Book: The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex (Mark Kermode, 2011)

With It's Only A Movie, Mark Kermode gave us a brief insight to his life via the silver screen. Effectively a book of anecdotes, it was both informative and very funny and if you're a fan of the dementedly opinionated critic (I mean that in the nicest possible way as I am a huge fan), it was a must read.

His follow up, The Good, The Bad, and The Multiplex follows a similar structure but rather than ranting about his personal life, he is now ranting about modern cinema as a whole, again by way of witty anecdotes and staunch opinions. It is also just as funny. Only Kermode could possibly deduce that Marlon Brando's acting style is no different from Ron Burgundy reading the news (a moment that had me howling) and only Kermode could get so het up about off centre framing when watching Charlie St, Cloud (NOTE: I have to agree with him on this. Is it really THAT difficult to ensure that the top of the frame isn't cut off? All it takes is a quick tweak to make sure the picture FITS THE BLOODY SCREEN).

Yet what he touches upon here is something that I, as a film fan, happen to find just as frustrating. Cinemas (well, the multiplex at least) and movies these days are pretty much just lacklustre factories continuously spewing out sub-par guff whilst the paying public are just sheep to be herded like drones from one screening to another. In the wake of movies like Inception (a film I have positively ranted about on the blog many a time), it proves that movies can be smart whilst delivering pulse-racing action and that it doesn't have to be a remake, a reboot, a sequel or in 3D. Between giggles I found myself agreeing with much of what he said, which, ironically, made me all the more frustrated. If a lauded film critic can see the problem, why can't more of the film-going public?

I find that Kermode is very much Marmite: you either love him or you don't (my girlfriend finds him insufferably irritating). If, like me, you're a fan, get a copy of his latest. In the words of Empire magazine, film criticism is rarely as fun as Mark Kermode.

4.5/5

P.S: I will be heading to Harbour Lights Cinema in Southampton on 01/10/2011 for an evening with Dr Kermode as part of his book tour. Expect article in due course.