Brick

This was intreaguing from the moment I heard about it, a Noir thriller set in a high school, with the kid out of 3rd Rock from The Sun.

See, intreaguing huh? (I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong)

This is one that I'm gonna have to let sink in for a bit, then watch it again, then let it sink in and so-on. It's a good film, clearly indie, no-budget, well acted in proper Film Noir style, the dialoge and story is (as the writer/director says) almost straight out of a Dashiell Hammett novel.

All in all it's an enjoyable ride, quiet, little hard to follow in places and doesn't have a great high finish, but it's well put together and engaging, to be honest, i don't know what to say about it, because it hasn't really sunk in and I've been mulling it over for at least a week!!!

Want something a little different, watch this.


Brick - 8/10

Brighton Rock

What's this?? Matt watching another old black and white film?!? What is the world coming to?

Now, I watched this film in two parts, first on the train the other morning on the way to work, and the rest, just now in the comfort of my room, maybe that spoilt the effect somewhat, but I was underwhelmed by this one.

The performances throughout are ok, Ida played by Hermione Baddeley is ridiculously annoying, but I guess that's partly what her character is supposed to be, Richard Attenborough as Pinky, doesn't really do anything for me here, the nature of his character is portrayed well I guess, even if it spelled out for you in Alphabites at the end of the film :/ for me it was all a bit mediocre.

The plot centres around the ever increasingly complicated cover-up of a murder (followed by another), and mainly Pinkie's inept handling of it.

This is one of those "should watch", "iconic" films, although, I wasn't as impressed with this as I have been with Citizen Kane, The Lady from Shanghai, Seven Samurai, or Kind Hearts even, I would however rate it the same as The Third Man, which happens to be another Graham Greene work.

What's the problem with it? It's just a bit dull, coming (and still) from the Brighton area, it's interesting to see Fred run up North Street, past the clock tower and on to Queens Road as he [actually does] head towards the station, but that was it, it's alright, but just alright.


Brighton Rock - 6/10