BigLens 7.2 by Big Lens

BIGLENS THE KENT FILM MAGAZINE | VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 | SPRING 2011

ARNIE, AND OTHER ALIENS PLUS DAWN OF THE DORK HEROINE HYPE AWESOME ALLITERATION AND MUCH MORE

EDITORIAL

COVER: ARNIE

AND THE WINNER IS...

SIR COLIN FIRTH

AS I WRITE, after the Golden Globes, the major critic, director and screen actor awards, the Hollywood award season is in full flow. It is more difficult to predict than usual. No, I certainly don’t expect a Paul Haggis to come along and Crash the Brokeback after party but at least 5 of the 10 ‘Best Picture’ nominees stand a good chance at claiming the top prize. The Academy can never get enough of the British monarchy, so The King’s Speech must be a favourite, as it should be. David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s much heralded ‘Facebook film’, The Social Network, is The King’s main challenger along with Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Although I have never known the Academy to opt for something so dark, the patriarchy is fading into something a bit more hip, hence the extra 5 ‘Best Picture’ nominees. The Fighter is a serious contender too; it has some considerable clout in two no-nonsense performances from Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. True Grit is the other one, and being a Coen film, it would not surprise me if come February 27, Joel and Ethan were making room for their fifth statue.

ANYONE IN THE movie business who says they don’t care about awards is a liar. A huge, gigantic liar – or possibly a bulimic, stick-figured one. Either way, as statuettes are handed out left, right and centre, the elite of the film industry try to stifle a nervous twitch or cover disappointment with a false smile. It’s true that to a certain extent, the awards don’t really matter at all: it’s all very self-congratulatory and sycophantic, but sometimes I find it hard to argue against the praise that they reward on certain people. One such person is Colin Firth. Having finally watched The King’s Speech, I believe with every sinew that (Sir) Colin deserves every bit of credit and recognition that comes his way. Rarely in recent years have I been so blown away by a performance and so I hope that come Oscar night Mr Firth shall be giving another of his very entertaining and very English acceptance speeches. Perhaps we should take it further and install him as the actual king. Helen Mirren could be queen and we could have Hugh Grant as the PM. What a wonderful world that would be.

Chris Fennell

Tom Brown

SMALLPRINT Editor: Tom Brown Editor: Chris Fennell Art Editor: Hannah Charles

If you have a passion for film and would like to contribute to BIGLENS, please email tb283@kent.ac.uk or cf202@kent.ac.uk or visit www.kentfilm.net. BIGLENS is produced with the support of Kent Film, a society of the University of Kent Students Union. | All information is provided in good faith. | Articles are not necessarily the opinions of the editors of BIGLENS, of the Kent Film Society or of Kent Union. | Everything that is already copyrighted, is theirs. | Everything not, is the intellectual property of the individual writer, so no thieving.

COMMANDO | SLM PRODUCTION GROUP

Check out the Kent Film society hub at www.kentfilm.net for society news, BIGLENS movie reviews and all that good stuff.

HEY ARNOLD

KINDERGARTEN COP | UNIVERSAL PICTURES

TOM BROWN

“GET TO THE CHOPPAH!”

WHEN SOMEONE REELS off a list of Hollywood greats, the usual boring suspects tend to crop up. Scorsese, Pacino, Bogart... Sure, they’re great, but they were surrounded by greatness too. They swam with their peers in a big incestuous pool of talent and they were able to feed off of each others’ abilities. It takes a true genius to stand on one’s own, to forge their own distinctive path through the fraught Hollywood maze. The twentieth century gifted us one such man. His name: Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is not a joke. If it was, you would be laughing, so I am happy to see we are all deadly serious. It is all too easy to dismiss Arnie films – take them as just a bit of popcorn entertainment or disregard them as poorly acted family fodder. So when I say that, for example, Last Action Hero is one of the best films of the 90s, we can all agree I am definitely giving him his due. And am correct. Sure, it’s fun to imitate his accent, but it’s been taken too far. People associate his thick, Austrian farmer tones with idiocy and ineptitude (spurred on by The Simpsons’ Rainier Wolfcastle) which is really, when you think about it, a simple form of xenophobia. This man talks slowly and with a different accent, he must be stupid. This clearly isn’t true. No matter what you want to say about American politics, someone can’t be governor (Governator) of arguably America’s most important state for seven whole years and not be relatively intelligent. Maybe. Undeniable, however, is his intelligence in making films. The sheer improbability of his success is reason enough to admire him, winning seven Mr Universe titles and first being seen in the Pumping Iron documentary, with his legendary “it’s like cumming!” spiel. But make it he did, and his films throughout the 80s and 90s are amongst the best that Hollywood were making. There’s no denying their raw entertainment value. Commando is one of the most ruthless and needlessly violent films I’ve ever seen, but its true genius lies in the fact that somehow this doesn’t bother us – it’s Arnie doing the killing, so it’s alright! They’re exciting and engaging in a way that allows the audience that guilty pleasure of violence. One of the reasons we’re so willing

and branched out into other genres. Jingle All the Way would be a decidedly average film if it wasn’t for Schwarzenegger. If it was some middle of the road actor playing Howard Langston – Kevin Costner, say – it wouldn’t be funny. But because we have this preset image of Arnie as an unstoppable wad of muscle, it’s absolutely hilarious to hear him screaming “PUT THAT COOKIE DOWN!” helplessly into the phone. Way back at the beginning of this article I was talking about how the Hollywood greats always had talented people to surround them. The best Arnie could do was Danny DeVito. This is what little (excuse the word choice) he had to work with. But still, he made films with meaning. If you look past the explosions and wisecracks, films like The Running Man, Total Recall and Last Action Hero actually have some important and intelligent things to say about human nature and how we value entertainment and the systemic insensitivity that it inevitably breeds. Plus you can watch them and play the Arnie drinking game, which makes them all even better. Let me be the first to say that now he’s stepped down from his political role, I hope he returns to acting. But only if he makes them like they used to be made. I’m fed up of Vin Diesel; he doesn’t even know the meaning of the word bicep. We need less Predators and more Predator. Less Terminator Salvation and more Terminator 2. But, perhaps most importantly, we need more Kindergarten Cop. “IT’S NOT A TOOMER!”

LAST ACTION HERO | COLUMBIA PICTURES

to accept what some might foolishly construe as needless massacre, is his art with the one-liner. I could hit you with a top ten list right now, but why bother when YouTube provides the brilliant ten minute long 160 greatest Arnie quotes! Characters like James Bond and John McClane could only dream of some of the beauties the Austrian Oak has served up. Who wouldn’t want to shoot their wife in the head and mutter wearily: “Consider dat a divorce.” Never has the dissolution of marriage been so easy. Not only does he always say the right thing at the right time, he often says the same thing at different times. This may sound simple, but it’s no mean feat. This is a man so brilliant and so popular, he repeats things he says in one film in a whole other film entirely! Sure, James Bond has “shaken, not stirred” and all that rubbish, but that’s the same character every time. Arnie’s catchphrases transcend character and timezone. We don’t care if he’s a Terminator sent from the future, or a contestant on a game show in the future, all that matters is that the camera swoops in for that extreme close up and he utters the simple words: “I’ll be back.” After cementing himself in the public’s consciousness as some kind of macho Übermensch, he cleverly played against this role

FEAR AND LOATHING IN THE SOVIET UNION AFTER WITNESSING one of the most horrifying moments in our history, The Second World War, the world’s major states submerged themselves in a new international dispute, thus entering a completely new “state of mind”. That state of mind was The Cold War. This now seemingly harmless and unserious war lasted for long 44 years that were filled with continuous military threats, political aggression and economic tension. Despite the fact that there were states and countries who tried not to pay much attention to what was really going on between The East and The West, this so-called war has globally affected the way nations thought and behaved. When such major conflicts happen, especially between world superpowers, it doesn’t just affect the political landscape. Such conflicts always, always have a very powerful effect on the creative and artistic elite of the nations involved. It has happened before, it is happening now and it will always stay this way! Look at the arts at the time of The Second World War: one does not need to go far in search of evidence: looking at 1943 Soviet military posters and 1940s British comedy would be sufficient enough! The Cold War had the Arms Race, the Space Race, scientific and economic competitions, but that has nothing to do with what this magazine is all about, that is a completely different story. So let’s talk film... American art of that time has tirelessly portrayed “The Reds” as the bad and evil ones; and yes, it’s true, Ronald Reagan did call the Union an “Empire of Evil”! Well, in my personal and many other people’s opinion, that was a propaganda strategy. It was of vital importance for the United States to show that they were on the good side, thus establishing their clear dominance in the world order. Be it everyone’s favourite adventurer with a hat and a whip in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or the town-saving boys in Red Dawn, the Russians were always depicted as attackers or occupiers. Fortunately, none of these fears ever came to reality. Amongst other strangely random and perfectly timed western cinema that feature mad Soviet plans and spy scandals, are The Hunt for Red October and Telefon, discussing the possibilities of existence of advanced Russian submarines and the idea of sleeper agents respectively. Even one of everyone’s favourite films, about a wellknown British spy, From Russia with Love portrayed the USSR as a very unfriendly, strict communist country. But how interesting were they! Someone once said that, very often, it happens so that the evil and villainous characters of the plot are a lot more interesting than the good and righteous ones, because, at most times, they possess very unique and “beyond-curriculum” traits, charisma, slyness and even weapons.

Despite these facts, American cinema does have a number of cases where Russians were “forgiven”, so-to-speak, and, strangely enough, portrayed humanely. In the movie Marooned the viewer had the opportunity to observe a kind scene where a Soviet cosmonaut defers from his orbit to pass on an extra air tank to three oxygen-starved American astronauts. It is a very touching scene and, historically speaking, had a rather positive effect on a naive American viewer. Perhaps the idea that needs to be mentioned here is that although, supposedly, the majority of people were on the American side and desired to witness the fall of Communism with the same passion with which a thirsty man dreams of finding an oasis in the middle of the desert, there were a great number of artists and critics, who with a great deal of interest, closely followed everything “The Reds” were up to. The Battleship Potemkin, for instance, still appears an international early-communist sensation, having both western and eastern audiences marvel at the sight of one of the most important works in film history. It seems to me that everyone forgets that people are the same wherever you go! Whether you go east or west, we all want a long, stable and happy life. Becoming victims of a fearful torment is the last thing the public wants! I guess, in a way, each one of us dreams of a perfect world without suffering, betrayal and pain, and where all international conflicts and disputes are resolved through diplomacy and not according to the diameter of your gun barrel. Although, origi-

INDIANNA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL | PARAMOUNT PICTURES

VADIM A. MILEVSKIY

“THE RUSSIANS WERE ALWAYS DEPICTED AS ATTAKCERS OR OCCUPIERS.” nally, I wanted this article to talk only about films, touching the surface of politics ever so slightly, I feel that it was inevitable, due to the very nature of people behind the films discussed. The one thing that I would very much like to pass on to the readers is, as a well-travelled person, I did have the opportunity to perceive the way different countries look at the same political situations and, therefore, I want to encourage you not to judge anything or anyone by what you have just seen on your screens. There is no such thing as a one-sided conflict; it takes two to tango. So the next time you see “The Reds” in your film don’t assume that those people are, in fact, evil and the Union was the origin of the world’s discontent. This could have happened anywhere, for a mad dog has no country...

GEEK CHIC

HANNAH CHARLES

AFTER YEARS OF being tripped up in corridors, ‘amusing’ nick-names and having lunch thrown at us (true story), there is good news for geeks everywhere: you are now one of the ‘cool kids’. Suddenly there might be a very good reason why I spent a portion of my school days picking lettuce out of my hair. Yes, nerds are now, dorks are down with it, geeks are groovy. Or, at least, in Hollywood they are. The geek no longer has to hide in the shadow of the handsome hero. No more just a sidekick, the comic relief, never getting the girl, and, if he’s really unlucky, snuffing it somewhere in the third act. Now is the age of the geek. The nerd has become the hero. Albeit a wisecracking, heavy breathing, dorky dressing one. The likes of Michael Cera and Jessie Eisenberg have stolen our hearts - girl’s hearts at least, men seem less impressed. You would have thought they’d have been pleased, after years of thinking we want an Arnie to discover all we really love is an awkward dork with an out of tune guitar. Oh well.[I refuse to believe women don’t want an Arnie – Ed] These lovable, bumbling, mouth breathers are kindof like that guy you were forced to sit next to in maths. The one that always sat just that little bit too close to you,

“GOOD NEWS FOR GEEKS EVERYWHERE: YOU ARE NOW ONE OF THE COOL KIDS”

of Batman and Iron Man accessible to the uninitiated, and also, by taking on some smaller names, have introduced a whole new readership to the comic book. Alan Moore may disown the film adaptations of his books, but the trailer for V for Vendetta made me go out and buy the book, and from then I discovered a whole world of awesome I’d previously been totally oblivious to. Loads of smaller, lesser-known comics are starting to grace our screens, along with the ever-present classics, blowing open many previously exclusive worlds. This does not come without disappointment, however. In their desire to initiate the masses some adaptations fail miserably to live up to the fans’ expectations. I’ll admit that some of the content in Wanted (the book) would never get past the censors. But did they really have to change and soften it up so much? I hope that when (or if) they get around to making Preacher, which has been in the pipes for some time, they at least have the balls to keep some of the sex, violence, colourful insults, incest and general inappropriateness in. It is all part of the genius. It’s kind of nice, being the cool kid for once. All the stuff you love is easily accessible and you don’t have to face your peer’s bemused, accusing looks as you crack yet another obscure Batman joke. You don’t have to hide away in your room practicing your out of tune guitar, searching for cult films and burying your nose in comics. You can do it outside, if you like. Without fearing airborne sandwiches. But doesn’t it kind of ruin it a bit? Now everyone who’s anyone needs to get that obscure Star Wars reference. Or be down with the more essential Batman story arcs. The point is we aren’t supposed to be cool. We’re the underdogs.

PAUL | BIG TALK PRODUCTIONS

SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD | UNIVERSAL PICTURES

and seemed to never wash his hair. Only they’re cuter. And smell better. Probably. Other prominent geek figures include the cornetto trilogy trio: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright. Together they were forerunners of the cool geek sub-genre with Spaced, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Individually, too, they have proudly carried the geek standard, with Pegg and Frost typically playing lovable nobodies and Wright directing Scott Pilgrim VS the World (with, of course, Michael Cera in the title role of the lovable looser). Scott Pilgrim encompasses pretty much every aspect of the Geek-Chic genre: it’s an adaptation of a graphic novel, the protagonist is a dorky loser, there are abundant comic book and computer game references, and it’s mega stylised. Rating: awesome. The only thing Scott Pilgrim could be said to be missing is aliens (although some of Ramona’s evil exes are questionable). But not to worry: Edgar, Frost and Pegg have your back with their next film, Paul: a story of two sci-fi geek friends on a road trip and meeting an alien. Just one of the recent explosions of Sci-fi films, one of the geekiest genres on the block: District 9, Monsters, Paul, Avatar, and some really dodgy looking ones as well. Aliens are so in right now. Take the new Star Trek (staring Simon Pegg): it’s no longer fan-boy fodder; it’s just so… cool. I’ve been talking a lot about male geeks, but I’m glad to say that geek knows no gender: girls are getting in on the action. Diablo Cody’s films both have nerdy ladies as protagonists in Juno (Michael Cera. Again.) and Jenifer’s Body. This is probably down to Cody being a massive girl geek: her book ‘The Diary of an Unlikely Stripper’ is as much stripping anecdotes as Star Trek references. Girls in geek films do tend to be able to hold their own and prove themselves able to play with the boys. Take Ramona Flowers, Hit Girl, and even the recent news of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. However, this is no new trend: think Princess Leia, or Ripley. Geek cool is also showing it’s face in comic book films, which of course, are still bigbigbig and show no sign of letting up any time soon. Hollywood has made the likes

GIRL POWER MICHAEL CHAPMAN

SALT | COLUMBIA PICTURES

STALLONE, Willis, Segal, Schwarzenegger: all these names jump to mind when you think of the action genre. But why aren’t there any memorable female characters? The answer to this is Hollywood’s compulsive and frequent stereotyping, the only glimmer of hope being Ripley from Alien, an independent mother who can take care of herself and is always the last one left standing. The women normally seen in the genre either take the shape of the damsel in distress or worse the overly sexualised heroine such as Lara Croft, who is little more than breasts a pretty face. 2010 however has been somewhat of a renaissance, with strong female investigators taking over the genre. This trend began with the adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Noomi Rapace’s portrayal of Lisbeth Salander. Here is a female character that does not conform to stereotypes. Covered with piercings and tattoos she is not conventionally attractive or feminine. Neither is she the damsel in distress for any hero to save. Instead she is a resourceful, tough and intelligent character, and this is most obvious when comparing her with Blomkvist. He is her partner, and throughout the film their stereotypical gender roles are subverted. He is very old fashioned, investigating through traditional methods and keen to avoid confrontation. Lisbeth is a hacker and adept at using technology to get results and if that fails she’ll use her fists. She is the modern ‘ying’ to his conventional ‘yang’, something not expected from a female character. The success of the films and books is proof that Lisbeth has captured the imagination of the general public, so it’s no surprise that similar characters have emerged in Hollywood over the past year. The most noteworthy is Angelina Jolie’s performance in SALT where she plays a Russian sleeper spy who

“THE OVERTLY MACHO ACTION HERO IS BECOMING A FIGMENT OF THE PAST.” THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO | DANMARKS RADIO

when ‘awoken’ becomes a fugitive. The lead initially was intended for Tom Cruise, but eventually the studios opted for a female in the role instead. Why? Cruise claims that he turned down the role as it was too similar to Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, but it’s more likely that after his run of box office flops, Cruise simply wasn’t what the studios were after. One would expect that consequently SALT would be much softer in tone and for Angelina Jolie to be over sexualised in the role, but neither is true. Even from the opening scene we can see that this isn’t the case, as we watch Evelyn Salt being brutally tortured by her captors. This image is shocking but instantly demonstrates Salt to be just as tough and capable as her male counterparts. The most obvious comparison to Evelyn Salt would be James Bond, but Salt is far more brutal and resourceful, indicating that the modern action hero is evolving. One of the standout scenes that illustrates this takes place after Salt’s cover is blown and a government taskforce has her trapped on the top floor of the office building. Unarmed, Salt proceeds to make a grenade launcher out of objects at hand, escaping the encounter in one piece. If James Bond was in a similar position, he would no doubt appear with a gadget from Q to save the day, relying on the intelligence of others to protect himself. Salt is a distinguished progression from traditional action heroes. Male-led action films of the last year have taken a nostalgic tongue in cheek approach, indicating that the overtly masculine hero is something of the past. Both The Expendables and The A-Team did not set out to be taken seriously, but why?

Well, for this answer one should look to several factors. The overtly macho action hero is becoming a figment of the past, something to be looked back on nostalgically. It is now difficult to take the likes of John Rambo or Arnold Schwarzenegger seriously after years of parody in the media. [A point well echoed. Arnie is everywhere in this issue! – Ed] More importantly though is political change, especially the invasion of Iraq. The government, much like the stereotypical action hero, decided to shoot first and ask questions later with disastrous results. Therefore it should not be a surprise that the new breed of action heroines emerging are primarily investigators, making balanced judgements before they strike. But where from here? Hollywood is set to remake The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with Fincher at the helm bringing Lisbeth to a whole new audience. SALT is also rumoured to just be the beginning of a franchise and already several copycats have emerged including Hanna. But as to whether this new breed of action heroine will catch on, only time will tell.

BLACK OR WHITE:

THE CRAZY WORLD OF JIM JAMUSH NOA KJAERSGAARD-HANSEN

I WONDER IF he wants his films to have the same appearance as himself. The pale and rough facial expression, the shining silver hair and the black blazer as if it was glued to his body. Maybe he’s just reflecting his attitudes in his films. Perhaps he is his films. Not up for discussion is that his name is Jim Jarmusch, he’s 58 and he’s something special. As a proponent of independent cinema, he has been an important filmmaker and well known for his stylistic and controversial films over the last three decades. But only in certain circles. He’s not commercial and he doesn’t like his films to be labeled as typical American cinema. If you know Jim Jarmusch, you know him either because you love his way of thinking film, his characteristics and his minimalism – or because you hate it. 12

DEAD MAN | PANDORA FILMPRODUKTION

Who is he then? If half of us don’t know him, and the half of us that know him, actually hate him, what is he good for? And why do the last quarter of us love him? For fear of sounding like a mathematician (which would be rather bad for the world if I was), I will try to answer these questions, whether they make sense or not. Hopefully you shall be enlightened as to why some people hate him, by exploring what makes him an interesting and magnificent filmmaker. Black and white. That is him. That is Jim Jarmusch. This is what comes to mind when his name is mentioned. And it’s essential because it’s not only his choice of clothes that is remarkable black and white – it is his films a well. Funny, you would think. Why, as a modern filmmaker, would he use stylistic elements that remind us of cinema in the late 19th century? Well, I haven’t asked him. But I can tell you the reason why I find it interesting: it is exactly the way he is mixing aspects from early film history with aspects of contemporary filmmaking that serves as fuel to my thoughts and inspiration. If we consider one of his late 90s films, Dead Man, we are introduced in a very sophisticated and minimalistic way to what we could call a postmodern Western. It is not the setting that makes it postmodern or distinguishes it from other Westerns - it is the plot. And why is it so? Because we don’t really know what the plot is. And we don’t really know what the genre is. Why is Johnny Depp the main character in something that resembles a Western? What is he doing in the middle of lake and why is it in black and white? Our minds get confused. But it is a confusion I find genius. Jarmusch is playing with everything. Style, form, genre, expression, characters. We can’t make head or tail of it, but the filming, the editing and the dialogue enchants us, so much so that we raise the white flag and surrender to his black and white universe. Another example of Jarmusch going

“IF HALF OF US DON’T KNOW HIM, AND THE HALF THAT KNOW HIM HATE HIM, WHAT IS HE GOOD FOR?” off topic and the complete opposite way of the predictable Hollywood drama is one of his more recent works, Coffee & Cigarettes. We are introduced to several characters combined through 12 different episodes which each of them, as the title very well predicts, containing coffee and cigarettes. And not much else. Famous artists including Iggy Pop, Jack White, Wu Tang Clan and Tom Waits all pop up, but we don’t know why and we don’t really understand what they are talking about. Still it fascinates us; we let succumb to immersion in something that balances on the edge between documentary and fiction. We love the mysterious simplicity and the raw setting. That we get a sudden urge for coffee and cigarettes is an entirely different matter. And probably not the main motive of the film either. Returning to some of his early works, his film from 1984, Stranger than Paradise, is a combination of all of the characteristics that recur in his oeuvre. Not only are we also introduced to non-acting stars as in Coffee & Cigarettes, this time with jazz musician John Lurie (as the self-identified hipster, Willie from NY), it is also in varying shades of black and white. The plot is simple, the budget is low and the list of actors is not long. At all. The most distinctive feature of the film though, is the use of deadpan comedy. It’s funny as hell, but we don’t really know what we are laughing about. The characters don’t change expression and it’s not their body language that makes us clap our thighs. It’s the structure, the absurdity, and the very intelligent undermining of the film and its motive. Whether you love or hate Jim Jarmusch after reading this, you will at least have to watch some of his films, and after you do that? Well, judge for yourself. And don’t be afraid to hate it, someone has to. A work isn’t a work without its critics.

VAMPIRES VS ALIENS CARYS RAMSEY

CLOVERFIELD | BAD ROBOT

HoOLLYWOOD IS DEAD! It’s become an industry of remakes, reruns and stolen ideas. Gone are the golden days of starlets, intrigue and films where you can’t say ‘But the original is so much better’. Instead, out of the mass movie grave there have risen a few terrible foes; namely the deformed love child of Dracula and Princess Diaries: Twilight, the sickening corpses of 17 year old vampires that have turned horror into a teenage romance and made movie-going unbearable for anyone that doesn’t have a serious emo complex. But salvation is on the horizon, or more specifically just above it, and it’s coming in fast in the form of an UFO. A trend has started in horror and thriller films where aliens are the main and revitalised antagonists; moving past their cheesy Day of the Triffids, absurd Mars Attacks and chest-busting Alien counterparts. They have been re-imagined as calculated, de-humanized and completely plausible new forms of life, much more threatening than the diluted monsters of old school Hollywood. This became mainstream with the dazzling remake of War of the Worlds, and the regeneration of the 9th Doctor Who, and has since moved on to inspire films such as Cloverfield and Skyline. In these films the terrifying alien force is presented with ultra-realism, with the use of handheld cameras, no development of the alien characters and a sense of hopeless fear emitted from the entire fictional human race. This harkens back to when

War of the Worlds was first read over the radio and people believed it was real news; people called in saying they could see the smoke and lights of the alien ships. These films are more than ‘Monster Movies’, they’re ‘What If...? Movies’. We’re so technologically advanced that we’re wondering if anywhere else in the entire universe is as evolved as we are.... and if so, what if they’re a threat? This is a totally new type of fear, and I for one am happy to sit back and watch the conglomerate film industries exploit this fear to its full extent.

BEST DRESSED OLIVIA MARSH

ALICE IN WONDERLAND | DISNEY

WITHOUT DEBATING the merits of films released in 2010 and coming to any sort of conclusion as to which was the best film, I instead want to applaud the underappreciated costume design for some of the years visually spectacular movies. It’s been a year of retro revival in The Tourist and Made in Dagenham. Sophisticated suits covered our screens in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Inception which completely contrasted to the dressed down grungy attire of the numerous teen flicks including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Social Network. But this is my rundown of 2010’s Best Dressed Films.

Alice in Wonderland The stunning visuals of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland would certainly have fallen short if not for the amazing quality of the costumes designed by Academy award winning costume designer Colleen Atwood. Bringing to life Lewis Caroll’s original illustrations of the story with that somewhat gothic, vivid quirkiness characteristic of Tim Burton’s films the apparel of the characters is sumptuous and hits the mark perfectly. The costumes were perfectly complimented by the authentically quirky style of Helena Bonham Carter and introduced Mia Wakisowska onto the fashion scene. Several capsule collections were inspired by the release of the film ranging from cosmetics, lingerie, jewellery and clothing. Inception Another feather in the heavily laden cap of Inception the costume design of Jeffery Kurland who also designed the costumes for Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and Collateral (2004). Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph GordonLevitt and Tom Hardy exude sophistication in three piece suits and silk ties. Equally Elaine Paige’s quirky student style that comes to maturity in a dress suit as a vital member of the team visually demonstrate her development and Marion Cotillard’s gothic, menacing gowns add to the sinister atmosphere of her scenes. Sex and the City 2 One of the most widely anticipated movies of 2010 purely from a fashion perspective to see which outfits and designers would be featured. Patricia Fields, the stylist for the movie, created over 300 different looks for the 148 minute long film. The only award that the film picked up was from the ShoWest convention for best ensemble. Over 180 brands enjoy product placement and commercial advertising in the film but Chanel, Christian Dior and Roberto Cavalli dominate the four women’s wardrobes. In a film where plot is of secondary importance to the outfits, Sex and the City 2 has been described as fashion pornography, the audience awaiting to see which outfit would next appear on screen. The film attempted to take on some fairly big issues such as the subjection of women in Middle Eastern countries, but what the fashion world took away was that the turban accessory worn by the women was never going to catch on.

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