Black Sea
Dir: Kevin Macdonald
2014
****
It's pretty hard not to cover old ground when making a Submarine movie but writer Dennis Kelly and director Kevin Macdonald have managed to produce something new within the nautical sub-genre. It's no Das Boot but it does have familiar themes. Black Sea is unique in that it doesn't take place during a war, instead it is a contemporary story of a group of out of work ex-Navy under-sea salvage experts. It deals with the usual issues you'd expect from a submarine movie; claustrophobia, cabin-fever, technical difficulties, lots of listening in silence etc but what it really focuses on and what is usually a background idea in such films, is the social class side of working under the sea. These men have worked hard all their lives and have all been made redundant without compensation. The whole film is a metaphor, the crew are the working class, blue collar workers of the world and the sea is capitalism and corporation. An opportunity arises but inevitably the working class turn on each other while the 'Man' watches on, ready to reap the benefits. It's very clever and adds a new element to the genre that I've always found exciting. Jude Law is pretty convincing as a Scott, Michael Smiley is always a welcome addition to any cast, Ben Mendelsohn plays a brilliant and strangely likable bad-guy and there was something quite wonderful about seeing Frank Gallagher (David Threlfall) in a diving suit. The whole cast are perfect and completely believable in their roles. It's beautifully directed, cliche free and full of intensity and almost unbearable suspense.
One Day in September
Dir: Kevin Macdonald
1999
*****
One day in September is gripping, intense and pretty astonishing. I thought I knew all there was to know about the '72 Munich Olympics disaster but I hadn't realised just how chaotic and dumbfounding it really was. This documentary tells you everything you need to know, with a thorough collection of TV clips, photos and interviews with people who were there, including an exclusive with the last surviving terrorist. See this if you enjoyed Bus 174, it works as a great companion piece to the also very excellent Munich. Documentaries don't get much better and Kevin Macdonald is fast becoming one of the best documentary film makers working today.
Life In A Day
Dir: Kevin Macdonald, Natalia Andreadis, Joseph Michael
2011
*****
Life in a day is Koyaanisqatsi for the YouTube generation. The main difference between Life in a day and the qatsi trilogy though is that Life in a day is more groundbreaking. All the footage featured took place in one day, so everything you see is more or less taking place simultaneously around the world. That is an awesome concept. The other thing that holds Life in a day higher than the qatsi trilogy and other films of its ilk, is that it is more human. There is human involvement, this is where the YouTube element comes in and is probably the best way I have seen the Internet used in a very long time. Life in a day is funny, touching, infuriating at times, tragic and real. It also feels unifying and quite humbling at times. It deserves to be seen on the big screen too, as some of the footage is quite amazing. This isn't just a groundbreaking film though, this is an important historical document that I believe will be talked about for years to come. I know I'll be watching it again, maybe at decade-long intervals and maybe one day my children and then my grandchildren will watch it in the class-room. I kid you not, it's that important and that inspirational. Joe Walker should give himself a big pat on the back for the monumental task of editing tens of thousands of hours of footage into just 90 mins, he kept out all the show offs and unfunny entries too thankfully, the only thing I was really worried about. An amazing film, highly recommended!
How I Live Now
Dir: Kevin Macdonald
2013
**
Kevin Macdonald's How I Live Now is based on the 'young adult' book of the same name written by Meg Rosoff. Now, as far as I can tell, 'young adult' books are quite typically underdeveloped half-ideas based on successful stories that already exist, many being classics. No one can really accuse these books of being copies because they are generally so vague, How I Live Now being a prime example. We don't really know who the good guys are, we don't know who the bad guys are, we don't know why they're being bad but we do know that for some unexplained and no good reason, that we need to back to the house no one really wanted to be at in the first place even though we know it isn't safe. Poorly written and unconvincing puppy love will help us achieve this woefully unrealistic goal. It's fairly hard to review a film where nothing really happens. Interpretive films are good, they make you think but this one isn't trying to do that, it's really just the emperor's new clothes, except it's not new, it's old, very old, and it's stinking the place up somewhat. When I was a young adult I read the classics, that's when you're supposed to read them. You then re-read them 20 years later to remind yourself not to become a complete right-wing twat. I worry about youth, I really do. What saddens me more is that the authors of these rubbish books are people my age looking to make a quick buck at the expense of children's imagination and great works of fiction from long dead geniuses. I'm disappointed in Kevin Macdonald.
Marley
Dir: Kevin Macdonald
2012
****
Marley puts all myths to rest and tells the real story, like a good documentary should. It may be a little overlong but it is definitive, leaving nothing out about the life, career and death of the legendary singer. It is a very honest account too, those who surrounded themselves with Marley, his friends and family, paint the picture and tell you everything you need to know about the man. One thing that is undeniable is the impact he had in the world, the peace he brought to Jamaica to the present day marketing of his image. Kevin Macdonald has produced another admirable documentary with style and grace that other documentarians should take note of.
