Darkmatters Review: Carrie

Carrie (15)

Dir. Kimberly Peirce

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Read the newspaper version of this review at: Thame Gazette

“Carrie had some sort of power. But she was just like me... like any of you, she had hopes, she had fears, but we pushed her. And you can only push someone so far before they break...”

We know that high school can be a grim experience for many – with the threat of bullying and the fear of being the ‘oddball’ who doesn’t fit in with the cool kids. Carrie, based on the Steven King novel taps into this deep vein of pain that anyone who has been ridiculed, hurt or picked on at school will be able to relate too.

This new version is a remake of the Brian De Palma1976 original, which is hailed by many as a modern horror classic. Director Kimberly ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ Peirce brings the tale of poor young Carrie White (played here by Chloë ‘Kick Ass’ Grace Moretz) to the screen with lots of special effects and no small amount of heart.

"She's behind you!?"

Alas it never quite manages to come across as anything other than a homage and doesn’t do enough new to make it stand out apart from some social media elements and more gruesome deaths. Having said that, Peirce’s version is a least a competent retelling, which doesn’t completely sully the good name of the original like the Texas Chainsaw or Evil Dead remakes have.

Carrie just isn’t like other girls her age thanks to her domineering religious nut of a mother Margaret White (Julianne Moore who delivers good wrathful zealot). As a Christian I have always felt that the Carrie movie portrays such an unlikeable and OTT depiction of religious fervour gone insane to the point that it becomes something to be feared. It certainly isn't like any Christians that I know and I deeply hope that no-one comes away from the original or the remake with the impression that 'all Christians are like that'!?

"pool trauma"

Outcast and bullied Carrie’s life is pretty unbearable but unlike most people who get victimised, she has the gift of telekinesis and when tricked and humiliated at the school prom –she unleashes bloody vengeance on a biblical scale.

Lead bitch bully duty falls to the Chris (Portia Doubleday) who leads the school class in an malicious taunting of Carrie and then aided and abetted by her dodgy older boyfriend Billy (Alex ‘Chronicle’ Russell) set up to humiliate Carrie even more at the prom.

"car-nage"

Also involved is Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde) who tries to atone for her part in the attack by making her popular boyfriend Tommy (Ansel Elgort) invite Carrie to the prom, thus inadvertently setting up the climatic finale.

This version went down well with my teenage son and his girlfriend and delivers a good looking spooky revenge-em-up but for a deeper insight into the tale you should still really seek out the original.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö

(3 - what a Carrie on!?)...

Awesomeness ööö – some good scenes (most of the ones from the original)

Laughs ö – not a comedy

Horror ööö – gets nicely nasty in places

Babes ööö – Wilde, Doubleday and Moretz all scrub up ok

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – the devil keeps returning and must be defeated

"locker room bullies"

"Wilde"

Darkmatters Review: Hunger Games Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (12a)

Dir. Frances Lawrence

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Read the newspaper version of this review at: The Hemel Gazette

“I want you to forget everything you think you know about the games. Last year was child's play. This year, you're dealing with all experienced killers.”

The life and death Hunger Games are back on the big screen and this time the stakes have been raised even higher – thanks to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) managing to win the 74th Games along with fellow ‘tribute’ Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).

"on fire..."

Alas by winning means that the two victors are now pawns of the corrupt President Snow (Donald Sutherland) who wants to use them to try and quell a rising potential rebellion.

So Katniss and Peeta are dispatched on a Victor's Tour of the districts but when the people start to see Katniss as a hero to rally behind, the Capitol prepare to get rid of her by making the 75th Annual Hunger Games – a ‘Quarter Quell’ - a special event where the previous winners must now fight to the death.

With the odds stacked against Katniss by President Snow and a new devious Games creator in post, Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman), this Hunger Games may well change the future of Panem forever.

"tributes - ready!"

Catching Fire is slickly put together and directed by Frances ‘I Am Legend’ Lawrence and I’ve been told by fans that it adheres very closely to Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel that it is based on.

Jennifer Lawrence has made the role of Katniss her own – and she’s ably supported by the eclectic range of other contestants that include Finnick (Sam Claflin), Johanna (Jena Malone) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) to name but a few.

There are some great special effects balanced with enough threat to stop the film feeling entirely for teens. It could have probably done more justice to the brutal elements if given a higher certificate but the director has managed to squeeze a lot of grimness out of the 12a – so it isn’t for those youngsters that are easily disturbed.

"notice the subtle fire imagery"

The film flies past even though it is over two hours long as you get caught up in the political power plays as well as the gruesome Games themselves. Catching Fire being the middle book of the trilogy means that it ends mid action which will frustrate some but does mean that you’ll very likely want to come back and see how it all ends in the obligatory two film adaptation of the final book.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - a good continuation)...

Awesomeness öööö – fairly tasty in places

Laughs öö – not much comedy

Horror ööö – a bit brutal (but not really enough)

Babes öö – Garner is good in the lead

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – revolution baby!

"premier launch - not so much catching fire as catching cold!?"

PS4 takes London... UK Countdown

"press x to continue"

Darkmatters PS4 countdown to the UK launch...

Matt Adcock

After seeing the US blow the doors off the whole console launch thing with over a million PS4's being sold in one day - we're now fast approaching the UK (and wider Euro) launch. LINK

Nice to see SONY lighting up the London sky with their iconic PlayStation controller symbols on teh OXO tower! Also interesting to see England's future king tipping the PS4 as the console of choice: HRH wants a PS4

If you've not already checked the awesome '4 The Players' videos then do WATCH THEM HERE

Here's the UK TV advert which is packed full of PlayStation Easter Eggs:




Plus you should really check out this SIZZLE vid which includes taster footage from The Order, inFAMOUS Second Son, Drive Club, Kingdom Hearts, War Thunder, War Frame, AC4, Killzone Shadowfall, Knack, Elder Scrolls Online and more...



Later this week Darkmatters will be attending an cool screening of our favourite movie DRIVE at the awesome Den of Geek's Need for Speed: Rivals launch party!

G R E A T N E S S   A W A I T S   (but we won't have to wait for much longer)!!

Darkmatters Review: The Counsellor

The Counsellor (18)

Dir. Ridley Scott

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Read the newspaper version of this review HERE

“I suspect that we are ill-formed for the path we have chosen.

Ill-formed and ill-prepared. We would like to draw a veil over all the blood and terror that have brought us to this place.

It is our faintness of heart that would close our eyes to all of that, but in so doing it makes of it our destiny... But nothing is crueler than a coward, and the slaughter to come is probably beyond our imagining...”

The Counsellor (Counselor if you’re American) is not alas the exposé life story of a UK Counsellor such as Kirsty Annable who I work with – but rather a dark, violent crime-and-punishment high stakes thriller. Ok, maybe not that different then!?

"The LST Counselling Dept's staff day out..."

Esteemed Brit director Ridley ‘Gladiator’ Scott brings his trademark visual flair to the screen with this the heavy-duty original screenplay by Cormac McCarthy. Blessed with a stunning triple A cast led by Michael ‘Prometheus’ Fassbender as a hotshot lawyer, only referred to as "counsellor" throughout the movie, he’s head over heals in love with Laura (Penélope Cruz still sizzlingly hot) who he plans to marry.

Unfortunately this counsellor has got himself into a bit of pickle financially and is gambling everything on a potentially life changing Colombian drug deal that could make him close to $20million. But with great potential wealth comes massive risk – drug cartels not being people to cross.

"Do you want to talk about your feelings?"

Also on hand are Reiner (Javier ‘Skyfall’ Bardem) who lives a very lavish lifestyle from ill-gotten gains, Malkina (Cameron Diaz ) his glamorous but untrustworthy girlfriend, and slightly dodgy adviser Westray (Brad Pitt).

Just how far the counsellor has drifted from any sense of normality or safety is clear as soon as the shipment he is banking on is stolen. What follows is a compelling narrative and dialogue heavy descent into ultra-violence and paranoia. The few action scenes are sparingly used but they pack a serious punch – especially one character death on the streets of London that will stay with you long after the credits role.

"Death follows"

Cruz and Diaz bring counter balancing sexiness – with one playing the good woman and the other ungodly evil. Bardem and Pitt add decent scenery but The Counsellor is all about Fassbender who eats up every scene in some style.

This isn’t a film for everyone – it’s brutal and offensive in places but at heart it’s a meaty and thought provoking ‘crime does not pay’ cautionary tale.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2

(3.5 - Sin is a choice - but the wages of sin is death)...

Awesomeness öööö – grissly, hard action in places

Laughs ööö – darkly comic in places

Horror öööö – gets grim and offensive too

Babes öööö – Cruz and Diaz are backed up by Natalie 'Margaery Tyrell' Dormer

Spiritual Enlightenment -öö – evil has consequences

"Dormer helps The Counselor chose some stockings - this scene is from the trailer and not used in the movie itself"

PS4 Sales Figures Released - ONE MILLION on DAY ONE!!

One Million PS4s in 24hrs!

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that the highly anticipated launch of the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) computer entertainment system resulted in 1 million units sold through during the first 24 hours after it became available on November 15, 2013 in the United States and Canada.

Darkmatters asked Andrew House, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. to comment but he too busy rolling around in a monster pile of money, when pressed though he said:

"The PS4 was designed with an unwavering commitment to gamers, and we are thrilled that consumer reaction has been so phenomenal. Sales remain very strong in North America, and we expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29. We are extremely grateful for the passion of PlayStation fans and thank them for their continued support."

If you want to put the PS4 launch into context - the PS3 sold c197,000 units in two weeks when it hit the U.S. in 2006...

This makes the PS4 the biggest console launch of all time - and it's only just begun. Last night (16th Nov) there were almost a quarter of a million PS4 players in online playing Call of Duty: Ghosts.

"Tasty"

In two weeks the PS4 rolls out across Europe (Matt Adcock will be there for the midnight launch) - can the Eruo's bring in similar number of units at launch?

And then in February 2014 the PS4 hits Japan.

Looks like Greatness is happening - and gamers the world over are choosing PlayStation...

It's FOR THE PLAYERS

Darkmatters Review: GRAVITY

Gravity (12a)

Dir. Alfonso Cuarón

Reviewed by Matt Adcock
Read the newspaper version of this review in the Banbury Guardian

‘Houston, do you read me? I have a bad feeling about this mission…’

Mission Control: ‘Please elaborate.’

‘Well, it looks like the Russians have inadvertently caused a space incident due to the wreckage from one of their satellites is heading in our direction… All I see now are clear skies – just with a chance of satellite debris!?’

Welcome to the saviour of 3D cinema – a literally ‘out of this world’ thrill ride that sees brilliant medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) on her first shuttle mission. The problem is, thanks to a disastrous emergency the envelops her and her team which includes veteran astronaut commander Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), this might very well also be her last ever mission.

So ‘survive-em-up’ Gravity, under the careful direction of Alfonso ‘Children of Men’ Cuarón, is a masterful life and death exercise in eye-popping tension. Blessed with jaw-dropping space visages and the kind of special effects that are so good you forget that they aren’t actually real.

"kick back and enjoy the view?"

Watching Stone and Kowalski facing the truly nightmare scenario of being alone and tethered to nothing but each other as they spiral out into the blackness of space is so incredibly tense that you have to keep reminding yourself every now and then to breath.

And breathing is key to the existence of the two space farers as they face a constant battle to maintain oxygen levels in the oppressive cold dark vacuum. Watching them having to risk everything to grasp even the smallest chance of survival is seriously gripping viewing.

There is a winning chemistry between Clooney and Bullock which helps suck you in to caring about their fates, and there are some nice nods to other sci-fi films in places.

"oops"

Both the lead actors are on career best form but the real ‘stars’ of the film are the stunning views of outer space. Never before have lens-flare and solar halo light-bursts been so effortlessly committed to the screen. Gravity might fill the foreground with raw human emotion but plays out the survivalist plot against a background of the most incredible starscapes.

Oh and about the 3D - I’m no fan of most 3D films but Cuarón has created a film that demands to be seen not just in 3D but also on the biggest screen you can get to.

Remember - In space, no one can hear you biting your nails…

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - stylish space tension that will leave you breathless)...

Awesomeness öööö – high velocity disaster

Laughs ö – couple of funny lines

Horror öö – tense rather than horrible

Babes öö – Bullock channels Sigorny Weaver and Barbarella at points

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö – the will to survive is strong

"no gravity"

Darkmatters Review: Thor The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World (12a)

Dir. Alan Taylor

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Read the newspaper version of this review here: THAME GAZETTE


“Some believe that before the universe, there was nothing. They're wrong. There was darkness... and it has survived.”

Desperate times are afoot as in the aftermath of Avengers Assemble and Iron Man 3, earth and all the 9 realms are faced with an enemy that even Odin and the forces of Asgard cannot withstand… So it’s up to the hunky Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to step up and embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet – to face down a challenge so great he’ll even need to team up with his highly untrustworthy half brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

Thor: The Dark World brings a new baddie into play - Christopher Eccleston's dark elf leader Malakith who has a plan to plunge the entire universe into darkness. As luck would have it though, sexy earth scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) has managed to get herself possessed by the very freakish energy known as ‘Aether’ that Malakith is after to fulfill his wishes.

"things are looking up..."

Cue Thor and Loki going all out to try and save not just the universe but Foster’s cute butt in particular!? Demi Gods eh?

This being a Marvel Phase 2 film, the production values are superb – with action set pieces that feel fresh and deliver the requisite thrills plus a decent amount of humour keeps the whole film fun and light hearted.

As a Brit it is especially cool to see Thor battling dark elves on the streets of London, plus there are some great laugh out loud incidental pleasures such as Thor getting the tube and having to ask how many stops to take, or politely hanging up his hammer on a coat hook when invited in to a London flat.

"tasty"

Alan ‘Game of Thrones’ Taylor takes over the directing duties from Kenneth Branagh and Joss Whedon and proves adept at bringing exciting super combat to the big screen. Hiddleston as Loki steals the show with his excellent acting but it’s no wonder as he is given some juicy fun elements to play with including transforming into one of Thor’s Avengers pals, just to mock him.

Hemsworth might not be the best actor in the world but he sure looks the part… For the female comic book fans there is even a slow-motion scene of him washing topless!?

"brotherly love"

The rest of the cast do well with the fantasy material, Stellan Skarsgård is noteworthy as comic relief as Dr Eric Selvig and it’s always nice to see Kat Dennings.

My esteemed pal Tom Wade was moved to poetry by Thor: The Dark World... Apologies in advance but it goes like this:

I saw Thor, it wasn't a bore,

it's got beards on jaw, a chiseled core,

you will not snore, it's really top drawer,

Marvels' word is law...

It goes on but you probably get the gist!?

Overall this Thor sequel is a comic book joy that all Avenger fans should see!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - as Empire mag said 'Thor out of Thive')...

Awesomeness öööö – nothing but a good time

Laughs ööö – some great comedy touches

Horror öö – not really grim (enough?)

Babes öööö – Portman is yummy, but so are Dennings and Jaimie Alexander

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö – comic book deity delight

"Alexandra the great"

Darkmatters Review: Enders Game

Enders Game (12a)

Dir. Gavin Hood

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“I'll do everything I can to win this war.”

Meet Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) – earth’s potential saviour in our intergalactic war with a nasty alien race called the Formics (also amusingly known as ‘Buggers’ – due their ‘bug like’ appearance)…

Ender is an awesome warrior who is not afraid to break the rules, he’s also a strategic mastermind and an ultimate battle tactician, oh, and he’s all this at only 12 yrs old!?

"alien worlds await..."

It’s 50 years after the insectoid invaders attacked Earth with the intention of stealing our resources and wiping us out. We managed to repel them at great cost – mostly due to the heroics of legendary fighter pilot Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) and since then have been developing our International Battle Fleet to prepare for the expected follow up invasion.

But it seems that the best, fastest minds on the planet belong no longer to our air force pilots but to our children and so it will be they who control our advanced space weaponry and lead the counter attack on the Formic homeworld. Ender is a brilliant but withdrawn boy, who comes from a troubled family – when his potential for battle is spotted by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) he’s sent to the International Fleet and attend the legendary Battle School, located in Earth orbit. It’s here that he gets to play increasingly difficult war games in order to prove himself worthy to lead the military into a war that will determine the future of Earth and the human race…

"Hailee Steinfeld = emotional support"

 Enders Game is a quality sci-fi that looks the part thanks to some slick CGI – especially in regards to the spaceships, which are pleasingly realized on the big screen and look amazing when they get into huge scale intergalactic warfare.

Butterfield is excellent in the lead, bringing just the right mixture of tortured innocence and pre-teen angst to a tricky role. Harrison Ford is great too oozing his effortless Han Solo-esq charisma even if Graff is a morally ambivalent character.

"things go 'boom'"

Some of the supporting cast of kids aren’t quite up to the job though and the film sometimes drifts into the realm of melodramatic – but it’s never long before we’re back into a frantic space action scene and things kick into adrenalin pumping battle thrills.

Director Gavin ‘Tsotsi’ Hood shows that he can deliver a winning sci-fi adaptation which like the novel it’s based on will leave you thinking about wider moral issues.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2

(3.5 - decent sci-fi that delivers)...

Awesomeness öööö – when it hits, the sumblime sci-fi works

Laughs öö – limited comedy

Horror öö – not too grim

Babes ö – not really

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö – fight for the greater good?

4 The Players - since 1995 PlayStation

Yes - we're excited about the PS4...

Check the power of the PS4 with this new EXCLUSIVES focus video...


And then thre is this just lovely vid from Sony that shows how we've gamed with them over the years!

PlayStation -
#4thePlayers
#PlayStationMemories
#OnlyConsoleYouNeed
FTW

Darkmatters Review: Captain Philips

Captain Philips (12a)

Dir. Paul Greengrass

Reviewed by Matt Adcock
Read the newspaper version of this review over at the Luton News


“Attention Maersk Alabama, you should alert your crew, get your fire hoses ready. Chances are the approaching skiffs are just fishermen.”


Captain Phillips: “They're not here to fish.”


And indeed the Somalis who come visiting the U.S. ship Alabama are not here to fish… Led by Muse (Barkhad Abdi) they are pirates intent on hijacking of the container ship and holding the crew to ransom.


Director Paul Greengrass beings this true tale of 2009's horrific sea based terrorism to nail-biting big screen life.

"You can drop off my Oscar portside"

Captain Philips is a superb exercise in taught edge-of-your-seat thrills, the fact that it is based on real events only serves to make it all the more tense.


Star of the piece is Alabama's commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (two time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks), he’s on the form of his life depicting the brave captain who is prepared to risk everything for his crew.


This is totally Hanks’ film, he brings such a believable, tangible sense of fear to the screen that you’ll be deeply moved and find yourself forgetting that he’s acting. Speaking of which, the actors portraying the Somali pirates weren’t introduced to Hanks until they started filming the pirates taking over the captain's deck. Greengrass said in an interview that he did this intentionally to build up tension between the actors on board the ship and the actors playing the pirates.


The Somali actors are excellent too, even though most of them hadn’t acted before – they bring authentic desperation and danger to the plot, and their motivations are sketched out at the beginning with their fearsome warlord bosses forcing them into their criminal lives.

"hey come by, have a few beers?"

The action ramps up when the U.S. Navy SEALS led by their commander played by Max ‘Pacific Rim’ Martini are called in to try and rescue Philips. It is like seeing a PlayStation game come to life as the snipers desperately try and lock on to the pirates and avoid shooting their hostage.

Along with the action scenes, when Muse and Phillips collide verbally, the sparks really fly, these might both be men at the mercy of forces beyond their control but the sheer battle of wills is awesome to behold.


Captain Philips is very well crafted film, stunning cinematography and acting that must see Hanks up for another Oscar makes this a tense thrill ride that you really need to witness on the big screen!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - Yo, Ho, Yo, Ho - a pirates life for me, oh wait, it's not so much fun in real life)...

Awesomeness öööö – delivers top dollar thrills

Laughs öö – not a comedy

Horror öö – gets very very tense

Babes ö – nope

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö – be brave

"The advanced shower system was playing up..."

Darkmatters Review: Machete Kills

Machete Kills (15)

Dir. Robert Rodriguez

Reviewed by Matt Adcock
Read the newspaper version of this review at: Bucks Advertiser & Review

“Machete don’t tweet!”

Opening with a funky spoof sci-fi trailer for ‘Machete Kills Again … In Space!’ Machete Kills is the follow up to 2010’s crazed slaughter-em-up Machete (which itself began life as a gimmick trailer in the Rodriguez / Tarantino flick Grindhouse).

But now Machete (Danny Trejo) is back and this time the blade-wielding hero is backed up with a much-improved cast headed up by Mel Gibson on top form as a devious villain and the lovely Amber Heard who will soon lead the big screen adaptation of Martin Amis’ London Fields.

"matching black outfits FTW"

Machete Kills packs a slicker, slightly more coherent plot than the original but is just as giddy in tearing up the screen with a wanton blast of over-the-top ultra-violence.

If someone tells you that Machete Kills is a romantic comedy (as I may have said to my wife to see if she would accompany me to check it), do not believe them.

But if you go in to this film expecting a hugely entertaining, sneeringly violent, action adventure comedy – then you’ll come out smiling and hoping that the ‘Machete Kills Again… In Space!’ trailer actually gets converted into a real follow up…

"Amber Heard gets in on the gunplay"

Director Rodriguez unleashes a manic revenge potboiler of fun with such inventive ideas as an assassin named La / El Chameleón who is played by a host of actors including Cuba Gooding Jr., Lady Gaga, and Antonio Banderas – each embodying a deadly new ‘face’. He also has fun with grimy jump cuts, grainy film stock and an ingenious ‘put on your 3D glasses now’ moment when Heard seduces Trejo.

There really is an excess of badass babes too – kind of like Sin City, which was also directed by Rodriguez, including Sartana (Jessica Alba), Desdemona (Sofia Vergara), Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), Cereza (Vanessa Hudgens) and Killjoy (Alexa Vega). You’ll probably never forget the scene where Desdemona straps on a truly insane ‘machinegun bra’ but that isn’t even the pinnacle of the insanity going on here.

"don't mess with these ladies"

Then throw in Charlie Sheen as the President of the USA – using his birth name of Carlos Estevez – and Demian ‘The Heat’ Bichir who almost steals the show as Gibson’s main evil enforcer and stand well back as Machete Kills explodes in all directions.

All-in-all Machete Kills is a master class in Friday night entertainment and if you’ve ever enjoyed an action movie, you owe it to yourself to check this out.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - nuts in the best possible way)...

Awesomeness öööö – super crazed

Laughs ööö – some good funnies

Horror ööö – blood and guts in excess

Babes ööööö – overloaded

Spiritual Enlightenment ö – limited

"Alexa Vega - come a long way since Spy Kids"

Darkmatters Review: FILTH

Filth (18)

Dir. Jon S. Baird

Reviewed by Matt Adcock


“So Bruce - what made you join the Force?”

“Police oppression, brother.”

“Ah – you wanted to stamp it out from the inside?”

“No, I wanted to be a part of it!!”


Prepare yourself for a seriously messed up, unhinged, sordid and utterly morally destitute tale from the mind of Irvine ‘Trainspotting’ Welsh.

Yes Filth by name and pretty much filthy throughout – this isn’t a film for those adverse to copious swearing, drug use, disturbing psychotic scenes and sexual material... But even though Filth director Jon S. ‘Cass’ Baird takes a running jump over the boundaries of good taste – the film works thanks almost entirely to a powerhouse performance from James McAvoy in the lead role.

"this is not a well man!"

The plot of Filth follows the unhappy Police Sergeant Bruce Robertson (McAvoy), a broken, bitter man whose corrupt heart is eating him away from all sides. Bruce is a bipolar, bigoted junkie who strives to manipulate everyone around him. He’s the ‘wrong arm of the law’ writ large and we get to spend a festive season with him watching him struggle to keep a grip as freaky guilt induced hallucinations crash into his waking hours.


All he wants is to secure the promotion to detective inspector that is in the offing because he thinks that getting the promotion will help him win back his estranged wife and daughter.

"Reservoir Filth?"

Caught up in the maelstrom of Bruce’s self-imploding life are his work colleagues who include promotion rivals such as young gun Ray Lennox (Jamie Bell) and hotshot sexy WPC Amanda Drummond (Imogen Poots). Bruce however works tirelessly against his teammates, right under the nose of the unwitting Chief Inspector Toal (John Sessions).


As Bruce tries to turn his colleagues against one another by stealing their wives and exposing their secrets, he begins to lose himself in a web of deceit that he can no longer control and his sanity starts to slip.


Can anything save Bruce as he careers headlong into a messy moral void? It might not be pleasant subject matter but it is a riveting / revolting ride watching to see if he can keep his grip on reality long enough to disentangle himself from the tidal wave of filth…

"Hot Fuzz?"

Filth is superbly put together, due in no small part to the excellent editing assisted by Luton’s Steve Worsley who also worked on Judge Dredd.


Funny, filthy and harrowing – Filth is a grimy treat for those who can deal with the seedy underbelly of modern life. And as a Christian, I have to say that Filth is a hard watch, but there is a morality lesson to be had from this tale...

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - OTT and far away the most messed up film you're likely to see this year!)...

Awesomeness öööö – nasty and grim but gripping too

Laughs öööö – very funny but it's such dark humour...

Horror ööö – it's an 18 for good reason!

Babes öö – Imogen Poots leads the female empowerment

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – best served as a cautionary tale!

"Mrs Filth"

Darkmatters Review: Prisoners

Prisoners (15)

Dir. Denis Villeneuve

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (read another version of this review in the Bedford Times & Citizen)

“Someone has to make him talk or they're gonna die!”

Welcome to every parents worst nightmare – Prisoners is a nail biting abduct-em-up thriller that sees average American family man Keller Dover (Hugh ‘Wolverine’ Jackman) trying to deal with the kidnap of his young daughter Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) and her pal Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons).

When a massive police hunt locates a dodgy looking RV that had been parked in Keller’s neighbourhood – it falls to Detective Loki (Jake ‘End of Watch’ Gyllenhaal) to take the RV's driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano) into custody. But with no actual evidence, the police have to release Alex – even though Keller is convinced that he knows where the girls and is the only link to saving them.

"happy families - but not for long..."

Frustrated and angry, Keller abducts Alex and imprisons him an abandoned, run-down apartment building, then with the reluctant help of Joy's father, Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard), they torture Alex for days trying to get him to confess.

The tension ramps up furher when Dt Loki confronts another suspect named Bob Taylor (David Dastmalchian) who has no children but seems to be buying kids clothes each week. Taylor’s house is covered in drawings of intricate mazes, there are also freaky locked crates filled with maze books, snakes, and bloody children's clothing… But does this mean that Keller is torturing an innocent man?

"friend or foe?"

As the clock ticks down – Keller becomes even more desperate whilst Dt Loki has to sift through the various clues. Throw into the mix a possibly dodgy vicar who has a dead body hidden in his basement and Alex’s creepy aunt and you have all the ingredients for a classy, hard-hitting mystery.

Villeneuve proves to be a cool, calm calculating director who has an uncanny knack for wrong footing you with bursts of menace that punctuate the race against time desperate plot. Cleverly intertwining elements such as the destructive nature of guilt, the compulsion of vigilantism, the need for penance and a father’s desire for vengeance – Prisoners will take you captive with its fevered subversive world-views.

"kids today eh?"

The cinematography is spot on, the plot twists and turns nicely and Jackman eats up the scenery in the lead role with a deliciously unhinged performance. Be warned too that Prisoners ends with one of the biggest unresolved climaxes ever – so you’ll be walking away contemplating just what might have happened next…

Good luck sleeping afterwards…

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - prime suspect for a decent thriller!)...

Awesomeness öööö – grim but good

Laughs ö – not funny

Horror ööö – quite nasty in places

Babes ö – nope

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – how far do you go for justice?

"Maria Bello - is one of the concerned mummies"