pflynt

Last Days Here (2011) – Dir: Demian Fenton and Don Argott

The title remarks upon a 54 year old crack and heroin addict who appears to be on his last legs. Robert Liebling is a fading rock star, who never had his big moment. Pentagram was a heavy metal band described as a street version of Black Sabbath. Liebling was their singer. Despite being an extremelyContinue reading “Last Days Here (2011) – Dir: Demian Fenton and Don Argott”

A Dangerous Method (2011) – Dir: David Cronenberg (eXistenZ, The Fly)

Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) is mentored by Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) to attempt to study and practice an experimental medical approach called talking therapy. He tries it out on a serious patient, Sabina (Keira Knightly.) She has physical tics and jerks, irrational reactions to the smallest things. When she is committed to the hospital inContinue reading “A Dangerous Method (2011) – Dir: David Cronenberg (eXistenZ, The Fly)”

Iron Man (2008) – Dir: Jon Favreau (Zathura, Chef, Cowboys & Aliens)

Marvel Comics brings us Iron Man, but without the campiness of your average comic book movie. AC/DC and Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark. He’s cool and his wit is quick. His dialogue, though sharp, is possibly too fast to digest every joke. This only appears to be an issue occasionally – it’s because heContinue reading “Iron Man (2008) – Dir: Jon Favreau (Zathura, Chef, Cowboys & Aliens)”

Life As A House (2001) – Dir: Irwin Winkler (DeLovely, The Net)

Kevin Kline as the father George Monroe and introducing Hayden Christensen as his son, Sam. These players are at their best in this sad and raw slice of life – and inspiration on how to break free from your plastic days. A subtle juxtaposition of the morning routine for father and son – detached fromContinue reading “Life As A House (2001) – Dir: Irwin Winkler (DeLovely, The Net)”

Sunshine (1999) – Dir: István Szabó (Being Julia)

This is a difficult movie to pitch to you so that you understand how great it is. Essentially the story is about a family recipe for a tonic. Or it’s about a family whose wealth centers around a secret family recipe. The story follows each generation of the family as they struggle through political tidesContinue reading “Sunshine (1999) – Dir: István Szabó (Being Julia)”

Sleepers (1996) – Dir: Barry Levinson (Toys, Donnie Brasco)

Beautifully haunting music sets the scene. Jason Patric as the grownup Shakes gives a sufficiently haunted and fitting narration for the innocence stolen from these kids, because of a stupid prank. Hell’s Kitchen – sweaty ass neighbourhood in New York. You know the place, the place you grew up hating. Spent your childhood and willContinue reading “Sleepers (1996) – Dir: Barry Levinson (Toys, Donnie Brasco)”

Leaving Las Vegas (1995) – Dir: Mike Figgis (Timecode, Cold Creek Manor)

It has been stated that nothing changes in this tragic drama film. That because we find meaning in a story from the change in values between the beginning and the end, and the reason for that change, that there is no change in Leaving Las Vegas and therefore no meaning. I disagree. A man, BenContinue reading “Leaving Las Vegas (1995) – Dir: Mike Figgis (Timecode, Cold Creek Manor)”

Across the Tracks (1990) – Dir: Sandy Tung (Confessions of a Sexist Pig)

Billy (Rick Schroder) has been in trouble – living by the law of the street, getting wasted and taking anything he wanted. Letting himself be led into worse trouble by his crazy raw-headed friend, Louie (David Anthony Marshall) – the shit gets deeper (shit happens, it’s just the depth that varies.) Billy gets in overContinue reading “Across the Tracks (1990) – Dir: Sandy Tung (Confessions of a Sexist Pig)”

Temple Grandin (2010) – Dir: Mick Jackson (The Bodyguard, Volcano)

Claire Danes undergoes an impressive transformation to become the aggressively shy and curious, passionate, compassionate, amazing mind of Temple Grandin, the protagonist of this story. She is a young student with Aspurgers syndrome and an interest in cows. She has the mind of an engineer, but she also understands animals. From an early stage, sheContinue reading “Temple Grandin (2010) – Dir: Mick Jackson (The Bodyguard, Volcano)”

Spider (2002) – Dir: David Cronenberg (eXistenZ, The Fly)

In an extraordinarily taut suspense drama, David Cronenberg paints a character portrait of a spider – with Ralph Fiennes as the traumatised, mumbling Mr. Clegg. Beautiful cinematography by Peter Suschitzky (of Empire Strikes Back fame) introduces us to the world of the story, based on the uniquely morbid novel by Patrick McGrath. First we seeContinue reading “Spider (2002) – Dir: David Cronenberg (eXistenZ, The Fly)”