Movies
Leo Bill's outstanding performance, the feverish middle part with its manic editing and sped-up soundtrack, and the barren, grim atmosphere all add up to the unique and dark experience
The ABCs of Death
Simon Rumley is a pretty cool and headstrong director, but even though he isn't quite bound to a single genre, I didn't really see him doing a typical British crime flick. The genre is one of the pillars of British cinema and has enough stretch for directors to show their worth, but somehow Rumley's more psychological and individualistic style didn't feel like an immediate match. What surprised me the most though was that so little of his typical elements survived in Once Upon a Time in London. It's really just a bog-standard crime flick that details the rivalry between an established crime boss and the new guy on the rise. No doubt you've seen this a hundred time before. Performances are decent and there are a couple of memorable scenes, but overall the film lacks stand-out moments and the direction simply feels a bit flat and uninspired. It's not a terrible film and it's decent filler, but I wouldn't be surprised if Rumley was simple doing this to keep busy, until he can find/fund another project closer to his heart.Read all
60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero
Another micro-shorts anthology. They were relatively popular for a while, but they rarely lived up to their potential. With just a single minute to make an impression, directors were given a tricky challenge. One that proved a bit too daunting for most involved, as too many of the entries failed to make an impact. There are some interesting names here, but few of them stand out. The goals of the project are lofty, but it's all very conceptual and the films themselves never really match or strengthen the project's ideals. It's a good thing that the score is pretty interesting, which at least kept me going. Not all that interesting.Read all