With smaller films I generally like to go in blind. Know nothing or as little as possible and go in with a clean slate. Generally, this makes for a wonderful experience with no expectations. For Risen all I had was a title and a poster with a bad ass looking Roman soldier. Looks like a bit of sword and sandals fun? Far from it!
These Final Hours Review
StandardIt’s not often we get a film set and shot here in Perth, let alone one getting such a big, wide release. Every street, sight and location mentioned or seen in this film is instantly recognisable and it draws you in. You instantly relate. This isn’t some far off place; this is the world you live in. For a personal, character driven film like These Final Hours this pays off in spades. Thankfully, while seeing the Perth skyline burning or a giggle at a mention of Roleystone or a scene in Malaga is a fun novelty, this is a damn good film no matter the setting. It’s a truly wonderful debut feature for local filmmaker Zak Hilditch.
The film takes place over the final hours on Earth as the looming apocalypse descends upon us. It’s a forgone conclusion and cannot be stopped. You have 12 hours left, what do you do with it? Rather than focus on the disaster itself and the efforts to stop it, These Final Hours narrows the scope down to one man, James, in the most isolated city on the planet and where he wants to be when it all ends. Instead of watching things happen from the outside you are pulled in close. When the world ends we won’t be on the rocket trying to save it all, we’ll be the insignificant nobody living our last moments as best we can.
Our protagonist wants nothing more than to get to the party to end all parties, lose himself until it’s over and not confront the inevitable end. After a couple of chance encounters he is suddenly responsible for a young girl and getting her back to her family before it’s over. A long the way he’s forced to confront everything he was trying to avoid; his family, his morality and his impending fatherhood that sadly will never have a chance to be. We see how the rest of the nearby humanity deals with the end. Some turn to religion, others go out on their own terms, some descend into depravity and others party, well, like the world is about to end.
While Nathan Philips is our lead and plays the musclebound, idiotic average young Australian male rather well, the film anchors on the performance of young Angourie Rice as Rose. She delivers a mature, confident performance beyond her years. In a film so devastating, brutal and bleak this young revelation never looks out of her depth. Technically These Final Hours shines, especially considering the low budget at Hilditch’s disposal. Perth’s suburbia is suitably eerie and the cinematography is on point with the increasingly orange hue of impending doom (which comes to a spectacular budget burning head in the final scenes)
It’s desperately bleak and confronting. As the wave of destruction hits and the credit rolls the crowd in my screening sat in silence. Contemplating where they would be and what they would do in those final moments.
Neglected
StandardWell, while I’ve been posting reviews to Enjoy Perth a whole lot I’ve neglected my home here on capey.net.
No longer! Let’s try and get things back up and running..
Capey’s Comic Convention Commission Etiquette
StandardIt’s 9am and freezing cold out the front of some convention centre. Geeks of all shapes and sizes are queued up, ready to pounce. For some it will be a mad dash to get a chance for a photo with their favourite celebrity, for others it’s to get that first bargain or rarity before someone else snaps it up. For me, it’s a sprint to artist’s alley to meet my artistic heroes of the comic world.
The Raid 2, Noah and Mr Peabody & Sherman
StandardAnother week and another batch of films opening. What’s on the big screen this week?
Burn Review
StandardPompeii, I Frankenkstein and Cuban Fury Reviews
StandardThere’s a few new movies opening here in Australia this week. Not the greatest batch but still worth talking about.
Need for Speed
StandardHollywood seems to struggle to make even the best written games into quality films. Now we have Need for Speed, the long running racing game, which has no real story to speak of making the silver screen transition.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
StandardIt’s almost Boxing Day so that means another trip to Middle Earth. This is a beloved tradition for most of the people I know and I suspect most of you will be seeing the latest instalment of The Hobbit regardless of what the reviews say. Nonetheless I am here to give you my thoughts.
Right off the bat I’ll say I enjoyed The Desolation of Smaug a fair bit more than I did Unexpected Journey..
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
StandardJust a quick review here as I don’t have a huge amount to say on this one. The first Cloudy was an unexpectedly good and imaginative movie. To be honest I don’t often expect much from animated films not made by Pixar so it was a pleasant surprise.
Cloudy 2 picks up seconds after the first one. It recaps the first pretty well so no real need to dig out the old one. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the original it’s a fun, solid film. It’s colourful and gorgeous to look at and the voice cast is very on point. I think your appreciation may depend entirely on your love for bad animal and food puns as its chock full of them. I’ll admit to laughing heartily at some of the wordplay and portmanteau the litter the movie.
Good but not spectacular is the bottom line. Catch it with your wee ones and enjoy the bad puns. You won’t be bored.