fairbrother’s Film Reviews

201 Films have been rated or reviewed by fairbrother.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009): Smart–silly and screamingly funny: in fact, I haven\'t seen a more consistently hilarious comedy since. It also happens to be gorgeously animated, wildly imaginative, and lightning–paced. Terrific fun.
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (2009): A perversely satisfying rape–revenge subplot turns out to be a mere detour in an otherwise rote mystery. Intriguing points of difference here quickly feel superficial: a film made with the Hollywood remake already in mind. The actors do well, considering.
Attack the Block (2011): The camera–work and editing may excite those stupefied by too much video–gaming; for me, it was numbingly chaotic. Ditto the soundtrack. Meanwhile the urban yoof characters are all despicable morons. Grating rather than thrilling, trendy instead of hip.
Wait Until Dark (1967): Bear with the stagier sequences because this one delivers the goods: a plot that methodically tightens to a strangle–hold, and delivers one of the scariest climaxes going. Hepburn and Arkin are a heroine/villain match made in thriller–heaven.
Wolf Creek (2005): Admirably builds dreadful anticipation before paying out one of the most harrowing sequences in memory. But it then undercuts itself with some sad cliches (victims make senseless decisions, villain makes cartoonish jokes). Potent but flawed.
High Tension (Haute tension, Switchblade Romance) (2003): Full–throttle shocker with (just) enough manipulative panache to justify its unapologetic brutality. White–knuckle thrills are guaranteed but, frustratingly, it sells itself short with a groan–worthy last–minute \'surprise\'.
Skin I Live In, The (2011): Freely upends expectations, landing genuine shocks of the narrative, emotional, and visceral sort. Witty and compassionate, even at its most horrific and thrilling, tis indeed a rare–duck of a horror–thriller.
Innkeepers, The (2011): West wisely lets his likable characters set the pace, ushering us slowly but surely into some hair–raising chills. Smartly self–aware without ever being smug or taking itself too seriously, this is an A–grade B–movie.
Martyrs (2008): Even jaded viewers may find the brutality here excessive, and only the most open–minded viewer will buy the metaphysical ending which (though genuinely surprising) clashes with the preceding story. A bold curio in the \"art–house hard–core\" subgenre.
Ides of March, The (2011): Classy–slick, with entertaining performances and some smart Sorkinesque dialogue, but lacking the edge and urgency of the classic political thrillers it emulates. If not memorable, at least enjoyable: nice try, Guv.

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fairbrother’s Film Reviews