Las Vegas: A City of Excess

By Stephen Bain

19th March 2010 | 2 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree

It is a city where self-control is essential, a place where very few will tell you to stop. From the moment I stepped out of the airport and started travelling past the strip to our hotel, I knew this was going to be a somewhat unique experience.

I am talking about my recent visit to the infamous Sin City, otherwise known as Las Vegas, my only trip to the United States to date. Talk about jumping in the deep end.

Las Vegas has been featured in many films over the decades, perhaps most famously in 1964’s Viva Las Vegas, the resulting song, sung by Elvis Presley, having been associated with the entertainment capital of the world ever since. Most recently Vegas has been seen in the hit 2009 comedy “The Hangover”. Likewise Katy Perry has also sung about “Waking Up in Vegas”. Being someone who admittedly enjoys an occasional early night and a cup of coco I was a little apprehensive about going to this so-called “adult playground”.

So what is it actually like? Well for a start, the sheer sizes of the hotels are something in themselves, with each resembling a palace. That last word is even co-operated into possibly the single, most famous hotel in the strip, Caesars Palace. There is also the Stratosphere hotel, which stands at a whopping 1,149 feet tall. The view from the top was a truly spectacular experience. The hotel which I stayed in, The Mirage, also did not fail to impress.

The city is perhaps known best for gambling. Go into any hotel and it is not long before you are greeted by apparently never-ending rows of slot machines, roulette tables and all the other forms of gaming you can think of. However, for me, some of the best aspects of the trip were well away from the betting tables. If anyone ventures to the city I highly recommend taking a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon and then flying back over the strip (especially at night). The former acts as a deserved, breathtaking, break away from all the glitziness of the city (which will possibly be needed after a couple of days) and is one of the few attractions that is 100% natural in the area.

There is, of course, the less glamorous, seedy element of the place. Those who have seen 1995’s “Leaving Las Vegas” will remember that the city certainly has a dark side to it. Like everything else it is very much in your face. One sound that stuck with me was the distinctive flicking of escort cards being handed out to members of the public at all hours.  There is also a fair share of so called “gentlemen’s clubs”, the few places where men are NOT sitting round playing cards.

So, to answer my earlier question, what is Las Vegas like? Well it is very much a city of two sides. For a United States virgin such as me, the scale of the place is bound to impress. The spectacle of Vegas is something not seen anywhere else in the world, and as a result, it has a unique sense of beauty to it.  On the other hand there is an undeniable feeling of tackiness all around you. To use an old cliché Las Vegas is definitely a city of excess. You can eat what you want, drink what you want and gamble as much as you want and, as I said at the beginning, few would tell you to stop.

Is it a ‘real’ city? Certainly not, and it is subsequently not for everybody. I hesitate to imagine what it would be like to live there for anytime longer than a week. Surely the showiness would eventually wear thin. However it is safe to say that there is nothing quite like it elsewhere.

Timmy in Wonderland

By Stephen Bain

8th March 2010 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree

I have to admit am not overly familiar with the original Alice in Wonderland literature, and it has been quite a while since watching the original 1951 Disney cartoon, so my canvas was pretty much blank when entering the cinema to watch Tim Burton’s latest tale. With a screenplay written by Linda Woolverton, whose previous credentials include Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King (the latter possibly being Disney’s finest achievement in recent years), Alice is in more than capable hands.

The familiar gothic style associated with Burton is once again present. Once Alice falls down that infamous rabbit hole we are, unsurprisingly, transported to a visually rich world containing all the classic characters: the grinning Cheshire cat (voiced by Stephen Fry), the mad hatter (Johnny Depp in his umpteenth collaboration with Burton), the Red Queen (Helena Bonnam Carter in her umpteenth collaboration with husband Burton), the White Rabbit (voiced by Martin Sheen) and Tweedledum and Tweedledee (who are hilariously modelled to resemble Matt Lucas).

Visually Alice is certainly a treat. The ‘wonderland’ in question is a place that alternates brilliantly between a colour enriched kingdom and a gothically dreamlike universe.  This is all backed up by Burton-regular Danny Elfman in a brilliantly appropriate score. However this time round the 3D ‘experience’ does not (arguably) add much to the events onscreen, unlike Ferngully-with-Smurfs hit Avatar. I am more than confident that this adventure could be enjoyed just as much in good old fashioned 2D.

Newcomer Mia Wasikowska does a fine job as Alice, a girl trapped in a bourgeoisie family and soon to be engaged to a comically upper-class idiot. Her innocence and girl-next door image make her an instantly likeable onscreen presence. Johnny Depp is his usual quirky self as the Mad Hatter (complete with a slightly questionable Scottish-sounding accent). However Helena Bonham Carter steals most of the scenes as the wicked, unremorseful Red Queen. She, without a doubt, swipes the film from right under Mr Johnny Depp’s nose. Clearly an act of revenge following the conclusion of their last film together Sweeney Todd!

 Some voices are a little surprising on the ears, those who are fans of Eastenders may be shocked to hear Peggy Mitchell (sorry…Barbara Windsor) as a dormouse.

Whilst Alice may not have the originality of Edward Scissorhands or The Nightmare before Christmas, it still shows considerable flare and creativity. Certainly an experience that adults are bound to appreciate just as much as children.

Mel out for Justice: Edge of Darkness Review

By Stephen Bain

11th February 2010 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree

He has chased after his kidnapped son, watched his wife murdered by English soldiers and become one, unstable, half of a cop duo. Now, after seven years absent from the big screen Mel Gibson (or “Mad Mel” as he has been named) returns as cop father Thomas Craven investigating the brutal murder of his young daughter (Bojana Novakovic). Read more »

Daybreakers – A BloodFest too far?

By Stephen Bain

14th January 2010 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree

For several years there has been an argument that more and more violence is sneaked into lower rated films. People are apparently able to withstand more blood and gore onscreen. The latest vampire flick Daybreakers is possibly one of the most extreme examples of this, and if this blood-heavy flick does not re-ignite the debate I am not sure what will.

Upon leaving the screening of the entertaining if cheesy Daybreakers, two thoughts existed within my brain i). It was hilariously gruesome to the point I was actually laughing and ii) this was only rated a 15 certificate. Heads either explode or are lopped off (the latter is often followed by close-ups of the heads), limbs are ripped from the body, vampires are seen burning up when exposed to sunlight and guts are shown flying across the screen. The final 15 minutes are, without a doubt, particularly notorious. According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) around six seconds of footage was cut in order for it to receive a 15 rating. Exactly what these six seconds were we do not know. The BBFC state:

“Many of the violent scenes in the film show the blood as almost black and this lessens the impact of the bloodshed and allows these scenes to be contained at ‘15.’”

“The scenes at the film’s climax, in particular, show both vampires and humans being torn apart but these shots are all in the distance and very rapidly edited with much of the stronger detail carefully masked”.

Nonetheless this still felt (at least to me) exceptionally graphic for a film with such a certificate, others who have seen the film may question whether the detail was indeed “carefully masked”. One may remember that this is the same rating that appeared alongside the original logo for Batman in 1989. Whilst Tim Burton’s tale certainly had some grisly moments (Jack Nicolson’s ‘handshake’) it seemed like light children’s entertainment compared to Daybreakers. In fact I am sure that this film contains considerably more shots of spilled blood than a lot of 18 rated movies. The more recent incarnation of Batman (‘The Dark Knight’ rated a 12 by the BBFC) has recently come under fire for having a seemingly inappropriate certificate. Upon watching the film it (arguably) is not difficult to see why. Heath Ledger’s ‘pencil trick’ is a scene that quickly springs to mind. 

Before I am accused of acting like a 21st century Mary Whitehouse I will point out that some of my favourite films are heavy in the violence department. The violence can range from being brutal and realistic (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and Saving Private Ryan) to being cartoonish and outlandish (Wanted, Face/Off).  Nonetheless they all have a considerable body count and are (in my opinion) more appropriately classified. Maybe it is time for the people at the BBFC to have another look at their criteria.

One thing is clear though: if you are feeling in any way vulnerable or queasy, and want a film with light relief, Daybreakers is certainly not the ideal choice. If, on the other hand, you want your vampire movies to be truly bloodthirsty then this definitely fits the bill.

The best Christmas films

By Stephen Bain

22nd December 2009 | 5 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree

What exactly makes a good Christmas flick? That is a question which has caused never ending debates at this time of year. On a day fraught with emotions (both good and bad) there is nothing like spending two hours in front of the television watching a story which, to use an all-too-familiar phrase, tugs at the heart strings. Every December the same films resurface in our local retailer. The faces of Bruce Willis, Will Ferrell, Bing Crosby and Macaulay Culkin stare out from the dvd shelves. Of course everyone has their own opinion but I thought I would give my all-time favourite Christmas film. Read more »

Up Review (Long Overdue)

By Stephen Bain

1st December 2009 | 0 comments | 0 votes yet, click here to agree or disagree

After several weeks I was finally given the opportunity to watch Pixar’s ‘Up’ over the weekend. This film has received positive feedback from critics and audiences alike. Did it live up to the hype? You are about to find out.

Arguably Pixar’s best film since Finding Nemo, ‘Up’ is a perfect example of how cinema should be done. The seamless blending of flawless animation and powerful themes of mortality will prove a treat for adults just as much as children. Earlier this year Clint Eastwood appeared as the grumpy old man with a heart in ‘Gran Torino’. Essentially Carl Fredricksen, the old man in Up (voiced by Ed Asner), is not far removed from Clint’s Walt Kowalski. He is isolated, unsatisfied, a recent widower and bitter about the ongoing changes occurring around him, yet we sympathise with him instantly. The excellent opening ten minutes takes us through Carl’s life and shows us the sadness experienced as well as the more joyful moments. Although this sequence may establish a somewhat sombre mood, it is done gently and never ventures into gooey sentimentally.

The story itself centres on Carl, now an old man, setting off in his house, with the assistance of hundreds of helium balloons, to look for adventure. Joining him is an equally keen youngster named Russell (Jordan Nagai), eager to gain his merit badge for ‘helping the elderly’. Once they arrive in South America, the two encounter a large, rare bird and a talking dog. Additionally Carl meets his childhood hero, world-renown explorer Charles Munz (Christopher Plummer). 

The animation in the film is once again nothing short of spectacular. When we see first Carl’s house attached to different coloured balloons floating in the bright blue sky, one would have to have a heart of stone not to be impressed.

The balance of humour, excitement and warmth is virtually flawless. The two side-kicks, a large part of the film’s comic relief, are genuinely hilarious, and the more suspenseful moments work perfectly. More importantly however ‘Up’ enforces a truly timeless message that life is about much more than fulfilling your own, personal desires. Sometimes sacrifices need to be made and, ultimately, it is how you treat your fellow man which is important.

I firmly believe that ‘Up’ will rank alongside the Toy Story films, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc and become a classic in the years to come. Its stunning visuals along with its surprisingly mature heart may even mean that it could surpass all of the above. In other words it would be a guaranteed Christmas Day television hit, and that is meant in the best possible way.

Roll on the next Pixar adventure Toy Story 3.

Whatever Happened to REAL Special Effects?

By Stephen Bain

1st December 2009 | 4 comments | 2 people like this

My recent 24th birthday has been a particularly special occasion largely due to a certain present which  I received, one that allowed me to take a trip down memory lane and recall the excitement of my childhood. This present was the complete box-set of Gerry Anderson’s original ‘Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons’. Joyfully re-watching these old favourites (ok, I wasn’t around when they first aired but so what?) reminded me that great spectacle and great imagination can be done WITHOUT the need of a computer screen. Read more »

Muse at the O2 Arena, London

By Susan

16th November 2009 | 5 comments | 2 people like this

Last week, the O2 was flooded with the defining sounds of Muse with their classically-influenced progressive rock. If not one of the biggest acts to come from Britain in recent years, they are at least the biggest rock band to come out of Teignmouth. Well-known for being one of the best live bands in Britain, constantly winning awards that confirm as such, fans were sure to be in for a memorable experience. Read more »

The Wire: Not fully “Wired” up

By Stephen Bain

2nd November 2009 | 4 comments | 1 person likes this

It seems that I am part of a very small group of people who share one opinion. This being that The Wire, despite its intense realism, is NOT “the best programme on TV”.

The Wire has, undeniably, become one of the most celebrated programmes to come out of the United States in recent years. Its graphic depiction of life in the rough ends of Baltimore is often harrowing, extremely brutal and immensely detailed; but addictive? I am less convinced. Read more »