Steve Jobs

Whenever a prominent name gets the biopic treatment, it usually involves the writer(s) cleaning up certain details of the subject's life to make the film a little more...presentable. (*cough* Saving Mr. Banks *cough*) Obviously this is a way to appease both moviegoers and the censors but sometimes the more appealing details of the subject's life are the ones omitted.

So how does Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs fare? It may sound cheap to focus on a subject who passed away recently (not to mention if the new biopic is one of several projects on the subject). But if said project is effective, the cheap feeling dwindles down to nothing. But does Steve Jobs manage to be effective?

It's Aaron Sorkin's script that makes Steve Jobs excel to the highest level. In contrast to his work for The Social Network, Sorkin has a more acerbic tone throughout. (In comparison to The Social Network, Sorkin depicts Jobs as a headstrong thinker who has more enemies than allies because of his demeanor.) It's also proof that Sorkin is one of the best writers working today.

And the performances in Steve Jobs make the film excel even further. The work from Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jeff Daniels in particular are very well done but this show belongs to Michael Fassbender, who has certainly proven in recent years that he's one of the best actors working today. ("I'm poorly made.")

Steve Jobs is one of those films where you're half-expecting it to fall apart at some point but miraculously it never happens. Every element works wonders. (Warning for those with epilepsy: the last scene has a long sequence featuring various flashing lights.)

My Rating: *****

Shallow Grave

I like Danny Boyle's work. I liked Trainspotting, I thoroughly creeped out by 28 Days Later, and I thought Sunshine was pretty good. It was the stage production of Frankenstein that made me appreciate him more.

I decided to check out his debut Shallow Grave, featuring Kerry Fox, a pre-Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, and a pre-everything Ewan McGregor. The film is presented as something simple in the beginning but in the span of 93 minutes, Boyle gives his audience a glimpse at how twisted the human mind can become.

There are allusions to the work of Alfred Hitchcock throughout Shallow Grave. Not in the matter of suspense, but rather with the perverse delight a Hitchcock villain can get from their actions. It's a simple touch like that which makes the film all the more alluring to watch.

Of the three main characters, it's Alex (McGregor) and David (Eccleston) who switch their statuses. (Juliet (Fox) is only a witness to the many events that unfold in the film.) Alex is essentially an asshole while David is the quiet target of Alex's jokes, but then David becomes the one in control with Alex and Juliet as his victims.

It may be too dark for some, but I really liked Shallow Grave. You can see the benchmarks of Boyle's other films throughout this (as well as seeing how McGregor became a star from this). Graciously, the Criterion Collection gave Shallow Grave its special treatment, so you have no real reason to pass this up.

My Rating: ****1/2

Sunshine

Ever since Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey was released back in 1968, there have been a number of science fiction trying to capture the blend of humanity and outer space. Several of them have gotten to the psychological root of it all, especially Danny Boyle's Sunshine.

The film focuses on many topics, such as theology, atheism and the importance of life. Let's start off with the latter topic. The crew is sent off to drop a nuclear bomb into the dying sun. A previous mission tried and failed to do the task. It's up to the second crew to save the human race from extinction.

Many thoughts towards the importance of life could be put into perspective here, but let's focus on one of them. The reason for why there is life is to make an impact on the world. Without life, there is nothing to speak of.

But what about the theology and atheism perspectives? Ah, now that's an interesting one. One of the characters, whose identity I'll keep anonymous, loses grips with reality and feels if the mission is aborted, they will get closer to God. None of the other characters feel that way. Are they atheists or aren't they?

Sunshine is quite good. The music is unbelievably haunting as with the whole premise. Some people had problems with the third act, but not me. I liked it.

My Rating: ****1/2

28 Days Later

Zombies or vampires: which one is cooler? Had Stephenie Meyer not made them lame, I so would've gone with vampires. But after seeing 28 Days Later, I'm going with zombies.

Upon waking from a coma, Jim (Cillian Murphy) discovers that London is completely deserted. He is told by Selena (Naomie Harris) that a virus has spread throughout England and almost everyone has been infected. They are joined by Frank (Brendan Gleeson) and Hannah (Megan Burns) to find sanctuary from the infected.

Eat your heart out, Romero (no pun intended). You got competition. Actually, 28 Days Later is like a Romero movie on steroids. The only other Danny Boyle I've seen was Trainspotting, so I knew how intense he could get with his directing. It is, by far, the most kick-ass movie I have seen.

My Rating: ****1/2

Trainspotting

Drug addiction is not a pretty thing. It affects lives in horrible ways and can end them tragically. And Hollywood doesn't make it any prettier; it makes it more hideous than it already is.

Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) is a heroin junkie who decides to kick his addiction. Problem is that his closest friends are also heroin addicts, so conquering his addiction might hit a few snags.

Geez, this was an uncomfortable movie to watch. For two things, mainly. One, its gross-out moments (if you've seen it, you know which ones I'm talking about). And two, the scene where Mark tries to quit cold turkey. That was probably one of the more painful scenes I had to watch. But apart from those reasons, Trainspotting is a good movie on addiction and the road to sobriety.

My Rating: ****