and false trails in order to ensnare a gullible audience tells you all you need to know about the people behind this ghastly effort.

Finally, as a film which relies so heavily on dialogue, to have everyone whispering and muttering serves only to confuse things rather than increase any sense of tension. There is more to the creation of dramatic tension than a repetitive sound-track and directing your principal actors to deliver their lines in a barely audible mutter.