Avengers Age of Ultron opens with the Avengers team; Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow and Hawkeye all fighting their enemy Hydra in a country known as Sokovia. Hydra have been using a Loki's staff from Thor's home world Asgard to help aid in creating the ultimate weapon. The Avengers smash Hydra's plan and take back the staff. (This is all before the actual credits). Back in Stark's lab Tony and Bruce discover a curiosity within the staff. Tony has ideas of how it can be used and goes about reprogramming the mechanics. The plan backfires, suddenly The Avengers find themselves in a race to save not only themselves but the entire planet from being completely obliterated. Written and Directed by Joss Whedon after the success of the first film I think I wasn't the only person expecting big things from the man, it seems as though he has attempted to please everyone possible with this film, there is so many "Easter Eggs" throughout it's very hard not to feel overwhelmed by it all. One thing he has done very well though this time around is the screen time given to each Avenger, I can recall in the first film Hawkeye especially wasn't given much time at all and almost seemed an extra, Joss has definitely made up, including back story and an even bigger surprise when it comes to Hawkeye and who he is when not firing arrows from an endless quiver, as with Thor who has suddenly become a bit of a comedian making him appear a lot less Godlike which I personally think is a great thing. And Hulk has been totally humanised by being given a romance as well as become very emotional and not just as Bruce Banner. I loved what Joss created with the characters this time around and feel it is all definitely beneficial to the franchise and everything that will come after and has come before. My absolute favourite thing though was the introduction of a very special character from the Marvel Universe, when that moment happened on screen my heart suddenly got a lot faster and my body tingled with total and utter joy. Unfortunately though what was done with that character was woeful and so pointless, I would have personally preferred they saved the unveiling for another film or franchise completely and made it all worthwhile and exciting rather than letting the unveiling be so unfulfilling and wasted. Once again the CGI like in a lot of film recently let me down, especially the opening battle scenes, the entire thing was a CGI mess,it looked fake and unrealistic, the way the characters moved turned my entire expectation on its head very early as I was absolutely disgusted with how fake it all looked, however once the opening credits rolled through the CGI suddenly picked up again and things became a little less messy. My other little gripe would be how much was stuffed into the film, new character should be exciting and rewarding but within this film they felt flat and unengaging. Joss put so much energy into creating his heroes by humanising them but left his villains and other new characters quite lifeless, I just didn't care for them at all, sure there was the sad story of childhood but that was it, it needed more, perhaps a flash back or something, as for Ultron, again I found him completely worthless and so unnecessary his plot to destroy the world was childish it needed a lot more depth to it, we as viewers need to understand why, especially when it comes to "the villains" why are they the way they are and why do they want to do the evil they conceive,what makes them turn from being you and I to a super-villain? Just being told isn't enough I want more, more story, more depth, more plot to make it at least somewhat engaging and enthralling. So does the Avengers Age of Ultron meet up to the same standard of its predecessor I honestly can't say yet, believe it or not it's been a week since I saw the film and it is still playing on my mind, I find myself in conversations about the film constantly just trying to find where it sits for me. There is a lot of clever lines and hidden gems it is definitely worth seeing; although I saw it in 2D I have been told that in 3D the CGI isn't as apparent so nowhere near as nasty. It should be noted; Being a PG film it's absolutely for the entire family I just think some scenes that are a little slower where Joss humanises everyone may get a little dull for those younger in age. I have left a lot out of this review to not give away spoilers but there is so much more to see I would absolutely recommend seeing this on the big screen rather than waiting for DVD release. Besides not seeing in the cinema means you'll miss out on the biggest Egg of all during the final credits, and that's not one you want to miss!!!
Reviews
57 Reviews
The Remaining
(I) (2014)
The fear of death, the love of life and what lies after.
28 April 2015
They say one of the things you should never talk about if you want to keep friends is Politics or Religion, when it comes to Religion we all have our own theories, our own beliefs, make our own decisions but one thing they all have in common is death, perhaps it's afterlife is entirely different but all in all the practice of all religion when we die a small part of us leaves the body and moves to another realm. So what happens when one director decides to make a horror style film of the Christian Religion and its Apocalypse? The film begins at the wedding of Skylar and Dan, all is going well, when suddenly a loud trumpet sounds and more than half the room fall to the floor, Skylar's parents being part of the recently raptured. Outside trumpets blow and the world falls, Demon's fill the skies as fire rains down. The Rapture has begun as has the seven years of Tribulation that comes with it. Skylar her new husband and a few friends leave the wedding party and make their way to a church where they hope to find a friend who ran off earlier. Along the way the group is attacked and one seriously injured once they get to the church they find a large group who have also come seeking shelter including a Pastor who has his own theories on what is happening outside in the world. Now they just need to find a way to survive. I'll be honest when I saw the trailer for this film I thought it looked pretty fantastic, I've always been a fan of God v's Devil, Good V's Evil style films so I expected something pretty big from this one. The first thing that you will notice is that the entire film is shot on hand held camera and is usually POV (point of view) think the same style as "Cloverfield". Then you'll notice how preachy the film is, It's pretty obvious the film wants you to think about your own life and where you'll be should the Rapture take place, but luckily it also has a little more going for it as well, there is some great horror scenes and moments for a film shot with such a cheap budget but I don't think they make up for all the soul searching the film makers expect you to do. The other thing though is that the film is actually quite confusing in the end the only conclusion you can come to is "you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't!" I have no idea what the final message of the film is, in fact I watched it twice to be sure I didn't miss anything, and still came to the same conclusion. The horror elements of the film are quite good, there are some great death scenes and if you can look beyond the hand held camera I'm sure if you're a horror fan you'll enjoy what they have done on such a budget. Written and Directed by Casey La Scala (Grind) if the film had a bigger budget a lot more could have been accomplished. Starring Alexa PenaVega (Spy Kids, Nashville) as Skylar, Bryan Dechart (Step Up 3D, Awakenings) as Dan, Johnny Pacar (Wild Child, Hot Mess) as Tommy, Shaun Sipos (Melrose Place, Vampire Diaries) as Jack, Italia Ricci (Chasing Life, Unnatural History) as Allison, John Pyper-Ferguson (Drive, X-Men) as Pastor Shaye. There is no one that stands out here, the acting is stock standard nothing exceptional from anyone really. The fear of death, the love of life and what lies after is what you'll get here throw in a lot of Christianity and their beliefs, this is definitely not a film for everyone, when you watch this you will have to have an open mind, if you fall into the trap of thinking you're being preached at then you'll hate what you're viewing but if you see the film for what it is you'll most likely come out on top. Then again your life won't stop if you don't see this either, I don't believe it's a film you'll be discussing with workmates or around the dinner table either and I don't believe you'll have an epiphany either, although if you do find yourself standing outside the closest train station wearing a sandwich board with bold letters stating the Angels are coming and screaming about the world ending
. Don't blame me!
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
(2015)
Travel to the future to change the past now I've seen it all. Forget this one.
24 April 2015
You know how sometimes something can be so ridiculously stupid you can't help but laugh? You know, you go to your family event and you have your crazy uncle attempting to be funny by retelling stories of his youth with an attempted comical twist, usually he'll make himself some kind of ladies' man who has all the moves and tricks but in reality he's just a tool! Or even better example will be the best man's speech at the wedding of his buddy who he's known since primary school, retelling all the greatest adventures doing his best to make everyone in the room laugh but usually the only applause is guests and alike holding their heads in shame. Well when you see Hot Tub Time Machine 2 be ready for those exact moments. The film starts back in the present with the changes that the guys had made in the previous film quite evident, Nick is a famous pop star with great hits like "Stay (I missed you)" where Lisa Lobe is now a cat wrangler, Lou has invented and gotten rich and famous with "Lougle" the number one internet company in the world (think google) and Jacob is bitter and hates his old man for treating him like a butler whenever people are around. Lou holds a big party but during the party Lou is shot in the penis, the guys jump back into the hot tub with the intention of going back to before the party to stop the attempted murderer but instead end up 10 years in the future where things are very different. This film is so stupid you can't help but laugh at its ridiculousness, there is all the usual dick jokes associated with these types of film but then there are some actual very funny scenes too, especially with the banter that goes on between the three main characters. In all seriousness though this film has nothing new or exciting to add your viewing pleasure as soon as the credits begin to roll you've already forgotten it and moved on. Hot Tub Time Machine brings back everyone from the first film with John Cusack taking a cameo more than a main role directed by Steve Pink (Hot tub time machine, Accepted) he doesn't bring anything new, just the same tired jokes, homophobic rants, sexist attitudes that you usually get with these more than outdated attempted comedies. Starring; Rob Corddry (Sex tape, Warm Bodies) as Lou Dorchen, Craig Robinson (This Is The End, Pineapple Express) as Nick Webber, Clark Duke (Greek, The Office) as Jacob Yates Dorchen, Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation, Step Brothers) as Adam Yates Jr, and Chevy Chase (Community, National Lampoon's) as Hot Tub Repairman. It's not an A list acting cast that's for sure but the guys do well and you get the impression that for some of them they aren't even pretending to be their character that they are just being themselves, perhaps that's just really good acting on their part I'm not sure. Who I would like to see more of though is Clark Duke, I thought he was particularly good and I'm keen to see what else he has done and how far he will go. There is nothing special about the filming, the score, the soundtrack it's all very plain and ordinary and been done before especially the drug induced scene that Adam goes through half way through the film, Pink could have done something different but instead it appears he is a lazy film maker and has nothing original to add to the cinematic world. Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is a film to watch if you really have nothing else to watch or you are stoned off your tits and want to watch something slightly more amusing than kids falling over vids on YouTube. Not one for the kids really as there is a lot of adult humour and language. You don't really need to have seen the first film as nothing is really missing although for those that need to know, the same guys including John Cusack go back in time and change things for the better for them
the end.
The Imitation Game
(2014)
A disappointing telling of a great man and his greatest creation
20 April 2015
There have been plenty movies throughout the cinematic age of war and it's heroes, most of them pay homage to the heroes that defeated armies with their guns and ammunition and occasionally you will get the film that shows the one soldier who stood up and protected his war buddies on the field but how often do you get a film that goes behind all that action and still till this day has done more for mankind and its fight against those that wish to bring it down in one way or another, more than any cape wearing, hammer throwing, green giant or super human possible and best of all this person actually existed.
The year is 1951, two police officers are at Alan Turing's a Cambridge Mathematician's home investigating a break and enter whilst during their interrogation Alan begins telling his story of back when he worked in Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park was the United Kingdom's central site of the Government Code and Cypher School. The film then flashes back to Alan's childhood in 1927 where he is a young boy who is given a code cracking book from his friend Christopher, a romantic friendship is formed between the two boys until the day Christopher doesn't come back to school. 1939 World War II, Alan travels to Bletchley Park, where, working under Commander Alastair Denniston, he joins the cryptography team of Hugh Alexander, John Cairncross, Peter Hilton, Keith Furman, and Charles Richards. The team are trying to crack the ciphers the Enigma machine uses, the Nazis use Enigma daily to send out orders but every night at midnight the code changes its the teams job to decipher these codes giving the allies the much needed break they require to get ahead in this war. Alan is a real pain to work with and despises his colleagues who feel exactly the same toward him. He works alone designing the machine that will decipher Enigma. Alan approaches Denniston to fund construction of the machine but is denied, Alan not giving in decides he will go to the top and writes to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who then puts him Alan in charge of the team and also gives the funds to finish the machine. Turing fires Furman and Richards and to find their replacements puts a really difficult crossword in newspapers. Joan Clarke, surpasses all expectations and ends up on the team but due to her parents other arrangement about her newly found employment need to be arranged. Unfortunately in 1952 Alan is disgraced and sent to prison for the most disgusting reason imaginable I will not give away here...
The story of Alan Turing and how he and his machine broke the unbreakable code was a real let down for me, Once the credits began to roll the only things going through my head was what I would have done differently had I directed the film myself, I really expected so much more and I'm more than surprised that such an amazing event in history was dealt with so placidly. According to the biography the film was based on a lot of the film was "pampered" to make it a lot more glamorous than it was in reality especially the relation between Alan and his fiancé Joan, Alan as a human was a lot more than the mad scientist as portrayed but I don't think that was the actors fault more the direction he was given. So if you take away the truth of the film and facts you are left with something that is somewhat entertaining for at least half an hour.
In all things though there are the bad and there is the good what was fantastic about the film was the actors, I personally feel they did an amazing job. Benedict Cumberbatch (Star Trek, Sherlock) plays Alan Turing and he did a brilliant job at bringing his character to life, apparently the family of the real Alan Turing were amazed at how well Benedict portrayed their family member which really says a lot in my book. Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean saga, Domino) plays Joan Clarke, Matthew Goode who also wrote the screenplay (Match point, Watchmen) plays Hugh Alexander, Allen Leech (Downton Abbey, Rome) plays John Cairncross, Matthew Beard (One Day, The Riot Club) plays Peter Hilton and Charles Dance (Dracula Untold, Game of Thrones) plays Commander Denniston. I think without all these amazing actors this film would have failed in what it delivered. Morten Tyldum (Headhunters, Fallen Angels) directed the film and for me I can't help feeling if the film was directed by someone with a lot more experience and know how would have delivered a five star film. One thing he did do right though was using Alexandre Desplat to organise the soundtrack and score for the film, the other amazing aspect of the film.
The Imitation Game was long and at times boring due to drab scenes and a very disorientated time line, there was a very important part of Alan's life that was only slightly touched, I'm not saying the film had to be LGBT themed but if that's who the man was then surely the film should have had a lot more about who he was emotionally and not just mentally.
The year is 1951, two police officers are at Alan Turing's a Cambridge Mathematician's home investigating a break and enter whilst during their interrogation Alan begins telling his story of back when he worked in Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park was the United Kingdom's central site of the Government Code and Cypher School. The film then flashes back to Alan's childhood in 1927 where he is a young boy who is given a code cracking book from his friend Christopher, a romantic friendship is formed between the two boys until the day Christopher doesn't come back to school. 1939 World War II, Alan travels to Bletchley Park, where, working under Commander Alastair Denniston, he joins the cryptography team of Hugh Alexander, John Cairncross, Peter Hilton, Keith Furman, and Charles Richards. The team are trying to crack the ciphers the Enigma machine uses, the Nazis use Enigma daily to send out orders but every night at midnight the code changes its the teams job to decipher these codes giving the allies the much needed break they require to get ahead in this war. Alan is a real pain to work with and despises his colleagues who feel exactly the same toward him. He works alone designing the machine that will decipher Enigma. Alan approaches Denniston to fund construction of the machine but is denied, Alan not giving in decides he will go to the top and writes to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who then puts him Alan in charge of the team and also gives the funds to finish the machine. Turing fires Furman and Richards and to find their replacements puts a really difficult crossword in newspapers. Joan Clarke, surpasses all expectations and ends up on the team but due to her parents other arrangement about her newly found employment need to be arranged. Unfortunately in 1952 Alan is disgraced and sent to prison for the most disgusting reason imaginable I will not give away here...
The story of Alan Turing and how he and his machine broke the unbreakable code was a real let down for me, Once the credits began to roll the only things going through my head was what I would have done differently had I directed the film myself, I really expected so much more and I'm more than surprised that such an amazing event in history was dealt with so placidly. According to the biography the film was based on a lot of the film was "pampered" to make it a lot more glamorous than it was in reality especially the relation between Alan and his fiancé Joan, Alan as a human was a lot more than the mad scientist as portrayed but I don't think that was the actors fault more the direction he was given. So if you take away the truth of the film and facts you are left with something that is somewhat entertaining for at least half an hour.
In all things though there are the bad and there is the good what was fantastic about the film was the actors, I personally feel they did an amazing job. Benedict Cumberbatch (Star Trek, Sherlock) plays Alan Turing and he did a brilliant job at bringing his character to life, apparently the family of the real Alan Turing were amazed at how well Benedict portrayed their family member which really says a lot in my book. Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean saga, Domino) plays Joan Clarke, Matthew Goode who also wrote the screenplay (Match point, Watchmen) plays Hugh Alexander, Allen Leech (Downton Abbey, Rome) plays John Cairncross, Matthew Beard (One Day, The Riot Club) plays Peter Hilton and Charles Dance (Dracula Untold, Game of Thrones) plays Commander Denniston. I think without all these amazing actors this film would have failed in what it delivered. Morten Tyldum (Headhunters, Fallen Angels) directed the film and for me I can't help feeling if the film was directed by someone with a lot more experience and know how would have delivered a five star film. One thing he did do right though was using Alexandre Desplat to organise the soundtrack and score for the film, the other amazing aspect of the film.
The Imitation Game was long and at times boring due to drab scenes and a very disorientated time line, there was a very important part of Alan's life that was only slightly touched, I'm not saying the film had to be LGBT themed but if that's who the man was then surely the film should have had a lot more about who he was emotionally and not just mentally.
Big Eyes
(I) (2014)
A biopic of Walter Keane and his little waifs with Big Eyes.
7 April 2015
Art is something which is always quoted with questionable understandings, what I may perceive as being inspiring you may see as a blob of mess, which is why being an artist is something most people really struggle with. Being recognised as an artist usually comes about due to some form of tragedy mostly it would seem a true artist is discovered tragically after they have died, of course this isn't always the case and some artists throughout history have always had the eye to make the public stand up and pay attention. Although have you ever thought of how far your willing to go to achieve that fame? Have millions of people all know not only your work but your face, your name your achievements? Big Eyes is the biopic of Walter Keane a very famous and popular artist of the 50's and 60's who was well known for his painting of the waifs with Big Eyes, the film is the true story of who and how he was and the people who helped him become so successful along the way, and the truth behind the entire success. 1958 Northern California Margaret Ulbrich packs her car and her young daughter leaving her husband and her marriage behind, something not done and looked down upon in this era. She drives to San Francisco where she finds a job painting furniture illustrations in a factory, in her spare time and to make some extra money she sells some of portraits along the beach, one day she meets Walter Keane who is also selling his own paintings of Parisian lane-ways, he questions the oddness of Margaret's portraits and eventually a friendship is formed. Walter and Margaret form a strong friendship and due to necessity end up getting married and moving to Hawaii where both continue their art trying to break into the magical world of art and its critics. From this point on the story takes a remarkable turn one I won't spoil for you here. Big Eyes is directed by the overly talented Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) so I was expecting things to get a little odd here and there due to his amazing visionary style but those odd things never eventuated something I'm undecided about whether I appreciated that or not. Instead Mr Burton has directed a very stylish and interesting drama and without all of his usual actors which was a little odd in itself not seeing Helen Bonham Carter or Mr Johnny Depp, on the other hand though Amy Adams (American Hustle, Enchanted) as Margaret Ulbrich and Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained, Inglorious Basterds) as Walter Keane were brilliant in their roles, I personally loved both of them, they did a great job bringing their characters struggles and demons to life. There isn't much that doesn't work in the film, from the soundtrack to locations and set design everything is fantastic my own criticism would be that it did have a lot of unnecessary chatter and moments that didn't help the film in anyway just made it go about 20mins longer than necessary. Big Eyes is an enjoyable film good for the entire family, don't expect the quirkiness normally associated with Tim Burton though apart from the art which is quirky in itself. I liked this film a lot but don't see myself watching it again in the future it's kind of been given the tick and now I can move onto the next thing.
Still Alice
(2014)
Brilliant, Heartwarming, Tragic, Real
31 March 2015
There are so many illnesses and diseases that exist in the world today that just don't have a cure, no matter how many fund raisers we donate to or telethons we listen to, there never seems to be any change in the world or in the diseases and illnesses that they are working towards find a cure for. For me I've only ever known one person who had Alzheimer's they were very late in their age and always said they had had a good life. When she passed though everyone's response was "she's better off" personally I always had a problem with that sentiment. It's not like Hallmark make cards saying such things, so why would people believe that "they're better off" can be consoling in any possible way. I guess we as individuals deal with such things in our own unique way and this film will definitely have you thinking about yourself and your own little quirks and what ifs by the time credits run. Alice is sitting at a table celebrating her 50th birthday with her three children and husband, Alice is a linguistics lecturer at the local university, she keeps not only her mind fit by solving problems and playing word games but also her body by jogging about the campus on a regular basis. One day during a presentation Alice forgets a word, she thinks nothing of it until later when she is out jogging and gets lost about the campus unable to find her way back home. Alice goes to see her GP who refers her to a neurologist where she is told she has Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Alice of course can't believe the news but goes about telling her husband and children of her illness, she must also tell her family that the disease is actually hereditary and passed down through the mother so the kids must be checked as well. Two of the children take the test the third child refuses. As the film progresses the harshness and reality of what a day to day struggle living with the disease becomes very heartbreaking. Alice sets up some questions on her phone whilst still able to comprehend her surroundings; she makes a video directing her to take some drastic action when the day comes that she can no longer answer any of the questions
The one thing that really works for this film is its simplicity in the way the story of Alice is told, everyone involved has done a wonderful job bringing the hardships and heartache that Alzheimer's brings forth. Julianne Moore (Seventh Son, Children of Men) is amazing as Alice Howland, I don't think anyone out there could have done any better, and finally the lady got the award she should have been awarded a very long time ago delivered to her due to the outstanding character she created and her amazing skills as a talented actor. Starring alongside her is Alec Baldwin (30 Rock, Rock of Ages) as her husband John Howland, Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns, Before I Wake) as Alice's eldest daughter Anna Howland- Jones, Hunter Parrish (Weeds, 17 Again) as Alice's middle child Tom Howland, and most surprising in her role Kristen Stewart (Twilight Saga, Jumper) as the black sheep of the family Lydia Howland, she did shock me a little especially as she has never been a personal favourite of mine, she stepped up to the mark quite well in her role. Directed by both Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland (The Fluffer, The Last of Robin Hood) both guys working together have made something that could have been extremely difficult to pull off yet they have made it seem much easier in their final delivery. I did find it very slow in places which in turn made the film feel quite long but worse than that it took away a lot of the emotion I was supposed to be feeling as well. Don't misunderstand me here; the film is a tear jerker especially for those of us that replace the actors with ourselves and our own life situations. The first time I watched this film there was one scene early on that had me blubbering like a baby, just at the helplessness poor Alice was going through, I in-turn put myself in her place which made it far worse. Still Alice is a film that deserves more recognition than it has received so far, it is a film that will tear down your walls and make you fear not only your own life but that of all your nearest and dearest as well. Not a family friendly film as the young ones will get very easily bored I feel and tear your attention away
Outcast
(I) (2014)
West meets East is always wrong
24 March 2015
OUTCAST – 2014 What has happened to poor Mr. Nicolas Cage? Once upon a time when you saw his name on an up and coming movie poster you got a little tingle down your back in anticipation, nowadays though it seems when you see Mr. Cage's name in a film poster or trailer you're more likely to ensure its one that you steer clear of. Some say it's due to his whole tax investigation which is why he has to take some very unflattering roles. Whatever the reason Mr. Cage, give it up already and just go back to your days of old. I really want to start loving your films again. Outcast begins in the twelfth century somewhere in the Middle East. Crusaders Gallain and Jacob are busy slaughtering the unholy whilst having a small discussion about the actions they are taking and their consequences. Next thing we are in China in the throne room of an Imperial who is telling his youngest son that he chooses him over his older warrior brother to takes his place on the throne at the time of his death
Do you really need me to go on, I'm betting you have figured out the middle and the end by now already, so let's just say that the youngest son runs for his life and ends up getting help from opium addicted crusader Jacob, who in turn seeks out "The White Ghost" Gallain. You can work out the rest I'm sure. So that there is Outcast in a nutshell, a worthless, time stealing piece of drivel that adds nothing to your life but more takes away from it. The story is as old as time, it's been done time and time again, and done so much better. Outcast is directed by first time director Nick Powell who so far in life has well over 100 films under his belt as their stunt coordinator, I really think he needs to go back to what he does best and leave the directing to those who know how to tell a story and better yet shoot it well. The story is plain, unimaginative, the fight scenes are bland, something you wouldn't expect from a stunt coordinator anyway, the reason being the camera is held far too close to the action to be able to actually see anything taking place especially in the sword fight scenes, once again another director who has no idea what he is doing. The fight scenes were fantastic but being unable to see anything but blurs of images across the screen for most of the movie made it much more painful than it should have been. If a little more TLC was given to the film they could have ended up with something much more palatable. Outcast stars Hayden Christensen (Star Wars, Jumper) as Jacob, Nicolas Cage (Con Air, 8mm) as Gallain, Yifei Liu (The Forbidden Kingdom, The Four) as Lian, Andy On (Three Kingdoms, True Legend) as Shing, Ji Ke Jun Yi as Mei, Fernando Chien (Fast Five, Iron Man III) as Wu. I believe all the actors brought something unique to the screen in their roles, there was some great scenes and there was some horrible scenes as well. Different director perhaps more could have been done. The film has been made to be entertained, unfortunately I don't think it has enough to offer the viewer to warrant spending anything on. Free to air TV will be the best bet for this one. I know this will appeal to the action fans, just be aware this is a West meets East action film not the other way around. So it's not all kung fu and wires. The film is absolutely pointless in places especially the opening scenes where nothing is explained, something that frustrated me throughout. See it at your own peril.
Seventh Son
(I) (2014)
A tale as old as time with nothing new to add but a whole lot of CGI
17 March 2015
Fantasy adventure films have always had their place amongst the realm of cinema, when I was young I loved fantasy adventure, films like: Conan, Krull, Beast Master and alike. These days though I feel as though everything that gets released in the genre are recreations of plots done to death and were done much better, sure the special effects in the 70's and 80's were nothing compared to what they are today but that's what made those films so great, those little special effects. These days CGI is king and a lot of the time is so over used that it leaves nothing for our imaginations to grasp hold of. Seventh Son is the story of Gregory the spook (one who hunts the supernatural) and his mission to destroy the Queen of the witches Mother Malkin set in the 18 century. After trapping Malkin years pass by and she remains in prison until the threat of a new blood moon looms, Malkin escapes her prison and takes off to cause havoc and reclaim her kingdom once more. Gregory and his newest apprentice Ben; the seventh son of a seventh son set about the task of stopping Malkin and protecting the world from the devastation she plans to bring
Sound familiar??? It's a story that has been told time and time again, set in all ages and in all places but especially medieval times where this is set once again. The stand out for the film and the reason you should see it though is for Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, True Grit) who plays Mater Gregory, he has created a fantastic character in Gregory, everything from his voice to his movements is exciting to hear and see. Also helping the film out is Julianne Moore (Still Alice, Mockingjay pt 1) who plays Mother Malkin, she manages to bring an over the top possibility down to Earth and even a little humble, she has done a marvelous job with her character and even though she is the "bad guy" you can't help but root for her in some places, and that's about all the goodness the film has to offer. The other characters are annoying, the actors should be on an Australian soap opera, they were lifeless, plain and boring, they brought nothing to the screen but a presence, and I hate to say it; but I doubt if the actors were even replaced with A list celebrities their characters would have been any different. I feel all the effort was put into Jeff and Julianne and the CGI landscape and beasties. Ben Barnes (Chronicles of Narnia, Stardust) plays the son of the seventh son Tom Ward, Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina, A Royal Affair) plays Alice, Olivia Williams (The Sixth Scent, Rushmore) plays Mam who does bring a little something more to her character at least. This is Sergey Bodrov's first real English film he is really well known for his Russian films so I did expect a lot more from him, I have a feeling that perhaps the actors may have directed themselves in places as he sat back and took it all in. I was disappointed as I definitely expected more from the director of "Mongol" and "Nomad". The CGI used was so extensive at times there was so much happening on the screen it was hard to make heads or tails of what was taking place, don't get me wrong it was great, the dragon scenes in particular were legendary it was just a little messy is all. It seems to be CGI has taken over a lot of the substance a film can deliver when cheap thrills and special effects are used. Seventh Son isn't worth rushing out to see, it is worth waiting to see on DVD at least but I wouldn't be wasting my money at the cinemas. Being a fantasy adventure its appropriate for kids with only a few swears nothing they wouldn't hear in the school yard on a daily basis anyway.
Jupiter Ascending
(2015)
Star Wars meets Guardians of the Galaxy and Game of Thrones mash them together and this is what you will get.
25 February 2015
I sometimes wonder if the hype that surrounds a film is what does it the most damage especially in its first few weeks of release. Then I also wonder is there so much hype being made because the fear of failure lingers so they believe the more they say in a positive the better the reception of the film will be. Having such big names as The Wachowskis well known for their "Matrix" trilogy and one of my personal all-time favourite films "Cloud Atlas" writing and directing a film can only be a beautiful thing, you would think anyway
Jupiter Jones begins to tell us in narrative the way her parents first met and his unfortunate death while her mother was carrying her, these days Jupiter is the single, still living with her mother and other relatives, no love for life, feeling worthless cleaner for the rich who has no real aspirations in life other than being aware she was always meant for more. In another part of the Universe the siblings of the most powerful family in the Universe House of Abrasax; Balem, Kalique and Titus fight over their Matriarch's inheritance. On Earth Jupiter has agreed to sell her eggs and give more than half the money to her cousin, whilst in the operating room Jupiter is attacked by keepers (alien hunters) who have been sent by Balem to kill her. Caine an alien tracker Lycian who is half human and half canine has been hired by Titus and ends up saving Jupiter form the keepers. He agrees to help Jupiter which goes against his orders set out by Titus eventually taking her to the capital city of the Universe where Jupiter learns the truth as to why she is so important and why she is wanted dead
What a film was my initial thought once the credits at the end of the film started to roll, I still had hundreds of unanswered questions which I found quite frustrating, the film remain on my mind for the next few days as I came up with ideas and answers all it would turn out, worthless. So in saying that I wasn't thinking of this film in a positive light in fact I was extremely disappointed with so much but first here's what I loved. The imagination of this film is insane, the worlds created, the alien races brought to life, the sheer scale of the landscapes and cities everything was amazing. The cities designed each with their own theme was overwhelming to say the least I was amazed by the creativity that was unleashed unfortunately that was where it ended. Everything else was below par in every possible way, the characters were so passé they were never entertaining, never had anything fun to say, it seemed Jupiter was more in the film for comic relief (poorly executed I must say). The script was poor, the story was so confusing and absolutely full of very obvious plot holes it actually got annoying, if there was a lull moment in the film your mind began to wonder as did the fellow cinema goers as you heard fidgeting and readjusting going on all around during the slower moments. The action sequences are what annoyed me most though, the camera work was pathetic, I have no idea why directors continue to use hand held fast moving cameras during action sequences yet they do. Seeing a blur of mess on the screen as two alien spacecraft destroy Chicago is a joke, you are more than aware of what is happening but for some reason the directors have decided we really don't need to see it. So annoying! The score is nice but again nothing too spectacular it definitely has its moments but if you have seen another film from the 70's you will hear something very familiar.
Jupiter Ascending stars Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Family Guy) as Jupiter Jones, Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street, Magic Mike) as Caine Wise, Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones) Stinger Apini, Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Les Miserables) as Balem Abrasax, Tuppence Middleton (The Imitation Game, Trance) as Kalique Abrasax and Douglas Booth (Noah, The Riot Club) as Titus Abrasax. Personally I feel the wrong cast was chosen no-one in the film did anything for me, no one moved me or made me love them, in fact I'd go as far as saying they were all boring including Mila Kunis who I absolute adore usually. This film missed the mark in so many places it was totally disappointing especially since finding out all the stunts were actually performed by the actors; if only we could actually see them!!! It would have made a world of difference I'm sure.
I loved the idea behind the film and I would actually love to have seen this film be as good as it promised it would be, I'm sad to say it's not. It is entertaining enough to keep you captivated, you will definitely laugh and I have no doubt you will love the worlds and the idea of how they exist, so I'm not saying skip this film altogether I think more I want you to be prepared to be disappointed, so that when you do see it, your expectations will be so low that you will love what you see instead and wonder why I decided to ingest downers before heading to my seat. One last thing I would recommend though is to forget seeing this at the cinema, with so much happening on the screens at once the big screens made it so hard to follow, wait for the DVD and see it at home in the comfort of your home where you can see everything. It is family friendly not that the kids will understand what is going on, so be prepared for a few possibly unanswerable questions after.
Jupiter Jones begins to tell us in narrative the way her parents first met and his unfortunate death while her mother was carrying her, these days Jupiter is the single, still living with her mother and other relatives, no love for life, feeling worthless cleaner for the rich who has no real aspirations in life other than being aware she was always meant for more. In another part of the Universe the siblings of the most powerful family in the Universe House of Abrasax; Balem, Kalique and Titus fight over their Matriarch's inheritance. On Earth Jupiter has agreed to sell her eggs and give more than half the money to her cousin, whilst in the operating room Jupiter is attacked by keepers (alien hunters) who have been sent by Balem to kill her. Caine an alien tracker Lycian who is half human and half canine has been hired by Titus and ends up saving Jupiter form the keepers. He agrees to help Jupiter which goes against his orders set out by Titus eventually taking her to the capital city of the Universe where Jupiter learns the truth as to why she is so important and why she is wanted dead
What a film was my initial thought once the credits at the end of the film started to roll, I still had hundreds of unanswered questions which I found quite frustrating, the film remain on my mind for the next few days as I came up with ideas and answers all it would turn out, worthless. So in saying that I wasn't thinking of this film in a positive light in fact I was extremely disappointed with so much but first here's what I loved. The imagination of this film is insane, the worlds created, the alien races brought to life, the sheer scale of the landscapes and cities everything was amazing. The cities designed each with their own theme was overwhelming to say the least I was amazed by the creativity that was unleashed unfortunately that was where it ended. Everything else was below par in every possible way, the characters were so passé they were never entertaining, never had anything fun to say, it seemed Jupiter was more in the film for comic relief (poorly executed I must say). The script was poor, the story was so confusing and absolutely full of very obvious plot holes it actually got annoying, if there was a lull moment in the film your mind began to wonder as did the fellow cinema goers as you heard fidgeting and readjusting going on all around during the slower moments. The action sequences are what annoyed me most though, the camera work was pathetic, I have no idea why directors continue to use hand held fast moving cameras during action sequences yet they do. Seeing a blur of mess on the screen as two alien spacecraft destroy Chicago is a joke, you are more than aware of what is happening but for some reason the directors have decided we really don't need to see it. So annoying! The score is nice but again nothing too spectacular it definitely has its moments but if you have seen another film from the 70's you will hear something very familiar.
Jupiter Ascending stars Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Family Guy) as Jupiter Jones, Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street, Magic Mike) as Caine Wise, Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones) Stinger Apini, Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Les Miserables) as Balem Abrasax, Tuppence Middleton (The Imitation Game, Trance) as Kalique Abrasax and Douglas Booth (Noah, The Riot Club) as Titus Abrasax. Personally I feel the wrong cast was chosen no-one in the film did anything for me, no one moved me or made me love them, in fact I'd go as far as saying they were all boring including Mila Kunis who I absolute adore usually. This film missed the mark in so many places it was totally disappointing especially since finding out all the stunts were actually performed by the actors; if only we could actually see them!!! It would have made a world of difference I'm sure.
I loved the idea behind the film and I would actually love to have seen this film be as good as it promised it would be, I'm sad to say it's not. It is entertaining enough to keep you captivated, you will definitely laugh and I have no doubt you will love the worlds and the idea of how they exist, so I'm not saying skip this film altogether I think more I want you to be prepared to be disappointed, so that when you do see it, your expectations will be so low that you will love what you see instead and wonder why I decided to ingest downers before heading to my seat. One last thing I would recommend though is to forget seeing this at the cinema, with so much happening on the screens at once the big screens made it so hard to follow, wait for the DVD and see it at home in the comfort of your home where you can see everything. It is family friendly not that the kids will understand what is going on, so be prepared for a few possibly unanswerable questions after.
Unbroken
(I) (2014)
Sometimes surviving is the hardest part of life
21 February 2015
Films of war are so common now, everything that did or could happened has been recreated in one way or another, whether it be soldiers in the midst of a heavy battle taking fire from every angle, a rescue mission attempting to free trapped civilians by a specialist team, a prison camp and the harshness it endures or the last survivor of a family being brought home after his siblings are lost. One thing we have never really seen though is one man's story and all the hardships he goes through in one lifetime during a lifetime of war. Unbroken is Angelina Jollies third attempt at a major release this time though she got Ethan and Joel Coen on board to write the screenplay. So we know she can act somewhat but how is she when it comes to directing? Unbroken is the true life story of Louis "Louie" Zamperini an Italian-American and his life. The film begins with Louie as a bombardier in the United States Army Air Force flying in a B-24 Liberator bomber, and one of their successful attacks on a Japanese Island from here the film jumps back to a much younger Louis. A trouble maker; he drinks, smokes and starts fights with the other boys. One day after being busted catching a glimpse up some girl's dress beneath the bleachers, Louis brother Peter watches Louis run desperate to get away and decides he will train him to be the best he can be as a runner where Louis makes it to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin
. The film jumps forward again back to 1943 where Louis and his crew are back in the air on another mission, this time however the bomber aircraft they are in falls out of the sky and crashes into the ocean. Louis and two others from the crew make it onto a raft, where they wait to be rescued. Days and nights pass with the hope of being rescued slowly fading away, as their sanity slowly begins to fail as well, eventually the survivors are rescued but unfortunately it's not by their allies
. (Too much to give away if I say anymore here) At first I wasn't over enthused to see this film, thinking it would be just another run of the mill war film, nothing new to happen but for a few new camera shots and maybe some tricky camera work. The way the film opens was absolutely stunning, the camera work in certain scenes was epic and should be respected for what was presented. Amazing action sequences high in the sky something I have never seen done so well. I was a little excited for what was to come but unfortunately I hate to say, it seems as though all the good juice was used for the first 15mins, the film then turns into a sadistic styled torture snuff feature. I understand that it is based on the biography of Louis Zamperini and I hold my hat high to everything the guy went through, I just feel it could have been told or more to the point shown very differently to what has been delivered. The film works well and tells the story that needed to be told personally though I would have loved to have seen what the Coen brothers would have delivered instead. The camera work is superb the locations are amazing, the script is harsh and sometimes a little forced, and the score is inspiring I'm sure Angelina only had the best intentions to bring this story to life I just don't think she pulled off the film the story is worthy of. Running longer than it should never helps either. Starring Jack O'Connell (Skins, 300 – Rise of an Empire) as Louis Zamperini, I'm sure everyone that knew the real man in life would have loved the character Jack O'Connell portrays in the film. Takamasa Ishihara (is actually a musician known as Miyavi) as Mutsuhiro "The Bird" Watanabe, he is very believable in his role at times absolutely horrific, Domhnall Gleeson (as Phil, Harry Potter, True Grit) Garrett Hedlund (Tron, Troy) as Fitzgerald, Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story, Winter's Tale) as Mac. Unbroken isn't anything new, it has been done before, but what you won't get is the story of one man's fight to survive when even the Gods are telling him to give up. Not an ideal family film but seeing a film that was to be banned when released in Japan because it gave them a bad image could be a great thing to discuss after the credits role.
Funny Games
(2007)
A film to push the boundaries of reality and fiction
15 February 2015
There have been a lot of films since the industry began that have attempted to push boundaries, boundaries of reality and fiction, boundaries of what is right and wrong, what is acceptable and unacceptable. "Funny Games" is Michael Haneke's attempt to be "ground breaking". "Anyone who leaves the cinema doesn't need the film, and anybody who stays does." Michael Haneke the writer/director on his film "Funny Games" said back in 1997. Originally this film was made in Austria and in non- English, Henke remade it for his English audiences so he can let his experiment be known to a much wider audience. Funny Games is an experiment in film making it's not a horror as most believe it is, it more a new genre where reality and fiction cross lines. Haneke stated that the film is a reflection and criticism of violence used in media. Funny Game is a psychological thriller that most will find hard to stomach. Those who are a fan of the macabre gene of cinema will have seen this already. I have decided to review it for the simple reason that I found it fascinating and couldn't look away. Sure it was graphic in nature, surreal and hard to stomach but the acting, the script, the nonsense of it all made it worthy. George and Ann Farber, their son Georgie, and their dog Lucky arrive at their holiday home; a lake house ready for a two week vacation. When they arrive they see their neighbour talking with two young men all dressed in tennis whites, soon after one of the men knocks on the door; Paul. Paul asks Ann who is cooking in the kitchen for four eggs as a request from their neighbour, as soon as Ann hands the young man the eggs he drops them, Ann gives him another four eggs feeling a little annoyed and the man leaves. Georgie and Georgie are at the lake in their boat where they can hear Lucky their dog barking hysterically, soon after Paul is back at the door this time with Peter. The young men admire a golf club and then once again ask for four more eggs, apparently their dog Lucky jumping broke them the last time. Ann gets really frustrated after the boys ask for four more eggs and asks them to leave her home. Outside George and Georgie are fixing up their small boat and hear the dog barking nonstop when suddenly there is a yelp and the barking ceases. George and Georgie go back to the house to see Ann worked up and the two boys who won't leave, there is a slight disagreement and George slaps one of the boys. In retaliation Peter breaks George's leg with the golf club he was admiring earlier, it is then the Farber family are told they are being held hostage and won't be alive in nine hours
Michael Pitt (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I Origins) who plays Paul is brilliantly disturbed in his role as is his offsider Peter played by Brady Corbet (Mysterious Skin, Thirteen). Paul constantly picks on Peter's weight and lack of intelligence and tells stories of Peter's past only to then come clean that he has lied. When the boys first arrive they are so polite and well-mannered and as the film progresses they never lose that personality no matter what the circumstance is. They are cold meticulous and rather intelligent it seems so all you can ever wonder is why? Why are they holding this poor family hostage? What is the real reason behind the home invasion? As the film progresses it becomes harder and harder to watch but what makes it so unique is the way Michael often turns towards the camera and smirks as if to say "you know what's coming next don't you" there are a few words actually spoken to us as the audience as well at one point we are asked "who's going to win, do you want to place your bets?" It seems as only Paul ever acknowledges he is in a movie though often referring to the way movies play out and how he is running things to keep the audience (us) entertained. This has been done before but never with such an outrageous character. Naomi Watts (Birdman, St Vincent) plays Ann Farber, Tim Roth (Lie to me, Pulp Fiction) plays George Farber with Devon Gearhart (Shorts, Changeling) as Georgie Farber. Ever character here is perfect in who they need to be it would have been a very hard role to play no matter who you were so I take my hat off to everyone on the screen involved. As I have already said this is not an easy film to watch and whether you decide to watch the original from 1997 or the remake from 2007 you will get exactly the same film, shot for shot. I love what Henke is trying to say here basically he has made a film where he wants you to walk out, he wants you to fail his experiment, he wants to offend every fiber of your soul, but if you do watch till the end what does that mean about who you are as a person? Let me say this last thing about this film, it's not a "Hostel", it's not a "Scream", it's not a "Salo" or a "Serbian Story". You don't actually see much of anything to turn your stomach it's what you hear and what you imagine that will make you ill. I personally wish there wouldn't mind more films of this nature, what this say's about me I'm uncertain. I love a movie that can make me think for days afterwards, a movie you bring up in conversation with friends a movie that makes you wonder about life as a whole. As you can read; this is not a family friendly movie and I would only watch this if you feel mentally stable enough.
Pride
(I) (2014)
An amazing story that brings two very different worlds together for a great cause.
14 February 2015
Some films when they are in pre-release have so much hype and advertising running behind them that by the time the film is actually released we have seen three or four different trailers that have usually given away all the bets bits of the film leaving a sour and disappointing taste in our mouths and a feeling as though we have just wasted our time once we get around to actually seeing them. Then there are some films that deserve the hype and publicity that only ever get minimal, usually these films belong to a film festival and it's only through word of mouth that they make it to their intended audience. Pride is a film that was first released at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival winning a standing ovation and the Queer Palm award from there it went onto a limited release schedule mostly being involved in Queer Film Festivals around the world. Pride is a true life story based around the British Miner's Strike in 1984, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and not very popular, not with miners and especially not with the gay and lesbian community either. Joe, a young naïve closeted gay boy arrives in London to take part in his first gay pride march, soon after arriving Joe is taken in by a local gay and lesbian rights activist group who do their part to raise funds to fight their foe Thatcher and her evil ways. Soon after the group realise that both the Miner's and the gay community have a lot in common they make the decision to start raising funds for the families of the miners in a little Welsh town called Onllwyn. The miners reject the gay and lesbian activists money believing it will do more harm than good for their cause so the group unfazed but a little perplexed decide to take the money personally to the town to hand it over and explain their situation and hopefully form a new alliance against the countries Prime Minister and her party
Pride is set in a very bleak and dark time of British history but I feel that it's never actually shown that way, sure things are dark and gray but I wish the director just added more hardship to his final edit for the film, not being a part of it personally but remembering how harsh it was from school study and other films I have seen over time. I don't think the film was shown as brutally honest as it should have been, from what I know of those days; they were horrid, times were rough and extremely hard, I just wish that it was portrayed a little more than what we were given. That is my only concern with the film, which says a lot I feel. None-the-less it is a fantastic well made, well directed and full of amazing actors that really bring the story to life, the story is really well scripted and the actors chosen in their respective roles have done an amazing job. Staring Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead) as Cliff, Imelda Staunton (Maleficent, Vera Drake) as Hefina Headon, Dominic West (John Carter, The Awakening) as Jonathan Blake, Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, The World's End) as Dai Donovan, George MacKay (How I live Now, Peter Pan) as Joe "Bromley" Cooper who is one of the few fictional characters created for the film and a whole heap of others, it is actually a very great cast everyone did their part to make the film work. As I said earlier the cinematography of the film was good I just wish it was darker like the times it is set in. The director and his crew have done a great job with this film written by Stephen Beresford and directed by Matthew Warchus (Simpatico). Pride is a feel good film with a fantastic story that can be shared with all your loved ones, there are a couple of scenes that may be a deemed a little over the top but perhaps you can use that to answer some curious minds if questions are asked. Pride is an amazing story that brings two very different worlds together for one great cause.
St. Vincent
(2014)
Bill Murray at his best and worst.
31 January 2015
More often than not when a film is released be it a film festival or general release if a film usually gets a high response or an a ward you can take a chance on believing that it will indeed be worthwhile investing some time in. In the case of St Vincent I recall its acclaim when it was shown at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival where it won 2nd runner up as "People's Choice Award" for Best Film. So right there knowing that it was chosen by the people and not by the media heavyweights made it a worthwhile film to see. When a film is made with heart and emotion the people tend to respond quite positively, when characters are developed so well that you can shed a simple tear when they suffer heart ache you know the director and his team have done their job and when you can leave a film and still have it play on your mind days or weeks later you know you have witnessed something fantastic and life altering. Vincent MacKenna is a Vietnam War Veteran living in Brooklyn, like a bear with a sore head he is a bad tempered older gent who mostly keeps to himself, drinks often, gambles more and his one true friend is a pregnant Russian prostitute named Daka. One night after arriving home drunk Vincent all but totally destroys his car trying to get home in an inebriated state. The next morning new neighbours move in and along the way destroy his fence and a large tree branch which comes crashing down on top of his car. Vincent blames the new neighbours a single mother named Maggie and her twelve year old son Oliver and demands she pay for all damages caused by the moving men including the damage he caused himself. This pretty much shows exactly the kind of person Maggie and her son need to put up with in their new home. When Maggie is told she needs to stay back at her workplace one evening she having no other option than to lose her job she begrudgingly employees Vincent as a baby sitter. Vincent not known for being the friendliest of people agrees to certain terms and takes on the job as after school carer for Maggie's young boy. After a non-eventful first sitting Maggie takes on Vincent as full time baby sitter taking the boy along on his daily activities no matter how inappropriate they may be. Vincent is pretty much the colloquial onion and as the film progresses slowly the layers get peeled back as his true self come to light. I have always loved the zany that Bill Murray (Lost in Translation, Ghostbusters) puts into all of his characters, Vincent MacKenna is no different, and I actually found myself wondering how far from his true self the character he was portraying to be really was. Once again though Bill Murray was amazing in the lead role, he has such a charm that he puts into every role he plays, even though his character is an old cantankerous self-indulging slob you can't help but fall in love with who he is and you very quickly learn to admire his quirkiness. Starring alongside Melissa McCarthy (The Heat, Mike and Molly) as Maggie, Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd, Bridesmaids) as Brother Geraghty, Naomi Watts (Birdman, The Ring) and Jaeden Lieberher as Oliver. I think the cast was great, Naomi Watts was so convincing as Daka I loved her and her bad accent. Also Jaeden was very good in his role too being very new to the industry I think he may be a big name in years to come especially with his sweet innocence. Theodore Melfi wrote and directed St Vincent and surprisingly its his first feature film, the guy has a lot of talent, he really knows how to carry a story I guess without trying to take anything away from him, having such seasonal actors to work with has only helped his credit rating raise through the roof. I'm really looking forward to his future films. One thing I am glad of though is originally Vincent was to be played by Jack Nicholson, sure I think he would have done a fantastic job but I feel it would have been exactly like many characters Jack has portrayed before, I'm not sure why Jack didn't get the role but I'm sort of glad he didn't. St Vincent is an amazing ride, slow in a few places but at its heart keeps you entertained from beginning to end. It's a film with a lot of heart and a lot of laughs along the way, with some great performances. It's a film that will have you question your own life I'm sure and those within.
What We Do in the Shadows
(2014)
A Vampire tale you will not soon forget
31 January 2015
Some people love documentaries, some people despise them, myself I'm somewhat in the middle, of course the subject has to interest me somewhat for me to even take a look at. Mockumentaries on the other hand I love (when done well) When it comes to mockumentaries, anything and everything goes, there are no real rules, as long as it's somewhat believable, interesting and makes us laugh usually a mockumentary is well received. Give anything some interesting characters and a reality storyline and it's usually enough to make us want to watch. I personally had never heard of "What we do in the shadows" until a friend asked me my thoughts, after watching the trailer I had the film in no time ready to watch. Viago, Deacon, Petyr and Vladislav are four housemates who rent a property in New Zealand, they have lived together for a very long time and know all there is to know about each other, the guys have one thing in common; they are all vampires and each of them is between 100 and 300 years old, never aging from the time they were originally turned. The film follows three of the group as they go about their daily business from their eating habits to their cleaning habits even introducing us at one point to their enemies. Along the way they meet Nick who is turned and decide they need to show him their world and how to survive it on a day to day basis. What we do in the shadows is a laugh a minute, literally. Line after line of jokes, wit and humour never end. Being a mockumentary film the character development is quite strong, you do actually end up feeling sorry and getting involved in each of their lives and the journey they undertake. I personally thought the characters were fantastic, each had their quirks and quips which made them stand out for their own reasons. Starring Jemaine Clement (Eagle Vs Shark, Flight of the Conchords) as Vladislav. Taika Waititi (Eagle vs Shark, Boy) as Viago. Jonathan Brugh (How to meet girls from a distance) as Deacon. Ben Fransham (30 Days of Night, The Ferryman) as Petyr and Cori Gonzalez-Macuer (Eagle vs Shark) as Nick. The guys were brilliant, funny and captivating, never taking themselves too seriously but seriously enough to engage you in their mishaps and adventures. The film is based around a short film made by the same people in 2006, being a mockumentary the camera work is pretty much hand held camera work, but it works well in its style and you never feel you're missing anything. The directors, writers and actors who all worked together have done an outstanding job in making some good fun lighthearted entertainment. Not really one for the younger kids and the teens won't really get all the hidden jokes throughout but I think mums and dads who have a slightly warped sense of humour will love it.
Riddick
(2013)
Sometimes your only option is to kill so you can survive
26 January 2015
Trilogy's; Why do they exist, what is it that makes a writer, director, producer, film company say to themselves "this story will be told in three parts" Why do they find it so necessary? Is it all about the financial side of things? Or is it more deep rooted and they believe that the story they have to tell is so intense it will only be given a true identity if told over time. Ever since the dawn of cinema sequels and trilogies have been made but my question for you reading this right now is. Are they necessary? Why can't we take the entire story in just one sitting, perhaps less dialogue for those action films, or perhaps less landscape shots for the travelling films? Either way Riddick is the third installment of the Chronicle of Riddick films written by David Twohy, who previously wrote and directed the first two installments, Pitch Black (2000) and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004). All staring Vin Diesel as the man Riddick. I'm not sure if this particular trilogy is necessary I mean I loved the sequel The Chronicles of Riddick and kind of had high hopes for the finale. Following on from "The Chronicles of Riddick" film of 2004 Riddick has become uneasy in his role as Lord Marshall of the Necromonger fleet. He refuses to swear into the Necromonger faith which has caused lost trust among his people. Commander Vaako wishes to take Riddick's place as Lord Marshall so Riddick comes to an agreement with the man that he will take Riddick back to his home of Furya to live out his life. One of Vaako's aides Krone takes Riddick and few other soldiers to the planet but it isn't long before Riddick realises he has been played and he is in fact not on Freya but some other lost planet. Krone in an attempt to execute Riddick causes a landslide and buries Riddick alive, believing he has done what no- one else seemed capable of he then leaves the planet unaware Riddick has survived. Riddick ends up composing himself; fixing his broken leg he begins his long trek to find a way off the planet. Along the way he befriends a canine like animal as well as some alien creatures looking for their next meal. Riddick finds an abandoned mercenary station where he activates an emergency beacon in an attempt to get off the planet. The beacon ends up bringing two ships to the planet, as the time plays on a storm is getting ever closer Riddick is well aware of what that storm is bringing and needs to desperately leave the planet's surface before it's too late
I've never been a huge fan of Vin Diesel( Need for Speed, XXX), I find him to be a perfect definition of the term "meat head" all brawn and very little brains, I mean sure he has done some decent things in the past but can you honestly say he's one of Hollywood's greatest stars? In saying that he doesn't disappoint in the third installment of The Chronicles of Riddick, his character is a meat head so I doubt any acting skills came into play whatsoever. You don't like him, you don't care for him, the character is lifeless, he says very little and if it wasn't for the awesome CGI companion he meets along the way this film would be unwatchable. What I did love though was the CGI; from the aliens to the canine I thought it was outstanding, great creature designs. The locations were amazing, not exactly sure where it was shot or even if it was all green screen, either way it looked amazing. The supporting actors Karl Urban, (Star Trek, Dredd) Jordi Mollà, (Bad Boys II, Blow) Matt Nable, (Arrow, Underbelly) Katee Sackhoff, (Battlestar Galactica, Longmire) and Dave Bautista (WWE, The Man With the Iron Fists) just to mention a few were just as terrible and really did nothing on screen worth mentioning. Riddick is a good film for what it is, it's classed as Sci-fi not sure if I agree with that though, it defiantly has sci-fi elements to it but then so does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It's great that David Twohy returned to his original idea of Pitch Black for the final installment with the setting and critters but due to the poor acting and even poorer storyline (especially after the second installment which I really enjoyed and totally class as Sci-fi) I really believe this is film to watch when you have nothing else to watch and you just want to watch something mindless. Not for the kids due to very graphic death scenes.
The Normal Heart
(2014 TV Movie)
A no holds barred telling of the birth of HIV/AIDS when it first hit
26 January 2015
HIV/AIDS these days is almost unheard of, depending on your social circles that is, we all know people who know people who have known people from the 80's/90's that passed away due to the nasty disease and no doubt we have all seen movies or read books that explore the terrible illness as well. It has touched my life personally as well, as I had a few friends diagnosed in the 90's and it is something that has always put fear in my heart. With the education and knowledge surrounding the disease now though we are a lot further advanced when it comes to how to handle those who have caught or are living with the dreaded disease. One thing we have never seen before though is the brutality that came with it, especially when it was first discovered. The Normal Heart is a work of fiction bought to life as a TV movie by the same writer who penned the stage version in 1985 Larry Kramer, add to the mix TV director Ryan Murphy of Glee and American Horror Story fame and the two bring forth a film version of the play.
Summer of 1981, Ned Weeks is a loud opinionated outspoken New York writer who arrives at Fire Island to celebrate the birthday of his long-time friend Mike's partner Craig. Ned is an openly gay guy which is almost unheard of amongst his social groups, most of his friends are closeted for family or work reason, the party is filled with guys he has known throughout the years. Ned's friend Micky who is dating Craig decide to go for a walk along the beach suddenly Craig feels dizzy and collapses. Later in the afternoon Craig is ready to blow out his birthday candles and suddenly begins to cough uncontrollably. Back in New York City Ned after reading an article about the new disease that seems to be killing off gay men meets up with Dr Emma Brookner who is doing her best to raise awareness about this new disease that only appears to be affecting the gay men of New York. Ned organises a gathering at his home and invites every gay man he can to help educate them and spread the word. From the meeting, Ned and a few friends form a Community Group calling themselves Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) where they help other men who are suffering or know of others suffering with a call centre and general advice
The performances from this TV movie are outstanding, Ned Weeks is a man you loathe due to his arrogance and loud mouth but he is played brilliantly by Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers, Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind) Matt Bomer's (White Collar, In Time) transformation has to be seen to be believed as his body slowly deteriorates within the three years the film takes place over. With one of her finest performances to date in my opinion Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman, Eat Pray Love) excels as Dr Emma Brookner. Also starring Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Taylor Kitsch and a whole heap of others. I felt the performances by everyone were amazing, a rare opportunity to say the cast was chosen perfectly. Ryan Murphy has done a great job with the film, nothing too fancy more letting the actors star and deliver their lines the way it should be.
It's a very heavy film; some scenes are very distressing and no doubt most will need the tissues handy. A great film that tells how things were in the beginning of the AIDS crisis that struck the world without ever apologising for its brutality and heavy delivery. I feel like there is a lot more more I should say about the film but in doing so will give away too much. Well worth watching even though it is a little longer than I feel it needs to be.
Summer of 1981, Ned Weeks is a loud opinionated outspoken New York writer who arrives at Fire Island to celebrate the birthday of his long-time friend Mike's partner Craig. Ned is an openly gay guy which is almost unheard of amongst his social groups, most of his friends are closeted for family or work reason, the party is filled with guys he has known throughout the years. Ned's friend Micky who is dating Craig decide to go for a walk along the beach suddenly Craig feels dizzy and collapses. Later in the afternoon Craig is ready to blow out his birthday candles and suddenly begins to cough uncontrollably. Back in New York City Ned after reading an article about the new disease that seems to be killing off gay men meets up with Dr Emma Brookner who is doing her best to raise awareness about this new disease that only appears to be affecting the gay men of New York. Ned organises a gathering at his home and invites every gay man he can to help educate them and spread the word. From the meeting, Ned and a few friends form a Community Group calling themselves Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) where they help other men who are suffering or know of others suffering with a call centre and general advice
The performances from this TV movie are outstanding, Ned Weeks is a man you loathe due to his arrogance and loud mouth but he is played brilliantly by Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers, Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind) Matt Bomer's (White Collar, In Time) transformation has to be seen to be believed as his body slowly deteriorates within the three years the film takes place over. With one of her finest performances to date in my opinion Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman, Eat Pray Love) excels as Dr Emma Brookner. Also starring Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Taylor Kitsch and a whole heap of others. I felt the performances by everyone were amazing, a rare opportunity to say the cast was chosen perfectly. Ryan Murphy has done a great job with the film, nothing too fancy more letting the actors star and deliver their lines the way it should be.
It's a very heavy film; some scenes are very distressing and no doubt most will need the tissues handy. A great film that tells how things were in the beginning of the AIDS crisis that struck the world without ever apologising for its brutality and heavy delivery. I feel like there is a lot more more I should say about the film but in doing so will give away too much. Well worth watching even though it is a little longer than I feel it needs to be.
Big Hero 6
(2014)
Who wouldn't want the ultimate best friend?
24 January 2015
I have always loved animated films, whether they be by Walt Disney, DreamWorks, Marvel, Miyazaki or any other storytellers out there, but of late I haven't enjoyed the anime style and artwork that has been delivered. Personally I thought Frozen was so over rated, sure there was a couple of good tunes, cool, characters, interesting storyline, but it lacked that special something Mr. Disney and his crew always managed in years gone by to bring out in me. Don't get me wrong I do really like frozen but nowhere near as much as I am supposed to according to everyone else on the planet. I'm not sure what it is that I love about animated films or where the love developed from but I find myself far more attracted to them in my later years than I ever did in my earlier life. So when I heard about Big Hero 6 and the fact that both Disney and Marvel were collaborating together I pretty much had instant tingles, my expectations without seeing a single thing went higher than any film I have anticipated before. What the hell was Big Hero 6 and why hadn't I heard of it up until now?!? Why did I ever stop reading the comics!?!?
Hiro Hamada is a young 14 year old boy genius who knows how to make things work, he loves his gadgets and robots. Hiro lives in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo with his brother Tadashi and his aunt who has taken the boys in after the loss of their parents when Hiro was three years old. Hiro spends most of his days creating and then destroying robots in underground robot battles for cash, the robots he creates devastate the competition without any mercy. After being arrested for attending one of these illegal battles Tadashi on the promise of taking Hiro to another back alley for another fight detours to his university where Hiro discovers that the genius gene doesn't fall far from the tree at all. Tadeshi introduces Hiro to his five Uni friends who each are working on their own scientific breakthroughs. Wasabi, Go Go, Honey Lemon, and Fred. Tadeshi then shows Hiro his latest work, a personal walking talking health specialist named Baymax who can cure all with his sweet soft tones and loving temperament. Hiro instantly loves what he sees within the university and decides he must attend. To get into the university the heads of the campus hold a special talent show where potential applicants can show their work and hopefully the university board are convinced enough to sign up the entrants giving them a scholarship to attend. Hiro creates a way to revolutionise life as we know it and wins his way into the university to the joy of everyone. While celebrating and getting ready to leave a tragedy strikes the university and Hiro loses far more than his exciting new project. With the help of his new five friends from the Uni Hiro reinvents Baymax and together the team of 6 become heroes ready to find the truth to what really happened
I thought this film had it all, I loved it from its beginning to its after credits surprise. I laughed pretty much all the way though, Baymax really grabs hold of you by your heart strings, you can't help but fall in absolute love with him. The way the animators make him move and react is adorable and will definitely keep you smiling throughout. The animation is outstanding and deserves so much applause, everything from the 3D art work to the colour to the rendering is perfect, there is nothing to pick at here in the way the film is made. The voice acting isn't any different either, the directors Don Hall and Chris Williams have chosen an amazing cast and all do a fantastic job for their individual characters as well as their group dynamics, with a couple of recognizable voices amongst the fray as well you will totally love everyone. Staring the voice talents of Scott Adsit as Baymax, Ryan Potter as Hiro, Daniel Henney as Tadashi, T.J. Miller as Fred, Jamie Chung as Go, Damon Wayans Jr. as Wasabi, Genesis Rodriguez as Honey Lemon, James Cromwell as Robert Callaghan and Alan Tudyk as Alistair Krei. It's a film that really surpassed all my expectations and hopefully will do the same for you. If I had to pick on one thing the story was a little weak and predictable but not enough to concern anyone, you will still thoroughly enjoy every second of Big Hero 6.
Big Hero 6 is a compassionate feel good loving caring and fun time adventure you're entire family will love. Get your popcorn ready and fall in love with Baymax.
Hiro Hamada is a young 14 year old boy genius who knows how to make things work, he loves his gadgets and robots. Hiro lives in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo with his brother Tadashi and his aunt who has taken the boys in after the loss of their parents when Hiro was three years old. Hiro spends most of his days creating and then destroying robots in underground robot battles for cash, the robots he creates devastate the competition without any mercy. After being arrested for attending one of these illegal battles Tadashi on the promise of taking Hiro to another back alley for another fight detours to his university where Hiro discovers that the genius gene doesn't fall far from the tree at all. Tadeshi introduces Hiro to his five Uni friends who each are working on their own scientific breakthroughs. Wasabi, Go Go, Honey Lemon, and Fred. Tadeshi then shows Hiro his latest work, a personal walking talking health specialist named Baymax who can cure all with his sweet soft tones and loving temperament. Hiro instantly loves what he sees within the university and decides he must attend. To get into the university the heads of the campus hold a special talent show where potential applicants can show their work and hopefully the university board are convinced enough to sign up the entrants giving them a scholarship to attend. Hiro creates a way to revolutionise life as we know it and wins his way into the university to the joy of everyone. While celebrating and getting ready to leave a tragedy strikes the university and Hiro loses far more than his exciting new project. With the help of his new five friends from the Uni Hiro reinvents Baymax and together the team of 6 become heroes ready to find the truth to what really happened
I thought this film had it all, I loved it from its beginning to its after credits surprise. I laughed pretty much all the way though, Baymax really grabs hold of you by your heart strings, you can't help but fall in absolute love with him. The way the animators make him move and react is adorable and will definitely keep you smiling throughout. The animation is outstanding and deserves so much applause, everything from the 3D art work to the colour to the rendering is perfect, there is nothing to pick at here in the way the film is made. The voice acting isn't any different either, the directors Don Hall and Chris Williams have chosen an amazing cast and all do a fantastic job for their individual characters as well as their group dynamics, with a couple of recognizable voices amongst the fray as well you will totally love everyone. Staring the voice talents of Scott Adsit as Baymax, Ryan Potter as Hiro, Daniel Henney as Tadashi, T.J. Miller as Fred, Jamie Chung as Go, Damon Wayans Jr. as Wasabi, Genesis Rodriguez as Honey Lemon, James Cromwell as Robert Callaghan and Alan Tudyk as Alistair Krei. It's a film that really surpassed all my expectations and hopefully will do the same for you. If I had to pick on one thing the story was a little weak and predictable but not enough to concern anyone, you will still thoroughly enjoy every second of Big Hero 6.
Big Hero 6 is a compassionate feel good loving caring and fun time adventure you're entire family will love. Get your popcorn ready and fall in love with Baymax.
Beautifully shot, brilliantly acted. I just wanted more
23 January 2015
I will admit that this film kicked my ass, I read a lot of reviews before seeing it ensuring none of them gave away the story. I'm not sure though whether what I read misguided my imagination from what I actually seen or the film was so over hyped that what I eventually ended up watching didn't live up to the expectation as predicted. I ummed and ahhhed over re-watching the film before reviewing it again but in the end have decided watching it again would be unfair and to be an honest review I should write my first thoughts. Perhaps I'll write a second review sometime in the future, for now though I'm going with my original feelings and thoughts and penning that hopefully this review will leave make way for some great discussions.
Riggan Thompson sits in his dressing room mediating, he hovers about three feet off the ground legs folded and hands in a praying position. Riggan Thompson was once a great comic book turned movie hero to the film industry with a legion of fans, that was all back in the 1990's. Since leaving half way through the third and fourth films his career took a dive, these days he is a washed up almost forgotten actor so to make his way back to the hearts of his fans and create some new ones he decides he will write, direct and star in an adaption of a Raymond Carver story "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". The play is set to debut in the St James Theatre in New York, 24 hours before the first preview screening one the main actors is injured and can't do the play. He brings in a very well-known method actor Mike Shiner who has done more than enough to empress Riggan. During his first preview screening Shiner does the unthinkable and Riggan's world suddenly comes crashing down around him, his estranged relationship with his daughter gets father apart, his best friend turns on him and to top it all off a famous and reviewer has threatened to destroy the play no matter how good it actually is. With Riggan's "birdman" attacking him from the inside slowly Riggan's world becomes more than he can handle but what and how will he make this all work .
The first and last thing you will notice about this film is that of the amazing camera work, the entire film appears to be shot in one single take which is absolutely stunning to behold, fantastic idea by both the director Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Babel) and his lead cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, the second thing you will notice is the brilliant acting by Michael Keaton (Batman, Beetlejuice) who plays Riggan Thompson, he is amazing in his role very believable you almost think that perhaps he isn't at all acting but being himself which must be the sign of a true genius, add to the amazing acting the stunning performance by Edward Norton (American History X, Fight Club) who plays Mike Shinner, I loved his character and thought he really helped the film where it would have otherwise fallen down. I found the story though very lack luster, almost boring, I personally believe it just tried too hard to be an art-house but failed, sure it had its moments and the camera work is more than enough to class this film as amazing, as is the acting from Michael Keaton and Edward Norton, I felt it needed a lot more though to deserve all the acclaim it's so far received. Also in the cast is Zach Galifianakis as Jake, Emma Stone as Sam and Naomi Watts as Leslie.
Birdman is a film that needs your full undivided attention, I personally don't believe it will be for everyone, it is a very intellectual film (perhaps that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else) It's a film that will take you deep inside a man's mind and what makes him tick, it's a film that will wish for that little bit more and lastly I believe it's a film that lies to you especially if you have seen the trailer so don't expect no big budget action film as the trailer leads you to believe.
Riggan Thompson sits in his dressing room mediating, he hovers about three feet off the ground legs folded and hands in a praying position. Riggan Thompson was once a great comic book turned movie hero to the film industry with a legion of fans, that was all back in the 1990's. Since leaving half way through the third and fourth films his career took a dive, these days he is a washed up almost forgotten actor so to make his way back to the hearts of his fans and create some new ones he decides he will write, direct and star in an adaption of a Raymond Carver story "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". The play is set to debut in the St James Theatre in New York, 24 hours before the first preview screening one the main actors is injured and can't do the play. He brings in a very well-known method actor Mike Shiner who has done more than enough to empress Riggan. During his first preview screening Shiner does the unthinkable and Riggan's world suddenly comes crashing down around him, his estranged relationship with his daughter gets father apart, his best friend turns on him and to top it all off a famous and reviewer has threatened to destroy the play no matter how good it actually is. With Riggan's "birdman" attacking him from the inside slowly Riggan's world becomes more than he can handle but what and how will he make this all work .
The first and last thing you will notice about this film is that of the amazing camera work, the entire film appears to be shot in one single take which is absolutely stunning to behold, fantastic idea by both the director Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Babel) and his lead cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, the second thing you will notice is the brilliant acting by Michael Keaton (Batman, Beetlejuice) who plays Riggan Thompson, he is amazing in his role very believable you almost think that perhaps he isn't at all acting but being himself which must be the sign of a true genius, add to the amazing acting the stunning performance by Edward Norton (American History X, Fight Club) who plays Mike Shinner, I loved his character and thought he really helped the film where it would have otherwise fallen down. I found the story though very lack luster, almost boring, I personally believe it just tried too hard to be an art-house but failed, sure it had its moments and the camera work is more than enough to class this film as amazing, as is the acting from Michael Keaton and Edward Norton, I felt it needed a lot more though to deserve all the acclaim it's so far received. Also in the cast is Zach Galifianakis as Jake, Emma Stone as Sam and Naomi Watts as Leslie.
Birdman is a film that needs your full undivided attention, I personally don't believe it will be for everyone, it is a very intellectual film (perhaps that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else) It's a film that will take you deep inside a man's mind and what makes him tick, it's a film that will wish for that little bit more and lastly I believe it's a film that lies to you especially if you have seen the trailer so don't expect no big budget action film as the trailer leads you to believe.
Godzilla
(2014)
Monster movie the way it should be
19 January 2015
Monster movies are great for one reason; what if? Over the years Godzilla the beast of all beasts has gone through some monstrous treatment by movie makers who believe they can tell his story and give it some justice. Godzilla is a character developed by the Japanese he has so far stared in 28 movies and a couple of TV series. Personally Godzilla has always been a favourite; I have always had a love of giant monsters, beasts, and creations. I've absolutely hated a lot of the films that have been made so far of Godzilla so I was really hoping that this version will finally see justice done and deliver something to remember, this explains why it took me so long to give it a viewing, I just couldn't handle another fake, horrible, iguana looking creature
1954, there are nuclear bombs being detonated in the middle of the ocean, loud screams of a giant beast can be heard and we get a slight glimpse of some back scales, seems as though the bombs they are dropping are being dropped to destroy something; something very large. 1999 and we are somewhere over the Philippines, a helicopter hovers over a very large mine a Japanese researcher named Ichiro Serizawa finds out that the men there have discovered a monstrous cavern after a cave collapse, inside the cavern the scientist and his assistant discover a very large skeleton unlike anything they have ever seen. Hanging from the cavern are two what appears to be cocoons, one is hatched and appears to be what has made the cave as it dragged its monstrous size across the land and into the ocean. Joe Brady is in Japan trying frantically to organise a meeting to close down the power plant on the island due to very large seismic activity. While in the nuclear plant another tremor happens and before anyone can do anything about it there is a major breach, disaster strikes in more ways than one as the plant comes crashing down killing thousands. 2014 Joe Brady's son Lt Ford Brody has made it back home to wife and son in San Francisco but now needs to go back to Japan to bail his father out of prison. Joe Brady has been searching for answers ever since the meltdown and will do what needs to be done to find them. He makes it back to the island where the plant was originally only to discover the truth to what the local government has been hiding. Godzilla is a monster film unlike any other, it's a trip back to yesteryear, it is a montage to all things BIG but best of all it's a movie that gets it so right. To say there were things done amazingly well would be an insult. The CGI of the Monsters in this movie is second to none, it is outstanding, and a lot of the times BIG means a horrible mess, there are very few films where the big creatures look as menacing and as beautiful as they should. Unfortunately though there is so much that lets the film down as well, horrible acting, very weak storyline, and very BIG plot holes. Personally I feel the good outweighs the bad but I'm sure thousands will disagree. I can forgive the director and the films continuity where it was missing for the amazing creatures he and his team have created. The acting is extremely underwhelming, you don't care about any one of them, at its core it is a story of finding the lost partner once again. Ford making his way back to San Francisco to be with his wife and child before the creatures destroy the city around them. Lt Ford Brody is played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson (The Illusionist, Kick Ass) his wife Elle Brody played by Elizabeth Olsen (Oldboy, Kill your Darlings) Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Argo) plays Joe Brody apparently (reading other reviews) he was great in his role, personally I didn't see anything to make him the star. Also Ken Watanabe (Inception, Batman Begins) as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa and Sally Hawkins (Layer Cake, Blue Jasmine) both deserve a mention for their roles as unforgettable as they were. Godzilla should be seen to be enjoyed, it's not at all a masterpiece of cinematic viewing, but it is a monster of a monster movie and that's all it really needs to be. Personally I was so happy with what I seen on the screen ( really want to say more but don't want to give it away) It blew me away and took me back to my childhood. The director Gareth Edwards I feel did an amazing job with the CGI and special effects just next time I think more care needs to be taken with his stars. There are two sequels being made so lets just wait to see what's next.
12 Years a Slave
(2013)
A brutal true tale of slavery in the 1800's
15 January 2015
One thing I have learnt about film making is that if you can make your audience feel then you have a winner, whether that be by laughter, sadness, grief it doesn't matter, all that matters is you make them feel. I have seen many films that have made me feel something but the ones that have stuck with me over the years are the films I consider to be some of my all-time favourites. I'm still undecided whether 12 Years a Slave will fall into one of my favourites of all time but if it does it will only because of one reason
12 Years a Slave is based on a true story told by Solomon Northup the year is 1841 Solomon Northup is a free African American who makes a living by being a great violinist, he is well educated and what is very rare for that time he knows how to write and spell. Solomon is married and has two young children. One day he is approached by two men who ask him to join them in a trip to Washington DC to play a two week gig with his violin. Not long into the trip the two men drug Solomon and sell him into slavery. Solomon's name is changed to Platt by the slaver as well as where he is from which is now Georgia, he is sold to a plantation owner named Ford who looks after Platt quite well once he learns that he is a smarter than he lets on, unfortunately though there others who feel that it is their God given write to treat "niggers" as animals and go about doing just that. Platt is eventually sold on to protect himself to a malicious man Edwin Epps from here it's about Platt surviving anyway he can.
As I stated earlier this is a film designed to make you feel, and it does It so well, I guarantee you have a mix of emotions running through you from the opening to the credits and for me that is what makes an amazing film. The director Steve McQueen has only a few films under his belt but a whole lot of shorts and I fell he has done an amazing job, he hasn't done anything over the top its actually a very simple shoot. What he has done well is keep it simple, easy to follow, edgy and brutally honest. The beatings in this film can only be compared to "The Passion of the Christ" in their brutality and severity. The true heroes though are the actors, which I think every one of them have done an amazing job. Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Children of Men) is outstanding as Solomon Northup/Pratt, I can't help but imagine what the guy must have felt shooting some of those scenes he had to endeavour but either way he was amazing. Michael Fassbender (X-Men, Inglorious Bastards) was equally as amazing in his role, again I honestly believe he would have had nightmares after portraying his character he was very intense and so brutal. There are many other actors who all deserve recognition I think the entire cast should hold their heads up high for what they have accomplished here. I found it a little slow in places but not enough to worry really especially the first 10mins.
This isn't a feel good for humanity film, this is a film that will make you hate yourself, it'll make you think about that last joke you told, it'll make you appreciate everything you have today. It is a film that will make you heart ache; so get the tissues ready. To sum it up it is an amazing film for all the wrong reasons.
12 Years a Slave is based on a true story told by Solomon Northup the year is 1841 Solomon Northup is a free African American who makes a living by being a great violinist, he is well educated and what is very rare for that time he knows how to write and spell. Solomon is married and has two young children. One day he is approached by two men who ask him to join them in a trip to Washington DC to play a two week gig with his violin. Not long into the trip the two men drug Solomon and sell him into slavery. Solomon's name is changed to Platt by the slaver as well as where he is from which is now Georgia, he is sold to a plantation owner named Ford who looks after Platt quite well once he learns that he is a smarter than he lets on, unfortunately though there others who feel that it is their God given write to treat "niggers" as animals and go about doing just that. Platt is eventually sold on to protect himself to a malicious man Edwin Epps from here it's about Platt surviving anyway he can.
As I stated earlier this is a film designed to make you feel, and it does It so well, I guarantee you have a mix of emotions running through you from the opening to the credits and for me that is what makes an amazing film. The director Steve McQueen has only a few films under his belt but a whole lot of shorts and I fell he has done an amazing job, he hasn't done anything over the top its actually a very simple shoot. What he has done well is keep it simple, easy to follow, edgy and brutally honest. The beatings in this film can only be compared to "The Passion of the Christ" in their brutality and severity. The true heroes though are the actors, which I think every one of them have done an amazing job. Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Children of Men) is outstanding as Solomon Northup/Pratt, I can't help but imagine what the guy must have felt shooting some of those scenes he had to endeavour but either way he was amazing. Michael Fassbender (X-Men, Inglorious Bastards) was equally as amazing in his role, again I honestly believe he would have had nightmares after portraying his character he was very intense and so brutal. There are many other actors who all deserve recognition I think the entire cast should hold their heads up high for what they have accomplished here. I found it a little slow in places but not enough to worry really especially the first 10mins.
This isn't a feel good for humanity film, this is a film that will make you hate yourself, it'll make you think about that last joke you told, it'll make you appreciate everything you have today. It is a film that will make you heart ache; so get the tissues ready. To sum it up it is an amazing film for all the wrong reasons.
The Hundred-Foot Journey
(2014)
My kitchen rules set in France
14 January 2015
The 100 Foot Journey
When I was younger I was a chef for a while, it wasn't my first choice in career but it was something I was very lucky to fall into. I have never actually worked out though whether I enjoyed the job or hated it. I recall the relentless hours of prep, the long nights, the early mornings, the more than incompetent staff but I have never known within myself how I truly felt about the career, but now every time I watch some silly film that involves cooking the idea of being a chef and heading back into a kitchen to suffer all the atrocities that I have already lived through once just seem so welcoming. I do have an idea for a food van that I've mulled over for several decades but yet to do anything with, perhaps that's where I should leave those thoughts, lay. This is another one of those films that makes me want to slap the hat and apron back on and get all hot and sweaty over a stove once again.
The 100 foot journey tells the story of the Kadam family and and in particular their second eldest son Hassan. The Kadam family run a very popular Indian restaurant where the mother is preparing her son Hassan to take over so she can retire. After an election has been held some not so happy people go on a rampage and throw a Molotov cocktail at the restaurant, unfortunately the Kadam's loose more than their restaurant during the process, they decide moving to Europe is the answer. As the family are traveling through France in an old run down van, the brakes suddenly give way and they find themselves in a picturesque village with a small town with a few hundred residents. The family is taken in by a young woman Marguerite who houses and feeds the family, Papa Kadam decides he loves how fresh and luscious everything is and arranges to buy an old abandoned restaurant and reopen his Indian based restaurant once again. 100 feet away directly across the road is a Michelin Star restaurant Le Saule Pleureur (The Weeping Willow) which is run by Madam Mallory, a very uptight business owner who has no intention of letting the Kadams run their restaurant and does what she can to sabotage them. There is a lot more that takes place but I really don't want to give anymore away.
The 100 foot journey is a tale as old as time it's a story where you know how it will finish as soon as it begins, it has its tragedy, its love, its dishonour, and of course it's more than predictable happy ending. I'm not saying that's a bad formula because we all know how romantic comedies tend to travel along, I just wish there was a surprise from time to time to change things up a little unfortunately though this is the same formula no surprises anywhere. Lasse Hallström (Chocolate, What's Eating Gilbert Grape) directed this one and once again I feel he has done a great job, the scenery and city locations he has chosen are gorgeous for all the right reasons, as are the two very different restaurants where the majority of the film takes place. The actors do their best with a simple script, there are some great moments especially between Madam Mallory played by Dame Helen Mirren (The Queen, RED)and Papa Kadam played by Om Puri, (Gandhi, East is East) Manish Dayal who plays Hassan is very good in his role, I would have liked to see more but I'm not sure if that is his fault or the directors, also his love interest Marguerite played by Charlotte Le Bon was very good.
All in all, you won't miss much if you don't see this film. It is a good fun film for the family to enjoy and kept me entertained for many reasons, it does have enough to make it unique in what it offers but not enough to make it stand out amongst an ever growing field of competition.
When I was younger I was a chef for a while, it wasn't my first choice in career but it was something I was very lucky to fall into. I have never actually worked out though whether I enjoyed the job or hated it. I recall the relentless hours of prep, the long nights, the early mornings, the more than incompetent staff but I have never known within myself how I truly felt about the career, but now every time I watch some silly film that involves cooking the idea of being a chef and heading back into a kitchen to suffer all the atrocities that I have already lived through once just seem so welcoming. I do have an idea for a food van that I've mulled over for several decades but yet to do anything with, perhaps that's where I should leave those thoughts, lay. This is another one of those films that makes me want to slap the hat and apron back on and get all hot and sweaty over a stove once again.
The 100 foot journey tells the story of the Kadam family and and in particular their second eldest son Hassan. The Kadam family run a very popular Indian restaurant where the mother is preparing her son Hassan to take over so she can retire. After an election has been held some not so happy people go on a rampage and throw a Molotov cocktail at the restaurant, unfortunately the Kadam's loose more than their restaurant during the process, they decide moving to Europe is the answer. As the family are traveling through France in an old run down van, the brakes suddenly give way and they find themselves in a picturesque village with a small town with a few hundred residents. The family is taken in by a young woman Marguerite who houses and feeds the family, Papa Kadam decides he loves how fresh and luscious everything is and arranges to buy an old abandoned restaurant and reopen his Indian based restaurant once again. 100 feet away directly across the road is a Michelin Star restaurant Le Saule Pleureur (The Weeping Willow) which is run by Madam Mallory, a very uptight business owner who has no intention of letting the Kadams run their restaurant and does what she can to sabotage them. There is a lot more that takes place but I really don't want to give anymore away.
The 100 foot journey is a tale as old as time it's a story where you know how it will finish as soon as it begins, it has its tragedy, its love, its dishonour, and of course it's more than predictable happy ending. I'm not saying that's a bad formula because we all know how romantic comedies tend to travel along, I just wish there was a surprise from time to time to change things up a little unfortunately though this is the same formula no surprises anywhere. Lasse Hallström (Chocolate, What's Eating Gilbert Grape) directed this one and once again I feel he has done a great job, the scenery and city locations he has chosen are gorgeous for all the right reasons, as are the two very different restaurants where the majority of the film takes place. The actors do their best with a simple script, there are some great moments especially between Madam Mallory played by Dame Helen Mirren (The Queen, RED)and Papa Kadam played by Om Puri, (Gandhi, East is East) Manish Dayal who plays Hassan is very good in his role, I would have liked to see more but I'm not sure if that is his fault or the directors, also his love interest Marguerite played by Charlotte Le Bon was very good.
All in all, you won't miss much if you don't see this film. It is a good fun film for the family to enjoy and kept me entertained for many reasons, it does have enough to make it unique in what it offers but not enough to make it stand out amongst an ever growing field of competition.
300: Rise of an Empire
(2014)
A bloody mess in more ways than one
11 January 2015
Some of my favourite films are history based especially based around the bible (don't get the wrong impression of me here people) Their big budgets, big actors, huge sets and old school Technicolor values just have a way of keeping me captivated. I personally believe some bible stories have made the best movies. Egyptian mythology is one of the ones I truly do love as well as Greek, and after seeing 300 which I gave 4 out of 5 BanShee Screams I was really looking forward to its follow up
300 Rise of an Empire is the follow up to Frank Millers 300 which was written and directed by Jack Snyder, the follow up was again written by Jack Snyder but this time directed by Noam Murro an absolute nobody and doesn't it show. Imitation is the highest form of flattery so they say, but is that true? I guess it really all depends on the art form. Frank Miller is famous for his graphic novels and some of them have been brought to life quite well unfortunately 300 Rise of an Empire is nothing but a bloody mess; and I mean that quite literally. The screen is so filled with blood and body parts flying across the screen it actually becomes quite comical even though it is far from the intention I'm sure of all involved.
Rise of an Empire takes place before, during and after 300 the first film, Xerxes still has his war planned and still wants to take over the Greeks, with his right hand woman Artemisia leading the attack this time by sea. Greek general Themistokles leads the Greek warriors this time to stop the invading army That there is the plot, nothing more and nothing less.
This film is a joke from beginning to end and the not the kind of joke that makes you laugh but the kind of joke instead where you sit and shake your head; like you would at the dog that just shat on your new carpet. This is an action packed mess, there is so much happening on the screen with decapitations and dismembered bodies it's hard to concentrate on anything else especially the story or lack thereof. At the heart of it all there is an interesting story but unfortunately it is totally lost amongst everything else happening.
The film is actually based on the Battle of Artemisium and the Battle of Salamis but it has been pointed out to be incorrect in places especially around those who died and how. Staring Sullivan Stapleton, (Animal Kingdom, the Secret Life of Us) Eva Green (Dark Shadows, Penny Dreadful) Lena Headey (The Mortal Instruments, 300) Rodrigo Santoro. (Lost, 300) Originally Jack Snyder was to direct this film again but his commitment to Man of Steel took precedence what a mistake that was. What I did enjoy though is the art style it is filmed in, the cartoonish style of cinematography definitely adds to the action but doesn't do enough to aid the story in anyway unfortunately.
300 Rise of an Empire is a blood thirsty mockery of history, if you want something to just watch that is full of absolutely senseless violence then you may love this, just don't expect to take much away. Not one for the kids!!!
300 Rise of an Empire is the follow up to Frank Millers 300 which was written and directed by Jack Snyder, the follow up was again written by Jack Snyder but this time directed by Noam Murro an absolute nobody and doesn't it show. Imitation is the highest form of flattery so they say, but is that true? I guess it really all depends on the art form. Frank Miller is famous for his graphic novels and some of them have been brought to life quite well unfortunately 300 Rise of an Empire is nothing but a bloody mess; and I mean that quite literally. The screen is so filled with blood and body parts flying across the screen it actually becomes quite comical even though it is far from the intention I'm sure of all involved.
Rise of an Empire takes place before, during and after 300 the first film, Xerxes still has his war planned and still wants to take over the Greeks, with his right hand woman Artemisia leading the attack this time by sea. Greek general Themistokles leads the Greek warriors this time to stop the invading army That there is the plot, nothing more and nothing less.
This film is a joke from beginning to end and the not the kind of joke that makes you laugh but the kind of joke instead where you sit and shake your head; like you would at the dog that just shat on your new carpet. This is an action packed mess, there is so much happening on the screen with decapitations and dismembered bodies it's hard to concentrate on anything else especially the story or lack thereof. At the heart of it all there is an interesting story but unfortunately it is totally lost amongst everything else happening.
The film is actually based on the Battle of Artemisium and the Battle of Salamis but it has been pointed out to be incorrect in places especially around those who died and how. Staring Sullivan Stapleton, (Animal Kingdom, the Secret Life of Us) Eva Green (Dark Shadows, Penny Dreadful) Lena Headey (The Mortal Instruments, 300) Rodrigo Santoro. (Lost, 300) Originally Jack Snyder was to direct this film again but his commitment to Man of Steel took precedence what a mistake that was. What I did enjoy though is the art style it is filmed in, the cartoonish style of cinematography definitely adds to the action but doesn't do enough to aid the story in anyway unfortunately.
300 Rise of an Empire is a blood thirsty mockery of history, if you want something to just watch that is full of absolutely senseless violence then you may love this, just don't expect to take much away. Not one for the kids!!!
Gone Girl
(2014)
Marriage will be the death of you.
11 January 2015
Gone Girl There was a large amount of buzz surrounding this film, already it has won a plethora of awards with more to come this year. Is the film worthy of so many nominations? Perhaps, it all depends on what you want from your films I guess. I guess we have all heard the joke when someone does or say something negative towards their married life "I'd only get 20 years for murder yet I've got a life sentence with them" This movie is pretty much that jest put to film. Nick and Amy Dunne are due to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Nick gets home to find that Amy is gone. Amy is somewhat of a minor celebrity due to her parents writing a series of books based around her younger life called "The Amazing Amy", due to this a lot of news reporters ascend on the small town determine to help find Amy. Nick is quickly determined to be the main suspect but without a body the police and services can only accuse him and hope he confesses. A large scale missing persons hunt is arranged, everyone on the lookout for the missing body presumed that Amy has come to her husband's killer hands. As the investigation goes on more and more is discovered about the so called happy couple, more and more it's apparent Nick is guilty but how will the authorities actually catch him out. The screen writer for Gone Girl is actually the same person who wrote the novel Gillian Flynn so you wouldn't expect too much of a difference between the two, but that's actually not the case. There are a lot of things that were in the book that was missed in the film adaption whether that was the directors idea David Fincher (Zodiac, Fight Club) or Gillian just decided they were unnecessary is unknown, either way the film still works for what it is. The film stars Ben Affleck (Jersey Girl, Good Will Hunting) as Nick Dunne the man/husband accused, who actually does a decent job portraying his character. Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher, Wrath of the Titans) plays the missing victim Amy Dunne and by far is the standout of the film, she is very convincing in her role. Neil Patrick Harris (How I met your Mother, Starship Troopers) plays Desi Collings one of Amy's ex partners for his small amount for screen time his performance is quite memorable. Carrie Coon (The Leftovers) plays Margo Dunne Nicks sister and again is very good in her role. David Fincher is definitely up there as one of my favourite directors directing some of my favourite films over his career and again I can now add this to my list as another job done well. He has a fantastic eye for details and knows how to get the best out of everyone he works with. Gone Girl is a film you can only really see once to enjoy it in its entirety. A second viewing will always be on the cards but there are no more surprises unfortunately so the second viewing is more to pick up their pieces you missed first time around. I can understand why a few people didn't enjoy the film but I think you need to look at it as a whole picture not just segments. There a lot of flash backs which keep you wanting and needing more, there is enough here to keep all thrill seekers happy. Gone Girl again isn't one for the kids due to some very violent and quite disturbing scenes. It is a great film though and deserves a watch at least once.
American Hustle
(2013)
Some of this actually happened...
9 January 2015
This is another one of those films I waited a long time to see after its initial release, no real reason, I mean I like all the actors, the directors, the idea. I guess I just got lazy at some point. Am glad to say that I have finally seen it and I am rather impressed.
Some of this actually happened Is the way this film introduces us to its world. From that moment on we are taken along into an underground world where underhand dealings and big amounts of money exchange hands between some nasty individuals. Irving Rosenfeld is a con artist who lives in the New Jersey area when he meets the very lovely Sydney Prosser the two form a strong friendship and realise that two heads are better than one. The pair go about the underworld wheeling and dealing until the one day they are caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso in a loan scam. DiMaso convinces the pair into helping him catch some of the larger criminals in his city to be given a reduced sentence. The agreement is if they help him catch out four more criminals he will let them go
The plot is very clever the story in its entirety is very loosely based around the FBI's ABSCAM files from the 70's; this of course is when this film is set. An amazing soundtrack accompanies the film as well; I have to say I was really happy with some of the tunes featured throughout. The standouts though were by far the four main actors they were superb in their roles. I have read that a couple have been abused about being too over the top I didn't feel that at all. I loved everything about them, sure it was like watching a scene from Jersey Shore at times but it worked so well. Brilliant acting all around. Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Psycho)plays Irving Rosenfeld and is great, apparently he put on a lot of weight for the role; that is one thing I didn't feel was useful though, it didn't make him stand out any different at all, so I'm not sure why that happened. Amy Adams (Man of Steel, Enchanted) plays Sydney Prosser aka Lady Edith Greensly and again was brilliant in her role. Jennifer Lawrence ( The Hunger Games, X-Men: First Class)plays Rosalyn Rosenfeld and was easily the standout for me, she made this film, she really took the her character to the limit, loved seeing her in a different role to Katniss I think is what really helped her stand out for me if being honest. Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Limitless) plays Richie DiMaso again he was great. I honestly can't say enough about these four in this film they were all so good together and really helped each other out.
I did find it a little longer than necessary and there was one very big plot hole, other than those two very insignificant things though I loved American Hustle. It's a film that has been made to be enjoyed. The director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter) has done a fantastic job picking up the pieces of this film and delivering what he has.
Definitely worth watching, a great laugh, great music and some of the best lines from some very talented people.
Some of this actually happened Is the way this film introduces us to its world. From that moment on we are taken along into an underground world where underhand dealings and big amounts of money exchange hands between some nasty individuals. Irving Rosenfeld is a con artist who lives in the New Jersey area when he meets the very lovely Sydney Prosser the two form a strong friendship and realise that two heads are better than one. The pair go about the underworld wheeling and dealing until the one day they are caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso in a loan scam. DiMaso convinces the pair into helping him catch some of the larger criminals in his city to be given a reduced sentence. The agreement is if they help him catch out four more criminals he will let them go
The plot is very clever the story in its entirety is very loosely based around the FBI's ABSCAM files from the 70's; this of course is when this film is set. An amazing soundtrack accompanies the film as well; I have to say I was really happy with some of the tunes featured throughout. The standouts though were by far the four main actors they were superb in their roles. I have read that a couple have been abused about being too over the top I didn't feel that at all. I loved everything about them, sure it was like watching a scene from Jersey Shore at times but it worked so well. Brilliant acting all around. Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Psycho)plays Irving Rosenfeld and is great, apparently he put on a lot of weight for the role; that is one thing I didn't feel was useful though, it didn't make him stand out any different at all, so I'm not sure why that happened. Amy Adams (Man of Steel, Enchanted) plays Sydney Prosser aka Lady Edith Greensly and again was brilliant in her role. Jennifer Lawrence ( The Hunger Games, X-Men: First Class)plays Rosalyn Rosenfeld and was easily the standout for me, she made this film, she really took the her character to the limit, loved seeing her in a different role to Katniss I think is what really helped her stand out for me if being honest. Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Limitless) plays Richie DiMaso again he was great. I honestly can't say enough about these four in this film they were all so good together and really helped each other out.
I did find it a little longer than necessary and there was one very big plot hole, other than those two very insignificant things though I loved American Hustle. It's a film that has been made to be enjoyed. The director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter) has done a fantastic job picking up the pieces of this film and delivering what he has.
Definitely worth watching, a great laugh, great music and some of the best lines from some very talented people.
Elysium
(I) (2013)
A political sci-fi romp with great imagination but not much else
8 January 2015
The world we live in right at this moment is currently split into two people, those who have and those who don't. Most of you reading this I'd dare say would be part of the "haves" crowd, what if though, what you currently possess was stripped from you and all the things you have were gone? What if suddenly you were no longer a person who had it all but a person who had nothing, a person who struggled to find food, a person who struggled day to day just to survive? What if though you had an opportunity to escape that life and move to another place where perfection was everywhere, there was no food, no work, no housing shortages everything was perfect. What would you be willing to do to escape your situation to make it to the next and become a have it all once again? The year is 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, and everyone else. The very wealthy live in a place set amongst the stars high above the planet on a space station called Elysium, everyone else lives amongst the ruined Earth in squalor and hovels amongst an over populated, sick and desperate peoples. Max an ex con works in one of the very few factories that still run on the Earth's surface maintained by the workers of the planet but Managed by the wealthy citizens of Elysium. After a major accident Max's only chance of survival is to make it to Elysium and into a medical bed that has the ability to fix any ailment no matter how close to death the subject may be. The problem is the wealthy citizens of Elysium will never let the poor Earth people to live amongst them. Max agrees on one last criminal activity and as a reward his payment will be a trip to the space station that can save his life. This film has one purpose, one message and that message is so political in its nature it's actually quite arrogant about what it's trying to say. The writer director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) definitely has a political agenda with everything he does, Elysium doesn't escape this. It doesn't help the movie much it just makes it quite preachy but with all the action going on you can forget what lies underneath and enjoy more what is being played out on the screen. The story was actually pretty interesting the problem I found more were the characters created to help create Blomkamps ideas. Matt Damon (Saving Private Ryan, Interstellar) who plays Max is very one dimensional in his approach, I would have liked to seen more from him or even better one of the original actors who Blomkamp had chosen being Ninja from the South African Hip Hop group Die Antwoord or Eminem (actually in all honesty I'm glad he wasn't chosen). It could have given the character a very different feel. The one character I despised though was that of Kruger played by Sharlto Copley (District 9, The A-Team) he really annoyed me, I'm not sure if it was the accent used or something but I found it so forced and over the top (really hope that's not his natural voice) either way he really annoyed me. The two worlds Blomkamp and his team have created was actually quite stunning for both its beauty and ugliness, Elysium itself is just a picture of beauty in every way you can imagine very much makes you want to be there. Violence, death and destruction is throughout the film and the death scenes are very imaginative and brutal not too bad at all some of them. Not really one for the kids but let that be your decision. Elysium is a fun fast paced ride with some interesting moments and a very heavy message for the leaders of our world. Also Jodie Foster who plays Delacourt is in it too and I know how many people can't stand the poor woman, she's OK but nothing special so don't expect much from her.
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