DAMNAMBULANCE FACTOR: 2014

Sunday 28 December 2014

Art And Unscrupulousness: A 'Big Eyes' Feature (The Hollywood News)

A masterpiece can last forever, immortalized within the frame of a picture the way a camera catches a moment in time. Yet the mechanics of getting paint on canvas would bore even the sturdiest of cinema audiences. Movies have a longstanding love affair with art, but one that focuses more on the creators than the result. Art is used as a catalyst for conflict, fanaticism, passion, malevolence and good old-fashioned greed.

Tim Burton’s BIG EYES embodies the last of these qualities and also a smattering of the others. It tells the story of Margaret Keane, whose marriage to husband Walter was defined and eventually destroyed by her work, characterized by the exaggerated eyes of the title. Released in cinemas from Boxing Day, now is a good time to take a look back at how filmmakers have shown the brushstrokes and bad behaviour that gave rise to and surrounded the creation of some of the world’s best-loved pieces...

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Sunday 16 November 2014

Report From The INTERSTELLAR London Press Conference (The Hollywood News)

Christopher Nolan’s latest movie INTERSTELLAR is an experience that truly takes you somewhere else. In the heart of London that can be a hell of an advantage. Following an early morning screening where the sound was ramped up so loud the seats rattled as much as the spaceships, it was relaxing to decamp to Claridges for the press conference attended by the director and cast, including a surprise appearance by Sir Michael Caine.

These events can easily descend into backslapping and while some there seemed determined to tell the director what a genius he was, some genuine insight into the process emerged that was fascinating for a Nolan fan like myself (who probably would have gushed all over him if I’d had the chance). Below are a selection of highlights from Nolan, Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, young star Mackenzie Foy and producer Emma Thomas.

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INTERSTELLAR Review (The Hollywood News)

As I staggered out of the screening room from Christopher Nolan’s INTERSTELLAR, my ears well and truly battered by Hans Zimmer’s celestial choirs, I found myself feeling elated, confused, headachey but overall generally satisfied. This isn’t a quick jaunt into the cosmos punctuated by a few laser dogfights. As you might expect from the director it’s an ambitious and emotionally exhausting epic that comes at you every which way...

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Sunday 9 November 2014

Doctor Who - DEATH IN HEAVEN Review

The Doctor faces a rebooted Master and the Cybermen in this jam-packed finale that combines the good, the bad and the downright weird. The best aspects are the revelations that both his arch enemy and staunch allies want the Time Lord to do the same thing; nourish his ego and take charge. Steven Moffat cleverly has The Mistress pulling Peter Capaldi's strings over the nature of his relationship with Clara, a source of much griping from fans. This strand also brings the issue of the new Doctor's dual nature to a reasonably satisfying conclusion. The Cybermens' water-based plot is rather unfathomable and veers onto the silly side (presumably the 'dark water' of last week is involved but it's never clarified).

Of the supporting cast, it's essentially Michelle Gomez's show. She makes a terrific Master, creepy and funny by turns. You can speculate why Moffat gave the character a sex change till the cyber cows come home. Either way, Gomez's performance is a pleasure, though she's let down by the script rapidly lurching into cartoon villainy so quickly. Some background as to how the Master ended up in her current form wouldn't have gone amiss. Jemma Redgrave is back heading up UNIT but she doesn't really add anything to the mix. Sanjeev Bhaskar is similarly wasted. Redgrave has apprently been inserted to usher in an odd cameo from her late onscreen father, itself part of Danny Pink's exit storyline, a bizarre tribute to the fallen of World War One.

As with last week there is a cruel streak to the episode that sits uneasily with the show in general. After "Cremationgate" we now see a popular supporting character bumped off in a manner arguably more suited to The Dark Knight than Doctor Who. I'd say overall this two parter has been the weakest story in the run, but there are still encouraging signs of the newfound maturity the series has displayed, seemingly inspired by its leading man. A hilarious end credit sequence suggests his mettle is going to be tested to breaking point by a rotund and rosy-cheeked polar opposite. Christmas couldn't come early enough for this reviewer.

Sunday 2 November 2014

Doctor Who - DARK WATER Review

The Doctor goes to the undiscovered country in this curate's egg of an opening instalment. Pitch black in its humour with very little to recommend for younger viewers, it heralds the start of possibly the most challenging and downright odd finales in the show's history.
Opening with the shock of Danny Pink's death before hotting up quite literally by the side of a volcano (candidate for most impressive scene in the run), it then takes us into the heart of Missy's world - what it represents and indeed who she is.

Having trumpeted the Cybermen as the villains of the piece it comes as no surprise to discover the identity of those skeletons immersed in the nefarious liquid of the title. It would have worked better if they'd been kept a secret (in fairness the production team
did have them stomping about St.Paul's). While I was disappointed not to see some Jason & The Argonauts-style action, this is at
least a novel way of introducing the monsters on a Halloween weekend. Whether "dark water" is going to form a solid part of the plot or if it's just one of Moffat's patented attention-grabbing gimmicks remains to be seen.

The setting and the script's attitude toward the afterlife could be seen as contentious. As someone who's experienced a bereavement I have to say I wasn't offended. The question for me is its suitability as a subject for family viewing, Danny's storyline being a wider case in point. I'll make a final judgment after the conclusion but I'd say, despite enjoying the episode, Steven Moffat has misjudged things here.

Michelle Gomez is a positive boon to the action. Showrunner Moffat has described her as treading a fine line between funny and scary. I agree. She's certainly dangerous and makes a strong counterpoint to Peter Capaldi. Chris Addison is also a clever piece of casting, his ingratiating yet cheeky presence adding dimension to the role of Seb. As for the revelation that Missy is the Master, well it's hardly a surprise if you've done any degree of fannish speculating over the past weeks. As someone who thinks the Master is a bland character I find it a shame they didn't create a more original enemy for Gomez. Why not just make her the Rani? She's going to be an improvement on John Simm's overgrown megalomaniac at any rate. A rather shoddy cliffhanger paves the way for an intriguing denouement.

Sunday 26 October 2014

Doctor Who - IN THE FOREST OF THE NIGHT Review

For such a prickly, inaccessible incarnation of the Time Lord, Peter Capaldi's first season has been notable for the inclusion of children in his stories. He grilled a young Danny Pink in Listen and the meddlesome Courtney went to the stars in Kill The Moon. Now he has to deal somewhat entertainingly with an entire class of precocious moppets via Frank Cottrell Boyce's high-minded entry. Boyce is one of the few writers selected with bona fide
credentials in kids' entertainment, so the diminutive cast are well-drawn. Arguably a little too articulate to be fully plausible, but this is a tight forty five minutes of TV drama after all. Brilliantly, Boyce creates a nonplussed reaction to the inner-workings of the Doctor's travelling machine.

The concept of the trees being our saviours is one of those ideas that could easily have sunk into sentimentality, and though it threatens to at times this is skilfully-executed stuff. There should be a lot more cars and people around, but overall the freshly-sprouted setting gets handsomely realized. The animal encounters, which appear to be a mixture of live action and CGI, lend a lot to the action.

Danny becomes an official part of the crew with the character proving a vital addition to the mix, boding well for his jumping aboard any future adventures. Another interesting development sees Jenna Coleman send Capaldi away - though much criticism has abounded that the Twelfth lacks pro-activity, that's not the case here. It's a part of his character that he's not barrelling in with his screwdriver out all the time, yet he's still indisputably the Doctor and here comes up with the solution to the situation as well as
saving a few necks in the process. With the season finale imminent, this is a good way to round off a run of thought-provoking ideas featuring strong character development that has been a step up from the rollicking eye candy of previous years.

Sunday 19 October 2014

Doctor Who - FLATLINE Review

The Doctor faces an army of lethal Banksys in this imaginative script from Jamie Mathieson, which asks the simple but fiendish question: "What would happen if the TARDIS exterior became really small?" It's arguably the show's best in terms of special effects, with a disintegrating settee and marauding Bacon-esque figures among the highlights. The tone is lean and dark, a good fit for Peter Capaldi's trapped Time Lord.

It's also a rare case of the series attempting to reflect modern life, returning to a council estate environment last seen properly during the days of Rose Tyler. A community service team are the main characters, pilloried by guest star Christopher Fairbank (who
is underused). There's a decent "replacement" companion in Joivan Wade, named "Rigsby" for some bizarre reason. Capaldi and Coleman continue their strong partnership, and while critics of the Doctor's lack of involvement won't be pleased, they can't argue
that Coleman's performance doesn't compensate for a neutered title character. Personally I love the balance - if you hate it don't worry, there'll be another one along in a minute.

As with last week the conclusion is hurried and you could claim the overall concept needed a bit more development before leaving the 2D page. But this is another memorable three quarters of an hour and the latest in a string of interesting ideas that has set Series Eight apart from its predecessors.

Sunday 12 October 2014

The Calling - Donald Sutherland's Tales Of Terror (The Hollywood News)

THE CALLING sees Susan Sarandon investigate a string of peculiar murders, the victims’ faces manipulated into gruesome expressions. Assisting her in the process is fellow acting stalwart Donald Sutherland, playing a staple movie role, that of the priest in the presence of evil. It’s the latest in a long line of meaty supporting parts played by this versatile and highly-regarded actor, whose distinctive hangdog face can appear haunted, affable, wily or just plain saucy. With THE CALLING bringing a chill to cinemas this month, let’s take a look at some of Sutherland’s other characters from his intense and often skin-crawling back catalogue...

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Saturday 11 October 2014

Doctor Who - MUMMY ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Review

Strong production design, a reasonably natty concept and a scary monster combine in another quality instalment. The Doctor once visited the Titanic in space for an unsatisfying Christmas episode, now the trick is refined for The Orient Express, which plays host to an Ancient Egyptian curse. The Mummy is rendered here as a classic horror movie creation and the idea of having a countdown to each death is an unusual and memorable one.

New-to-Who writer Jamie Mathieson has created a thrilling story that ends up a bit repetitive and overconceptualized, but still keeps the audiences' minds ticking over. Sadly the ending is rushed and there's a lack of overall explanation. The twist in the tale is exciting and the transformation of a train carriage into a science lab is handled well, switching from mood lighting to stark brightness for the dissection of the threat.

With his foreboding features Peter Capaldi is right at home in this entry and though Jenna Coleman seems a bit of an add-on this week the two stars continue to share their surprising chemistry. Of the guest cast, Frank Skinner is fine, though is better as a comedian than a slightly reserved actor.

Sunday 5 October 2014

Doctor Who - KILL THE MOON Review

A silly idea is given just the right amount of credence in this scary adventure from the imagination of debut writer Peter Harness. You can say a lot of things about Series 8 but you couldn't accuse it of lacking content, especially in terms of the characters' relationships. Whereas previous runs have contained the odd filler episode (still a possibility here with five stories to go) the Capaldi season has been distinctive in that each instalment has carried a fair amount of meat. The moral dilemma and the Doctor's actions in relation to it are nothing new, but are handled in a more satisfying way via this latest team.

Chronically apathetic Courtney (Ellis George) accompanies the Time Lord and Clara this time, a brave gambit that in my view pays off. Harness makes her a central part of the action, in a scenario that would put cushions over many adults' faces, let alone childrens'. Hermione Norris is well-cast as a cynical planet-saving astronaut and the symptomatic "spiders" are rather nasty. The production moved to Lanzarote for the lunar landscapes and while it looks good they've treated it in a way that could have been
achieved in the studio in my opinion. At least the BBC has a bit of ambition, but more budget could have been freed up to realize things like the Doctor jumping into amniotic fluid or more importantly the Moon "baby" itself, eventually seen at a distance.

You may argue the denouement is on the touchy feely side and over-fantastical, but I won't, particularly when it's followed by a great scene where Clara turns on her friend and Danny's instincts prove to be correct. Jenna Coleman is really being tested this year
and she's more than rising to the challenge. As for the title character, this was a splendid demonstration of what Capaldi does best - he's still the Doctor, only different, and sums up what the programme is all about. His predecessor once abandoned his companions to thrash things out with the enemy in Cold Blood. That was a bit feeble. Here we're more in the realms of serious drama and at just past the halfway mark the diverse series is all the better for it.

Saturday 27 September 2014

Doctor Who - THE CARETAKER Review

The Twelfth Doctor goes undercover at Doctor Who's infamous Coal Hill School. He's there to get rid of a killing machine called the Skovox Blitzer but that turns out to be the sideshow to a proper confrontation - the introduction of Danny Pink to the TARDIS.

The Blitzer is truly an old school villain, more sophisticated than anything seen in the "classic" series but not a million miles away from it either. It has mechanical spider legs but is clearly trundling about the place and like the impregnable bank from last week its mythical status is questionable. Also it can be clearly outwitted if you do a bit of gymnastics. Peter Capaldi's means of defeating the menace is straight out of the Matt Smith era, first deploying an invisibility watch, then a Ghostbusters-style backpack to lure the enemy.

Gareth Roberts' and Steven Moffat's script is less about adventure and more to do with the evolution of the Doctor and Clara's relationship. He is now the disapproving father zeroing in on Mr Pink, the man who could spring her from the nest. Jenna Coleman (in full watt screwball comedy mode) sparks well off Capaldi and the light material that sometimes felt uneasy in Robot Of Sherwood works fine here. You'd think the ancient Time Lord would make mincemeat out of Danny but Samuel Anderson gives as good as he gets. I found the Doctor's blanket souring over soldiers a bit odd at first, but this military theme is being nicely developed and it'll be interesting to see how this incarnation takes to UNIT. Add to this an expansion of the series' "Missy" arc - a simple but compelling concept that I'm surprised hasn't been covered by the show before - and you have what is shaping up to be a consistent and mature run.

Ellis George appears to be joining the crew as disaffected schoolgirl Courtney. I'm not sure what qualities she is going to bring to the programme, though her involvement is fairly crucial. This looks to be Capaldi's first proper encounter with a child, Courtney representing a section of the audience that are maybe under-served by the current regeneration. In a canny move she is as lippy with the Doctor as everyone else.

Woodward To Washington: Evolution Of The Equalizer (The Hollywood News)

Though he’s been no stranger to the action genre over the years, Denzel Washington officially joins the league of mature asskickers this month with THE EQUALIZER. Just as Liam Neeson has the TAKEN franchise, so Columbia Pictures hope audiences will take to Robert McCall’s controlled vigilante antics and clamour for sequels. People of a certain age remember the movie’s source material, a 1980s American TV series starring an unlikely British lead, which Washington and director Antoine Fuqua have distanced themselves from. I presume this isn’t out of disrespect - the new version is more a reimagining than an adaptation. But it shares enough with the original to warrant a closer look at the small screen events that gave rise to this high octane fest of bone cracking and soul searching...

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Monday 22 September 2014

WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY - Review (The Hollywood News)

Writer/directors Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin bring the semi-improvised style of their hit sitcom Outnumbered to the big screen in this cosy comedy drama rocked by an outrageous twist. Beleaguered pairing David Tennant and Rosamund Pike have to pretend their marriage hasn’t fallen apart when a birthday celebration for Tennant’s father (Billy Connolly) demands they travel up to the Highlands with three precocious children (Emilia Jones, Bobby Smalldridge and Harriet Turnbull). Meanwhile up in Scotland uptight millionaire brother Ben Miller and repressed wife Amelia Bullmore plan the festivities at his hi-tech country house. When the family convenes the resulting fault-lines lead to a tragic incident involving a Viking ritual and a media scrum...

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Saturday 20 September 2014

DOCTOR WHO - TIME HEIST Review

A garbled American voice briefs the Doctor and Clara as they are pitched headlong into a whirlwind adventure that's perhaps a bit too breezy for its own good. As with previous episodes in this run the action is very watchable and the design is great but Steve Thompson and Steven Moffat's script is choppy and out of recent instalments I'd rather this had been a two-parter. An impregnable fortress that contains many man-sized ventilation ducts and where they reach the vault rather quickly doesn't bear the hallmarks of a satisfying takedown for me.

The story is a tight fit for Capaldi's manipulative Doctor and there are two splendid adversaries in the looming, slug-like Teller and Keeley Hawes' Ms Delphox. A creature that can get you if you so much as think is a strong concept and the excellent Hawes can do this sort of performance in her sleep. Fellow heisters Jonathan Bailey and Pippa Bennett-Warner are decent but there's a distinct lack of time for fleshing out.

All in all I was left with the impression of a story that while disposable was packed with hidden depths and ideas, some of which managed to make it out, in much the same way our heroes had to escape from the bank. Brisk yet substantial, this is still an
improvement on breakneck tales of former eras (Dinosaurs On A Spaceship, I'm looking at you).

Hypnosis & Hypochrondria: Woody Allen & Magic In The Moonlight (Feature for The Hollywood News)

Woody Allen’s new comedy MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT sees Colin Firth’s conjuror despatched to the French Riviera of the Twenties to investigate beautiful medium Emma Stone, who has become involved with a wealthy American family. Is it really all an illusion or could she be the full haunted shilling? Though Allen is known for his tales of urbanites puncturing the gloom of New York streets with snappy dialogue, he also does a sideline in stranger fare, tinged with the fantastical and of course displaying his trademark rapid fire humour. To celebrate the release of this latest movie we take a tour of some of his unusual offerings, visiting different times and places and showing the eccentric side of the world’s favourite hypochondriac. We commence with the “true” story of a remarkable man who put a whole new spin on the expression “fitting in”…

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Saturday 13 September 2014

Doctor Who - LISTEN Review

Doctor Who has long been associated with everyday fears, from shop window mannequins to excess body weight. But Steven Moffat goes right back to basics for Listen, creating a story around the things that lurk beneath your bed. You might think this is a bit
simplistic at first, however the writer uses this idea as a springboard for an involving episode that has the feel of a play about it. It's been a while since we've had intimate drama like this in the show and the result is the meatiest Capaldi instalment so far.

The main story of the Doctor's investigation into aloneness is supported nicely by Clara's date and the proper introduction of Danny Pink. Paranoia over unseen creatures is contrasted with paranoia over making first impressions and the way the elements are drawn together is quite satisfying. The relationship between Time Lord and companion is fast becoming one of the more interesting ones - two people of wildly different ages who are nonetheless equals and not a trace of sex in sight. Peter Capaldi's incarnation is one that truly could go anywhere and it's fun watching him develop. The Twelfth Doctor doesn't dominate the screen like former selves yet still has charisma. Listen sees him interact with a child, though I'm still unsure how younger viewers are taking to this new take.

There's also a sense of Moffat revisiting and refining key concepts that have underpinned his era and working on them again with a restraint and maturity befitting his leading man. He has crafted a script that is complex without being boastful, scary without being
overconceptualized. The TARDIS top opening is weird and there's a dodgy bit of wire work but these are minor quibbles. Arguably this most cerebral of writers is giving his series room to breathe for the first time.

Saturday 6 September 2014

Doctor Who - ROBOT OF SHERWOOD Review

Peter Capaldi makes an excellent counterpoint to a chocolate box Sherwood Forest in an episode that shows the programme taking those first steps toward hitting its stride. What begins as a brightly-lit jaunt soon morphs into the macabre tone the series is cultivating. With the Doctor no longer the young, dazzling centre the Twelfth Time Lord becomes a bickering, simmering presence, though no less the hero as it turns out.

The writers are cleverly evolving Clara alongside him. For Robot Of Sherwood Mark Gatiss has her as the person in control via her romantic knowledge of Robin's rose-tinted exploits. Tom Riley as Robin is fine and the story about a crashed spaceship and a gold-plated plan you can take or leave. But the marauding mechanicals are well-designed, disintegrating peasants via cross-shaped electric death rays and Ben Miller makes a strong villain. He's been crying out for a Who baddie since his oily turn as a prickly civil servant in Primeval and doesn't disappoint here.

The closing moments feature a lovely scene where Hood and The Doctor effectively compare notes as fictional heroes, an unexpected way perhaps to accentuate Capaldi's character. While odd attempts to join in the hi-jinks fall a bit flat, most importantly we see him start to repress delight despite his alarming gaze. A very encouraging instalment overall.

Saturday 30 August 2014

BLOG BISECTION

From now on DAMNAMBULANCE FACTOR will be concerned with my journalistic activities. I've created a new blog for my comedy work, which can be accessed...

HERE

Doctor Who - INTO THE DALEK Review

Peter Capaldi's Doctor gets another litmus test after the experiment of his debut episode, as he comes beak to stalk with the Daleks. The challenge of any Dalek story is to put the show's most famous monsters in an interesting context and while this tale doesn't break new ground for long term fans it does provide an unusual angle on the trundling menace. Crucially it uses the foe as a mirror for the Twelfth Time Lord and gives us an idea of how he's going to shape up over the coming weeks.

I had little idea what was going to happen in this one aside from the obvious, so it was a pleasant surprise to see Into The Dalek is literally just that. The innards of the machine are well-realized, a good combination of the functional and fantastical. Returning director Ben Wheatley has some fun with trippy slow motion and proper splattery explosions. The opening sequence of an escaping ship is a dazzling spectacle, taking us light years away from Deep Breath's Gothic claustrophobia.

Wheatley brings his old collaborator Michael Smiley into proceedings but the standout guest star is Zawe Ashton, who uses her tough but vulnerable persona to strong effect. Capaldi becomes a part of the action, rather than the swaggering presence guaranteed to yank something out of the hat. Writers Phil Ford and Steven Moffat certainly serve up something to chew over as the Doctor saves a life then discards one within the space of the first half. Having met Moffat's bold redefining of Clara head on last time, Jenna Coleman runs with it and proves a solid match for Capaldi's fractured hero.

The script also introduces us to Samuel Anderson's Danny Pink, a lucky chap who has Coleman throwing herself at him during his first morning. This element couldn't hope to compete with the main action, though Anderson looks like he'll make a refreshingly low key addition to the cast.

Saturday 23 August 2014

Doctor Who - DEEP BREATH Review

What to do when you cast a scary-looking man as the Doctor? Make the Doctor a scary man. Just as showrunner Steven Moffat applied a simple solution to the question of a modern day Sherlock, so the dilemma of a markedly older Time Lord in an age where forty is seen as a dead zone gets solved the same way. The leading man himself is a roaring success, in some scenes literally. He's as gaunt as the stick of chalk he finds on the floor but also hilarious. It's easy to forget with all the publicity concerning a journey into
darkness that Capaldi has a comedy background and his confrontation with the tramp bears the hallmarks of a 3 am altercation in a Glaswegian alleyway. Certainly this is Doctor Who as we've never seen it before.

The tone has arguably shifted. Ben Wheatley is well-suited to direct this tale of clockwork men and organ appropriation, but whether children are included in the mix this year remains to be seen. The Doctor definitely isn't approachable and there's no comfort in Madam Vastra's Paternoster Gang. Strax as always is amusing but it falls to Jenna Coleman to carry the human element as Clara. The way she raises her bark to match her companion's bite is a bit forced - at one point the Doctor mentions Amy, another spectacularly resourceful young person. Coleman is good though and Clara's fear at being abandoned to the monsters by her former hero makes for some solid sofa diving.

Despite the sea change Moffat has kept his habit of including eye-catching elements that tend to pad out the plot (in this case a rogue dinosaur) and there is the usual landslide of lines that run before they can walk. However, all in all this ushers in a spiky, thrilling and rather nasty dawn for a more grown up show and I'm fascinated to see how the trick will be sustained.