100W: Signs

Short reviews for clear and concise verdicts of a broad range of films...

Signs (Dir. M.Night Shyamalan/2002)

Signs is Independence Day from the perspective of a small family in rural USA. Graeme Hess (Gibson) has a crisis of faith following the death of his wife as aliens invade Planet Earth. Hess and his brother (Phoenix) display the usual awe and wonder that we’ve seen before but the small-town environment draws you into a family that you fall for through a strong young cast (Culkin and Breslin). We run through crunchy, crop fields and look closer at news footage to see purpose in supernatural occurrences as Signs maintains power, but lacks the subtlety of M.Night Shyamalan’s previous films.

Rating: 7/10

Incredible Soundtrack #3: The Million Dollar Hotel (Willner/Bono/Eno)

The music attached to a film creates the environment, I believe, moreso than the literal environment depicted through the visuals...

Castor at Anomalous Materials has just begun one of those blog-a-thons called Desert Island Discs. This is a radio show once in England which has become almost iconic in the way it counts down your must-have CD's or films. Now, I rarely manage to complete these types of posts at the best of times so, in the hope that I can vaguely hit two-birds-with-one stone I have written this post. I must point out initially that this is by no means my favourite album or an album I would take to the desert island. In fact, I would not take a single track from this album to the desert island. Though, I know that I would take at least 3 tracks by U2 (off the top of my head? 'With or Without You', 'A Sort of Homecoming' and 'Mofo') - my favourite band ever. Thus my tenuous link to Castors 'Desert Island Discs' blog-a-thon.

The film is a strange one - almost dreamlike in its 'world' with Mel Gibson as the outsider to the surrealist hotel that is the Million Dollar Hotel. But the soundtrack really complements this context with soft, slow, soothing guitar riffs and chords. Echoes litter the album but the two stand out tracks are by U2 - 'Stateless' and 'The Ground Beneath her Feet'. The latter is on the album All That You Can't Leave Behind (albeit as a bonus track), but the former is only available on this soundtrack. The third track I have chosen is Milla Jovovich singing Lou Reed's 'Satellite of Love' showing the 'dream like' quality of the film... until the track descends into a strange territory. I always wish the song ended after 3 minutes, because the wailing ruins the song completely. In some ways, this song is not too far from the film itself - in that, as good as the film can appear and look, there is something uneven and strange about it making the film a little bit too strange to comfortably enjoy.

1. The Ground Beneath Her Feet

3. Stateless

4. Satellite of Love (Milla Jovovich and The MDH Band)

A-Z #42: Chicken Run

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and understanding why I own the films ... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#42 - Chicken Run 

Why did I buy it?

This goes way back. Again, a huge bunch of films were purchased in the hey-day of DVD. Chicken Run was one of these films. I remember the exceptional sales it had around Christmas time and the huge British-Success which was Nick Parks animation studios going 'feature'-length. Unlike the various Wallace and Gromit shorts that preceded it.

Why do I still own it?

Because, if I'm honest, I don't think its bad enough to sell. I need a little bit of balance to my Disney-only family films - and this is one of them. Then again, I don't look at it and think "this is incredible" - in fairness, I think its a good film. I would have to replace it with another family-friendly film and the question is - which one? There is nothing as unique as claymation chickens and, with Mel Gibson, there is a nice Hollywood touch.

Can You Recommend the Family-friendly film I should have instead if Chicken Run?

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #28: Braveheart

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#28 - Braveheart 

Why did I buy it?

Oscar-Winner. Best Picture. All that jargon. Other than that, epic-Scottish war films are not really my thing. I hadn't seen it before hand and - upon watching the 50min documentary on the second disc - it is one of the worst 'double-disc' boxes I have ever bought. I hear the Blu-ray is better.

Why do I still own it?

 

Ever the completist, alongside Apocalypto and Passion of the Christ - with this - I have all of Gibsons films. But I mujst admit I haven't seen it much since the first watch. I watched it a second time with my Mum and - in the same evening -  we watched the aforementioned documentary (Rubbish). Additionally I own a bunch of Best Pictures, so i guess, thats another plus point. Then again, I own Shakespeare in Love in a crappy boxset with Vanity Fair and Marie Antoinette (it was £3! what can I say? I wanted to watch the film and the cheapness meant that I might as well buy it....) and have every intention of selling that at the earliest opportunity. 
Other than the completist factors, there is not much reason to keep it - is it important enough to keep?

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

A-Z #15: Apocalypto

You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a buck each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films...

#15 - Apocalypto 

Why did I buy it?

This was a present. This is not to devalue it, because I do rate Mel Gibson as a director (not so much loving the racist, sexist religious freak side-affect) and I thoroughly enjoyed the huge, epic nature of Apocalypto. I watched the film at the cinema and I enjoyed it...

Why do I still own it?

I do believe Apocalypto is an incredibly unique film rooted in history and culture. Now, I know there are a bunch of historical inaccuracies - but this aggressive and animalistic attitude to faith and life was real - you could argue, to some extent it still exits - and it is to be commended that Mel Gibson has captured this human trait in this film. We live in a very different world - but the idea that entire worlds existed before us that valued life so little - yet valued God so much - is something that is fascinating to see.

  

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter  and Facebook.

Favourite Film Faces #4: Mel Gibson as Mad Max

If you have listened to the most recent podcast, you will know that Sarah and I were both unimpressed with our first viewing of George Millers 'Mad Max'. The sequence we play a clip of is the montage of Max, his wife and child playing around after Max has just quit the police. He is happy - happy enough to play Tarzan.

I think he is a plonker. Hence this weeks favourite film face - Gibson as a plonker.

The Simon and Jo Film Show: 02/04/2010

A reboot to the current programme - Simon and Jo review Kick-Ass and then take you throught he news and current releases. Simon continues his quest for the Understanding of The Coen brothers by watching The Hudsucker Proxy and Burn After Reading while, as a lovely Easter treat, we discuss Gibsons Passion of the Christ.

We discuss the trailers for Salt, The A-Team and The Expendables.

All music is from the Kickass Soundtrack.

Links discussed:
He Shot Cyrus - the Website Simon 'won' on.
/Filmcast - The website that was first to tell me about Independence Day 2 and 3 and the cancellation of 24
Prince Charles Cinema - the cinema that Jo shall be watching Grindhouse and 2001:A Space Odyssey at this week!