Drive Review

Drive is a very unique film. It's storyline, about a stunt driver who gets in over his head trying to protect a family, seems like standard action-thriller fare. However, due to the direction of Nicolas Winding Refn, the film's style is much more artistic. Its pace is more measured, its violence played more for shock and, surprisingly, beauty than excitement. Most importantly, though, it does something that most films nowadays are unable to do: it makes you care.

Drive sets up these characters with as little dialogue as possible. The Driver, played by Ryan Gosling, is a very quiet man. He conveys most of his thoughts through the looks he gives, rather than through his dialogue. This doesn't hurt our understanding of the character, though, rather we get a more primal and emotional understanding of him, and it is made all the more shocking when he forgoes his complacent demeanor and lashes out.

The rest of the cast is also great. There are many recognizable actors, but they avoid the curse of past roles. Too often, when watching a well known actor in a role, they are seen as their "big break" character. This doesn't happen here. All of the actors are seen as their characters in THIS film, not their previous ones. This is especially strange for Albert Brooks, normally a comic actor, who slips seamlessly into the role of an unpredictable gangster.

The film's violence is unflinching. It is graphic and brutal, yet there is a strange sort of beauty to the way it is shot. It is slow and artistic, much different than the quick cuts and exciting music that plague action movies nowadays. However, this makes it disturbing in an entirely different way.

The direction of the film, though, is where most of the praise has to go. Nicolas Winding Refn has a very unique style that he uses for this film. It is very cool, and untraditional, but also very engaging. By the end, the audience actually cares about the characters, which is rare in this day and age, when action films have become all about the bloodshead.

Drive is an excellent film. It is much different than one would expect, but it is all the better for that. It's tiring seeing the same exact film over and over, with changes only to the title and actors. Seeing something this unique, and beautiful, and perfectly crafted, it's a truly wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Attack the Block Review

Attack the Block is a very interesting film. I really enjoyed it, partially because I went into it having no idea what I was seeing, and it payed off. Because of that, I will not describe the movie in more detail than saying that it is a British science fiction film, and that anyone who is a sci-fi fan should see it.

The acting in this film is surprisingly strong. A lot of the actors are very young, so it is somewhat shocking to see kids giving such strong performances. The writing is also similarly strong, and uses the lingo from the area to give a sense of realism and humor.

The visuals are very interesting, although at times they do give a sense of the film's limited budget. The action sequences are also handled very well and are very exciting, with great editing and cinematography.

All in all it is a film that will surprise you, and make you care about the characters. The tone perfectly mixes the fun and humor with the seriousness and danger. It is one of the most fun movies of the year and it is very surprising that it is able to make you care so much about its characters. I highly recommend seeing it and not learning anything else about it.