Movie Club

REVIEW: In the Loop

2009-06-20T10:43:24Z

If you take a look at his back catalogue on the Internet Movie Database you'll quickly see just how instrumental Armando Ianucci has been in shaping British comedy. For the past 15 years he has been one of the creative geniuses behind the likes of Brass Eye, The Day Today and even Alan Partridge. But one of his greatest creations has been The Thick of It which is a spoof fly-on-the wall insight into the working of government departments. What you say, doesn't sound very funny? You're wrong. Very wrong. It's hilarious.]]> Ianucci calls on many of the same actors as the TV show, but only the razor-sharp foul mouth Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) character makes the leap across to the big screen. So we have Chris Addison playing Toby Wright instead of Oli Reeder, Joanna Scanlan as Roz instead of Terri Coverley and James Smith as Michael Rodger instead of Glenn Cullen. For good measure we have Steve Coogan, Soprano James Gandolfini and a host of other familiar faces all making an appearance. So onto the story. The Prime Minister and the American President are in the mood to go to war, but their staff must now persuade everyone else that it's a good idea. Trouble is, Secretary of State for International Development, Simon Foster, doesn't think it is. But Foster drops a clanger during a TV interview when he gives the impression he is a hawk, gaining him some unlikely backing in the US. So he embarks on a mission to head to Washington to persuade his unlikely new allies the follies of war, bringing him into direct conflict with the Prime Minister's chief spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker who is himself out to rig the UN vote in favour of war. Capaldi's Malcolm Tucker is in great form who shows his bite is as bad as his bark. Yikes. And what we end up with is a brilliantly scripted and performed fast-paced and witty take on life in power. But instead of being over-critical of those who stroll the corridors of power In the Loop, and The Thick of It, appear to be hat-tips to our parliamentarians. But do bare in mind, this was made before the expenses shenanigans. In the Loop - trailer

REVIEW: Star Trek XI / Zero

2009-06-08T08:00:00Z

Finally got around to going where no man has gone before ... ok thousands had been before me because the film's been out for weeks - Star Trek. I wasn't expecting much. There's been far too much Trekkie hype - and that lot scare me. But after two hours seven minutes - you know it wasn't so bad.]]> JJ Abram, whose previous movies include Lost and Mission Impossible III, the Star Trek XI (or Zero - depending on your preference) tells the story of the original bunch of Trekkers, but when they were kids. Yep, William Shatner as an angst ridden teen (minus William Shatner). So the story goes something like this ... Some baddy comes back more than 100 year in time to kill Spock who's drifted into a wormhole, only to bump into Kirk's dad. He promptly kills daddy and sets about searching for Spock ... but instead bumps into Spock, before finding Spock. He then forces Spock to watch as he goes on a massive destructive killing spree while Spock and Kirk try to stop him. Ok, you may get a sense of de ja vu, and there won't have been a wormhole anywhere near your quadrant, but that's Star Trek for you. So what unfolds is a massive change in the Star Trek continuum. Forget all what you know about Kirk and co, and all that back story. This is new and, well, improved. There's some nice little nods to the Star Trek universe with references to Admiral Jonathan Archer and some neat little threads between old and new Star Trek universes. But the best thing about the entire shenanigan is the new actors who've taken on the mantle so well. Chris Pine is excellent as Kirk, Zachary Quinto (aka the bloke from Heroes) is great as Spock and Karl Urban is brill as bones. And there's even a Brit in there for good measure in the form of Simon Pegg as a very funny Scotty. And Leonard Nimoy even takes a strong starring role playing Spock Prime, looking remarkably trim for a 155 year old. [I had to Google that - click here to see for yourself.] Just one thing that still bothers me ... if there was no Ta Pau, that means we would never have had a Carol Decker. Noooooooooooo. Star Trek - Trailer

REVIEW: Angels and Demons

2009-06-07T09:17:01Z

I have a confession to make (which is kind of apt for a couple of films about Catholicism). No matter how unfashionable it is to say it, I kinda liked The Da Vinci Code movie. Yes, I know, it was over-hyped to the hilt, but it was good fun. ]]> Tom Hanks (whose acting skills get better and better as time goes on). Hanks is joined by Ayelet Zurer and Ewan McGregor, but the real star of the film is Vatican City. In many ways, you could look at Angels and Demons as the longest tourist film in history. And I for one can't wait to return. Of course A&D, like The Da Vinci Code before it, is fiction. No need to get hot under the collar about the mad outcomes and plotlines which Brown draws up. Angels and Demons is a rip-roaring film, which is well worth a view. Angels and Demons - Trailer

REVIEW: Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino

2009-06-06T14:12:18Z

Film of the year so far is Gran Torino. Clint Eastwood's latest directorial outing is, as you would expect from one of the masters of the silver screen, brilliant.]]> Gran Torino - Trailer

Frost/Nixon (15)

2009-01-29T10:28:22Z

IT'S called Frost/Nixon but it may as well be called David/Goliath. It's the 1970s and up-and-coming TV talk show host and playboy David Frost (Michael Sheen) decides to boost his career by interviewing disgraced former American President Richard M. Nixon (Frank Langella), vowing to get an apology for the cover-up over Watergate.]]> The action is ramped up from the stage play on which the movie is based by director Ron Howard (Apollo 13) who turns the very talky concept into a real thriller by constantly zooming his camera in for extreme close ups on the two under-pressure performers. They're under pressure because Frost has bankrupted himself setting up the project that everyone believes he's too light weight to pull off and Nixon is desperate to exonerate himself and restart his political career. Only one can win. What unfolds is a real acting tour de force as Frank Langella (a veteran character actor, Oscar nominated for the role) and Welsh wunderkind Sheen inhabit their real life roles so completely. Each tick and squirm, sweat, blink, wobble and frown is caught by an unflinching camera in an echo of what the film is really about - the power of TV to capture, to crystalise, and to indict. Both actors are completely convincing as the seemingly assured but secretly desperate and self doubting social climbers. My only gripe is that Langella makes Nixon almost too sympathetic. I don't want to feel sorry for him! Sheen is even better as Frost, nailing the distinctive accent while at the same time revealing a deeply flawed egotist working at the edge of his abilities, or possibly beyond them... The two leads are ably supported by Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt as Frost's doubting researchers, and Kevin Bacon puts in a stern performance as Nixon's caring but tough Chief of Staff Jack Brennan. The only female role (Rebecca Hall as Frost's current bit of skirt) is a bit of a sop and doesn't seem to serve much of a point, apart from to witness him cracking up under the pressure. One might expect a film about one man grilling another for a political TV program to be a bit dull but Frost/Nixon manages to stay just the right side of entertainment rather than lecture by showing the personal side of the debate, and what the two combatants stand to lose. With lesser actors it wouldn't work but taking the original Frost/Nixon from the stage play has paid off for Hollywood and then some.

REVIEW: Slumdog Millionaire

2009-01-22T11:31:27Z

SLUMDOG Millionaire is based on the book 'Q & A' by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup. The film, directed by Danny Boyle, who is best known for Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, is set in India and tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), a young man from the slums of Mumbai who appears on the game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? He arouses suspicions from the authorities and the beginning of the film opens up on a rather grizzly scene of Jamal being questioned and tortured by police officers, who want to know how he knows all the answers.]]> As Jamal explains, each question unfolds a part of his life growing up in the slums which is shown in flashbacks and the audience is taken on a journey of Jamal's heart-wrenching, hysterical and life-changing moments. These including scenes of him trying to get the autograph of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and how he and his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) befriend orphan girl, Latika (Freida Pinto). The cinematography is dazzling from the views of the slums to the landscape of Bombay as is develops into corporate Mumbai. The soundtrack is uplifting in parts, in particular I like the track by MIA - 'Paper Planes' which accompanies scenes of Jamal and Salim riding the trains around India. The film is excrutiating and thought-provoking, while telling the tale of a brave, honest, young man who does all he can to overcome his struggles. This film is truly brilliant, already a winner of four Golden Globes and tipped to win big at the Oscars.

I love Castaway!

2009-01-12T14:54:35Z

Just a quick line to say what a great film Castaway is! I've seen it millions of times but it was on BBC1 last night and I couldn't help watching it again! Tom Hanks plays Chuck Nolan and is superb - I love how efficient he is - trying to stay alive so he can get home to Helen Hunt.]]> And Wilson...I cried when he was swept away by the sea...I cried for a volleyball. If you've not seen check out the trailer and get it. Amazon have it for £5.38 now or check out play.com who have the Tom Hanks Collection: Castaway / Saving Private Ryan / Catch Me If You Can / Forrest Gump / The Terminal all for £9.99.

MOVIE NEWS: Kate Winslet wins Golden Globes

2009-01-12T14:54:35Z

Kate Winslet has won two awards at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles, winning best actress for Revolutionary Road and best supporting actress for The Reader. The Globes - which recognise both film and television - are often regarded as an indicator of the movies and actors who will go on to win honours at the Academy Awards. Winslet had been expected to be named best supporting actress for The Reader, in which she plays a former Nazi prison guard who has an affair with a teenager. The Reader is out now.

Showing at cinemas this week

2009-01-09T09:00:00Z

THERE'S something for everyone with this week's new releases. In chick-flick Bride Wars, Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway battle it out and guarantee to put any man off marriage for life, while American Pie's Seann William Scott stars as one half of a truly terrible pair of Role Models in a film that's one for the boys. Also showing is Defiance, starring Daniel Craig as one of four brother's fleeing the Nazi's in World War 2 and feelgood movie, Slumdog Millionaire, which charts a young man's life from rags to (almost) riches... ]]> Bride Wars (PG) New release Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway star as best friends who declare war when they realise they've planned their weddings on the same day - in the same venue. Neither want to give up their dream wedding so the maids of honour quickly become maids of horror in this feisty rom-com. Running time: 1hr 50 Defiance (15) New release Daniel Craig stars as one of four Jewish brothers attempting to rescue 1,200 Jews trapped in the ghettos of Poland during World War 2. The brothers flee their Nazi-occupied homeland and join Russian resistance fighters to combat the Nazis and build a village in order to protect themselves and others. Also starring Jamie Bell. Running time: 2hrs 35 Slumdog Millionaire (15) New release Directed by Danny Boyle, the film follows Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of Mumbai, who has made it to the final question on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Jamal is accused of cheating and his explanation of how he know the answers takes us through his eventful life. Running time: 2hrs 20 Role Models (15) New release Salesmen Danny and Wheeler go on an energy drink-fuelled bender and crash their company car. Up in court they are told they can avoid jail by doing community service mentoring children. They think it's a great idea and promptly become the world's worst role models. Starring Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd. Running time: 2hrs The Spirit (12A) Rookie cop Denny Colt returns from the beyond the grave as the Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces of Central City. The evil Octopus has other plans: namely wiping out the entire city. The Spirit tracks this heartless killer from the city's rundown warehouses to the windswept waterfront, all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader. Running time: 2hrs Yes Man (12A) Jim Carrey stars as Carl Allen, the man who always says 'no'. No to invitations, no to opportunities, in fact life for Carl is going nowhere. Fed up of being stuck in a rut, he sets himself the challenge of saying nothing but 'yes' for an entire year. Can one word really change everything? Running time: 2hrs Bedtime Stories (PG) A family comedy about a hotel handyman whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true. Starring Adam Sandler, Keri Russell and Russell Brand. Running time: 2hrs Twilight (12A) Bella Swan, a clumsy, kind hearted teenager with a knack for getting into trouble meets Edward Cullen, an intelligent, handsome vampire who is trying to hide his secret. Against all odds, the two fall in love, but will a pack of bloodthirsty trackers and their disapproving family and friends tear them apart? Running time: 2hr 30 Australia (12A) In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a sprawling cattle ranch. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to experience the bombing of Darwin by Japanese forces first hand. Running time: 3hr 10 The Tale of Despereaux (U) The charming animated tale of three unlikely heroes - a misfit mouse who prefers reading books to eating them, an unhappy rat who plots to leave the darkness of the dungeon, and a bumbling servant girl with cauliflower ears. Their adventure begins when their fates become intertwined with that of the castle's princess... Running time: 1hr 50 The Day The Earth Stood Still (12A) Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly star in this remake of the 1951 classic sci-fi film about an alien visitor and his giant robot counterpart, who visit planet Earth. Running time: 2hr 5 Inkheart (PG) A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of the books they belong in and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook's hero. Running time: 2hr 5 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG) In the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2005 animated hit Madagascar, New York Zoo animals Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo land in the wilderness of Africa, where Alex meets the rest of his family, but has trouble communicating with them after spending so much time at the Central Park Zoo. Running time: 1hr 50

Showing at cinemas this week

2009-01-02T09:00:00Z

FILM fans are in for an exciting start to the new year, with adventure flick The Spirit, starring Gabriel Macht as a hero born, murdered and born again. Also showing is Bedtime Stories, a magical family comedy about a man whose imaginative bedtime stories begin to come to life and Yes Man, starring Jim Carrey, the amazing tale of what happens when one man decides to say yes ... to everything. ]]> The Spirit (12A) Rookie cop Denny Colt returns from the beyond the grave as the Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces of Central City. The evil Octopus has other plans: Namely wiping out the entire city. The Spirit tracks this heartless killer from the city's rundown warehouses to the windswept waterfront, all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader. Running time: 2hrs Yes Man (12A) New release Jim Carrey stars as Carl Allen, the man who always says 'no'. No to invitations, no to opportunities, in fact life for Carl is going nowhere. Fed up of being stuck in a rut, he sets himself the challenge of saying nothing but 'yes' for an entire year. Can one word really change everything? Running time: 2hrs Bedtime Stories (PG) New release A family comedy about a hotel handyman whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true. Starring Adam Sandler, Keri Russell and Russell Brand. Running time: 2hrs Twilight (12A) Bella Swan, a clumsy, kind- hearted teenager with a knack for getting into trouble, meets Edward Cullen, an intelligent, handsome vampire who is trying to hide his secret. Against all odds, the two fall in love, but will a pack of bloodthirsty trackers and their disapproving family and friends tear them apart? Running time: 2hr 30 Australia (12A) In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a sprawling cattle ranch. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to experience the bombing of Darwin by Japanese forces first hand. Running time: 3hr 10 The Tale of Despereaux (U) The charming animated tale of three unlikely heroes - a misfit mouse who prefers reading books to eating them, an unhappy rat who plots to leave the darkness of the dungeon, and a bumbling servant girl with cauliflower ears. Their adventure begins when their fates become intertwined with that of the castle's princess ... Running time: 1hr 50 The Day The Earth Stood Still (12A) Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly star in this remake of the 1951 classic sci-fi film about an alien visitor and his giant robot counterpart, who visit planet Earth. Running time: 2hr 5 Inkheart (PG) A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent - to bring characters out of She must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook's hero. Running time: 2hr 5 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG) In the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2005 animated hit Madagascar, New York Zoo animals Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo land in the wilderness of Africa, where Alex meets the rest of his family, but has trouble communicating with them after spending so much time at the Central Park Zoo. Running time: 1hr 50

REVIEW: Crashing on to DVD - Hancock: 12A

2008-12-08T09:36:23Z

Crashing in a drunken stupor on to our DVD shelf this Christmas, it's Will Smith in the less than elegant: Hancock. Promising Smith's loveable charm, a barrel of laughs and enough special effects to make you dizzy, this super hero movie looked to be an easy going "no brainer" with...well it's Will Smith! What's not to love! Unfortunately, there's plenty.]]> The city is in trouble. Gangs are running riot and crime is on an all time high. To make things worse, the people's only saviour is Hancock: an alcoholic loser. After saving the life of public relations official Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), Hancock agrees to Ray's proposal to try and change his image and be a better hero. The transformation involves a (rather pointless) trip to prison, followed by a deep journey into why he is the way he is. A very simple premise made difficult by something this type of film shouldn't possess: a deeper plot. An unexpected interruption by Charlize Theron complicates the plot with an unconvincing love story. At the beginning it had all the innocent enjoyment of Spiderman. To then throw in an under-explored plot reminiscent of The Hulk and all the misery we got from that, it just seemed wrong. With little or no interaction between characters, the emotional sub plot was lacklustre and failed to evoke any attachment. It's as if they completed the film and then realised "whoops! We forgot chemistry!" The ending left much to be desired with several unanswered questions and a disappointing fight with the villain. It is so frustrating to see something simple and enjoyable ruined by the director's burning desire to make this more than a high concept family movie. No, we can just add a few grams of melancholy, a teaspoon of annoying shaky-cams and a sprinkle of ludicrous back-story to poison Smith's reputation and confuse audiences everywhere! Smith is a talented actor, but the role demanded too much for the type of film we all thought it would be. It was supposed to be a light hearted, tongue-in-cheek, displaying a clumsy super hero who will ultimately better himself. Instead we get a miserable hour of Hancock moping around before he steps up to deliver an anti climatic ending. All the funny bits, it seems, were shown in the trailers. I found Bateman extremely annoying as his comedic style paled in comparison to Smith, making him a disposable asset to the film's plot and humour (what little amount there was). However, all is not lost. Where films like Hulk (the first ugly attempt) and Hellboy (spawning two disasters) didn't show enough of the heroes' powers, Hancock delivers. It was very satisfying watching a super hero abuse his powers and actually do things you want him to, like skewer a car full of criminals on a 500ft building. Causing a train wreck, botched landings etc. The special effects are impressive, but to say "Smith at his best!" would be a major misjudgement.

Showing at cinemas this week

2008-11-21T11:42:23Z

THIS week Kate Hudson and Dane Cook team up in feel-good comedy, My Best Friend's Girl. Meanwhile, there is action a-plenty as Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe star in the dramatic thriller Body of Lies, and High School Musical Sing-Along is guaranteed to have youngsters dancing in the aisles.]]> My Best Friend's Girl (15) New release Dane Cook stars as Tank, who faces the ultimate test of friendship when his best friend hires him to take his ex-girlfriend out on a rubbish date in order to make her realise how great her former boyfriend is ... Running time: 2hrs Body of Lies (15) New release Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a covert CIA operative working in Jordan searching for terrorists who have been bombing civilian targets. Ferris uncovers information on the Islamist mastermind Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul). He devises a plan to infiltrate Al-Saleem's terrorist network with the help of his boss back in Langley, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). Running time: 2hrs 30 Zack and Miri Make a Porno (18) Lifelong platonic friends Zack and Miri look to solve their respective cash flow problems by making an adult film together. But as the cameras begin to roll, the pair start to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they first thought. Running time: 2hrs Max Payne (15) Coming together to solve a series of murders in New York City are a DEA agent whose family was slain as part of a conspiracy and an assassin out to avenge her sister's death. The duo will be hunted by the police, the mob, and a ruthless corporation ... Running time: 2hrs Easy Virtue (PG) Jessica Biel, Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas star in this modern re-make of Noel Coward's 1928 play, which sees a young Englishman marrying a glamorous American. When he brings her home to meet his parents, she arrives like a blast from the future - blowing their uptight British stuffiness out of the window. Running time: 2hrs Quantum of Solace (12A) Beginning just an hour after the events of Casino Royale have been resolved, James Bond (Daniel Craig) gets involved in a car chase in Italy and not long after that, he's off to Haiti to track down an MI6 traitor. This time the ruthless villain is corrupt businessman Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) who is set on taking over the Bolivian water supply. In the same vein as its predecessor, this is a less jokey Bond, with more the feel of its 21st Century thriller stablemates - particularly the Bourne trilogy - than the tongue-in-cheek, one eyebrow raised, of our favourite secret agent's '70s instalment. And lads - if you do need to persuade your girlfriend along the cinema to see this - we are reliably informed that Daniel Craig gets his torso out again. Running time: 2hr 20. High School Musical 3: Senior Year/High School Musical 3: Senior Year Sing Along (PG) Now seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from each other as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to express their hopes and fears about their future. Running time 2hr 15 Saw V (18) In the fifth installment of the ever-popular 'Saw' franchise, Hoffman finds himself the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, he must embark on a mission to eliminate all loose ends. Running time: 1hr 50 Ghost Town (12A) Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy who pesters him into breaking up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen ... Running time: 2hrs Igor (PG) A playful animated fable that brings a new twist to the classic monster genre. In a world filled with mad scientists and evil inventions, one talented evil scientist's hunch-backed lab assistant has big dreams of becoming a scientist himself, and winning the annual Evil Science Fair ... Running time 1hr 55

REVIEW: The Coen Brothers' - Burn After Reading

2008-11-14T14:39:53Z

By JOSEPH CRAWFORD UNWITTINGLY witty, disturbingly funny, confusingly simple...yes, sounds like another Coen Brother's hit. Ethan and Joel's latest creation shows the power of escalation and misunderstanding in this off-beat dark comedy. With high expectations, Burn After Reading has a rather simple narrative and yet the Brothers manage to create such a web of confusion and insecurity that it becomes highly entertaining. The movie starts with CIA data analyst Osbourne Cox, played superbly by John Malkovich as an arrogant, self important, angry man, being fired for having a "drinking problem". ]]> Infuriated, Cox decides to write memoirs of his years serving the government. When the memoirs accidently fall into the hands of gym employees Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt), the duo seize the "opportunity" as a way of blackmailing Cox out of money, mistaking the documents for government secrets. George Clooney enters as Harry Pfarrer, an adulterous treasury agent who just so happens to be sleeping with Osbourne's wife, Katie Cox, played by Tilda Swinton. Described as a "cold bitch" by Pfarrer's wife, Katie plans to divorce her husband and get away with half of his finances and run off with Harry. Meanwhile, Linda and Chad arrange a meeting with Osbourne in hope of getting money to pay for Linda's plastic surgery. Negotiations do not go well, resorting in Brad Pitt's character receiving a rather nasty broken nose, which put a smile on Jennifer Aniston's face I'm sure. All of this takes place under the watchful eye of CIA supervisor played by J K Simmons. Baffled by the stupidity of the series of events, the supervisor and his agents cut in every so often to summarise what is going on, which came as a great relief. Pitt is particularly funny as air-headed Chad, putting in an energetic performance which is guaranteed to make audiences giggle, increasingly involving himself in a world he has no idea about. George Clooney's animated character also turns heads as he charms almost every female in the film, including McDormand. Personally, I found Frances McDormand's performance just brilliant as mousey, internet dating Linda, who seems to be the only party with good intentions. Essentially the film deals with American insecurity, conveying the idea that 'intelligence is relative' as the movie's tagline states, and the all-star cast deliver perfectly. The style of the film was limited though, appealing mostly to Coen Brothers' fans. If you liked Fargo, you'll like this. It has all the characteristics of a very human experience; the Russian embassy, upon receiving the useless information Linda gives them, react with sadism and dismissal, believing they are being mocked. The CIA headquarters are unphased by the shocking moments and plot thickeners and simply summarise the whole fiasco as a vast misunderstanding. The overall tone of the film has a sophisticated charm, but a particular dose of moronic behaviour and paranoia altogether produces yet another delightful Coen Brothers souffle. You will find yourself giggling, not laughing, giggling at the end...but even when the whole two hours has been explained within the last 30 seconds of the film, you'll have a hard time explaining why you're still chuckling.

Latest James Bond blockbuster Quantum of Solace review

2008-11-03T09:37:56Z

By JOHN SIDDLE The name's Bland, James Bland. 007 returns to action for the 22nd time, but his biggest nemesis this time is the narrative. Quantum of Solace, effectively a sequel to 2006's smash hit, Casino Royale, is full of perspiration and production with some stunning passages of breathtaking action. But the essence of what has made Bond, a franchise nearly 50 years strong, has been ruthlessly culled; the charm, the quips, the romance, and the trademark double-entendres.]]>

Pineapple Express (15)

2008-09-11T08:53:40Z

The new Star Wars and Indiana Jones might not be of the quality of the films I remember from my childhood but it was stoner comedy Pineapple Express that really made me realise I'm no longer a kid.]]> There's plenty to like in Pineapple Express, the follow up to last year's Superbad and Knocked Up, but the sum of its parts left me feeling both cold, and old. Writer/star Seth Rogan is his usual affable self as yet another slacker with a heart of gold, this time called Dale Denton, a 25-year-old pothead with a dead end job, too-young girlfriend, and self-hatred issues. The paper-thin plot concerns his witnessing a gangland murder and going on the run with his more-stoned-than-thou drug dealer Saul (amusingly played by James Franco who you may remember as Spiderman's broody nemesis/best friend Harry Osbourne). It's a one-joke idea based on those buddies-on-the-run type movies so popular in the eighties (Midnight Run, The Blues Brothers, Stir Crazy) but with a pair of idiot weed heads as the heroes. It's chock full of guffaw-inducing physical comedy, snidey off-camera jokes, and bizzaro characters, and Gary Cole of Midnight Caller fame puts in an amusing small-town take on the gangster bad guy stereotype. Despite its many good qualities I found myself thinking it was pretty slight stuff that's going to be lapped up by weed smokers and students as a cult classic, but without the charm and intelligence of other films in that category, Withnail and I for instance. I'm sure I would have loved it when I was nineteen so if you are nineteen or just enjoy immature messing about it'll probably hit your sweet spot. If not it's throwaway stuff which wastes the talents of some of Hollywood's best rising stars.