On Welcome to the Punch

In 1995 Michael Mann set the bar for city based crime cinema with close cop/robber relationships with Heat. Mann set the bar high and it doesn’t getter better than the Pacino/De Niro film. Eran Creevy’s second directorial feature, Welcome to the Punch, draws many comparisons with Mann’s film and suffers for them. Punch lacks the dramatic weight and quality script that has made Heat such a classic. Creevy’s camera explores and shoots London with great skill and perhaps this is something he has taken from the cityscapes of Mann’s films.

To look at Punch away from the Heat comparison, it is enjoyable but on a surface level only. The film looks good and the mise-en-scene is carefully crafted. It is refreshing to see London used to its full potential on the big screen. Yet Creevy seems to come from the school of filmmaking that promotes the MTV style of editing. Punch moves so quickly and at times is an assault on the senses. This results in a lack of connection to the characters and therefore there is no engagement with the story, just with the visuals. Punch has the ability to occasionally shock and the acting is good, but this is not the crime film that London deserves, although, it looks like it should be.   

On Soderbergh and Side Effects

As a film Side Effects is a very well crafted pharmaceutical thriller, with a slight third act dip that takes the narrative twists one step too far. Contextually, it is more important as Side Effects could potentially be Steven Soderbergh’s last feature length film.

Soderbergh has, since 1989 created a body of films that ranks him as a master of American cinema. The diversity in his films – Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989) Erin Brockovich (2000), Solaris (2002), Magic Mike (2012) – may separate him from auteurs like Scorsese or Malick, but he is undeniably a master of his craft. He has proven himself able to work in any genre and a real actors director, pulling human performances out of actors regardless of the seriousness of the story. Whether it is an utterly convincing Benicio Del Toro in Che Part 1 & 2 or a sympathetic stripper in Magic Mike.

Is Side Effects the film Soderbergh should leave on? It is certainly not his best film, but neither is it in any way superfluous. It is extremely well crafted and directed (as expected) and the story is relevant and gripping, being able to switch sub genres and character focus without losing pace. Admittedly it does lose some of that appeal towards the end, but this doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment.

Should Soderbergh choose to leave the medium of film he will not solely be remembered for his last film, as his canon of work is too impressive. However, Side Effects will also leave audiences wanting more and welcoming him back anytime he decides to return. 

On Style and Stoker

South Korean director, Chan-Wook Park, most known for his violent revenge films has, under the radar, released a gothic, American psychological thriller that is one of the best films of the year so far.

Park manages to make Gothic stylish with his inventive camera work and beautifully designed sets. 

Yet this is far from style without substance, the film is gripping, despite being slowly paced. The acting is terrific, making us consistently question the motives of the characters. While being a far from original story, or far from original characters, Stoker treats this story of misidentification and family relations with a unique eye. Most notable is Park’s use of sound that cleverly links the scenes and recalls past narrative features to link characters and narrative threads.

Already massively respected for his foreign language films, Park has shown no diminishing quality in tackling an English language story. Should not be forgotten in the next awards season. 

On Cloud Atlas

After seeing the free flowing, loose narrative of To The Wonder, Cloud Atlas comes as something of a smack in the face. There are several, equally important narratives set throughout history (including some dystopian futures) and including the same actors playing different characters. You would expect to be confused.

However, the most remarkable feature of Cloud Atlas is that directors, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski keep the whole experience lucid and graceful. Some of the stories work fantastically well, while others carry less impact. Overall the result is not dissimilar to watching several short stories that have been chopped up and then randomly thrown together. The stories are best compared thematically rather than attempting to connect the characters and the holistic message is unclear. The effect is also rather cold. Due to the erratic storytelling it is difficult to invest in any of the characters and while the film is visually to be admired, it leaves with a feeling of emptiness and lack of emotional attachment. Regardless, Could Atlas is brave filmmaking and a mostly enjoyable experience.