Detroit (2017)

I didn't know a great deal about the story going into this, I was aware it was one of the many recent stains in American history where African Americans are brutally treated by authority and justice has failed them. It's odd that as I write that I could be talking about basically any big unjust shooting in the last couple years but this was 50 years ago in 1967 amongst the Detroit Rebellion. The film focuses on police pushing boundaries and interrogating a group of people in Algiers Motel for a confession that ultimately leads to murder. It's based on real people and actual court cases but due to some missing information and of course the fact none of us were actually there, they fabricated some of the story. 

The reason I was so interested in this was to see John Boyega tackle such a heavy story, to see how he took responsibility to play a real person with important themes. I think he was the best thing about the film. He's mainly level headed and calm but doesn't under react. He appears to be exactly as he is, a random honest man caught in a bad situation trying his best to keep people safe, even when he knows things are against him. Saying that I thought there would be more of him, there's an odd character progression with him where his performance peaks in the last moments we see him on screen.

The rest of the cast was okay. It was more of an ensemble piece than I expected. Antagonist 'punchable face' / Will Poulter was okay, he had some genuine moments regards to the character flat out lying to people and he appeared to be a bad liar. What that tells you about the skill of the actor I don't know. But his accent is great and as I've 100% mentioned before I love a British actor smashing American films. He wasn't likable but he wasn't meant to be. Anthony Mackie was great to watch too, it's nice to him in this type of role no matter how small. 

Understandably very little character development as the story takes place over such a short time. And the story in question relies on the lack of information, the whole point is that we don't exactly know. The antagonists rely on assumptions of other characters and creating the characters to be what they needed to fit their own story, their alibi. 

Katherine Bigelow uses similar techniques as she did with Oscar winning The Hurt Locker (2008) filming one scene with multiple cameras in different places. Capturing the same piece from multiple angles, giving the actors the flexibility to move around and not be confined. Which I believe helps let the characters breath a little. She seems to know strengths of war or humanising it, alongside the handheld shots it helped make people appear quite raw. But this was not quite Academy Award winning. The sound did the same, was very real. Some of the characters were in a Motown band and sung at different points of the film. Hearing a sole voice singing with no backing track and no other sound in the scene is quite powerful. The sound makes sure you notice. 

Though it may appear as Oscar bait it's not quite worthy. It was a 15 minutes intro, followed by a 2 hour scene, a 10 minute 'finale' and some classic real life photos with facts written over them. I understand the choice of narrative structure but I think it's difficult. I understand that it's in place not to break things up, it's to make sure you endure the awful interrogation with the characters. But 2 and a half hours is a long time, let alone for such a topic. But even that, I don't think it had the weight to match the duration.

Good yes, but not as timeless as it could have been 6/10

CINEMATES - A 

The Dark Tower (2017)

I just don’t know where to begin…

The Dark Tower is a story about young boy Jake Chambers who realises he is different from others in his life, whilst battling constantly being told he’s crazy, whilst trying to battle the mystery of his abilities and ‘shine’. He finally encounters the Gunslinger, and the villain of this series – Walter. Jake ends up being stuck in the middle of their battle and all are trying to keep the universe stable by protecting the Dark Tower that stands in the middle of our universe(s).

This sounds like a simple film with a straight forward story, right? It’s not, and this wasn’t what is portrayed in this film. My main struggle here is to not write a book review, or explain how much I adore the mind of Stephen King, because this should be emphasised as not something that represents King’s body of work, and should be viewed as something independent.

The film starts, and we’re straight in which as all film viewers know, comes with both successes and failures. We quickly come to understand the struggles Jake is going through, and are given the chance early on to empathise with him, and his mother. However, due to the length of the film, the only character development we are allowed is his – surprising as there are two main characters we honestly don’t know much about.  

The way the story is presented to us isn’t the only problem this film has. Firstly, the cinematography is consistently poor in this production. I mean, take into consideration the fact that not only are we shown that a lot is happening in a whole different part of the universe, we are also filming in New York. It felt like we were on the same part of planet when flicking between these two worlds, this really took away from the main points in the plot. This could have such a greater impact if even the small things such as the lighting were altered. I understand where the creators were trying to go with this, to emphasise the dark, but come on… no lighting at all? REALLY!? EVEN IN NEW YORK?!

As well as this, the score… it was in no way memorable, this could have helped create an impact by being used as a transition from actions of one character to the next, it’s surprising how noticeable it is that the sound in a film is important when there is almost none.

This film did lack. It wasn’t all bad, it would be unfair to claim that it was terrible, because it wasn’t. The cast was chosen well, they did the job, and Idris Elba was well suited for his role as the Gunslinger, but I don’t know that I can say that is a solid across the entire cast. When we are introduced to the Gunslinger and Jake working together you do understand that there is a connection, but you are left wanting more from them. Matthew McConaughey as Walter… I’m not so sure. As I said, he did the job, of course, and it was fine, but he wasn’t convincing it was an average representation of a character that I remember expecting more from prior to the release of the film.

The only area this film didn’t lack – which I expected, was some okay action. But again, we just needed more! As it began to get good, and we began to see something happen the film switched to a new event because it was just too short for what it tried to do.

Honestly, I just don’t know how I feel about this as a film, let alone something that is part of a serious cult following. Don’t get me wrong, it was entertaining, but there is nothing about it that stands out very well. In comparison to the trailer, I feel disappointed because it set us up for a chunk of Stephen King’s universe. There were some very subtle references to other key parts of his universe in this film, and they just weren’t explained at all. But again, am I making a bigger deal about this because I know about the universe we’re in?
If you are a fan of King’s writing, and are ready to watch this expecting some juicy King greatness, you aren’t going to get it. You will leave wanting more.

I await the next addition to the world of Stephen King, with the upcoming re-release of It, with seriously baited breath. I hope significant attention has been paid to the details in comparison to this production.

It was average, and definitely not for the King super-fan likely to get irritated by missed details.

4.5/10

CINEMATES - S 

A Ghost Story (2017)

So not only will this be spoiler free it'll basically be story free, I want you to go into this the same way I did. So here's what I knew, Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck are a couple, Affleck dies and becomes a ghost in a big white sheet and follows Mara home. Oh and it's not a horror. Whilst I was disappointed it wasn't a horror I was intrigued by the story and as always I'm interested in anything A24 does. Basically, it's about a ghost that mourns the loss of his own life. 

Something you will notice pretty instantly is the cinematography and editing. The film is shot in the aspect ratio 4:3 (1:33:1) like an old tv. Not something you often see on the big screen. It made everything feel kind of vintage? Almost nostalgic, it felt intimate as if it was someones homemovie and they had just stuck the VHS in for you to watch. I didn't find it quite claustrophobic though I believe the intention was to increase the feeling of being trapped. The editing is also noticeable. Very long takes, very long stationary takes where they've plonked the camera down and said, 'yeah go on actors I'll tell you when to stop I promise' then gone to make a cuppa. I don't mind being conscious of an edit or a shot but I'm not that keen on being taken out of the film because of it. I think with the subject matter it works, it gives you time to take in what's happening, though there's never a rush, it let's you breathe. The mixture of a boxier screen and long motionless shots gave the appearance you were flicking through a selection of polaroids. Definitely had its own style. 

I hate saying things like this but the sound was a character in itself. The film had a clever balance between style being overtly used and subtly giving the scene more weight. The sound was beautiful. Composer Daniel Hart has worked with the director previously on Pete's Dragon (2016) and Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013) in which Affleck and Mara also appear. The score was perfect and the original song included was exactly what it needed to be. Same goes for the absence, the silence and diagetic sound was sometimes noticeable but never imposing.  

Performances were great, Mara was great, though she said few words. Affleck was the same even though he was under a sheet for the most part. You still find their relationship sincere even with the lack of dialogue, and I say lack as if it were missing, it wasn't, again like sound it was what it needed and no more. I will say there is a monologue by singer-songwriter Will Oldham that is wonderfully performed. It is an interesting and engaging piece and even though I thought, no one would ever talk like this is, it was natural. He was great. If you keep your eyes open you'll notice that Kesha is also in this scene, I'm not gonna lie I didn't notice her at all but sure she's there.  

The general themes of mourning and death in a larger sense are explored in a well thought out narrative. I enjoy films that close. It's satisfying for a film to come full circle, to clarify earlier scenes at the end and hint at the final act part way through. A Ghost Story does this well. It discusses the fear that everyone has, will I be remembered? What will last, what will remain of us and our memories? Once I'm gone am I really gone? It's still not preachy in this, and not too heavy as I was bracing myself for but still lands. 

I really liked this film, for some reason I didn't want to. I think it was graceful and sincere and had a good narrative structure. Unique take on death and mourning that you would not have seen before. 7/10

CINEMATES - A