5 OF THE BEST: COMEDY

Sorry summer has been so bad for this blog, I've been super busy with job hunting and life planning and trips away and writing (although not nearly as much as I'd like). I plan to be more organised once term starts again!

#1 Wag the Dog

This is probably one of my favourite films of all time, but I wouldn't recommend it if you want to be cheered up. One of the best black comedies out there and if you were a fan of Dr. Strangelove, then you have to see this. In the context of the subsequent Lewinsky scandal and the bombing of a pharmaceuticals factory in Sudan it really rings true. In terms of media spin and governmental timing, it's as relevant now as it was then. Dustin Hoffman and Robery de Niro make a great time, and watch out for a young Kirsten Dunst. 

If this sounds like your sort of thing then Thank you for Smoking is also great. 

#2 Monty Python and the Holy Grail 

As above there are plenty of other films I could have substituted in this recommendation, but this just happens to be my favourite - especially after I saw Spamalot live for the first time last year. I don't need to talk about how good anything Monty Python is and I highly doubt I'm recommending this to anyone who hasn't seen it. In fact it's more likely that you haven't seen all four series of Monty Python's Flying Circus, so go and watch those instead, then watch the film again. Then go and see Spamalot if you have the chance, because things are always better live. 

#3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

Again, Airplane could have easily gone here instead but since it was only on TV last week I felt like this was a more useful suggestion. Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley are excellent and you will laugh from beginning to end as the film is surreal bordering on the absolutely ridiculous. Now this is something you should watch if you want to be cheered up at the end of a long day. There are also two follow-ups and although nothing can replace the original, they certainly don't fall as flat as most comedy sequels; so give those a go too. 

#4 Four Lions

After trying to explain this to people who don't live in Britain, it has become evident to me that this is something that only a British audience could find funny on premise alone. Written by the fantastic Chris Morris, it's at the same time hilarious and a little bit uncomfortable in places. It shouldn't be funny at all but it's too sharp to feel uninformed and too poignant to be out-and-out satire. 

#5 In the Loop

I think I love The Thick of It, Armando Iannucci and the entire cast of this film so much it would have been impossible for me to dislike it. Outside of my obvious bias though, the film is great and I would go so far as to say there isn't a weak moment or character in the entire thing. An amazing performance by James Gandolfini and a must-see if you're a fan of the late Sopranos actor, yet another example of what a great loss to acting he was. Watch it at the moment and have all the relevant context you need without needing to cast your mind back to 2003.

Films that just missed the cut: Shaun of the Dead, The Ladykillers, The Producers, This Is Spinal Tap.

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5 OF THE BEST: DOCUMENTARIES

#1 The Times of Harvey Milk

For anyone who prefers the actual testimonies of people who were there over the theatrical release, this is a collection of news footage and interviews from the people closest to Harvey Milk during his election campaign and the city's reaction to his assimilation. The film is moving now, so you can only imagine the impact it would have had in 1984, just 6 years after Milk's death, and the rawness of the incident runs through every anecdote the interviewees share. A topic that is just as prevalent now as it was 20 years ago, making this documentary even more saddening in its continued relevance.

#2 Food Inc. 

Years before Europe found out there was horse meat in its beef, America was fighting cases against contaminated meat and grains, and farmers were being taken to court over seeds carried into their fields by the wind. Director Robert Kenner spent a large portion of the film's budget on protecting himself and his researchers from lawsuits by large food corporations, which is surely the sign of an informative documentary if nothing else. Whilst the segment on meat production might not resonate with audiences outside of the US, the following piece on the unsustainable reliance on grain (both in our food, and livestock feed), is relevant for everyone.

Watch it, and take absolutely ages to do your shopping from now on.

Know more: http://www.fixfood.org/

#3 Inside Job

Thanks to a very good friend, I finally saw this, and it was well worth the wait. If you thought you couldn't understand what caused the global economic crisis, and as a result couldn't form an opinion on it, then this film will change your mind. In-depth analysis of the background to the crisis, the collapse of the banks, and the global response - and a great number of stumped interviewees. Whilst the film has an obvious bias, the people who declined to be interviewed and what is said by the ones who didn't, speaks for itself. 

#4 Home

Basically all those incredible aerial shots they show you at the beginning of documentaries compiled into one film with a fantastically informative voice over. Saying any more would ruin it for you, but the documentary set out to highlight how interconnected all earth's inhabitants, and the problems they face are; and it certainly achieves that. 

#5 We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks

A must-see for anyone who even thought they might have had an opinion on either Wikileaks or Julian Assange. Whatever side you fell down on before, this film will lead you closer to the mid-ground and largely feeling just plain confused. A closer look at Assange himself and soldier turned Wikileaks informant, Bradley Manning, An in-depth look at all the prominent events in the development of Wikileaks, but there are no conclusions here. With both Manning and Assange awaiting criminal charges, it is still far too soon to tell what effect these events will have on government intelligence and its relationship with technology.

Coming soon...Salinger

 Incredibly reclusive during his lifetime, so it will be incredibly interesting to see what this film contains. Even if it already feels like a massive invasion of privacy.

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5 OF THE BEST: HORROR

#1 Silent Hill

As video game to film adaptations go, this easily outstrips all of its competitors, and for that you can thank its director Christophe Gans. Gans not only had the sound developer from Konami flown to the set, he also played the game on a 40-inch screen in front of the entire cast and crew so they could get a feel for the game and emulate it in their work. What a hero. On top of its excellent development process, the film is also different to nearly everything in its genre because it has an actual plot, with a twist and character development and alternate dimensions and everything.

Also the creepy family who live in Silent Hill have the last name Gillespie, which is just great.

#2 Friday the 13^th

Questionable moral lessons and killing scenes with excessive amounts of blood are here, it’s definitely an eighties slasher. If you have sex, well, I hope it was good, because it's the last thing you'll ever do. Smoking weed? Better enjoy that joint, because you're about to be stabbed in the face. The acting is hilariously dreadful, look forward to the scene where one of the boys pretends to drown, and get a lesson in how not to react in a potential crisis. It’s awful in every sense of the word and you really have to see the sequel to at all understand the story behind the monster, but all this aside, it’s still an absolutely great experience in horror film history.

#3 World War Z

A zombie film that also examines the geo-political outcomes of a worldwide epidemic. I don’t think there’s anything I didn't like about this film (although the scene with the bikes still confuses me) and Peter Capaldi’s appearance half way through just made it all the more enjoyable. No loose ends but enough twists and turns to keep you going in a film that stands alone from the book it’s based on as a piece of art in its own right. I can’t explain how much I enjoyed this, I might even buy the DVD.

Further reading: The Zombie Survival Guide (2014 release), The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, and World War Z

#4 The Blair Witch Project

I tried to stay away from the obvious choices but if you’re not mentally scarred for days after watching this then you’re just not human. The cast were given no direction before they were sent out into the woods with cameras for eight days, with only notes along the way to guide them, and the crew harassing them by night; so the stress and the exhaustion are all real. By far the scariest thing is watching the characters deteriorate mentally until basically the only dialogue is heavy breathing and yelling; leaving it more distressing than obviously terrifying. 

Also the house at the ends reminds me of the interior of my place in Brussels - bloody hand prints aside obviously. 

#5 REC

Almost as terrifying as #4 and there’s something about people yelling in Spanish and needing to use subtitles which just makes you more on edge than usual. My fun fact about this film is that the creepy girl at the end is also played by horror film legend (and actual person) Javier Botet, who plays creepy elongated women like no other (also see Mama). Basically everyone you get attached to in this film (and the sequels) will die, so don’t watch if you’re having a bad day. Or if you’re planning to visit any apartment blocks in Barcelona.

The one you should see – The Conjuring

Having spent most of the film with my eyes shut I can’t tell you a whole lot about it apart from the fact it’s absolutely terrifying. Not wanting to become a spoiler, I won’t say much, but the addition of the outside characters is nice, the birds are a little unnecessary, and the make-up department did an excellent job.

The one I want to see – V/H/S

Found footage. An omnibus of found footage. An omnibus of found footage with a plot arc and two people fainted when it was premièred at the Toronto Film Festival. There is nothing about this that means I don’t absolutely have to see it. V/H/S 2 was released earlier this year but not in the UK, although I'm told it has nothing on the original, and experience has taught me you don’t have to bother with sequels/prequels if they’re no good. So just stick with V/H/S and get scared silly.

Coming Soon – ­­­­­You’re Next

Okay so you've seen the trailer, and you think it looks exactly like The Strangers. You’d be right, it does; a wholesome family evening ruined by a home invasion by masked killers, but don’t you remember how good last time was? This looks to be more of the same and I think it's going to be incredible. 

xx