Buried (2010)

In the first five minutes of 'Buried', I was searching the screen for some way for the main character to kill themselves. This should give some indication of how effective the film is in evoking a sense of fear from the audience. In much the same way as 'Paranormal Activity' succeeded last year, 'Buried' manipulates the primal fears inherent in every member of the audience. There are no cheap shocks or monster costumes in this movie: the tension during the film is built slowly, organically and relentlessly. Regardless of whether you are claustrophobic in real life or not, you will leave the cinema gasping for breath.

Ryan Reynolds is the star of the show, but in a way that many people have not experienced before. The handsome leading man is not an action hero or college stud, but rather a lowly truck driver named Paul Conroy, who is having an extraordinarily bad day. The entire film is shot inside the box, leading the viewer themselves to feel closed in and claustrophobic. Most of the time, the audience's sightline is restricted to a similar field of view to that of Reynolds' character. There are many close up shots where Reynolds takes up virtually the entire frame, helping to add to the feeling of being closed in. Occasionally, when there is a few seconds reprieve from the intensity of the situation, the audience is offered a surreal view of the coffin where the camera is pulled back a long distance. Rather then allowing room for people to breathe, this actually heightens the sense of claustrophobia, as we see Reynolds' hunched form engulfed in a sea of black. A lot of critics have found this aspect of the camerawork to be the weakest aspect of the film for them, but I found it to be hugely effective.

The pressure was on Reynolds to carry the film and he definitely delivers. There is a lot of depth and colour to his performance, as we see him waver between calm rationality and explosive fear. All other characters are represented through the mobile phone that was left in the box with Paul. These include his wife, the personnel manager of his company and the leader of the hostage rescue team on his case. There is very little exposition about Paul's past and it is up to the audience to infer what they need to from the conversations he has over the phone with people. It is refreshing to find a film that doesn't hold the audiences hand and explain things over and over: it is assumed that people will be able to understand everything that is going on by themselves.

'Buried' is not a fun summer movie: it is not something to go out on a date to, or go in a group to laugh at the screen. Rather, it is a serious film that makes sure that you leave in a different state of mind to when you went in: a little more grateful for the luxuries we enjoy.

The Other Guys (2010)

'Dumb' comedies are supposedly much harder to make then people think. The most successful ones always have some sort of hook that makes them appeal beyond the superficial slapstick comedy that lies on the surface. 'Zoolander' had clever references to pop-culture and great cameos. 'American Pie' manipulated the dreams of American teenagers and used them as a basis for some memorable gags. 'The Other Guys' follows suit by using a variety of genre conventions to provide a surreal version of the traditional 'buddy-cop' movie.

In a similar vein to 'Cop Out' earlier in the year, 'The Other Guys' draws inspiration from popular 70's and 80's pop culture. Movies like 'Lethal Weapon' and television shows such as 'Starsky and Hutch' can be seen echoed throughout the film. In many ways, it feels as if various shots have been lifted straight from one of these older examples: flyover shots of the city are accompanied by moody jazz music and collateral damage is thrown around the screen with reckless abandon.

The actual storyline of the film is merely a framework for the gags to be delivered to the audience. Two underdog policemen try to solve a case despite the interference of the 'higher-ups'. The focus of the film is squarely on the character. Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell), a quiet paper-pusher in the office who avoids any and all action. His partner, Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlburg) was a promising young detective who fell from grace and resents his partner for his lack of ambition. The reconciliation and growth of these two characters are the crux of the film, with the events in the storyline acting as a catalyst for them to confront their own personal demons. Ferrell and Wahlburg both do well, ensuring that Allen and Terry are as different as possible whilst still remaining compatible with each other. There are many other noteworthy performances: Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson do well as the 'action hero cops', whilst Michael Keaton was possibly my favourite as a quirky police captain who moonlights as a manager for 'Bed, Bath and Beyond'. The cast is all experienced and work very well together, which is possibly the most important things for this type of movie.

'The Other Guys' won't win any awards. It is not landmark cinema. However, it isn't supposed to be. It is supposed to be that 'funny police movie' you see with your girlfriend. It is that movie you pick up on DVD when it drops to $20 at JB Hi-Fi. It is that movie that you seem to always watch when it is on TV. And in this, it succeeds.