timcostello1 Reviews

Repo Men (2010)

Un-intelligible dialogue

[4/10 · 16 August 2010]

Can somebody please re-assure me that the dialogue in this film was mostly un-intelligible. Particularly in all the scenes involving Forerst Whitaker but not excluding Jude Law, how different from 'The Talented Mr. Ripley'.

This is a growing annoyance in a lot of movies nowadays and is not a problem with the audio soundtrack. Surely a Dialogue Coach or even the Director should notice this happening as he listens back to each scene? Incidentally, the films of Marlon Brando, a famous 'mumbler', are still crystal clear so it is definitely an affectation by the actors who probably heard that if you slur your words you are using 'the method'. How mistaken they are, so come on folks, stop your silly galloping through your lines as I am sure what you intend to say is fairly important.

Otherwise the film wasn't bad! Harry Lime, Dublin.

Mad Men (2007–2015)

Modern 2008 speech patterns used throughout!

[9/10 · 23 May 2009]

Is there nobody on movie sets today who is in charge of speech patterns and standards?

A friend of mine, in the relatively small Irish Ardmore Film Studios, was usefully employed for years as both a Speech (accents) Coach AND as a 'Time Hawk'. His job there was to watch out for actors using modern phrases and inflections in period movies.

It is a pity he wasn't working on the set of 'Mad Men'which is littered with mistakes which ruin the whole 1960s feel.

Several actors use the 'raising query' way of talking of todays annoying teenagers, making every statement sound like a question: 'We went to the Mall today, to chill-out' is spoken as 'We went to the Mall today? To chill-out?". The Mad Men are not the only culprits as I have heard this way of talking even in BBC period dramas!

Frequent use of the popular phrase: 'You know what?' which precedes the most banal statement, such as: 'You know what? I won't have a drink, thank you'.

Other than that, the script in 'Mad Men' is by far the best I have ever heard on a TV series. The obscure, evasive and pithy way that real people speak is perfectly captured. The long silent spaces and the 'nod is as good as a wink' are used beautifully in this drama which otherwise perfectly captures the era I grew up in. To really see what can be done, to exactly capture a past time, put 'The Key to Reserva' into the Google search box and be prepared to be rendered speechless......

Tim Costello, Dublin.

Flightplan (2005)

I aged visibly while watching this load of bunkum.

[1/10 · 3 April 2008]

They say that a person is changed, for better or for worse, by everything they see. I believe in that dictum now, having suffered through this pointless and improbable waste of film stock. There was more merit in the empty sprocket holes of the 35mm film expended so pointlessly in shooting 'Flightplan'. But, above all, there were more holes in the plot than in that precious film stock.

My family could see the ever-growing aging process etching into my beautiful features, minute by minute, as this movie wended its weary way. They said it was like watching a nature film of speeded-up action as the lines of suffering spread over my face. When it comes time to go to St.Peter I intend to demand those two hours back. However my eyebrows did get a great workout as they constantly shot up and down in incredulity at the factual liberties taken in the film.

'Flightplan' sells itself as a thriller, not as a satire or comedy. Yet the only thrill I felt was the regular appearance of the 'end-of-part' captions denoting the arrival of, possibly, some exciting and believable commercials as I watched it on TV. The storyline in a true thriller has to be at least just about possible but this cardboard film contained not one thrill, only a sense of wonder at the waste of all that selfsame cardboard in constructing the body and engines of the aircraft mock-up, a description that summarises this movie.

Shadowing the Third Man (2004 TV Movie)

Did 'The Third Man' change your life?

[10/10 · 1 January 2008]

Did seeing 'The Third Man' change your life in any way? I know it did mine and is a question I have asked many friends, men and women alike. When the film had just been released in Ireland I went to the local Fairview Grand cinema on a Saturday and there was the movie that was to decide my life direction in a most positive way.

For some reason The Third Man caused a sensation here in Ireland and its influence lingers on even to the present day. It packed out the cinemas for a long time and culminated with Anton Karas performing in a Dublin Theatre. Newspapers to this day frequently use a 'third man' phrase in in a story headline. "Third Man accused of robbery" or some such. Hardly a week goes by but the 'Harry Lime Theme' as played by Anton Karas is not heard on a radio station. This week alone there were three playings on radio, Zanussi white-ware used in in a TV advert and a travel film about London used it, albeit incorrectly, when showing the London Eye ferris wheel! In my own case, having seen the movie as a new teenager, I determined that I wanted to take up photography/filming AND learn to play the zither. I did both as it happened and later I hitched-hiked across Europe to meet Anton Karas in Vienna. What a thrill it was to meet him and to visit the still undisturbed film locations.

I met a girl who, quite by accident, revealed that she had the Anton Karas Decca 78 record, so that clinched our commitment! I still have that record. Like most Irishmen I emigrated to London where I consolidated my ambition to make films, The Third Man always being the 'gold standard', by attending a Film School. This led on to my joining the new Irish TV service as a Director.

At least two colleagues of mine went on to a career in radio, the movie having been the catalyst. Another guy is a movie reviewer! I have every record and CD ever made featuring Anton Karas but I would give my right arm to find the actual original studio recordings of him playing the background music for the film. Can anyone help? Is there no end to the fascination this film has for people? My collection has grown again with the discovery of the Michael Rennie BBC 'Third Man' series and of course this excellent documentary 'Shadowing the Third Man'. Frederick Baker has written and directed a surprising film in its own right. He has used the superimposed montage to great effect, echoing the slanted camera of the parent film! Don't miss Charles Drazin's excellent book 'In Search of the Third Man' with a load of new and interesting photographs and material. He made a very welcome and authoritative appearance in this documentary, both in front of and behind the camera.

So that is my story, told as I too walk that long avenue and I hope others might share their thoughts and experiences of that greatest of all films, 'The Third Man'. Tim Costello, Dublin, Ireland.

The Key to Reserva (2007)

Mr.Scorsese, please finish the movie!

[10/10 · 12 December 2007]

"The Key to Reserva" is the most innovative piece of film-making I have seen for a long time. It was recommended to me by a fellow Hitchcock enthusiast but actually seeing it really blew me away. The plot was so unexpected and the execution by Scorsese, a master of cinema, was flawless. The moment I reached for my phone to tell my buddies about this masterpiece it started ringing anyway with my pals also wanting to spread the news! But now we all have the same question for Martin Scorsese: 'Will you please finish writing and shooting the film?' Yes, yes I know you can't emulate that other master, Alfred Hitchcock, but 'The Key to Reserva' can take on a life and indeed style. of its own with barely a backwards nod. This can be a winner in the right hands and Scorsese has shown that he has the magic touch and is just the man to do it. So, Sir, please take us out of our agony and say you will. From Tim Costello, Ireland.