For fans of horror, cult, and just downright weird films, Arrow Video’s current project to restore forgotten classics to blu-ray is a godsend.  They don’t get weirder than The Forbidden Zone – originally starting as 12 short 16mm films based on the early work of director Richard Elfman’s band, The Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo (later known as just Oingo Boingo).  A band known for an unusual Zappa-influenced sound in their early days.

Forbidden Zone is a comedy musical which follows the Hercules family.  In their basement, there is a portal to the sixth dimension – the Forbidden Zone. Frenchy (Marie-Pascal Elfman) enters the door after a particularly hard day at school. Inside the Forbidden Zone is a strange world ran by a dwarf king (Herve Villechaize) and a despotic queen (Susan Tyrell).  As Frenchy ventures into trouble, her family follow her into the Forbidden Zone – and she encounters stranger and stranger people.

Given its musical ambitions, and its avant-garde imagery – the obvious comparison to Forbidden Zone is The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  However, there are other very clear influences – the composition of the shots is quite reminiscent of German Expressionism and at times, the French New Wave.  The stop motion animation definitely owes a lot to the work of Terry Gilliam with Monty Python, and also to an extent – the work of Max Fleischer.

It is pretty clear that Elfman didn’t have the budget that the likes of The Rocky Horror Picture Show had – in fact, Elfman used a lot of non-actors including homeless men, and only two members of the cast were paid a salary.  However, through sheer inventiveness, Forbidden Zone still works.  The use of black and white (although there is a colour version available, the black and white version is the original and the one that I would recommend to watch first), the tinny audio, and the amateur acting give the film a feeling of an early Hollywood musical.

The songs themselves are pretty racy – and you could argue that the infamy garnered by Forbidden Zone was in some ways deserved.  The songs catch Oingo Boingo as they transitioned from Frank Zappa style rock to the New Wave sound that they became famous for, and whilst the lyrics can be somewhat offensive – they are still very funny and extremely catchy.  Just ensure that you don’t sing them in public.

As always, Arrow Video have been very generous with the presentation of this blu-ray.  The transfer is solid on both the restored black and white version and the 2008 colour edition and the sound is good.  On low budget cult films, the treble can often be painfully high – but the mix here is well put together and there are no such problems here.  The disc itself comes with a reversible sleeve with four different covers, a poster and a collector’s booklet.  The special features are pretty decent – there is the obligatory audio commentary on the black and white version with Richard Elfman and writer-actor Matthew Bright.  There is a UK trailer, a Japanese Promo, as well as a few outtakes and deleted scenes.  The real highlight is the two scenes from Richard Elfman’s lost film The Hercules Family, and the extensive behind the scene documentary: A Look into Forbidden Zone.

Forbidden Zone is a very brief film, but this is in many ways a blessing due to how intense is can be in places.  It sometimes feels more like watching an art exhibit than a film – but this is no reason to feel put off if you aren’t interested in performance art.  What Elfman has made is a very funny and very surreal film on a miniscule budget, but yet it still has held up remarkably after thirty years.

Forbidden Zone is out on Blu-ray now – order it here

She Monkeys is the feature-length debut of Swedish director, Lisa Aschan. It is a tense, and at times uncomfortable, coming-of age drama centering on Emma (Mathilda Paradeiser), her friend/foe Cassandra (Linda Molin) and younger sister (Isabella Lindquist).

After joining the local voltige (equestrian vaulting) team, Emma is taken under Cassandra’s wing as the pair develop an intense friendship, piqued by competition, jealousy and sexual attraction.

Beautifully shot in a Swedish industrial port town, with bleak riverside vistas and eerily symmetrical interiors, the film has a very Scandinavian, washed out and regimented aura to its aesthetic. The order and control of the aesthetic is mirrored in Mathilda Paradeiser’s portrayal of Emma as a stoney faced unknown entity. Her approach to the rather bizarre and carnivalesque sport of voltige is equally defined by an excessive degree of self control and discipline, as she scientifically performs her movements without a hint of joy or passion.

It is this claustrophobic sense of order and control that breeds a feeling of impending doom within the film; you are made to feel, in a somewhat Hanekeian manner, that one of these girls is about to snap. Something compounded by such visual and aural intricacies as the stark juxtaposition between the pounding of the horses’ hooves as they circle the arena, and the delicate and poised movements of the girls as they perform their routines on top of these powerful creatures.

Thus, while Ashan positions her film rather dubiously, calling it “a taboo busting Western”, it is not from fear of the most dangerous man in the West riding into town that She Monkeys cultivates its tension, but from the friction between the three girls and the hierarchical constraints which they encounter.

Despite Aschan’s rather humours attempts at shoehorning tumbleweed into her film, She Monkeys certainly is not a neo-Western, it is a tense and engrossing, if unspectacular, European art film, that may well indicate future good things to come from Lisa Aschan.

Every now and then you see a film that wants to make you close your eyes and never open them again. Humanity’s End is one of those films. The premise of the story has promise, but it is let down by its overly fast action, poor special effects and lack of character development.

It is the year 2820. Captain Derasi Vorde (Laisne) is the last man alive, and constantly hunted by enemy species, the Nephilin (also known as Homo Technicus). The human race is dependant on breeders to live, but their chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the second. Along with Contessa (Vallese) and his ship Blue, he makes it his mission to fight the Nephilin and rebuild the human race.

Humanity’s End is an amalgamation of faults that make it difficult to watch. Confusion becomes an overbearing feature due to the very fast-paced narrative. It’s hard to tell whos who, and which side they are on. The scenes are seconds rather than minutes long, not providing enough time to cover important plot points; not helped by a poorly constructed script. Whilst the main concept of the film is quickly told via voiceover in the opening scene, the idea soon becomes hard to follow as the film continues.

There is a significant lack of character development, as the back stories given about the characters are short, irrelevant snippets of information. It doesn’t help that none of the characters are particularly likeable. The ‘hero’ Derasi is arrogant and lazy, simply barking orders at those around him to get things done. Breeder Alicia (Ickes), comes across simply as a sulky teenager, who spends most of the time rolling her eyes. The only character that prompts feelings of sympathy is Contessa; the robot programmed to believe she is human, who receives most of the films attention throughout. Her story is repeatedly referred to, and she ultimately takes control, becoming more of a hero than Derasi.

The special effects, whilst perhaps being the best the $2 million budget would allow, are poor. The action plays out like a bad video game; far from realistic  ships land on strange planets, explosions fill the air and balls of light fly from oversized guns. The set for the ship itself seems small and cramped, which does not quite match up to its large exterior.

Unfortunately, the performances by the cast also contribute to the films faults. Laisne delivers his lines far too quickly as Derasi, most of which are jokes, but his dry delivery fails to provide the expected reaction. Vallese gives a wooden performance as Contessa, she seems somewhat strained throughout, and is constantly angry; lacking to show any range of emotion. Ickes slightly over-acts as the sulky Alicia. When telling Contessa about what she really is, she huffs and puffs while not really knowing where to look. Ultimately, these performances are cringe-worthy throughout.

Whilst the film may have been limited by budget for its effects, the performances, un-likeable characters and confusing storyline keep it far below average.

Humanity’s End is released on UK DVD nd Blu-Ray on 21st May 2012, you can order it here.

A good tagline can tell you a lot about a film, but a great tagline should be enough to drag you into the cinema.  Take Aliens, for example: “In space no one can hear you scream”.  That’s the kind of tagline that takes you out of the house and into the cinema.  The Raid has one of the finest taglines seen in a long time: “1 ruthless crime lord, 20 elite cops, 30 floors of chaos”.  It’s the kind of tagline that tells you everything that you need to know about the film – and that you need to see this film.

The Raid takes part in a Jakarta apartment block, with drug dealer Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy) collecting rent from his addict tenants.  It acts as a safe zone for all kinds of undesirables, or it does until an elite team of police officers are sent in to shut it down.  Things initially go well for the police, but when Riyadi starts offering free lodgings to his tenants in exchange for getting rid of the unwanted police occupants, the residents start fighting back, and a bloodbath ensues.

Welsh director Gareth Evans conceived The Raid when struggling to find the budget for a bigger picture which was intended to showcase the largely unknown Indonesian martial art of Silat.  Made for just over one million dollars, the film may not have cost much to make – but the high concept idea is just as strong a method to bring Silat to the masses.  Just as Enter The Dragon and Police Story brought martial arts to the masses in the 1970′s and 80′s, The Raid ought to bring the genre kicking and screaming into the 2010′s.  The Silat martial art bares relation to Muay Thai, in that the strikes are largely elbows and knees – and believe me when I say that the fights get really nasty – but there are also elements of wrestling.

The choreography is absolutely glorious, and as the protagonist Rama (Iko Uwais) gets himself in increasingly hard to believe scraps, the suspense levels increase.  The Raid is amphetamine-paced, and the action is the kind that leaves the viewer with sweaty palms.  Uwais is clearly a very talented martial artist, but when he’s playing the everyman young police officer he is also very likeable.  It’ll please a lot of people to hear that Uwais is also going to be in the sequel, which is tentatively scheduled for next year.

The cinematography is also very high-octane – using long takes and the standard handheld camera.  I say standard because that is what handheld camera has become to action cinema in a post-Bourne Identity world.  The Bourne Identity was an excellent action film, but in terms of cinematography it was a real game-changer – and as a result it means that handheld cameras are somewhat overused in the genre today.  The downside of this is that the compositions are at times a little bit shaky, but in a film as fantastic as The Raid, this really is a minor grievance.

In a nutshell, The Raid is a film with a modest budget and an awesome tagline.  Despite this budget, it manages to be far more entertaining than some of its peers who have around 100x as much cash to splash.  If you have even a passing in action films or world cinema then this film is absolutely essential.  See it before the obligatory remake.

The Greatest Football Film Ever Made? ID will be released on DVD & Blu-ray 14^th May, re-mastered and available on Blu-ray for the first time from Anchor Bay.

John, an ambitious young copper, is sent undercover into the hardcore football gangs to track down the ‘generals’ – the shadowy figures who orchestrate the violence. Gradually, the hard drinking, hard fighting macho world proves irresistible and John slowly finds himself turning into one of the thugs he has been sent to destroy.

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The Raid is getting a record bag – you can’t buy them and we’re delighted to be offering you the chance to win one.

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Cunningham praised writer and director Richard Curtis for creating a new ensemble approach to romantic comedies adding: “I think many American movies try to emulate that brilliant format where the stories interweave and no one’s on the screen for more than six minutes, but only Richard has achieved it.” He’s not wrong. The years since Love Actually’s release have seen a flurry of multi-story ensemble cast film releases ranging from arty fare Paris Je t’aime, to the vomitsome Valentine’s Day, to last year’s mixed bag New Year’s Eve. Curtis’ yuletide ode to love was often cheesy, sentimental, and distinctly uneven in tone, but it had a warm charm which none of its forebears has managed to recapture.

It is not hard to see why Cunningham wants a sequel. Love Actually grossed over $247 million easily ranking it among the best selling British films of all time. Whilst its Christmas setting and universally relatable themes ensure it’s re-watched yearly by massive numbers of people and there is no doubt there would be the interest and the market for a sequel.

The real questions are if Richard Curtis would have any interest in returning to stories he put to rest eight years ago? As a writer Curtis is not opposed to reunions. Notably he chose to ‘bring back’ TV series The Vicar of Dibley in 2004 after a four year hiatus and for the Millenium Dome’s opening he wrote Blackadder: Back and Forth the first appearance of the title character in nearly a decade.

However, as a filmmaker Curtis has shown no interest in sequels or series. His movies are always contained pieces, returning to familiar themes of love, coming of age, and commitment, but never to characters themselves. His narratives generally come to optimistic resolutions for all involved leaving few loose ends left to ponder. So it seems unlikely he has a script for Love Actually 2 locked away somewhere at a secure location.

Meanwhile, Richard Curtis remains a busy man. He is currently in pre-production for time-travelling romance About Time, writing an adaptation of Andy Mulligan’s novel Trash, and planning for next year’s Comic Relief.  As such a sequel couldn’t materialise until Christmas 2013/14 at the very earliest.

Finally the question remains how the plotlines of the original film could be extended. Of course the film could choose to explore the lives of a whole new group of characters in the lead up to Christmas, in story terms this would certainly be more refreshing. Yet for most audience members the appeal for Love Actually 2 lies in seeing already established characters back again. So here are a few suggestions for possible plot directions for the sequel:

Christmas in Rehab

Bill Nighy’s ageing rocker Billy Mack spends Christmas at the Priory recovering from an alcohol/drug/sex/hobnob addiction. He slowly forms a quasi-romantic friendship with his young, kooky, optimistic therapist (Carey Mulligan) who is recovering from a breakup from her cheating boyfriend. The film ends with the two in a piano duet of his 2003 Christmas hit ‘Christmas Is All Around’.

A Study in Blue…Movies

The Christmas of sex scene body doubles John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanne Page) is turned upside down when John’s dead friend Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) comes to stay. The three solve the mystery of a bottom double found to have been killed in a tinsel related asphyxiation accident.

Coalition Christmas

Prime Minister David (Hugh Grant) is forced to form a coalition with rival party leader Nick (David Tennant). The film begins with the PMs verbally locking horns and playing pranks on one another, but over time the pair form a begrudging friendship. In a touching scene David opens up to Nick about his wife (Martine McCutcheon) who has become dangerously addicted to Activia yogurts. A  hopelessly miscast Will Smith cameos as Barrack Obama.

Julie Delpy is back on screen, and behind the camera, with another madcap, cross-cultural relationship comedy. Following on from her acclaimed 2007 film, 2 Days in Paris, Delpy’s Marion has dumped moody boyfriend Jack (Adam Goldberg) – though both have a son together – and found love in the Big Apple with radio host single dad Mingus (Chris Rock). But the couple’s cosy cohabitation is thrown into a tailspin when Marion’s boisterous family come to visit.

From the moment they land – and are interrogated at customs for trying to smuggle sausages and cheese – it becomes clear that Marion’s relatives are much wilder than Mingus bargained for. Her non-English speaking father (real life parent Albert Delpy) is charmingly crude, while her younger sister Rose (Alexia Landeau) and sleazy boyfriend Manu (Alex Nahon) show little respect for privacy. What ensues is a series of awkward encounters, often centred on Rose’s penchant for slinking around the flat in the nude and Manu’s marijuana daze. Can Marion hold down the fort just before her big photography exhibition? Will Mingus and the children survive their eccentric houseguests?

Typically American films romanticise the French – they are the epitome of cool and sophistication, with a taste for fine wine and high fashion. Instead Julie Delpy smashes that stereotype; these Parisians are a loud, ill-mannered but decidedly friendlier bunch. She strips the characters of any pretences or continental glamour, even if it makes them unlikeable at times. However, it is a tricky balance to strike, since 2 Days in New York is fairly light on plot and depends heavily on personal dynamics.

Playing an older Marion, Delpy is frazzled and exhausted from juggling all the chaos. She clearly adores her cheery father and watches over him with daughterly concern. On the other hand, she and Rose still have some lingering sibling rivalry issues and bicker constantly about food, parenting skills etc. That tension is heightened by the presence of Manu and his behaviour.

But as the mayhem escalates and tempers flare, Mingus really shines through as the responsible, caring partner. Despite the unusual casting choice, Chris Rock is surprisingly refreshing as the straight man in this ‘Meet the Parents’ romp. He tones down his trademark delivery and turns out to be the sane voice of reason. Though of course this being a quirky indie film, Mingus is not without his own idiosyncrasies: he frequently escapes to his study to bounce ideas off a giant cardboard cut-out of President Obama!

While it does pack quite a few laughs and has very natural performances, 2 Days in New York frequently relies on rather juvenile antics. It is not a bad comedy by any standards, just far short of Delpy’s potential. She has developed a special brand of Woody Allen-style, trans-Atlantic humour, which is more fun in her previous projects. So watch 2 Days in New York for a bit of light relief, but make sure to see its predecessor again for a real gem.

“You’re pregnant? What are you having, a boy or an abortion?” The Dictator is a crass, grossly offensive and incredibly nonsensical film on first appearances. Incidentally, the sheer magnitude of all that despicably insensitive humour is also what makes The Dictator a film reminiscent of what might happen if a Tom Green film and a David Zucker film had a baby.

Despite what the trailers and star Sacha Baron Cohen’s unyielding refusal to make media appearances out of character may suggest, The Dictator is not a pseudo-documentary akin to his prior cinematic outings, but an excellently scripted film that comes from some of the greatest writing and producing minds behind Seinfeld, South Park and Curb Your Enthusiasm, with ‘returning’ director, Larry Charles (Borat, Brüno) helming Cohen’s first original character vehicle.

The film follows General Aladeen of the fictional North African country Wadiya, a childish and ruthless dictator who will have someone killed for something as small as thinking a circular-topped bomb is preferable to a spike-topped one, or for winning the pencil topper in the shared pack of Cornflakes. After a humorously lengthy introduction to the character and his mean-spirited ways, we are whisked to America where the UN intends to address concerns about Wadiya’s nuclear program. Once he reaches New York, however, his oil-rich land and oppressed people are under threat of democracy after an assignation attempt leads Aladeen to lose his identity and power.

There was understandable apprehension before the film was released regarding The Dictator’s potential quality. Rumours surfaced that it was based on Saddam Hussein’s romance novel, Zabibah and the King in addition to the fact that Cohen’s semi-real mockumentaries were growing a bit old; but once it becomes apparent that The Dictator is a fully scripted fictional film by some of television’s best awkward situation and controversial comedy writers, we can relax into the twelve-laughs-a-minute allegorical hilarity that ensues.

Additionally, whilst Cohen has fully-immersed himself in his characters for years and had many small roles before, The Dictator gives him a chance to finally show off some fine acting talent that isn’t simply a game of “provoke and poke fun of” – whether it be a romantic closet masturbation scene or his effectual blossoming relationship with Anna Faris’ entertaining polar opposite love interest. With an army of SNL alumni, amusing surprise celebrity cameos and a host of translated hit songs forming the film’s soundtrack, The Dictator proves itself a very worthy runner for 2012’s best comedy.

The Dictator is a ridiculously funny satire that is as borderline unwatchable as it is a perfect take on the politics of today. It is a considerable step up for Cohen who, if nothing else, knows that comedy is as much about character as it is about the jokes. The film isn’t going to win any Oscars (although Borat was nominated for one, so you never know) but if over the top, controversial comedies that don’t outstay their welcome are your thing, The Dictator is definitely for you.

These days, gangster films seem to be getting few and far between. From the look of the trailer, The Gangster Squad looks set to give it a fresh breath of life. Most of its publicity has sprung from the re-teaming of Gosling and Stone, whose on screen chemistry proved to be a hit in Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). It has everything you would expect: an abundance of fedoras, sharply cut suits and numerous shoot outs; including what looks set to be an impressive one in a cinema. The LAPD obviously don’t play by the rules, stopping at nothing to eliminate the threat. Whilst the finer details of the story aren’t quite clear, the trailer shows that it will more than likely be full of action, drama, and great performances.

The Gangster Squad is due to be released in UK cinemas on 9th November 2012.