Lava

Lava has taken a long time to get to the cinemas. Unjustifiably, really. It is a funny, well-acted movie. It is hyper-violent, but most of the violence is off-camera. And Joe Tucker's Smiggy character has some inspired, loopy moments of byplay. Look out for the "You talkin' to me?" Taxi-driver hommage. Hilarious.

Lava is a wicked, dark comedy about a supermarket shelf stacker and an incompetent mercenary, seeking revenge on a small time drug dealer. Based on the same real life event as 'the last yellow' (The directors are brothers!). Although taking a similar inspiration, the stories couldn't be more different. Lava is gritty, gory and above all a bit of a laugh. But don't take it too seriously.

This has got to be one of my favourite movies ever, the writing is excellent and really makes you want to invest in the story and the characters. Uber violent and massively un-compromising, darkly funny with moments of gentle sweetness. This in my opinion is one THE most underrated movies of all time, Notting Hill Carnival day is the backdrop for the 1 day that it takes to bring the characters into contact with each other in glorious chaos and confusion with varying degrees of success and failure and lots of dark humour, the movie has so many funny, clever and quotable lines I must have watched this film 100 times and I still laugh out loud and enjoy every minute of it. The description on the front cover "Laurel and Hardy directed by Scorsese" is absolutely spot on.

If you haven't been to London, you have been losing too much. If you have been to London but totally forgot to walk around, this is even worse. But to have an idea, you could certainly watch Lava. For an unknown reason, Lava gives me the feeling of London, although most of the film takes place indoors. Philip works in a supermarket. He is a quiet person, he lives with his dad and his sick brother. All he wants is to revenge on the assailant who beaten up his brother to disability. When Philip finds out about the assailant's release, he persuades his lodger Smiggy(Joe Tucker) to assist him. After buying the necessary gadgets to kill him, they set off to his girlfriend's flat to finish him off but find that he is not at home. While waiting they find out that she has stolen big amount of cocaine from a Jamaican gang. With Notting Hill carnival backgrounds, this black comedy crime film gives us a bit of a feeling of a play. That leads us to think that director Tucker's movie was made with limited resources. However, a delight to watch this small film. *** out of *****

Lava is a film of its own. When I had watched it the first time, I knew it wouldn't take long and I'd want to see it again, ...and again, ...and again! It contains an awesome sense of humor and a special way of mixing weird acts of violence with emotions lived through by the two main characters. I was stunned be the way it made me laugh and feel somewhat sad in the next moment. The colorful setting stands in total contrast to the brutal events in *lava*. The main two characters are portrayed in a strange way which makes you love them, probably this is the main reason for not wanting this movie to end. Definately a little masterpiece worth watching over and over!