The great Bob Hoskins is retiring

Today I have heard the sad news that Bob Hoskins is retiring from acting, having been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease.
I have loved Bob Hoskins's work for a long time, and remember first seeing him as Mr Smee in Spielberg's awesome little movie Hook (1991). I believe Hoskins's portrayal was much more in-depth, charming and humorous than Disney's could ever have hoped for. He was just perfect.
Then of course, came the great Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988), which is considered a classic by just about everybody I know, and gets dedicated viewing time every Christmas.

As I matured, I began to take in his famous gangster movies, my favourite being Mona Lisa (1986). This flick, which just about everybody I know has never even heard of, boasts a Great British cast, including Michael Caine and Robbie Coltrane, and studies the dark, heart-wrenching truths of prostitution. It also features a monumental bit of rough-house from pint-sized Hoskins who, while jumping 3 feet in the air, headbutts a huge bad guy right in the face. It's really neat!

Bob's other peak is The Long Good Friday, alongside Helen Mirren. It's a detailed insight into the crazed Thatcher's Britain and its subsequent underworld. Considered his breakthrough role, he became THE actor of the British Gangster genre.

Oh, I do love Bob Hoskins! He's so sweet and charming, and could be your uncle, but he packs a mean punch, so he's definitely the uncle you'd want by your side if you happened across any London gangsters (pray you don't!). While absolutely captivating in serious, sinister roles, he is equally entrancing with his comedy, and absolutely glows with allure. He is so perfectly polar in his craft, and it is this presence that I am going to miss in the future. I truly hope his life is long and enjoyable after his retirement, and at least we can all take joy from his classic characters, ever immortalised on our screens.

A Case Against Misogyny in 'Antichrist' (2009) dir, Lars von Trier

I came across Lars von Trier's twisted horror 'Antichrist' on some list of Most Controversial Films, and came around to watching it, somewhat intrigued. I read about it a lot first, and read various discussion boards, to find that both audiences and critics slated the film for supposedly being misogynist. 


Let me give a brief synopsis: a husband and wife lose their infant son when he falls out of a window. The couple were making love during the incident, and so a racked with guilt over their baby's death. The husband, a therapist, comes to terms with everything, and takes on his still-traumatised wife as his patient. In an effort to confront her fears, they go to their remote cabin in the woods, Eden, where the wife descends into what could be perceived as madness, possession or just plain cruelty.
This state brings around much of the controversial matter- hardcore and violent sex, self-mutilation and torture. 
These factors immediately eliminate a proportion of potential audience, and many argued that Antichrist is nothing more than torture porn. But I don't think it takes a great intellectual or 'art fag' to recognise it as a very raw, detailed portrait of a couple on the brink. It is intelligently written, brilliantly acted, and displays some tremendous cinematography. Some scenes are slowed down to almost a stand-still, the kind that makes you itch, as if you were stuck behind someone ridiculously slow in a narrow corridor. It's tricks like this that produce physical reactions in the audience, that makes Antichrist such an intelligent and encompassing film.


But on to my main point- in a film where a woman for 'no apparent reason' turns on her loving husband and tortures him, supposedly because it's in her nature as a woman to be evil, there is a lot of scope for claims of misogyny. Just like when people heard Daniel Radcliffe had sex with a horse in Equus, when in fact his character has a sexual passion for horses, and he has sex with a woman, but these two never meet. There is no bestiality in Equus, just as there is no misogyny in Antichrist. The muddy, misguided two-lined synopsis that is generally heard about any movie provides opportunity for these misguided views. 


The point is- who is this woman? Why does she turn on her husband? Is it for 'no apparent reason'? These questions are answered clearly in the movie, but for now, I hereby present A Case Against Misogyny in Antichist.


I have just finished Antichrist, and want to know what all the 'misogyny' fuss is about. I am female, and consider myself Feminist, but I don't see Antichrist as a misogynist film at all. Several points must be highlighted to disprove such ideas.
1) 'She' is writing a thesis about cruelty towards women. She is clearly very ill mentally (understandable), and becomes as her husband says 'obsessed.' Dafoe's line of something like "You've taken all the evil against women and started believing women are evil. Your thesis was about evil against women. Do you know what you're saying?!" This isn't it word for word, but it's the general idea. Her trauma and grief have severely warped her perceptions of...well, everything. The movie, its plot and characters, are not misogynist, but dealing with a deeply traumatised woman, whose mental state is clearly unstable, which brings us to She's thoughts, and how this translates into 'women are evil.'
The scene where she cuts off her clitoris demonstrates it perfectly. Her husband's hand is on her groin, but she feels no pleasure. As shown in the flashbacks, She regards her sexuality, her very womanhood, as the cause of her son's death. Of course she knew the boy could get out, but this is where the "nature" of sexuality comes in. It can be all-encompassing, and for her it was. Nature's most intense physical pleasure (ie her clitoris) clouded her parental judgement, and for this she feels guilty, and ashamed of her femininity. Her traumatised mind makes the link between sex/her genitalia and her failure to save her son. She feels that by shedding her womanhood (cutting off her clitoris), she can be free not only of some guilt, but also of the supposedly 'wicked' sexual instincts that indirectly caused the death of their son.
The ghosts at the end- let's not forget, She was studying women who had been wronged. It was these wronged women who appear at the end. Not evil women, wronged women. Was She evil? No, I don't believe so, and for this reason, I don't believe this movie is misogynist. It depicts a severely ill woman, who I'm sure can be identified with, to some extent, by anyone who has ever suffered from mental illness.
On a closing note, I'd like to point out that this movie exercised the services of a misogyny researcher, two mythology & evil researchers, an anxiety researcher, a horror film researcher, a music researcher, a theology researcher and three therapy specialists. I don't believe Von Trier would have one to such lengths to make a correct and realistic movie if its only objective was misogyny.

The Woman In Black (2012) dir, James Watkins

Rating: 3.5/5

According to the BBFC, a 12A film should not dwell on scenes of self-harm, excessive violence or disturbing images, and the material should be generally suitable for those over 12. It was considering this that allowed me to accept The Woman In Black's certificate. I could've handled it when I was 12, I think most people could.  However, Daniel Radcliffe's children's fantasy image seems to have prompted misinformed parents to take young children to see The Woman In Black, which is a mistake I fear could have left many children truly traumatised. For I cannot deny, I avoided dark rooms and looking in reflective surfaces for the rest of the night after watching.

The plot surrounds a troubled young lawyer named Arthur Kipps, whose wife died while giving birth to his now 4 year old son. His debts are mounting, and his depression has affected his work. But he is given a case- the last chance to prove himself- to obtain paperwork from an old manor whose owner recently died, so the property can be sold.

Kipps (Radcliffe) journeys to the remote village where he finds the typical 'Slaughtered Lamb' type villagers, who are hostile, obviously hiding something, and eager for the stranger to leave. He bribes a reluctant coach-driver into taking him to the manor, the only path to and from which is often engulfed by the tide.

The set is stunningly chilling. The manor (in reality, Cotterstock Hall in Nothamptonshire) is hard to look at as anything other than a haunted house. Inside it is shrouded in shadows, ragged draperies, demonic looking toys and dizzily long corridors. The grounds are marshland, with its own crooked little cemetery, barricaded by mournful-looking trees. The set really speaks so much for itself- no words or actions are needed to set the fearful tone.

Kipps finds himself stalked by a ghostly woman in black, who watches him through the windows. As soon as he arrives back at the village, a little girl who has drunk lye is carried in and dies in his arms. He is then told of the woman who haunts Eel Marsh Manor, and how if anyone sees her, a child dies. Terrifying, but Arthur's job relies on this case being settled. He can't just leave. 

With head battling heart, Arthur ventures back to the manor to finish his job, and he soon begins to discover what exactly is happening to all the children.

Unfortunately the brutal deaths of children are a major theme in this story, which should be considered by anyone thinking of watching it. It is disturbing, but in context. The Woman In Black is a really multi-layered experience. The macabre house sets a haunting backdrop. The disturbing circumstances of the plot, topped with plenty of jumps, screams, chills, and shrill noises, and a masterful musical score all make for a devouring experience.

As Daniel Radcliffe's attempt to really break loose from Harry Potter, it is relatively successful. Despite playing a rather wooden boy-wizard, he can create a tense atmosphere, as he first proved in Equus, his West End debut. I think if anything his character is questionable, rather than his acting. Some say his reactions aren't realistic, but taking into account his character's withdrawal from life and reality, it's understandable that he doesn't always believe his eyes.

Radcliffe is nicely supported by the ever-prestigious Ciaran Hinds, as a man whose son mysteriously fell victim to a sudden death. The two men team up to solve the puzzle and prevent more death.

The Woman In Black triumphs in being atmospheric, and is certainly your money's worth if looking for a good scare, but let's not forget, this is not Harry Potter! 

Hit and Miss (Abbott, 2012) TV

TV shows don't tend to be my thing- I love movies. And I don't really know why I started watching Hit and Miss...perhaps to see Chloe Sevigny actually act rather than fellate on camera. Perhaps to see Chloe Sevigny with a prosthetic penis. Either way, I heard of it and felt compelled to watch, and I'm so glad I did.

Hit and Miss is a mini-series centering on Mia (Sevigny), a pre-op transsexual hitwoman. Sevigny has certainly proven her acting ability, taking on a raw and truly heart-breaking role. We sigh with her, we cry with her, she is truly captivating.

In the first episode, Mia receives a letter from an old girlfriend who has terminal cancer, telling her she has a son. When Mia is led to a beautiful old farmhouse, she finds four children- Riley, Levi, Ryan and Leonie- living alone. Their mother has succumbed to cancer. The eldest daughter Riley has taken on the mum role, and makes a hard-nosed parent, while desperately clinging on to the slice of youth she has left. Levi wants to be 'man of the house' and takes on a typical macho "fucking tranny" stance. Little Leonie 'talks' to her mother through an old radio, her imagination allowing her to carry on normal family life. 

Mia meets her son, Ryan. He is withdrawn, and loses his lunch money to the landlord's son each morning. Upon arrival, Mia is told the kids' mother, Wendy, appointed her their legal guardian, and this is an uncomfortable change for everyone.

Mia's homelife is set in a large, mostly empty warehouse apartment, with a table, chair, bed and mirror. Riley wants to continue running her family as she was, insisting that Mia "just sign the documents, then piss off."

In Mia's parallel universe lie two men, Ben and Eddie. Ben becomes Mia's love interest, at first in the dark about her 'secret.' He is sweet enough, and their relationship develops (somewhat shakily) in a realistic way. They date, but Mia rejects even a kiss before he knows the truth.

"You've got a cock?!" Ben screams, red with confusion. "I'm not gay!" 

"And I'm not a man!" Mia insists.

Eddie (Peter Wight) starts off seeming like the boss of your dreams. A fat, ageing Cockney, he is paternal and insists that Mia's wages go towards her operation. 

"You're like a machine," he tells her, valuing his best worker.

Over time, Eddie becomes sinister. He recruits Levi to do "a few things" for him, but tells him "never ask questions." His rosy smiles wrinkle into ugly sneers. He becomes genuinely threatening, and we feel his shadow over us as he comes to punish Mia for failing a job.

As various plagues hit the young family, Mia's stealth and knowledge guide them through, while she battles with her own demons on a depressingly uplifting voyage. 

Superb acting carries a wonderfully sensitive and realistic script. The young actors carry huge personality, especially Karla Crome (Riley) and Jorden Bennie (Ryan). Several particularly touching scenes take place in this unlikely father-son relationship. Suddenly confused after walking in on Mia naked, Ryan wanders into the kitchen in make-up, a stuffed bra and high heels, much to the disgust of Riley. Later, after following Mia back to her apartment, the little boy begs, "Please come home, Dad." Both these scenes brought tears to my eyes. I shared Mia's joy when Ryan first called her 'Dad.' I felt proud when Riley spontaneously cared for the depressed neighbour's young baby. I felt heart-breaking remorse when their feral uncle Liam sacrifices himself for his niece. 

Hit and Miss is such a truly wonderful series. I am beyond disappointed that it has (at least for now) ended after six episodes on a dramatic cliffhanger. I am amazed in the creators' ability to make such a desperate, upsetting plot lifted by genuine love and commitment. Mia, Riley, Levi, Ryan and Leonie are perhaps an unlikely family, but such a harmonious one, and throughout the series, the children come to rediscover their long-lost mother figure. Even Riley realises she's not too old to have a parent. I have come to love this family, over only six episodes, and shall miss them like real relatives if a second series doesn't arrive.

Sid and Nancy (1986) dir, Alex Cox

Rating: 4.5/5

Most everybody knows the story of Sid and Nancy by now- bassist of British punk band The Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious fell in love with American groupie Nancy Spungen. Their heroin-fueled, violent and obsessive relationship saw the collapse of The Sex Pistols, Sid's solo career, their friendships, and ultimately, themselves.
This is the kind of story people do not care for- they see nothing worth pity or remorse in a couple of 'junkies.' At least not on the surface. But Alex Cox's chilling biographical presents 'a couple of junkies' who are very much troubled, and very much in love. It goes beyond the leather-and-chains image, to the deep, raw depths of Sid and Nancy, suitably lacking modesty.
Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman in his performance of recognition) and his best friend Johnny Rotten (Andrew Schofield) are up-and-coming punk pioneers, with their band The Sex Pistols, and enjoy partying hard when they're not playing shows. At one of these parties, their claustrophobic sleeping arrangement is infiltrated by bleach-blonde groupie Nancy, who is desperately trying to bed them. Johnny storms off, leaving Sid lying next to his not-so-secret admirer.
Later, Johnny looks on disgusted as Nancy injects herself and Sid with heroin, before having sex in his bed. This is the point from which everything is downhill. 

Despite the beginning of the relationship being somewhat casual, they become an inseparable couple, and Nancy immediately starts acting as his pushy 'manager.' Perhaps this is what Sid needs? Perhaps, except Nancy is very loud, and very aggressive, and succeeds in scaring off pretty much everyone she crosses. The band hate her and what she has done to their bassist, but the couple are joined at the hip.

Chloe Webb is a magnificent Nancy. Early on, she comes off as very annoying, her New York accent caterwauls as she scrambles around in the dirt in broken heels. She is captivating, yet repellent, and very unstable. During a tense scene in a crummy phone booth, she calls her parents for money to fund their ever-growing heroin habit, only to be told they can't/won't help her. As she starts to see where the conversation is going, she visibly grows frustrated, and frighteningly snaps, smashing the glass of the phone booth, before collapsing onto the street screaming. Her anguish is painfully heartfelt, and we really feel for her, while recoiling nervously from the sudden outburst.

Gary Oldman in his dramatic breakthrough role as Sid Vicious makes a true embodiment of the man himself. He naturally takes us through so many emotions: we laugh when he grabs a banana with his teeth from the crotch of a guy swinging on a doorframe, we exhaustively sigh as Nancy screams at us for being so fucking weak, an invisible chain chokes us as he lies in the fetal position screaming, realizing what happened in that hotel room. One of the most pitiful sequences shows Sid, playing a small club show to an empty room, absolutely hammered, reading the lyrics off a piece of paper, and eventually he can't even be bothered to stand up. The scene is tear-jerking in how shamefully far Sid has fallen. Now proclaimed one of the best actors ever, it is easy to see how this demonstration of his abilities led to great things for Gary Oldman. 

Each scene uses mise-en-scene appropriately and creatively. The concerts are sweaty, noisy, chaotic and somewhat dazzling. The prison cell floor is rock hard and icy cold. The methadone clinic is suitably beige and sterile, with an air of condescension. "What right y'all got to be strung out on that junk?" the sagely administrator demands. But it's way beyond right. It's need.

Some votes have been cast for favourite scary movies and moments. We're not done yet, but already we've got a great mix. Some classics such as:

Jaws (I only used this photo cos I'm too scared of sharks now to have one on my blog. Cheers, Spielberg!)

John Carpenter's classic Halloween

Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist

And then we have some more diverse votes, like

A twisted thriller starring James Woods- Videodrome

South Korean psychological masterpiece A Tale Of Two Sisters

And even RL Stine's Goosebumps episode The Haunted Mask!

We are still debating and collecting votes, so keep watching for further votes and results!

The Breakfast Club (1985) dir, John Hughes

Although one of the famous 'Brat Pack' 80s movies, The Breakfast Club is much more than just a teenage comedy. It holds the attention of a comedy-seeking audience, whilst presenting a very deep outlook on life, for teens and adults.

Stuck in a Saturday detention are 'a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal.' They have nothing in common, and are not happy about being there. Their supervisor Mr Vernon is having a mid-life crisis, and is just as unhappy as they are. He soon wanders off and gets drunk with the janitor, while the teenagers laugh, cry, confess, confide, get high, and eventually write the essay Mr Vernon set for them.

Aside from the genuine and energetic cast, the film's progression really relies on John Hughes' clever script. Hughes is an omniscient writer, getting deep into the thoughts of both kids and adults, and presenting their feelings and fears with true authenticity. Anyone can relate to it, and every word of dialogue has its purpose. 

The cast all stand out in their own way, fully embodying their characters. They are all so uniquely interesting, and all remind you of someone you went to school with. A tremendous scene between Mr Vernon (Paul Gleason) and Carl the janitor (John Kapelos) ties the ends of adolescence and adulthood together. "Why did the kids change and turn on me?" asks Mr Vernon. "The kids didn't change, man," Carl replies, "You did. I mean, would you have liked you at their age?" 

Not only is this movie clever and insightful, it's also very funny, partly down to the great script, and partly down to the wonderful performances. Bender (Judd Nelson) is the petty criminal/ class clown/ bully, and his cockiness and cheeky charm make him lovably amusing. Allison (Ally Sheedy) is withdrawn and kooky, making her odd outbursts all the more hilarious. And there is something truly awesome about the maths geek (Anthony Michael Hall) gathering all his nerve and lung power to scream, "Fuck you!" 

Entertaining, intelligent and uplifting, The Breakfast Club perfectly sums up two separate generations, and doesn't ever lose its touch.