The Super Network

Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.

Super Marcey Recommends:

Fish Tank

Need a good Michael Fassbender fix? I know I always do, one of his best performances is in Fish Tank. What do you know, it is a fantastic flick! Here is a little bit from my original review.

“What is Fish Tank about? What do you think of when you hear the words fish tank? Small environment, trapped maybe? Well that really does sum up the film, our main character is Mia (Katie Jarvis), she is a 15 year old who dreams of becoming a dancer. She is being raised by her alcoholic single mother. Things change when her mother gets a new boyfriend Connor (Michael Fassbender).

From the start of the film you see Mia shouting and being abusive as she walks around the local neighbourhood. It is obvious she does not really have any friends, and her abusive behaviour easily stems from her mother. Her younger sister shows the same traits and the mother does not seem to care. These early scenes are shot so well, there is a strange beauty to them, and you just can’t take your eyes away. Our lead Mia played by new comer Katie Jarvis is nearly flawless in this film. She becomes her character, and she feels awfully real and true to the story being told. This girl wants an escape, she craves a father figure and she craves love and attention.”

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Logan J. Fowler Recommends:

Super

My recommendation starts off with a warning.

You may love superheroes, comic books, Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page (crush central for yours truly), Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler, Nathan Fillion (man crush I mean what?) and think that all these things in one film should be spectacular.

Is the movie spectacular? No. It is a good film? Yes. May it be your type of film based on all of the above. No.

Super is different. Vastly different. Last week I said that movies like Kick-Ass led the way for films like Super. To say that the two films are the same seems fine, considering the fact that they both feature a nobody who goes out and fights crime. But the way the films are handled in structure and storytelling are completely different.

When Frank D’Arbo (Wilson) has his wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) stolen by a drug dealer name Jacques (Bacon), he has an epiphany of religious proportions in where he meets with tv superhero The Holy Avenger (Fillion) and decides then following he will become a superhero, going by the name of The Crimson Bolt. He attracts the attention of Libby (Page), who teams with Frank as his sidekick Boltie. The two fight crime, but they don’t always do it in the most non violent or well mannered ways.

I originally pegged Super as a dark comedy. While there are bits of comedy to it, there is also drama, gore, and a religious theme. Super, while it seems all over the place, really is a unique type of film, as it darkens the superhero genre quite a bit, even leading viewers to believe that Frank is psychologically troubled.

If Frank isn’t, then Libby totally is; Page’s character screams with glee with a bad guy bites it, she makes sexual poses when in her costume, and there is a disturbing scene near the final showdown between Frank and Libby that is extremely awkward. But to Page’s credit, she totally steals the show here as she cuts loose in more ways than one can expect, and she demonstrates acting chops beyond what she provided in Juno and Inception.

The rest of the cast is solid, as Wilson does a great job, Tyler plays a confused druggie/sweetheart wife really well, and Bacon showcases awesome talent, just like he did in X-Men: First Class (even though Super was released before that film came out). And of course, Fillion just owns like he always does.

I’m rambling on, but don’t let the cutesy animated opening fool you; Super is dark, depressing, and different. Its attempts at humor are overshadowed by such raw emotions and scenes, but what’s great about Super is that even though it bases itself on superheroes, it’s original, mysterious, and it is a film that sticks with you after you’re done watching. On that note, Super is worth a watch if any of what I said appeals to you.

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Pat Torfe Recommends:

The Fly

I visited Cronenberg before with Videodrome, but it’s a no-brainer as to what I have to recommend: Cronenberg’s remake of the 1958 film The Fly. Originally chosen to direct but passed up (due to committments to Total Recall which fell through) then picked up again, Cronenberg reimagined the George Langelaan short story as only Cronenberg could: gory, with great acting by everyone involved. In the film, Seth Brundle (played by Jeff Goldblum as only Jeff Goldblum can) is a scientist currently working on a set of ‘telepods’, which would allow teleportation of anything from one pod to another. A journalist for Particle magazine, Veronica Quaife (played by Geena Davis), takes an interest in Seth’s work and agrees to document his findings. Initially, Seth is only able to teleport non-living objects (an unfortunate experiment with a baboon is the reason why), but Seth is able to successfully reprogram the pods to accept live hosts. Eventually, Seth teleports himself. However, unbeknownst to him, a housefly flew into the pod and merges with Seth. Soon Seth begins to feel changes in his body, such as increased strength and stamina. Unfortunately, the changes manifest themselves further, as Seth begins to lose hair, teeth and fingernails and grow coarse hair on his body…

Bar none, the star of the film is Goldblum. His eccentricities are manifested in Seth’s eccentric behaviour and cranked up. The guy goes from a rather calm and collected guy to a darkly threatening character as the transformation progresses. In the midst of this is Geena Davis, who pulls off a great performance as the woman who loves Seth but at the same time is scared and threatened by what he’s becoming. And then there’s John Getz, who plays Davis’ editor and former lover in the film, Stathis Borans. The guy is a complete asshole and creep, trying to weasel his way back into Veronica’s life while stoking the jealousy fires.

The other great thing about the film? The effects. There’s a damn good reason why this film won an Academy Award, since it’s downright awesome and gross to see Seth transform. Part of the transformation involves Seth developing the fly’s ability to use its saliva to liquify and digest food. I’ll leave that thought with those of you who haven’t seen the film yet, and why haven’t you? Cronenberg crafted a tragic lovestory and a metaphor for AIDS (though he was going for disease in general) and laid it on with a grim tone that really sold the film. Really, this is one film that both repulses and endears as you feel for both Seth and Veronica and their eventual fate. Grab this DVD (or better yet, Blu-Ray) now!

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Bede Jermyn Recommends:

Wolf Creek

If you have been following my recommendations over the last couple months, you would have heard me say time and time again how much of a big supporter I am of Australian films. While my home country has created so many fantastic films from many different genres, there is one sub-genre of Aussie film that I’m really fond of, which is the horror genre. Over the last few years Australia has delivered many really good horror films (highlights including THE LOVED ONES, DAYBREAKERS, ROGUE) but for my recommendation this week I’ve decided to pick one particular film which is not only in my opinion the best horror film that my home country has produced but it happens to also be the one practically revitalised the genre in Australia.

That of course is one of my favourite horror films WOLF CREEK. Inspired by true events (the Ivan Milat backpacker murders and the Peter Falconio case) the film tells the story of Liz & Kristy (Cassandra McGrath & Kestie Morassi), two British backpackers who, along with their Australian friend Ben (Nathan Phillips) decide to drive out into the outback to visit Wolf Creek National Park, which just happens to be the sight of giant meteor crater. When their car breaks down as they are leaving, a friendly bushman named Mick Taylor (John Jarratt) comes along and helps them out by taking their car to his place to fix it. However what follows next is a night of grueling terror as discover that Mick isn’t as friendly as he seems. The first time watched this film in the cinema it completely floored me. Seriously, my heart was pounding in my chest the entire time while I watching it. Plus the many I’ve watched since then, it still does to this day.

Writer/director Greg McLean (who made his directorial debut with this film) crafted a terrifying, brutal, disturbing and almost realistic horror film. What I liked about the film is that it is an old fashioned slow burn horror/thriller. Unlike most horror films these days that relay on having loud “boo!” noises and lots of fast cuts and let the action happen right away, this film takes it time so that we get to know and care about characters (about 45-50 minutes to be exact) so when the horror begins we, as audience, are terrified of the things that are happening to them. The three leads (Cassandra Magrath, Krestie Morassi, Nathan Phillips) all give real and likeable performances as the backpackers. However the stand-out performance without a doubt was John Jarratt. His turn as Mick Taylor is absolutely one of the most sick, creepy and frightening characters to be put on the screen in the last couple of years, and that I stand by.

It’s completely unforgettable. Also the cinematography is absolutely terrific (the beautiful and isolated landscape of the Australian outback at times feels like another character) and score is effectively creepy and unnerving. While this film will not be for everyone (over the last few years I’ve seen just as many haters as I do lovers) but I still highly recommend you all to check it out. If you give it a chance, hopefully you’ll agree that this is an absolutely terrific horror film as well. This to me was a true horror film.

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