Ghostbusters

Year of Release:  2016
Director:  Paul Feig
Screenplay:  Kate Dippold and Paul Feig, based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters by Ivan Reitman, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis
Starring:  Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth
Running Time:  116 minutes
Genre:  Comedy, action, science-fiction, supernatural

This is probably the most controversial film of the year.  Ever since it was announced, it has fired up the more misogynist corners of the internet.  Every time there is a remake of a beloved film, and the 1984 Ghostbusters is seen as a modern classic, than there will be controversy, but there is an additionally ugly side to the hatred directed at this, because a lot of people are angry about the fact that the Ghostbusters are all women.

Dr. Erin Gilbert (Wiig) is a professor of physics at Columbia University and is hoping for tenure.  However, a book that she has co-authored with fellow scientist Dr. Abigail Yates (McCarthy) stating their belief in the supernatural, and which Gilbert has since tried as hard as possible to distance herself from, has reappeared on-line.   Gilbert approaches Yates, who is studying the paranormal at a technical college with eccentric engineer Dr. Jillian Holtzmann (McKinnon).  After the trio witness a ghost for themselves, Erin excitedly affirms her belief in the supernatural on camera, and the clip is posted online, resulting in her getting fired.  Yates and Holtzmann are also fired when they ask their Dean for more money.  They decide to go into business for themselves  as paranormal investigators dubbed "Ghostbusters", alongside ex-subway worker Patty Tolan (Jones) and dim-witted receptionist Kevin (Hemsworth).  However as the number of paranormal occurrences in New York City increase, the Ghostbusters soon realise that something very bad and very powerful is being released.

This is a hugely entertaining film, and very funny, probably funnier than the 1984 original which, good as it is, really hasn't aged very well.  The film references the original frequently and many of the stars of the previous films appear in cameo roles, however it stands on it's own and is a very different film entirely.  The special effects are spectacular and the film is well acted with Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon being especial standouts.  Some of the pacing is a bit uneven and Kristin Wiig in particular, could do with more jokes.    

This is an important film because it is a mainstream action franchise with all-female leads that more than passes cartoonist Alison Bechdel's test for female representation.  It's great that this film is out there and I think that in thirty years time this may be seen by women with the affection that the original is seen by men.  

Some people have commented that since there is an all-female Ghostbusters there should be an all- male one.  Well, there are two already from 1984 and 1989.  Which are still readily available, for fans of the originals, fear not, the remake hasn't spirited them away.

       Who you gonna call?  Kristin Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy and Leslie Jones in Ghostbusters.

Dark Night: A True Batman Story

Author:  Paul Dini, art by Eduardo Risso
Year of Publication:  2016
Length:  128 pages
Genre:  Graphic novel, autobiography

In January 1993, scriptwriter Paul Dini was at the height of his profession.  Specializing in cartoons, he wrote for Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs and was writing for the internationally successful Batman:  The Animated Series (for which he created the character Harley Quinn).  However, one night returning home from a date, Dini was set upon by two muggers and savagely beaten to within an inch of his life.  After his horrific experience Dini feels unable to face life again, let alone write Batman.   After all, where was the Caped Crusader when he needed him?

Dini structures the book as if it is a movie pitch to bored Hollywood executives.  he starts with his childhood where his loneliness and frequent run-ins with bullies are mitigated by his imagination, and his love of cartoons and comics.  As an adult, his recuperation is detailed partly with a series of conversations between Dini and Batman, and famous Batman villains, such as the Joker, Two Face and Poison Ivy.  Batman is that voice that tells him to suck it up and deal with it, the Joker is more seductive, telling Dini that he doesn't need to work on that script, just play video games and watch TV, he can get back to work the next day, or the day after that, or the day...

Risso's art is beautiful, detailing the characters in lusciously coloured paintings, that evoke the look of early 1990s cartoons.  I read it in a few hours and enjoyed it immensely.  It is sometimes dark, sometimes funny, often gritty.  It is a powerful and effective tale of healing and the power of art and creation, and also the fact that fictional characters can have such great value to real life.

       

Misery

Year of Release:  1990
Director:  Rob Reiner
Screenplay:  William Goldman, based on the novel Misery by Stephen King
Starring:  James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen, Lauren Bacall
Running Time:  107 minutes
Genre:  Thriller, horror

Paul Sheldon (Caan) is the writer of a best-selling series of historical romance novels featuring heroine Misery Chastain.  However he is sick of the series and in his latest novel concludes the series by finally killing off Misery, so he can begin work on more "serious" literary fiction.  However, driving through the mountain roads of Colorado on his way to deliver the manuscript he is badly injured in a serious car accident.  Luckily he is saved by nurse Annie Wilkes (Bates) and taken to her remote farmhouse.  Even better, Annie is his Number One Fan!  However she is not happy about his new artistic direction, and she is even less happy when she reads the final Misery novel.  Now Paul has to write one special Misery novel, just for her.  Because when Annie  gets upset, people get hurt. Very badly hurt.

This is a gripping thriller, based on a 1987 Stephen King novel.  The novel was very personal to King, and he was reluctant to sell the film rights, although he was happy to let Rob Reiner make the film, because Reiner had made Stand By Me (1986), one of King's favourite adaptations of his work.  The book was inspired partly due to the very negative reaction many of his fans had to King's non-horror fantasy novel The Eyes of the Dragon.  King felt that the horror genre was imprisoning him, and he wanted to branch out.  King was also in the grip of a serious drug addiction at the time he was writing the novel, and later claimed that the character of Annie Wilkes was a metaphor for drugs.

The film is about the "contract" between creators and their audience.  The fans pay their money for what the creator produces, but in return they want the creator to keep on producing the material they like.  However, what happens when the creator wants to do something different?  When they do not want to produce what the fans demand.  Of course there is no contract.  You pay for the individual book, comic, film, whatever, and have no right to tell the creator what to do in the future.  There are of course the people who would strongly disagree with this.  The Annie Wilkes of the world who would say "Oh no, you're ours.  You'll do what we say."

Essentially this is a two-hander between James Caan and Kathy Bates, both of whom turn in fantastic performances.  In the unpredictable Annie Wilkes, who can turn from kindly, caring nurse to violent maniac in an instant, Kathy Bates creates one of the screen's greatest and most memorable monsters, and walks away with the entire film.  James Caan is affecting as the tortured writer.  Caan is a big, physically imposing actor, best known for tough guy roles such as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and it's interesting to see him almost completely de-powered.   Richard Fansworth and Frances Sternhagen provide comic relief, and a break from the claustrophobic tension in the farmhouse,  as the kindly local Sheriff and his sarcastic wife.

The film mostly concerns itself with the psychological duel between Annie and Paul, however it does have one teeth-clenchingly shocking moment with the "hobbling" scene involving Annie, Paul's feet and a large sledgehammer.

Tense, exciting and sometimes very funny, surprisingly so, this is one of the best Stephen King adaptations, and a truly fantastic thriller.

    Bedside manner:  Kathy Bates and James Caan in Misery

Jaws

Year of Release:  1975
Director:  Steven Spielberg
Screenplay:  Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb, based on the novel Jaws by Peter Benchley
Starring:  Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton
Running Time:  124 minutes
Genre:  Thriller, horror

This is one of the most popular and influential movies ever made.  When a late night swimmer is savagely killed in the waters off Amity Island, local Police Chief Martin Brody (Scheider) soon realises that there is a vicious shark in the waters.  However the mayor (Hamilton) refuses to close the beaches because the residents rely on the money brought in by summer tourists, especially with the Fourth of July weekend coming up, the island's busiest time of the year.  As the shark claims more victims, Brody enlists the aid of marine biologist Hooper (Dreyfuss), and grizzled old sea dog Quint (Shaw) to stop the terror.

This film pretty much started the summer blockbuster, having an unusually wide release for the time, backed by heavy advertising and merchandising, which helped it become the most successful film ever made, until Star Wars (1977) came along.  Based on the successful novel by Peter Benchley, who co-wrote the script and appears in the film as a TV interviewer, the film had a famously difficult production: it went hugely over budget and over schedule, there was tension between actors Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, and the model shark (nicknamed "Bruce" after Spielberg's lawyer)  looked completely fake.  However the shark problems proved to be a blessing in disguise.  Due to the fact that it looked so bad, Spielberg severely cut back on how often it appeared on screen, so that the shark is largely hinted at and suggested rather than shown in all it's glory.  This is part of what makes the film so effective, the underwater scenes where the camera glides along beneath unsuspecting victims accompanied by John Williams' famous score.  It's the basic fear that Jaws ties into.  When you're in the water, most of you is submerged, and you can't really see what is down there with you.  It could be anything.  Anything at all.

 Another strength that the film has is Spielberg's eye for the minutiae of every day life, the cluttered homes, boats and offices, the naturalistic dialogue and performances.

It is one of the great Hollywood thrillers, exciting, often witty and quotable dialogue and also surprisingly gruesome.

  Roy Scheider is going to need a bigger boat in Jaws

Perfect Blue

Year:  1997
Director:  Satoshi Kon
Screenplay:  Sadayuki Murai, based on the novel Perfect Blue:  Complete Metamorphosis by Yoshikazu Takeuchi
Starring:  Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Okura
Running Time:  81 minutes
Genre:  Psychological thriller, horror, drama

This dark, animated Japanese thriller tells the story of Mima Kirigoe (Iwao), squeaky clean singer in all-girl pop trio CHAM!  Deciding to branch out, Mima quits the band to become an actress.  Her first role is in a gritty, explicit murder mystery drama on TV.  After quitting, Mima finds herself harassed by anonymous telephone calls and notes, she also discovers a website containing a blog, purportedly written by her, describing her daily life in disturbingly accurate detail.  Soon, people connected with the show turn up brutally murdered and Mima begins to suffer bizarre hallucinations where her pop singer persona and the plot of the show, bleed into her real life.

This film was originally intended as a live action drama series, but, after the production facilities were damaged in the 1995 Kobe earthquake, it was decided to make it as a direct to video animated film, with Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo credited as "Special Supervisor" to help sell the film internationally.  The film is a genuinely disturbing horror thriller, which in a way is even more disturbing because of the fact that it is animated, giving it a dreamlike quality.  It deals with perception, reality, identity and image.  Even before she becomes an actress, Mima is still playing a part as a pop "idol" (in Japan idols are manufactured pop stars who are there to be cute, have a squeaky clean public image and be good role models).  Mima is constantly hounded by press and fans, there is a huge pressure on her as she tries to reinvent herself and her image.  People are forever projecting their own ideas and desires onto her, she is constantly being discussed and told what she should be doing.  The idea of "looking" is important as well.  Mima is often seen through screens, camera lenses, mirrors, windows.  The animation is dated, and there are some things that show it's age (Mima is unaware of the internet and has to have it explained to her), however it has mostly aged well, and some elements, such as on-line harassment, are sadly even more relevant.

It's a powerful film with an intriguing central mystery, although I would warn you that it is violent and disturbing.

              

The Imitation Game

Year:  2014
Director:  Morten Tyldum
Screenplay:  Graham Moore, based on the book Alan Turing:  The Enigma by Andrew Hodges
Starring:  Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Mark Strong, Charles Dance
Running Time:  114 minutes
Genre:  Period drama, thriller, war

This film is a historical drama based on the life of mathematician Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), who was the head of the team of code-breakers at Bletchley Park who worked to decrypt the German Enigma codes for the British Government during the Second World War.  The movie moves back and forth between three key periods in Turing's life: His time at boarding school in the 1920s, where the teenage Turing (Alex Lawther) first develops an interest in codes and finds respite from frequent bullying in his close friendship with a fellow pupil (Jack Bannon); his downfall in 1951 where he is arrested for "gross indecency" due to his homosexuality (which was a criminal offence at the time); and, by far the most extensive section of the film, his wartime experience trying to decode the Enigma codes.

I don't know much at all about the life of Alan Turing or how historically accurate the film is, so I'm going to be talking about the film as a drama.  However I have heard that it is not particularly true to the facts of the story.  However it works as a drama.  It is well made, well acted  particularly by Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing, and Keira Knightley as fellow code-breaker Joan Clarke.  It also does well at making Turing's work as accessible and possible for the general audience.  The recreation of the 1940s is fascinating.  The difficulty with a lot of biopics is that they can tend towards shapelessness, but this film structures it as a compelling thriller.  There could have been more about the tragedy of Turing's later life, however, if it encourages people to learn more about a man who has pretty much shaped our lives today with his contributions to computer science, and a shameful period in the history of LGBT rights, than it is a success.

 Keira Knightley and Benedict Cumberbatch  in The Imitation Game

Fables: Legends in Exile

Written by: Bill Willingham, art by Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha and Craig Hamilton
Number of Pages: 145 pages
Genre:  Graphic novel, comics, fantasy, murder mystery,

Fables is a comic book series published by Vertigo Comics which started in 2002 and is still ongoing, having reached 129 issue so far.  Basically, all the characters and creatures from fairy tale and folklore, who call themselves "Fables", have been driven out of their various magical worlds by a powerful enemy known only as "The Adversary".  The only world safe from the Adversary is the mundane, or "mundy", world which is our world.  So the Fables escape to contemporary New York City where they form an uneasy community trying to keep their true magical nature hidden from the mundy world and also trying to retake their homelands from the Adversary.
This book collects the first five issues of the series.  It's basically a murder mystery story in which the Fables' sheriff, the reformed Big Bad Wolf who has taken human form and the name Bigby Wolf, tries to solve the mystery of the disappearance and possible brutal murder of Rose Red, who happens to be the estranged sister of Snow White, the Fables' deputy mayor.

It's a completely self-contained story although with sub-plots and references that spin off into a larger Fables     narrative and can be read and enjoyed on it's own merits without picking up any of the other volumes.  The series hits the ground running with an entertaining story and distinctive characters.  Even the minor characters are developed well with their own personalities and relationships.  The idea of fairy tale characters in the modern world is not a new one but Fables has always worked with it better than most.  The art is detailed and colorful.

The book also contains a short prose story by Bill Willingham about how the Big Bad Wolf came to join the Fables, and a short comic story which fist appeared in the 2009 book Peter and Max: A Fables Novel.

It is definitely worth checking out for fantasy fans.

A word of warning though, although it's about fairy tales and magical creatures it is definitely not for kids.  It contains some strong language, violence and sexual scenes.