When you hear the idea of a David Cronenberg comic book adaptation you know that you’re going to get something completely adverse to your expectations. And that’s exactly what he does in his adaptation of John Wagner and Vince Locke’s A History of Violence. The story is indeed one of pulp fiction: a mild mannered coffee shop owner, Tom Stall, is forced to violently defend his business from two thugs which leads to a case of mistaken identity with gangsters from Philadelphia who believe Tom is the runaway brother of their boss.
Pure, genre pulp. But in the hands of a master like Cronenberg this isn’t just pure pulp fiction. Like all of his genre work, the director deftly creates an extremely entertaining, highly crafted generic surface that covers a sublimely crafted subtext, rich with deeply thematic elements. In this case the thematics are right there in the title: The weight of a violent past, is violence ever redeemable? What does it mean to bury and hide a history of violence?
Of course, we also have the fantastic performances. The leads, Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello, have never been better and two sublimely scene-chewing performances from the ever reliable Ed Harris and William Hurt provide stellar support.
This is hands down one of the Canadian maestro’s finest films and a deserved entry into this list.
[h2]19) X-Men: First Class (2011)[/h2]
I could begin and end this description with ‘Jennifer Lawrence in body paint,’ but X-Men: First Class is much more than just that. After the disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand, First Class was the injection of energy, intelligence and unabashed coolness that the series needed to get back on its feet.
Boosted by stellar performances from Lawrence, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, the film bounces along with remarkable confidence and energy without skimping on the dramatic heft of its source material. Matthew Vaughn’s stylish direction lifts First Class above standard comic-book fare by never forgetting the extraordinary nature of his characters but also never painting them as anything less than human. The sleek, smart script traces our favorite mutants to their early days and provides imaginative characterizations that will surely make the upcoming Days of Future Past a force to be reckoned with.
Boasting terrific performances, a clever story, deft direction and a strong sense of fun, First Class more than lives up to its name.
[h2]18) Chronicle [/h2]
Just when it appeared that a recent excess of found-footage movies had come to a close, Josh Trank arrived on the scene with this confident and innovative superhero (or is it supervillain?) origin tale. Chronicle centers on three friends, Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell) and Steve (Michael B. Jordan), who stumble across an unknown object in a hole in the ground. When the mysterious object gives the trio telekinetic abilities, they must learn to harness their powers.
Trank’s brilliantly simplistic documentary-style direction allows Chronicle to thrive as a believable, complex and unpredictable superhero thriller. DeHaan gives a star-making performance as Andrew, whose abusive home life and unpopularity at school makes him a danger to everyone around him, while Russell is equally effective as Matt, the agonized voice of reason.
Chronicle is a breathtaking accomplishment. It’s one of the best found-footage movies since The Blair Witch Project and one of the best superhero movies in recent memory.
The fifth instalment in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (after Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2 and Thor), Captain America: The First Avenger is essentially the junction point for narrative threads from several Marvel movies – ahead of the giant film, The Avengers – as well as introducing potential new ones, such as the character of Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). The film charts the journey of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), from slight, sickly US soldier-in-training, to accomplished Super Soldier headhunted by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Director Joe Johnston immerses us entirely and flawlessly in 1940s America, where Steve Rogers is selected for transformation into a Super Soldier, via a specially formulated serum – much to the surprise of his fellow recruits. As the newly christened Captain America, Steve Rogers’ innate decency and courage, bolstered by his new-found super-strength and agility, lead him to make huge strides in the fight against the Nazis. He soon finds himself a nemesis, however, in the form of Red Skull (a wonderfully menacing Hugo Weaving) – leader of terrorist organisation Hydra, and Head of Weaponry for Adolf Hitler. Red Skull has himself been in receipt of a shot of Super Soldier serum, making him more than a match for Rogers.
Despite the, at times, transparent jingoism on display, Captain America: The First Avenger is a well-crafted film and is highly enjoyable in its own right. Though it is its vital position within the Marvel Cinematic Universe that makes the movie a must-see, it is testament to the quality of writing by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely that this sizeable feat was accomplished with such confidence and success.
We can debate the necessity of a remake just five years after Sam Raimi’s disappointing Spider-Man 3 all day, but that doesn’t change the fact that Marc Webb’s version cuts to the core of Peter Parker’s teenage angst in a way Raimi’s films never could. Transforming the character into a snarky, misunderstood loner is just one of the film’s many smart moves. Its talented cast, led by Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, is another.
As Peter, Garfield embodies the skinny, mouthy webhead of comic-book lore, inflecting every line with a cocky bravado that masks but never overlooks the character’s tormented origins. Meanwhile, Stone turns Gwen Stacy into a spirited, capable romantic interest, lending The Amazing Spider-Man a touching romantic side that serves it well.
These two, coupled with Webb’s slick and confident direction, allow the film to exist as more than just another take on the webslinger – instead, The Amazing Spider-Man succeeds as both a thrillingly emotional outing, the likes of which the character has never seen, and as a promising new beginning.