TheWolfmanReviews

John Wick

2015-04-10T08:38:00.001-07:00

In three words; Bloody - Fast - Furious

Review;
It seems like a long time since we've seen Keanu Reeves kick butt and looking like the coolest bloke who has ever lived. Thankfully that is what he delivers in the role as John Wick. He is an ex-hitman who, after the death of his wife, returns to the murky world he had left behind to seek out revenge on people who don't fully appreciate how dangerous he is.

The Matrix was released in 1999 (is it really that long ago?!) and not since then have we seen Reeves' action and acting capabilities work so well. Of course there were the Matrix sequels but the less said about them the better. There have been a couple of martial arts films along the way but these have come and gone without notice. 47 Ronin being one to certainly forget.

It looks like Reeves has finally hit the right mark with John Wick. This is a film which is packed full of highly technical and high concept fighting sequences which seem to last forever. The violence is gruesome and unexpected at times yet the balance between these scenes and the dialogue works really well. There is an obvious influence from Anime and classic Kung Fu films here but for me what has been achieved is a live action graphic novel. Frankly, this is the first time it has been executed so well on film.

I'm no fan of the Sin City films at all. I just can't bring myself to watch them all the way through. They feel contrived, at times desperate and visually they are challenging to watch. John Wick is a film which plays on the lunacy, serialism and fun which we see in graphic novels. You can't help but feel that there is a massive back story on all of the strange characters we meet throughout the film. This is how you make a graphic novel film. This should be used as the blueprint for such films from this day forward. Robert Rodriguez take note!

John Wick is directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch who had worked with Reeves on the Matrix films. They choreographed the fight scenes in the Matrix series and it was Reeves who approached them the helm this film. Although neither of them had directed a film prior to Wick they have produced a thrilling and engaging film. The action is ridiculously impressive at times and the story develops as fast as a Reeves roundhouse kick to the head. If you are looking for a fun, exciting and bloodbath of a film then this ticks all the boxes.

Verdict;
4 out of 5

87th Academy Awards: The Wolfman's Predictions

2015-02-22T16:24:00.002-08:00

It's that time of year again. It is time for me to drink a lot of coffee and stay up until 4am. Yep it's Oscar time. The Academy Awards will be under way in a few hours and we will find out who the winners and losers are. It has been a brilliant year for film, just look at the Best Picture category and you will see that there isn't a bad film in there.

Overall I think for its uniqueness Boyhood will take away the award for Best Picture. It is a fantastic film the likes of which we have never seen before. That doesn't mean that Richard Linklater, the director of Boyhood, will bag the Oscar for Best Director. For me that has to go to Alejandro G Inarritu who has delivered one of the best films I've ever seen in Birdman. I would be more than happy if Birdman won in every category it is nominated in. Which moves me swiftly onto Best Actor. I want Michael Keaton to win it but I think the Academy will go for Eddie Redmayne's performance in The Theory of Everything. Redmayne is brilliant but the film doesn't reflect the work he has put in. Whereas Birdman feels very collaborative which peaks with Keaton's fantastic performance. #teamkeaton

Julianne Moore looks certain to win for her acclaimed performance in Still Alice but an outside bet could be Marion Cotillard. In relation to Best Supporting Actor J.K Simmons will be picking up yet another award for his phenomenal performance in the brilliant Whiplash. Moving on to Best Supporting Actress I think this will go to Patricia Arquette. She was superb in Boyhood and this award will be well deserved.

Below is a full list of my predictions (highlighted in red) for all the categories so please check back after the show is over to see how wrong I was. Now it's time to sit back, with a strong cup of coffee, and enjoy the 87th Academy Awards.

Best Picture

American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Best Director

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Alejandro G Inarritu, Birdman

Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher

Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Best Actor

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Best Actress

Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
JK Simmons, Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Best Original Screenplay

Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler

Best Animated Feature

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Best Animated Short

The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life

Best Cinematography

Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ida
Mr Turner
Unbroken

Best Costume Design

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr Turner

Best Documentary Feature

CitizenFour
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga

Best Documentary Short

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper
White Earth

Best Film Editing

American Sniper
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash

Best Foreign Language Film

Ida (Poland)
Leviathan (Russia)
Tangerines (Estonia)
Timbuktu (Mauritania)
Wild Tales (Argentina)

Best Live Action Short

Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)
Parvaneh
The Phone Call

Best Make-up & Hairstyling

Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Music

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Mr Turner
The Theory of Everything

Best Production Design

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr Turner

Best Song

'Everything is Awesome', The Lego Movie
'Glory', Selma
'Grateful', Beyond the Lights
'I'm Not Gonna Miss You', Glen Campbell… I'll Be Me
'Lost Stars', Begin Again

Best Sound Editing

American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken

Best Sound Mixing

American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash

Best Visual Effects

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past

American Sniper

2015-02-22T14:43:00.001-08:00

In three words; Emotional - Unbalanced - Strong

Review;

Based on true events American Sniper tells the story of Chris Kyle, a decorated army soldier. The screenplay has been adapted from Kyle's book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. Much like my previous review (Foxcatcher) I knew nothing about Kyle and the background for this interesting and emotional story. My lack of knowledge made the film even more entertaining. But should a true life film, which shows such brutality, be entertaining?

Kyle was deployed to Iraq on a number of tours where he was responsible for protecting his colleagues by killing potential threats which come from all manner of different people. The film does not hold back from the extremes of war and it's important that such themes are explored in cinema. What I believe the mistake is in American Sniper is the balance between the scenes of war and that of Kyle when he is State side.

Clint Eastwood is certainly a fine director and the tone of the film is captured with grace and quality by cinematographer Tom Stern, a mainstay of Eastwood's work. Throughout the film we see the affect of war and all the killings he has made on Kyle's character. For me the war scenes were too heavy in contrast to that of his home life. Bradly Cooper plays the part very well and is certainly worthy of his third consecutive Oscar nomination. Yet in order to get to the depths of the character the screenplay should have focused on Kyle and his family.

I did enjoy the film yet the actions scenes were overtly used. It would be a far more challenging film to make without the use of filming the war scenes. I would have liked to have seen the story told from Kyle's wife's point of view. Played by Sienna Mille I think she was underused, her performance is excellent yet her screen time is limited. Overall this is a strong and powerful film yet it is off balance which is somewhat of a let down.

Verdict;
3 out of 5

Foxcatcher

2015-02-20T08:09:00.003-08:00

In three words; Chilling - Smart - Memorable

Review;

Foxcatcher is based on events which unfolded when eccentric millionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell) enlisted Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum & Mark Ruffalo respectively) to join his wrestling team. Their objective was to participate in National, World and Olympic competitions with winning being the only accepted outcome.

I was not familiar with this story and knew nothing about what had happened on du Pont's sprawling estate. If you are also unaware of what occurred you will no doubt enjoy this film even more then you would have if you were privy to it. I like nothing more than watching a film knowing little about it, it can be all the more surprising once the end credits roll. There are no spoilers in this review so keep reading.

Carell is transformed for this movie. We are very use to seeing him in excellent form in his many comedic roles. Here he steps away from the safety of net comedy and delivers a truly chilling performance. du Pont was eccentric in the extreme, unpredictable and unnerving. Each time Carell appeared on screen he was able to deliver an excellent performance which is worthy of his Oscar nomination.

Also nominated at this years Academy Awards is Mark Ruffalo. I can honestly say that I have never seen Ruffalo give a poor performance. Foxcatcher is no exception, he gives a solid and memorable performance. One person overlooked by the Academy is Channing Tatum. This is without doubt the best performance of his career. His subtle and educated portrayal of an innocent and naïve man works in perfect balance to that of Ruffalo's more mature and assured character.

Directed by Bennett Miller the film builds in suspense and teeters on the edge of a being an out and out thriller yet it lacks that final punch. There are strong performances all round with an intelligent screenplay but it fails to keep pace. A shorter running time would have been helpful for Miller to have achieved this. Having said this Foxcatcher is one of the best films of the year so far.

Verdict;
3 out of 5

The Theory of Everything

2015-02-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

In three words; Twee - English - Substandard

Review;

The life of Stephen Hawking is without doubt the subject of astonishing achievement in the face of unimaginable adversity. And it is one which belongs on the big screen. Based on the book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, written by Hawking's first wife Jane Wilde Hawking, The Theory of Everything charts the rise of an incredible human being.

Eddie Redmayne plays the genius scientist in this interesting adaptation. Redmayne had the challenge task of portraying Hawking from his early years at Cambridge University as he battles against the debilitating motor neurone disease, through to him becoming a house hold name. Redmayne has clearly studied his character in great detail and has produced a fantastic performance which merits his many plaudits, particularly his Oscar nomination for Best Actor at this years Academy Awards.

Redmayne's performance will be talked about for a long time to come I have no doubt about that. And while he is truly an excellent actor his performance is encased within a substandard film. Perhaps Redmayne will win the Oscar but the film won't walk away with the Best Picture award. Or at least it shouldn't in my humble opinion.

The Academy can sometimes look at a performance and then kid itself in to thinking that the film is wonderful. The Theory of Everything is let down by a somewhat overtly English tone which grated on me. It is rather twee, a little perfect. At times director James Marsh, in tandem with the Poor screenplay, teeter on the line of a Richard Curtis film. Which is something this film should not be. Yes there is romance and an element of realistic comedy within this drama but a drama it should remain.

There is a fine supporting cast with notable performances from David Thewlis and Maxine Peake. Felicity Jones has also received an Oscar nomination yet I feel this is another example of the Academy looking at the film rather then the performance. Jones does a fine job but is it Oscar worthy? No.

This is an enjoyable film there's no doubt about that yet for me it lacks dramatic effect at times, partly this is due to a rather poor screenplay and sloppy direction. Watch it, you'll no doubt enjoy it but it won't last the test of time.

Verdict;
3 out of 5

The Imitation Game

2015-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

In three words; Intelligent - Enigmatic - Vacant
Review;

The Imitation Game chronicles the life of Alan Turing. A man of intelligence, dignity and ambition. As part of a code breaking team during World Ward Two Turning and a team of colleagues helped to crack the devilishly brilliant Enigma machine in order for allied forces to obtain intelligence from the German's. It is said their work shortened the war by several years. Yet their importance in the war effort couldn't be reported or discussed for many years to come in accordance to national security.

Turing's life is the main focus of the film, there are many other worthy candidates in which to make a film about from the team at Bletchley Park, the code breaking centre of British Intelligence, yet Alan Turing's story is one which sticks out from the rest.

Turing was a homosexual at a time when (ridiculously) it was a crime. This therefore adds another dynamic to the story. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the computer scientist with vigour if not sometimes over doing Turing's idiosyncrasies at times. Nevertheless Cumberbatch seems an obvious fit for this role and appears comfortable and honest in his delivery of a well put together script.

He is accompanied by a cracking supporting cast of Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, Mark Strong and most notably Keira Knightly. She plays Joan Clarke who was Turing's colleague and confidante. There is some excellent dialogue between the two characters which adds personal importance to the film. It's fantastic to see that Cumberbatch and Knightly have received Oscar nominations for their roles. Particular Knightly who I feel is all too often overlooked and over criticised. Unfairly on many occasions.

The film is directed by Norwegian Morten Tyldum who in 2011 brought to the screen Jo Nesbo's brilliant Headhunters. This is Tyldum's first English speaking film and he has certainly done a fine job. What the film lacks is difficult to describe, the acting is brilliant, the screenplay spot on and the direction and cinematography works perfectly. Yet this isn't a film that will stay with you, it's been ticked off the list of films to watch, added to the memory banks in the grey matter but it's not a film I'm going to rush out to watch again.

Verdict;
3 out of 5

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

2015-01-12T05:15:00.000-08:00

Starring;
Michael Keaton
Emma Stone
Naomi Watts
Edward Norton
Andrea Riseborough
Zach Galifianakis
Amy Ryan

Director;
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

In three words; Special - Unique - Brilliant

Review;
Riggan Thomson (Keaton) is an actor struggling to cope with his dwindling career, his family life and his ego. He has had a successful screen career which has seen his superhero films make millions yet he has found this completely unfulfilling. He has therefore decided to take a step in a different direction by writing, directing and starring in a stage adaptation of Raymond Carver's short story What we talk about when we talk about love.

A theatre has been secured, the cast and crew are in place yet Riggan has little faith in the abilities of one of his actors and is desperate for a last minute cast change, much to the annoyance of Jake (Galifianakis) who is desperately trying to keep the show running before the curtain has even been raised. After an avoidable accident the actor has to be replaced, in steps method actor Mike Shiner (Norton) he is in a relationship with Lesley (Watts) who recommended him to Riggan and Jake. While Lesley has her reservations about bringing Mike on board she is also trying to keep the show going as this will be her debut on Broadway, which is something she is desperate to accomplish.

Meanwhile, Riggan has to deal with his recently out of rehab daughter Sam (Stone), his young girlfriend Laura (Riseborough) who is also acting in the play and his ex-wife Sylvia (Ryan). On top of this Riggan's ego, his alter ego and life are all spinning out of control as he attempts to put his life and soul into a play which he needs to be a success.

That is the basic premises of the film and I don't want to go into anymore detail than that. What I can and will go into detail about are the fantastic performances by the cast and the frankly brilliant filming making which brought Birdman to the screen.

Michael Keaton has been a little absent from the silver screen in recent years but he has remained one of my all time favourite actors. It does not surprise me at all that he has been landing so much praise for his Oscar worthy performance in this film. If we look back at his career there are a number of films which stand out and which are pivotal for Keaton to deliver such an honest and satisfying performance in Birdman.

The obvious place to start perhaps would be the Batman films but the only comparison is the Superhero factor. In Birdman we see the satirical view of the aftermath of an actor being part of a successful film franchise, this isn't Keaton's view of reality but undoubtedly many people will join the parallels together far too easily. The main performances from Keaton's career, which lead to unleashing the layers of Riggan Thomson, can be found in the following four films; Beetlejuice, The Dream Team, The Paper and Multiplicity.

The reason I point out these particular films is because they all multi-layered characters played by Keaton and they give him the background to work with when developing Riggan Thomson. Birdman is a complicated film in that Keaton has to very quickly change his performance to match the persona he is playing. Given the way in which the film was made, mostly using a seemingly continuous shot with one camera, it is made all the more difficult.

The technical brilliance is one of the things I love about this film. Director Alejandro Inarritu brings simplicity and complicated together. At first it seems that he is shooting with one steadicam but then the shot will develop into something more, something grander. Yet it seems to happen effortlessly. Absolutely brilliant film making along with spot on lighting and flawless editing. Inarruitu, particularly in Act 1, makes a film look like a theatre production. Fascinating work.

The film is full of brilliant performances from Emma Stone, Ed Norton, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough and Zach Gallifanakis but for me Keaton is the standout performer here and as I said previously people will compare Birdman to Batman, they will mirror Riggan to Keaton but Michael Keaton isn't Riggan Thomson, Michael Keaton is Michael Keaton. Well, actually he's Michael Douglas but you know what I'm getting at.

Verdict;
5 out of 5.

Interstellar

2014-11-10T08:45:00.004-08:00

Starring;
Matthew McConaughey
Anne Hathaway
Jessica Chastain
David Gyasi
Wes Bentley
Michael Caine
Bill Irwin
Ellen Burstyn

Director;
Christopher Nolan

In three words; Tangible - Genuine - Shame

Review;
Christopher Nolan has said recently that you can't pretend that 2001: A Space Odyssey doesn't exist and when you are embarking on making an epic space adventure film it's important to keep this in mind. There are clear influences from Kubrick's 1968 film, most notably the space craft Endurance, which can be seen in the film poster above. But there are many nods to many different science fiction films, Alien, Aliens, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Capricorn One, The Abyss, Gravity, I could go on and on. Whether this is conscious or unconscious flirtation with classic space set movies only Nolan could say. But then again how can you create a one and only truly original Sci-Fi film from head to toe without thinking about the aforementioned films? But in a way Nolan has.

Firstly let me tell you what the film is all about. I can't go into much detail without giving away spoilers but the basis premises I can discuss. Set in the near future Earth is unable to sustain life for much longer. NASA therefore start to look beyond our solar system for other habitable worlds in order to keep the human race going. Cooper (McConaughey) Dr Brand (Hathaway) Romilly (Gyasi) and Doyle (Bentley) are sent on a mission into outer space. They are joined by a robot called TARS. I don't want to say much more than this, go into the film blind and let me know what you see on the other side!

What is utterly brilliant about Interstellar is the tangible world which Chris Nolan presents to his audience. He had believable looking space ships constructed, he went to otherworldly locations (Iceland) to give his actors a purposeful backdrop to work with. We also have scenes set in space which did not require green screen. This my friends is a step forward, well actually backwards in a way.

When the crew of Endurance are on board they, and the audience, can see the ever expanse of space beyond the spacecraft. This was created using rear projection where film footage (in this case space) was projected onto screens which surrounded the external of the space ship thus giving the actors something real to look at and focus on. This is a technique which has been used for decades, from Hitchcock to Spielberg, they have all used it. It was even used memorably in the train dodge scene in Stand By Me. With the enhancement of technology rear projection is far better then what it use to be.

Nolan has assembled an excellent cast that's for sure. He said in an interview with Empire magazine that when he told the studio that he wanted Matthew McConaughey for the lead role there were a few raised eyebrows. This was of course before McConaughey had won the Oscar for Best Actor or his stellar performance in the film Mud. It was after watching a rough cut of Mud that Nolan set his sights on landing his leading man. Before the McConaissance (that's what people are calling it) Matthew McConaughey would have seemed an unlikely candidate however he was clearly the right choice and he puts in a fine performance. Of course McConaughey would be the first to tell us that!

Anne Hathaway, our second Oscar winning actor in this film, plays a likeable character and she has done her best with mediocre lines, which I will come back to. Michael Caine (third Oscar winner) does a job but I genuinely feel he was overused. There are many other actors to talk about, some of which can add to the Oscar list, but there is no need to go into great deal about them. Jessica Chastain is great (as always) it's brilliant to see Wes Bentley on the big screen, John Lithgow always shines, Mackenzie Foy and Timothee Chalamet who play Coopers children are very good. Casey Affleck is also in it for some reason. The cast mostly do a fine job but there is no stand out performance in this film.

So what is my issues? Why aren't I amazed by this near three hour epic? I do like the characters to a certain extent, Hans Zimmer's score is perfect, the set design is faultless, I love the seemingly ridiculous, cumbersome and odd robots, I am in love with the special effects but I just can't get to grips with the script. The film was conceived by film producer Lynda Obst and theoretical physicist Kip Thorne and for a while Steven Spielberg was attached to direct. Which would have been interesting.

The script has gone through a number of hands, eventually Chris Nolan's brother, Jonathan Nolan finished it off but there are inconsistencies and contradictions throughout it. One minute its high concept (ok for most of the film it's high concept) and the next minute its intellectually insulting. There seems to be a fear within the script about the target audience which appears to be the family market. Which seems odd given the running length of the film and for the many brain draining moments.

Perhaps the studio were meddling with the script I'm just not sure. I can't go into much more detail as I would spoil surprises, which are actually worth the wait. What I would say it that the script should have concentrated on Jessica Chastain's character, but then again that would have been a space film without the stars, so to speak. No matter what it is the script which will be Interstellar's downfall which is a massive shame because there are so many elements in place to have made this an absolute classic.

Verdict;
3 out of 5.

Let's Be Cops

2014-10-07T09:32:00.004-07:00

Starring;
Jake Johnson
Damon Wayans Jr
Rob Riggle

Director;
Luke Greenfield

In three words; Fun - Cheeky - Slow

Review;
Long term friends Ryan (Johnson) and Justin (Wayans Jr) have reached their thirties yet they haven't accomplished anything so far. Ryan is a wannabe football player but has never been able to hit the highs he had in college. Justin is a computer game designer but he can't seem to command the respect from his work colleagues who ignore his ideas about a new game based on Police Officers. Part of his presentation he had realistic uniforms which Ryan and Justin decide to wear to their college reunion party. Its here that people start to give them extra attention as they believe that they are real cops.

They both start to enjoy the attention they get from girls but Ryan takes the next step when he buys an old Police car on ebay. Where else would you buy one! They end up learning Police jargon and start, almost accidently, protecting their neighbourhood from Albanian mobsters.

The set up of the story ridiculous yet simple and it is clear that Johnson and Wayans Jr have excellent comedic chemistry yet they are let down by a jumbled and disjointed script. There is a lot of fun to be had with the situation the characters are presented with and there is a welcome addition for Rob Riggle who plays a real cop. I feel that the script has been over thought with the addition of the mobsters who present a very real danger yet their plans are being scuppered by fake cops!

There are plenty of laughs but they are more skits rather than well planned our scenes. A stronger script and a stronger director could have done much better with this idea. In fact the main man responsible for both is writer/director Luke Greenfield. He is a little out of his depth here and is rather lazy with is two lead actors who are the only reason to watch the film. All in all if you want to forget about reality for 90 minutes you could do a lot worse.

Verdict;
2 out of 5.

A Most Wanted Man

2014-10-07T08:33:00.002-07:00

Starring;
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Rachel McAdams
Robin Wright
Willem Defoe
Grigoriy Dobrygin

Director;
Anton Corbijn

In three words; Tense - Slow - Real

Review;
Based on John Le Carré's 2008 book of the same name A Most wanted Man is a tense and realistic thriller. Issa Karpov (Dobrygin) is a refugee from Chechnya who enters Germany illegally and heads to Hamberg in an attempt to make contact with a wealthy banker, Tommy Brue (Defoe) to obtain his assistance as both their fathers were known to each other. In steps Günther Bachmann (Hoffman), a German espionage agent who, along with his team, has been obtaining intelligence via the local Muslim community regarding to the funding of terrorism abroad.

Bachmann sees an opportunity to obtain evidence of an influential and wealthy Muslim business man who is believed to be the broker in Germany who is channelling money to a fronted business who funds the terrorists. Karpov enlists the help of immigration lawyer Annabel Richter (McAdams) to assist in his cause.

The plot is well thought out and although the screenplay differs from the book director Anton Corbijn is able to bring suspense and thrills throughout the first hour. However, after that the build up of the story is moved down several gears and we are presented with a frustratingly slow finish. The tension does build again towards the end but it shouldn't have been derailed in the first place. A neater script would have assisted or perhaps a non chronological approach to the story telling would have made this a much better thriller.

Performance wise Hoffman is brilliant. Günther Bachmann is a man who is working all day every day, is only down time is sitting in a bar drinking and smoking. He is reeling from a recent disastrous mission yet we aren't privy to the details. What is apparent is the responsibility he feels and he carries on his shoulders everyday. Hoffman expertly portrays the attributes of a lost man. Given the way Hoffman was taken away from us one has to consider how much of this was performance and how much was him.

There is a fine supporting cast with Willem Defoe on particular fine form although I wanted to see much more from the very capable Rachel McAdams. I feel her screen time was underused and her character diminished by her quasi romantic relationship with Karpov, who was played brilliantly by Dobrygin.

Director Anton Corbijn does present a realistic story and uses the bleak and grey background of Hamberg extremely well. Nonetheless the film will be remembered for a brilliant performance by the late great Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Verdict;
3 out of 5.

The Keeper of Lost Causes

2014-09-17T04:57:00.001-07:00

Starring;
Nikolaj Lie Kass
Fares Fares
Sonja Richter

Director;
Mikkel Norgaard

In three words; Thrilling - Cliché - Enjoyable

Review;
This Danish crime thriller is full of clichés that's for sure. Maverick cop is put in charge of a department he doesn't want to work in with a partner he doesn't want. He has a drink problem and a problematic family life. All the elements are there but I don't mind the clichés at all as throughout the film everything is executed well. But this has a feel of a good television series rather than a one off film.

Carl (Kass) is the maverick cop in question. After a blundering raid he is sent to head up a new division to look into cold cases. He is assigned Assad (Fares) as his assistant, an easy going but attentive investigator who has also been pushed into basement located offices of 'Department Q'. Despite initial problems, a difference is styles and bad coffee, the two form a good partnership (obviously). They start to investigate the disappearance of a high profile politician five years ago, much to the annoyance of the previous detective who handled the case.

What follows is an interesting and at time thrilling story, although it is rather a high concept the screenplay is well adapted from the source material, a 2011 novel of the same name. It could be argued that the concept is too novelistic for a film this is still an enjoyable story.

The partnership of Kass and Fares work very well and certainly left me wanting to watch more of their characters investigations. This is why perhaps the film would work far better as a television series rather than a film. There is much that could be done with the characters and there is certainly a market for the high quality Scandinavian television we are seeing these days.

Overall this is an enjoyable film but one which fails to capture the thrills it desperately chases to deliver.

Verdict;
3 out of 5.

Kvinden i buret

Medvirkende;
Nikolaj Lie Kass
Fares Fares
Sonja Richter

Direktør; Mikkel Nørgaard

I tre ord; Spændende - Cliché - Fornøjelig

Anmeldelse;
Denne dansk krimi er fuld af klichéer, der er sikker. Maverick betjent er sat i spidsen for en afdeling, han ikke ønsker at arbejde i med en partner, han ikke ønsker. Han har et alkoholproblem og et problematisk familieliv. Alle elementer er der, men jeg har ikke noget imod klichéerne på alle som hele filmen alt er henrettet godt. Men det har en fornemmelse af en god tv-serie i stedet for en off film.

Carl (Kass) er den maverick betjent pågældende. Efter en famle razzia han bliver sendt til at lede en ny division til at se på kolde sager. Han er tildelt Assad (billetter) som hans assistent, en easy going, men opmærksomme undersøger, som er også blevet skubbet ind i kælder beliggende kontorer 'Afdeling Q'. Trods indledende problemer, en forskel, er stilarter og dårlig kaffe, de to danner et godt partnerskab (naturligvis). De begynder at undersøge forsvinden en høj profil politiker for fem år siden, til stor ærgrelse for den tidligere detektiv, der håndterede sagen.

Hvad der følger er en interessant og på tidspunktet spændende historie, selvom det er snarere en stor koncept manuskriptet er godt tilpasset fra kildematerialet, en 2011 roman af samme navn. Det kan hævdes, at begrebet er for romanform til en film er det stadig en fornøjelig historie.

Partnerskabet for Kass og billetter fungerer meget godt og sikkert forladt mig ønsker at se mere af deres karakterer undersøgelser. Det er derfor måske filmen ville fungere langt bedre som en tv-serie i stedet for en film. Der er meget, der kunne gøres med de tegn, og der er helt sikkert et marked for skandinavisk tv af høj kvalitet, vi ser i disse dage.

Samlet set er dette en fornøjelig film, men en, der ikke fanger den spænding det desperat jager at levere.

Bedømmelse;
3 ud af 5.

Sex Tape

2014-09-06T07:15:00.002-07:00

Starring;
Cameron Diaz
Jason Segel
Rob Corddry
Ellie Kemper
Rob Lowe

Director;
Jake Kasdan

In three words; Lazy - Limp - Chaotic

Review;
The film's premise is simple, a happily married couple (and the director goes to great length to show that they are happy) make a sex tape which is then accidently shared with a number of different iPads which Jay (Segel) has previously given out as gifts to family, friends and the postman. Jay and his wife Annie (Diaz) then set out to recover the iPads to delete the video before it is viewed by one and all.

Its a simple idea which takes an age to develop. Director Jake Kasdan drags out the first 30 minutes in an attempt to prove to the audience that this married couple are very happy and they are just looking to spice up their relationship. The opening sequence introduces us to Jay and Annie from when they met at college.

Interesting, as we watched their relationship grow in this short sequence, they look no different to the people they are today. A bit of fun could have been had with dated clothes and haircuts (See 21 Jump Street for an good example) but from the off we are presented with a lazy production. This lack of effort is the only thing which is consistent within this film.

While the idea of accidently sharing the sex tape is a fun one its been done much better in the past. The pre-iCloud era film Road Trip is one example of how the idea can be executed extremely well. As Annie and Jay set out to recover the iPads the audience are unashamedly exposed to despicable advertisement of Apple products. On one occasion we are told about the brilliant build quality of the iPad whilst the latest model has an 'awesome' camera. This tiresome and flagrant Apple preaching makes this mediocre film worse then it is.

My annoyance is confounded by the fact the strong supporting cast of Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper and Rob Lowe and completely underused. There could have been a nod to Lowe's own sex tape scandal which could have been a good gag, an obvious one sure but still good. These are without doubt interesting characters, more so than the leads, but their potential are derailed by a chaotic script.

Diaz and Segel usually deliver the goods but not on this occasion. My main disappointment is with Segel who has so much more to offer than this sell out alleged comedy.This is a lazy film which will be quickly forgotten. I advise you not to subject yourself to such a waste of your time.

Verdict;
1 out of 5.

Obvious Child

2014-09-04T11:08:00.002-07:00

Starring;Jenny Slate
Jake Lacy
Gaby Hoffmann
David Cross
Gabe Liedman

Director;
Gillian Robespierre

In three words; Genuine - Funny - Honest

Review;
A romantic comedy about abortion. Not a sentence you would expect to come across but that is essentially what Obvious Child is. Although such a sentence undervalues the sentiment and meaning of such a touching and gracious film.

Donna (Slate) is a stand up comedian living in Brooklyn and working in a book store. Her candid and funny stand up routines brings an end to her relationship, at least that's the reason given by her now ex-boyfriend. After drowning her sorrows she has a one night stand with Mr Way Too Nice, or Max (Lacy) as he is known, and ends up pregnant.

Donna knows immediately that she wants an abortion but doesn't know how to address this with Max who keeps coming back into her life. This could be a tricky subject to handle but Writer and Director Gillian Robespierre leaves aside any cynicism and judgement and concentrates on the reality of the situation and most importantly the persons own choice.

Pro-life groups will hate the way abortion is addressed here, there are pro-life supporters who picket abortion clinics in the States. I quote Bill Hicks 'If you're so pro-life, lock arms and block cemeteries.' Their ignorance is unwelcome in society and in this film. The subject matter is dealt with intelligence and grace as the screenplay oozes with credibility and integrity.

Jenny Slate gives a brilliant performance mixing her aptitude for stand up and acting. Clearly we will see a lot more of her in the future. The is also great work from a strong supporting cast who deliver and nurture the strong screenplay. There are times that scenes are a little fragmented but perhaps this compliments the realism of the performances.

This is Robespierre's directorial debut which shows she has an excellent understanding of capturing and delivering fine performances. She is clearly not afraid from being slightly controversial and this will no doubt hold her in good stead. I look forward to her next film that's for sure.

Verdict;
4 out of 5.

Two Days, One Night (Deux jours, une nuit)

2014-09-02T09:56:00.006-07:00

Starring;
Marion Cotillard
Fabrizio Rongione

Directors;
Luc Dardenne & Jean-Pierre Dardenne

In three words; Revealing - Intuitive - Brave

Review;
Sandra (Cotillard) has one weekend to save her job. Her low paid job which she desperately needs to help support her family. She had recently returned to work following a bout of depression. During her time away from work it was decided by the powers that be that she was surplus to requirements. She has now been told that she will lose her job while her colleagues will each receive €1,000 bonus. The only way for her to keep her job is to convince her colleagues to vote against the bonus in favour of her staying at the company in a pending ballot on Monday morning.

The biggest obstacle Sandra has to over come is herself. Her depression cripples her at times rendering her powerless to find the energy it takes to visit her colleagues and to convince them to see the light. The struggle she faces is captured brilliantly by Cotillard who once again shows immense awareness of her character. What Cotillard brings to each of her roles is complete integrity, something which can be lost on many actors who become complacent once they become established. Not Cottillard, she is nothing but consistent in her work.

She is supported by Fabrizio Rongione, who plays her husband Manu. Rongione gives a strong performance which equals his characters ability to cope with his wife's depression. Although Sandra faces each of her colleagues on her own Manu isn't far away and continues to support her at every turn. Without him she doesn't exist, although even with him she feels she can't be seen at times.

The Dardenne brothers give an unassuming treatment to this script which is intelligent yet simple. Sandra's mission is to save her future and to find the strength to beat her depression. What the Dardenne brothers do perfectly is to reveal the damage depression can have on a person and those around them. The filming technique is basic yet full of metaphors as Sandra visits each of her colleagues. There is always a barrier for her to break down as she attempts to convince each person to help her. These barriers are more than a gap in her relationship with these people but also a tangible indifference to mental health.

While the film has strong performances throughout it lacks pace and there is an element of repetition which I found frustrating. Perhaps another draft of the script was required before the shooting started. Altogether the film is a success which provides a springboard of people to address mental health issues. And that can't be a bad thing.

Verdict;
3 out of 5.

Vedettes;
Marion Cotillard
Fabrizio Rongione

Administration;
Luc Dardenne et Jean-Pierre Dardenne

En trois mots; Révéler - Intuitif - Brave

Examen;
Sandra (Cotillard) a un week-end pour sauver son emploi. Sa faible emploi dont elle a besoin désespérément d'aider sa famille a payé. Elle venait de rentrer au travail après un épisode de dépression. Pendant son temps en dehors du travail, il a été décidé par les pouvoirs en place qu'elle était excédentaire. Elle a maintenant été dit qu'elle va perdre son travail tandis que ses collègues recevront chacun € 1000 bonus. La seule façon pour elle de garder son travail consiste à convaincre ses collègues de voter contre la prime en faveur de son séjour à la société dans un bulletin de vote en attendant le lundi matin.

Le plus grand obstacle Sandra doit plus venir est elle-même. Sa dépression elle paralyse parfois rendre impuissante à trouver l'énergie qu'il faut pour rendre visite à ses collègues et à les convaincre de voir la lumière. La lutte elle fait face est capturé avec brio par Marion Cotillard qui montre une fois de plus l'immense prise de conscience de son caractère. Qu'est-ce Cotillard apporte à chacun de ses rôles est parfaite intégrité, quelque chose qui peut être perdu sur de nombreux acteurs qui deviennent complaisants une fois qu'ils sont établis. Non Cottillard, elle n'est rien d'autre constante dans son travail.

Elle est soutenue par Fabrizio Rongione, qui joue son mari Manu. Rongione donne une solide performance qui correspond à sa capacité de caractères pour faire face à la dépression de sa femme. Bien que Sandra fait face à chacun de ses collègues sur son propre Manu n'est pas loin et continue à la soutenir à chaque tour. Sans lui, elle n'existe pas, mais même avec lui, elle sent qu'elle ne peut être considérée à la fois.

Les frères Dardenne donnent un traitement modeste de ce script qui est intelligent et simple. La mission de Sandra est de sauver son avenir et de trouver la force de battre sa dépression. Qu'est-ce que les frères Dardenne font parfaitement est de révéler les dommages dépression peut avoir sur une personne et ceux qui les entourent. Il technique de tournage est simple mais pleine de métaphores comme Sandra rend visite à chacun de ses collègues. Il ya toujours un obstacle pour elle de se décomposent comme elle tente de convaincre chaque personne pour l'aider. Ces obstacles sont plus d'une lacune dans sa relation avec ces personnes, mais aussi d'une indifférence tangible à la santé mentale.

Alors que le film a de bonnes performances tout au long de ce manque de rythme et il est un élément de répétition que j'ai trouvé frustrant. Peut-être une autre version du scénario a été nécessaire avant le début de la fusillade. Au total, le film est un succès qui offre un tremplin de personnes pour résoudre les problèmes de santé mentale. Et cela ne peut pas être une mauvaise chose.

Verdict;
3 sur 5.

Robin Williams

2014-08-12T16:29:00.001-07:00

I don't think that anyone can say that they weren't shocked by the news of Robin Williams' death. I was filled with sadness from the moment I read the text message I received from my sister at 6.30 this morning informing me of this terrible news. Completely shocking news.

Steve Martin, Steven Spielberg, Sally Field, even the President of the United States were amongst the first to express their disbelief and sadness that we lost one of our all time greatest actors. No, he was a comedian. No, he was a stand up, right? No, he was a humanitarian. No a film producer. No a screenwriter. No, he was all of those things, Robin Williams was the epitome of life. My definition being that you bring happiness to those around you and he did that in abundance. Those people around him being the entire world.

He may not of realised it at the end but he brought smiles to millions of faces that he would never actually see. Millions of faces from around the world, but we all knew his face. The face of a man who was known to different generations but loved by all and who will miss him so much.

I have always been a fan of Robin from an early age. That's kind of easy when you grow up watching re-runs of Mork and Mindy and then seeing him at the cinema in Hook and Mrs Doubtfire. Then as I grew older I saw his earlier films such as Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society and Awakenings. Even Club Paradise was a fun movie. Just mentioning a few of his films brings a smile to my face. Robin Williams is, sorry was, an actor who had an unrivalled ability to portray comedic and dramatic roles with equalled brilliance and believability. It seem cliché to say it but I don't think we will see another person like him.

A case in point, Robin Williams was the first person to make Christopher Reeve laugh after his accident. Superman was left paralysed from the neck down following a fall from a horse. He was about to go into an operation to reattach his skull to his spine, an operation which gave him only a fifty percent survival rate. As Reeve was in his hospital bed in came a seemingly manic doctor, who informed the patient that he was there to perform a rectal exam. This was Robin dressed as a doctor and portraying his character from the film Nine Months. Christopher Reeve was in his darkest hour yet he was able to smile because of Robin Williams.

This is why Robin Williams is a hero. He changes how someone feels. Most of that time it was someone he had never met. Yet that person can watch Mrs Doubtfire, or The Birdcage, or Good Will Hunting. Hell they can watch Toys and still have a reason to smile. That reason is Robin Williams.

Unfortunately Robin couldn't go on anymore, we don't know why, maybe we will never know. Or perhaps, and quite rightly, we shouldn't know. Everyone is entitled to a private life no matter what their celebrity and that should continue to be the case for Mr Williams' family. One could speculate about pressures that he felt whether they be financial, contractual, mental, physical or otherwise but these are moot points.

If you are feeling down, alienated, lonely or confused there are many organisations who can help so please seek them out. Just because someone suffers from depression doesn't make them any less of a person. In fact if you have suffered with depression it can make you a more enlightened person who can adapt to difficult circumstances and can see a different aspect of life. Stay strong.

Robin Williams will always be with us and can be someone we can learn from in more ways than one.

86th Academy Awards

2014-03-02T12:16:00.003-08:00

It's that time of year again. Oscar time. Time for the best, brilliant and over rated films to be celebrated in Hollywood. This year I have watched all nine of the flicks nominated for Best Picture. All of which I have enjoyed immensely, there isn't a bad picture among them. Below I have noted my predicted winners in red and my star rating next can be seen next to the films name.

I believe that 12 Yeats a Slave will win for Best Picture yet I can only rate it 3 out of 5. This is a good film but for me it lacks pace and the direction is sloppy to say the least. There are some great performances, Lupita Nyong'o its utterly brilliant and I certainly hope she wins for Best Supporting Actress.

The Academy will vote 12 Years a Slave as the best film because of the historical context, the brutality it portrays and the importance of never forgetting the terrible suffering which slavery brought to so many. But this doesn't make it the best film. In my heart I would love to see Philomena take away the famous statue. Not only because it is a British film but also because it would be an amazing achievement for brilliant Steve Coogan who has gone a long way from the stand up comedy scene.

Ultimately which ever film wins (and it will be 12 Years) I can safely say that it has been a brilliant year filled with many brilliant films. Ok so my top film films, Safety Not Guaranteed, Mud and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty didn't get any nominations but I guess that just shows how competitive the last twelve months have been.

So sit back, drink lots of coffee and lets all stay up until 4am!!

Best Picture

12 Years A Slave ***

American Hustle ***

Captain Phillips *****

Gravity *****

Dallas Buyers Club *****

Her ***

Nebraska ***

Philomena *****

The Wolf Of Wall Street *****

Best Director

Steve McQueen

David O. Russell

Alfonso Cuarón

Alexander Payne

Martin Scorsese

Best Actor

Bruce Dern

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Christian Bale

Leonardo DiCaprio

Matthew McConaughey

Best Actress

Amy Adams

Cate Blanchett

Meryl Streep

Judi Dench

Sandra Bullock

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi

Bradley Cooper

Michael Fassbender

Jonah Hill

Jared Leto

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Lawrence

Julia Roberts

Lupita Nyong'o

Sally Hawkins

June Squibb

Best Original Screenplay

American Hustle

Blue Jasmine

Nebraska

Dallas Buyers Club

Her

Best Adapted Screenplay

12 Years A Slave

Captain Phillips

Philomena

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Before Midnight

Best Animated Film

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Ernest & Celestine

Frozen

The Wind Rises

Best Foreign Film

Broken Circle Breakdown

The Great Beauty

The Hunt

The Missing Picture

Omar

Best Production Design

12 Years A Slave

American Hustle

Her

Gravity

The Great Gatsby

Best Cinematography

The Grandmaster

Gravity

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

Prisoners

Best Costume Design

American Hustle

The Great Gatsby

The Invisible Woman

The Grandmaster

12 Years A Slave

Best Sound Editing

All Is Lost

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation
of Smaug

Lone Survivor

Best Sound Mixing

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Inside Llewyn Davis

Lone Survivor

Best Visual Effects

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation
of Smaug

Iron Man 3

Star Trek Into Darkness

The Lone Ranger

Best Film Editing

American Hustle

12 Years A Slave

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Best Makeup

Dallas Buyers Club

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

The Lone Ranger

Best Score

Philomena

The Book Thief

Gravity

Saving Mr. Banks

Her

Best Song

'Happy' - Despicable Me 2

'Let It Go' - Frozen

'The Moon Song' - Her

'Ordinary Love' - Mandela:
The Long Walk To Freedom

Best Short Film Animated

Feral

Get A Horse!

Mr. Hublot

Possessions

Room On The Broom

Best Short Film Live

Aquel No Era Yo

Avant Que De Tout Perdre
(Just Before Losing Everything)

Helium

Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa?
(Do I Have To Take Care of
Everything?)

The Voorman Problem

Best Documentary Feature

The Act Of Killing

Cutie And The Boxer

Dirty Wars

The Square

20 Feet From Stardom

Best Documentary Short

Cavedigger

Facing Fear

Karama Has No Walls

The Lady In Number 6:
Music Saved My Life

Prison Terminal: The Last Days
of Private Jack Hall

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

2014-01-18T06:56:00.002-08:00

Starring;
Ben Stiller
Kristen Wiig
Shirley MacLane
Adam Scott
Kathryn Hahn
Patton Oswalt
Sean Penn

Director;
Ben Stiller

In three words; Style - Integrity - Inspiring

Review;

Based on a 1930's short story of the same name Ben Stiller brings to the big screen his interpretation of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with style, beauty and integrity. Firstly what is the story all about? Well Walter (Stiller) is a timid and lonely guy who longs to be seen and heard but lacks to confidence to live out his day dreams. He pines after his colleague Cheryl (Wiig) but can't bring himself to ask her out yet he zones out and sees himself in various scenarios bravely impressing his muse. This is despite the assistance of dating website eHarmony's Todd (Oswalt) and his continued attempts to help Walter complete his online profile.

Walter works in the Photography Department at the world famous Life magazine. The illustrious publication has succumbed to the demands of the digital age and the final printed issue is about to be completed. Walter is sent a roll of film by an illusive and so called old school photographer Sean O'Connell (Penn). Old school because he still shoots on film rather than digital. Something that is mirrored perfectly in Stiller's decision to use film for the movie rather than digital. Sean writes to Walter to advise that frame 25 should be used as the final front cover for the magazine. On closer inspection Walter is unable to locate the negative in question.

Being pressured by the obnoxious Transition Manager Ted Hendricks (Scott) to provide him with the image Walter sets out to find his photographer and the missing frame. This is where the adventure really begins and Walter stops his day dreaming and starts living and taking risks.

Stiller has nailed the balance between his performance and directing the film. Visually it is both beautiful and stylish. And at times inspiring. The hard work it takes to complete real location shooting has really paid off in abundance giving credence to the narrative and integrity of the picture. This is complimented by a stunning score and soundtrack. Using the services of composer Theodore Shapiro and musician Jose Gonzalez is a great move by Stiller. These talents add to the inspirational qualities found in this near perfect film.

A quality assembled cast has helped to bring alive a witty, intelligent and well developed script form Steve Conrad. Stiller has upped his game to another level and is showing what a quality and special director he really is.

What I find perplexing and frankly rather annoying is that this film has received no nominations in the forthcoming Academy Awards. For me this is not only the best film of 2013 but is one of the best films I have ever seen. Watch it and I guarantee you will leave the theatre smiling and feeling inspired. This is truly beautiful film making.

Verdict;
5 out of 5.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

2013-12-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

Starring;
Will Ferrell
Steve Carell
Paul Rudd
David Koechner
Christina Applegate

Director;
Adam McKay

In three words; Classy - Hilarious - 93

Review;

Ron Burgundy returns to the big screen at long last, he's kind of a big deal ya know! After years of arguments with Paramount studios Will Farrell and Adam McKay have finally been able to deliver the long awaited sequel. But does it live up to the first film? Well yes and no. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and it is full of complete lunacy, which is what you might expect.

We catch up with Ron several years after the first movie where he is now a co-anchor with his wife Veronica Corningstone (Applegate) at a news network in New York City. However, he is fired for is constant mistakes while Veronica is promoted. Unable to control his jealousy Ron leaves his wife and son and heads back to San Diego where he is unable to keep a job. He is then offered a chance to be part of a new team on a 24 hour news network. He agrees but only if he can get his old news team back together.

Brian, (Rudd) Champ (Koechner) and Brick (Carell) are all reunited with Ron and so the legend continues. We are presented with even more quotable lines and cameos than you can shake a jazz flute at. The trouble with sequels to successful comedies is that the characters can become caricatures of themselves. I point you towards the follow ups to American Pie and The Hangover. Thankfully this isn't particularly evident in Anchorman 2 and this is a testament to the writers and actors to keeping close to the original idea.

My biggest gripe about the film is the editing. Apatow regular Brent White proves yet again that he is incapable of binding the narrative and the improvisation which the actors give, into a cohesive film. There are many laughs to be had yet White does not bring these together at all well.You only have to look at his work on The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up to see his he is nothing but consistent in delivering poor work. Both of those films are very funny but they are nothing more than skits sewn together. What I found rather odd what that in the final edit scenes shown in the trailers and quotes used in the marketing of the film were absent. This further highlights the problems the producers have had with Paramount.

There is plenty of enjoyment to have from this sequel and fans of the first film won't leave the theatre feeling short changed. Brick is particularly on form especially when attempting to talk to his love interest played brilliantly by Kristen Wiig. It does loose a little bit of pace in the final third but you will no doubt have a smile on your face as the final credit roll.

Verdict;
3 out of 5.

Nebraska

2013-12-27T06:10:00.001-08:00

Starring;
Bruce Dern
Will Forte
June Squibb
Stacy Keach
Bob Odenkirk

Director;
Alexander Payne

In three words; Beautiful - Bleak - Sweet

Review;

Nebraska tells the story of Woody Grant (Dern) who receives junk mail advising him that he is entitled to a one million dollar windfall. Not wanting to trust the US mail service with his claim he decides the best thing to do is to claim his winnings in person. Given that he is banned from driving he resorts to walking the long trip from Montana to Nebraska. Despite the Police and his family attempting him to stop him from claiming something which is obviously a scam, Woody is determined to make the journey to claim his fortune.

His son David (Forte) reluctantly agrees to drive him in order to placate his obsession. It is here where another Alexander Payne road movie begins, and it does not disappoint. Woody is retired and has the onset of dementia which exacerbates his families attempts to explain to him that he has won nothing. His wife Kate, played beautifully by June Squibb, holds nothing back in telling him what a fool he is. The relationship between husband and wife is summed up perfectly when David asked his father why he got married in the first place, he simply advised because 'your Mother wanted to.'

Payne's understated delivery of middle America is visually impressive. He captures the end of the American Dream with bleakness and with charm. Woody's confusion is echoed in the visceral admission that we live in difficult times where money seems the only answer to many woes. This is further encapsulated when, on the way to collect his winnings, Woody and David stop in Woody's home town of Hawthorne. This is a town which hasn't changed in 40 years. Same faces and same politics, and when people start to find out about Woody's supposed millions everyone wants a slice of the pie.

Of particular note is the performance of old town bully Ed Pegram (Keach) who feels aggrieved by Woody for an old business venture which didn't work out. He now feels that this is the time he should be compensated. This is a film full of excellent performances and shows that Dern can lead a film, something which has been overlooked for far too long.

It could be argued that the script needed fleshing out and perhaps a further draft or two being completed. Having seen interviews with Payne after seeing the film he explains that he wanted to develop his visual story telling rather than expand the script. This is certainly evident in the film and there are some rather sweet scene which reflect this. Notably where Woody and his extended family are watching television. Brilliant work.

The film is in black and white but was actually filmed in colour. Payne wanted to make a black and white film and felt that this script was perfect. The studio did not agree, partly because they have deals with certainly countries where they will only provide colour films. Although released in the way Payne wanted us to see it I feel that that film suffers from the lack of the intended film stock. Visually there is a lack of grain and distortion which you can only get from black and white film.

Having said this the film is beautiful and sweet. Although, as mentioned, there is bleakness there is also hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel, we will just have to be patient in order to get there.

Verdict;
4 out of 5.

Jeune et Jolie / Young and Beautiful

2013-12-08T08:55:00.002-08:00

Starring;
Marine Vacth
Charlotte Rampling
Geraldine Pailhas
Frederic Pierrot

Director;
Francois Ozon

In three words; Provocative - Intelligent - Intriguing

Review;
Model turned actress Marine Vacth stars as troubled teenager Isabelle in Francois Ozon's latest offering. We spend a year in Isabelle's life watching her turn from an innocent carefree girl into a prostitute. She is still only 17 and there is no apparent reason given as to why she would do this. In fact we are not privy, much like her mother and step father, to everything which is going on in Isabelle's life. Ozon deliberately holds back certain information which is nicely reflected in Isabelle's demeanour and character. She seems to know the answers but doesn't feel the need to share.

Given the subject matter of this film one could be forgiven in thinking that the story will take dark and desperate turns. Yet there are no drugs or money worries in Isabelle's life. She comes from a loving and wealthy family. We are made to think about what drives her to take her chosen path. Teenage rebellion? Absent father? Lack of self confidence? Perhaps all of these or maybe none of them.

Isabelle is a person who chooses what to share with people. Her secrets gives her a perceived power over others, even when it is discovered that she an escort she attempts to use this to her advantage. In many respects she is a spoiled brat who have been given too much love. Nevertheless her actions are baffling to her mother, and to the audience. She is self destructive yet doesn't seem to care.

Ozon has delivered a good and thought provoking film. This isn't a movie to help highlight the disturbing and desperate life of young prostitutes. It is however a useful and intelligent study of mental health which can also be taboo subject matter.

Vacth is a strong lead and this film should propel her to bigger and better roles. There is also a strong supporting cast, particularly Isabelle's family who are presented as believable and bring a perfect juxtaposition for Isabelle's life of vice. Young and Beautiful sums up the film for me.

Verdict;
3 out of 5.

Jeune et Jolie

Vedettes;

Marine Vacth
Charlotte Rampling
Geraldine Pailhas
Frédéric Pierrot
Directeur;

François Ozon
En trois mots, Provocateur - Intelligent - Intriguant
Avis;

Modèle devenue actrice Marine Vacth étoiles comme adolescent troublé Isabelle dans la dernière offre de François Ozon. Nous passons d'une année dans la vie d' Isabelle regarder son tour d'une jeune fille insouciante innocent dans une prostituée. Elle est encore que 17 ans et il n'y a aucune raison apparente donnée pour expliquer pourquoi elle le ferait. En fait, nous ne sommes pas au courant, tout comme sa mère et beau-père, à tout ce qui se passe dans la vie d' Isabelle. Ozon tient délibérément retour certaines informations qui est bien reflétée dans le comportement et le caractère d'Isabelle. Elle semble connaître les réponses, mais ne se sent pas le besoin de partager.

Compte tenu de l'objet de ce film on peut être pardonné de penser que l'histoire se relaieront sombres et désespérés. Pourtant, il n'existe pas de médicaments ou les soucis d'argent dans la vie d' Isabelle. Elle vient d'une famille aimante et riche. Nous sommes faits pour penser à ce qui la conduit à prendre sa trajectoire. Rébellion adolescente? Père absent? Manque de confiance en soi? Peut-être tous ces ou peut-être aucun d'entre eux.

Isabelle est une personne qui choisit ce qu'il veut partager avec les gens. Ses secrets lui donne un pouvoir perçu sur les autres, même quand il est découvert qu'elle escorte elle tente d'utiliser cela à son avantage. À bien des égards, elle est un enfant gâté qui ont reçu trop d'amour. Néanmoins ses actions sont déroutants à sa mère, et pour le public. Elle est auto-destructeurs encore ne semble pas s'en soucier.

Ozon a livré une bonne et susciter la réflexion film. Ce n'est pas un film pour aider à mettre en évidence la vie inquiétante et désespérée de jeunes prostituées. Il est cependant une étude utile et intelligent de la santé mentale qui peut également être un sujet tabou question.

Vacth est une forte avance et ce film devrait la propulser à des rôles plus importants et de meilleure qualité. Il ya aussi une équipe de soutien solide , en particulier la famille d'Isabelle qui sont présentés comme crédible et apporter une juxtaposition parfaite pour la vie d'Isabelle de vice. Sommes jeunes et beaux le film pour moi.

Verdict;
3 sur 5.

Carrie

2013-12-03T11:50:00.001-08:00

Starring;
Chloe Grace-Moretz
Julianne Moore
Judy Greer
Barry Shabaka Henley

Director;
Kimberly Peirce

In three words; Amateurish - Lazy - Forgettable

Review;
Remake. This is a word which really brings terror to my heart given the abundance of them which we have had to suffer over the last few years. Halloween, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Omen, the list goes on. The one recurring factor with all of these films is that they are dreadful. So with the announcement of a Carrie remake on the way you would think that I would be avoiding it, but no, I was actually looking forward to seeing an updated version of Brian De Palma's classic. The reason for this was that the cast included the usually excellent Chloe Grace-Moretz as the title character and two time Oscar nominee Julianne Moore.

Although my expectations were slightly higher than for any other recent remake I still approached the cinema with caution. This caution was well founded. From the off it was obvious that what director Kimberly Peirce had delivered was going to be poor. Chloe Grace-Mortz is 16 years of age playing a 17 year old. Seldom will you see people of this age playing their own age in such a genre. For example the other high school pupils here are all played by actors who are in their 20's. Perhaps it could be said that Peirce had deliberately cast a younger person to play Carrie and surrounded her by older people in an attempt to show her in a more naïve way. If this was the thinking behind it then it completely backfired.

I believe the CGM is an excellent actress with a very bright future ahead of her, my issue here is that she does not have the experience or the ability right now to pull off such a complex character. This poor choice in casting has to fall to the hands of Kimberly Peirce who, rather ironically, has been completely naïve in utilising such a young actress for a part way beyond her current capabilities.

Comparisons are going to be made between this film and the original, this is the cross a remake has to bear. Sissy Spacek was 27 when she played the telekinetic teenager, the maturity she had to bring to the role is obvious for all to see. She was able to deliver a performance where no matter what her Carrie did you always felt sorry for her. CGM is unable to communicate this to her audience, she constantly overplays her shyness and vulnerability and when it comes to unleashing holy hell on her tormentors she seems to enjoy it. This is where the film primary falls down and exposes Peirce as a one hit wonder director.

Furthermore the casting in general for this film is dreadful. On paper there should be an element of excitement seeing that Julianne Moore is playing Carrie's overbearing, religious nut of a mother. Yet Moore gives a lazy and at time laughable performance. It was akin to Nicolas Cage's performance in The Wicker Man. Notwithstanding Judy Geer and Barry Shabake Henley playing Miss Desjardin and Principal Morton respectively, the rest of the cast are forgettable.

The final nail in the coffin is the use of digital filming and projection. This does not compliment the story and until such time that digital can recreate the grain and distortion of film it should be avoided. This along side the dreadful editing, I've never see so many cuts in one scene before, cements this remake with the rest of the amateurish folly which came before it. RIP Carrie!!

Verdict;
1 out of 5.

Philomena

2013-11-14T14:04:00.002-08:00

Starring;
Judi Dench
Steve Coogan
Anna Maxwell-Martin
Mare Winningham
Sophie Kennedy-Clark

Director;
Stephen Frears

In three words; Touching - Beautiful - Funny

Review;
Philomena is based on the true story of Philomena Lee (Dench) who was forced to give up her young child. She lived in a convent in Ireland and, along with other girls like her, fell pregnant out of wedlock and was made to feel sinful and useless by those who were supposed to care for her. Keeping this a secret for 50 years Philomena finally confides in her daughter Jane (Maxwell-Martin) and they set about finding Philomena's Anthony.

Jane approaches the recently out of work Martin Sixsmith (Coogan) to assist with finding Philomena's son. Sixsmith is reluctant at first as he 'doesn't do human interest stories' however after a little digging he soon discovers that there is an interesting story to be told. Furthermore his pushy editor is keen for him to fill much needed column inches.

Dench and Coogan are an odd couple on paper however their onscreen partnership is brilliantly executed. Coogan, via his production company Babycow, had optioned the story a number of years ago. Since then he and co-writer Jeff Pope, wrote the script based on Sixsmiths book (The Lost Child of Philomena Lee) along with interviews they conducted with Lee and Sixsmith. The script is a perfect blend of drama and comedy. There were surprisingly many laugh out loud moments. What Coogan and Pope have done will not go unnoticed and I believe that awards will be coming their way.

Dench is as emphatic as ever yet sometimes unrecognisable as a little Irish lady. A testament to her acting abilities. What she brings to the screen is of course gravitas but also charm and a beautiful innocence which we seldom see from an older performer. Coogan has elevated himself to another level in this film. Perhaps the presence of Dench made him feel he had to up his game. What he doesn't do is overplay his part, which is something he has had a tendency to do in the past. Here he gives his best performance to date on the big screen which will no doubt open doors for him which would have otherwise remained closed.

Philomena is touching and joyous which asks questions about religion, journalistic ethics and also humanity. This is brought to us wonderfully by Director Stephen Frears who seem at comfort delivering drama and comedy within the same scene. This is a must see film which is yet to be released in the States. Don't be surprised to see Dench and Coogan on the red carpet at next years Academy Awards. You heard it here first people.

Verdict;
5 out of 5.

Gravity

2013-11-09T07:14:00.001-08:00

Starring;
Sandra Bullock
George Clooney

Director;
Alfonso Cuaron

In three words; Stunning - Stressful - Terrifying

Review;
Going into this film I knew very little about it. Which is exactly what I wanted. There's nothing better than having no idea about the plot of a movie. The only thing that I kept hearing was that this was a 'game changer' in relation to special effects. This is something which has been attributed to previous films where I have had to disagree. On this occasion I am in complete agreement. This is new. This is exciting. This its tremendous.

I get frustrated and annoyed when CGI and real footage don't blend. The last three Star Wars flicks come to mind. The effects we see in Gravity is a marriage made in heaven. Or 350 miles above the Earth if you like. This is game changing and perfectly delivered by Director Alfonso Cuaron and his Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. They beautifully mirror shots they used on the excellent Children of Men and are able to sell the impossible to the audience. This is remarkable filmmaking.

The open sequence is certainly one of the best which you are ever likely to see. It is presented in a seemingly continuous take which lasts for around 15 minutes. This really brings the audience into the scenario in which we find three astronauts. As they make routine upgrades to the Hubble Telescope they are warned of space debris heading their way due to a Russian missile destroying a satellite. Quickly it becomes a fight for survival. Dr Ryan Stone (Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Koalski (Clooney) are adrift in space and running out of time.

Cuaron brilliantly captures the vastness and loneliness of space by not allowing any living face, other than Bullock's and Clooney's, to appear on screen. This lack of connection to others brings out Dr Stone's back story, although Cuaron doesn't let the film move away from its objective. It is this sort of boldness which accelerates this film to a unique place of believability. This is a movie set in space. Real space with real problems. We are bombarded with terrifying and stressful events. You want to grab out at the effects. You want to be able to help. This is an immersible and stunning film.

Back to the special effects, this is a film which was not, like Apollo 13, shot in zero gravity. I am therefore at a loss as to how Cuaron has been able to give us such a real environment. No doubt the budget allowed for such grand investment in the best effects. This is money well spent. I still don't know how they did certain things. Incredible.

Written by Cuaron and his son Jonas the script is non stop and they aren't concerned with throwing NASA jargon in there, they know you don't have to placate the audience. This isn't a Jerry Bruckheimer film after all. Kubrick, Cameron, Scott and all SiFi Directors would not doubt tip their hats at Cuaron for making one of the best space films of all time.

Verdict;
5 out of 5.

Mud

2013-05-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Starring;

Matthew McConaughey
Tye Sheridan
Sam Shepard
Reese Witherspoon
Michael Shannon

Director;

Jeff Nichols

In three words; Love – Innocence – Friendship

Review;

Young friends Ellis (Sheridan) and Neckbone (Lofland) set out to find a boat which has bizarrely become stuck in a tree following a storm. The boat is marooned on a small island in the Mississippi, when they get there they come across a fugitive who calls himself Mud (McConaughey) who is hiding out in the boat.

The boys agree to bring Mud food and supplies to repair the elevated boat so he can be reunited with the love of his life Juniper (Witherspoon). However, the authorities and bounty hunters are hot on his tail making the boy’s job of protecting Mud harder.

This is writer and director Jeff Nichols third feature and he has done sterling work. Although the film is set in modern day Mississippi there is a clear Huckleberry Finn influence here juxtaposed against a faceless corporate America. This is reflected throughout the film with Ellis’ reluctance to move house and becoming a ‘townie’ because of his parents impending divorce. He feels more comfortable living on the river away from the distractions of a modern world.

Ellis and Neckbone are the best of friends, a friendship which felt like it was lifted straight from the film Stand By Me. This is a coming of age for them both, perhaps more so for the focal point of the film in Ellis. Whilst helping Mud, Ellis has to watch as his family falls apart whilst he makes attempts to find love himself. The inevitable broken heart from a first love isn’t far away.

Mud is very much a love story. This is rather ironic given that the McConaughey has previously made several dreadful romantic comedies which attempt to portray a love story but can never come close to Mud. Love is lost between Ellis’ parents; his father has completely given up. Mud is trying to be reunited with the love of his life, who is also the reason why he is in trouble. Whilst Ellis strives to make sense of it all he finds it hard to understand what love actually means and seems confused as to why things can’t be simple. A difficulty we can all relate to.

McConaughey is on top form with a brilliant performance. He showed what a brilliant actor he is in Killer Joe. As Mud he perfectly mirrors the characters naivety to that of Ellis. Both Sheridan and Lofland give effortless performances which reek credibility. You can truly believe their friendship and the situation we find them in. Witherspoon and Michael Shannon bookend a very strong cast and give credence and depth to the story.

Nichols has delivered a beautiful screenplay which he has perfectly brought to the screen. This is what films are all about. Forget 3D, forget digital filming and projections. Mud was filmed on a modest budget on 35mm film which wonderfully adds a touch of reality and innocence which is reflected throughout this brilliant film. Old school movie making at its best.

Verdict;

5 out of 5.

Trance

2013-04-07T04:28:00.004-07:00

Starring;

James McAvoy
Rosario Dawson
Vincent Cassel

Director;

Danny Boyle

In three words; Visceral – Stimulating – Thrilling

Review;

Simon (McAvoy) works at a top London auction house where an extremely valuable painting is about to go on sale. Simon has become embroiled in a plot to steal the painting. However, during the robbery he suffers a head injury which results in him being unable to recall where he has hidden the priceless masterpiece.

The gang behind the heist is led by no nonsense Franck (Cassel) who orders his minions to dish out some horrendous punishment on Simon until such time he can remember where the painting is. After losing a number of finger nails Franck is convinced that Simon really cannot recall what happened in the aftermath of the robbery. Franck tells Simon to pick a hypnotherapist from a list provided in a last attempt to claw back Simon’s memory. Seemingly at random Elizabeth (Dawson) is selected, but all is not what it appears.

This is where Boyle starts to take the film into a different territory. The opening is fluid and sharp and perhaps what one would expect from a director for hire rather than the unique visceral treat normally dished out by the Academy Award winning director. Boyle starts to blur reality and subconscious thoughts and it is up to the audience to follow and decide for themselves what is happening. Never will Boyle attempt to insult his audience nor does he patronise which makes watching his films such a treat.

Working with Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle for the fifth time Boyle and his team deliver a slick and stylish film. McAvoy is as cool as ever and gives an excellent performance the likes that Ewan McGregor could never aspire to. Not even with Jedi mind tricks could he come close. Dawson is strong in her role proving once again that this rising star gets better with every time I see her. For me Vincent Cassell steals the show with a faultless and brilliant portrayal of a vulnerable villain.

Where the film falters is in the final act where we effectively see the DNA of the characheters change. There are twists and turns which makes the film thrilling however the change in personalities and domineer just didn’t work for me. There is also a rather silly and perhaps indulgent scene with Dawson and an electric shaver!

Despite these problems Trance is a very enjoyable film which looks far beyond the rather humble budget of $13million. It is a visual treat and there is a lot to think about and dissect afterwards. This is another example of the brilliance that Danny Boyle possess and happily shares with us all.

Verdict;

4 out of 5.