Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Well, I rewatched Part 1 and 2 in the last week, and actually enjoyed them more than what I did at the cinema. Perhaps the expectations I put on some films hampers my initial viewing. That kind of happened again with this - so, I look forward to rewatching it on bluray one day and perhaps changing my rating higher.

The shortest of all the Peter Jackson Middle-Earth films, this is also probably the last. I found it to perhaps spend too much time on Thorin's issues at the start, but, once it gets going, it is a thrill ride. Jackson certainly knows how to showcase battles in Middle-Earth, and this is epic stuff. There's plenty of individual fights to sink your teeth into as well - I particularly loved seeing Legolas back in action.

There's really not a helluva lot to talk about with this one - there is no continuing of the journey, it's basically a massive battle film. I like how the stories and events kind of link in with the previous LOTR trilogy. I'm sure there are some continuity issues, but nothing stands out to me at this point.

All the character's come full circle, with The Hobbit himself being a completely different character to what he started out to be - he's gone from scaredy cat to a true adventurer. All the character's introduced or touched on in the previous 2 films get some sort of look in here, even if for only a few seconds. If I had a little gripe, it would be that some of the orcs and other dastardly character's seem more CGI'd than before, but, I could be just nitpicking way too much.

All up, I do like the LOTR trilogy more, but that could be because of one particular character I liked a lot - Aragorn. He was just so fucking cool. This film and the other 2 are solid entertainment. It is amazing how they squeezed so much out of one book. I hated the book by the way, it was just so boring. The films are far better.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5.

Review: Exodus - Gods and Kings (2014)

The thought of Ridley doing a swords and sandals film gets me all giddy. After all, he provided such great ones with Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and even Robin Hood (yeah, I said that shit). This one delves deeper into the religious zone, but, it is an interesting story. I didn't know much about it before going in, as I'm not familiar with Bible texts. I know Moses parted a sea, that's about it.

The overall story is very interesting, to me anyways. Two boys, who grow up together to be men, one of royalty, and the other the leader of the kings army, or essentially a servant. However, the father, who is king, sees greater worth in his army's leader. Now, right here, one of the glaring similarities that start to show through is with the plot in Gladiator. In that film, we had Caesar, and his loyal soldier, and dickhead son. Same scenario, different time.

To be fair, you could pick many films that have had a similar story arc, but with Ridley, it seems as though he was treading familiar ground, but didn't do it so well this time. Exodus has all the makings of a sweeping epic. Big budget, grand scale sets, grand scale effects, grand scale cast.

Is it a grand film? No. Somewhere along the line, Ridley forgot to give the audience something to care about. With his previous 3 films of this nature, I felt an emotion throughout the film, that drew me in and made me love them. With this, the scripting just doesn't do it for me. We know that Moses must free the slaves, but we don't get drawn into why he really feels this. Sure, he's had a falling out with his mate, gets banished from the city, and then has an epiphany about it all. For me, it wasn't enough.

Bale is the standout amongst the cast. He can lead a film for sure, but, the way this story unfolds, I just found it difficult to feel what he is feeling - that his journey involves freeing the slaves. Edgerton, well, I love him, but, I just don't know if he was right for this role. And, that is not because he is a white dude. I just think his bad guy schtick wasn't enough. Sigourney Weaver also stars, I think. She's in there, if you can find her.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this film. It is good, it just doesn't hit the emotional points it needed to justify the character's actions on screen. Will I buy it on Bluray? Yeah, I probably will, because it looks fantastic. And, you never know, I could learn to love it.

Rating:

3 out of 5.

Review: Fury (2014)

As someone living in a first world country in the 21st century, I am lucky to not know the ravages of war first hand. Films like this are the closest I hope I get to knowing what it is like. David Ayer has constructed a rough, down and dirty war flick. It's darn gritty, with some interesting, if cliched, characters. 

For a film set around tank warfare, it's a little different to what I'm used to seeing. Sure, we're following a gang of troops, but they fight predominantly in the tank. The film builds nicely, with some exciting and tense tank battle scenes. Holding this crew together is Brad Pitt's likeable leader. He's supported well by LaBeouf, Lerman, Pena and Bernthal. Bernthal is actually barely understandable in this flick, but I'll put it down to the character being a bit of a lug head. 

Based on a true story of a heroic feat achieved by this particular tank crew, the film is enjoyable, and doesn't shy away from showing some harsh realities of war. It's no Saving Private Ryan, but, it has plenty of action to keep you interested with moments of humanity and heart. 

Rating:

3.5 out of 5.

Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

I've seen the first two films only once each. Both in the cinema, and both were quite enjoyable. They aren't great films, but they serve the purpose of providing some good entertainment with solid action and a hero we can admire. Jennifer Lawrence is the hero, and she is the glue that holds this series together. 

Although this book series is hugely popular, I've never read them and may never get around to it. The films have proved to be very successful, with the first two earning over $1.5b combined. This film will do gangbusters as well, and therefore, so will the fourth and final instalment. It's unfortunate then that the 3rd film is a complete cash grab. Oh yes, I just said that. This film should have been the final instalment, even if it ran for 3 hours. What the audience has been delivered here is just over 2 hours of set up. 

It starts out slow, then begins to build up with some action. Just as you think it is getting its legs, it falls flatline again. Sure, the story is a key element here, I won't deny it that, but fucking hell, this film completely squanders any sort of excitement that the first two were built on. The entire film flows like watching a heart monitor that has some tiny blips at very long intervals.

To its credit, it does have some excellent production value and Jennifer Lawrence is again great. She is supported well by some strong actors. I still felt that Hemsworth is just there hanging out. He gets a little more to do here, but, he's there to provide some minor love interest in all.

I definitely try to rate films in a series individually, but this film really does feel like a part of whole, and so I feel the film itself is ultimately disappointing. Yes, I know, it says part 1, but fucking hell, give the audience some credit. I don't feel like this inspires me to come back for part 2, even though it will probably be the film this one should have been. 

Rating:

2.5 out of 5.

Review: Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan is one of those Director's that I really look forward to seeing a new film from. He's capable of creating spectacle on screen that is candy for your senses and often has stories that challenge my mind or at the very least immerse me into the world created. He's a master of his craft, and really, has yet to make a feature that isn't worth your time. 

Interstellar continues to see the Director and his screenwriting partner and brother Jonathan Nolan engage the viewer, this time with some highly scientific concepts and the fate of humanity. Set in what could possibly be the near future, the Earth as we know it has become a land where growing food is a difficult task. Technology has taken a back seat to the human race simply trying to feed itself. We've stopped 'wasting' money on things we don't need. NASA, now a secret organisation, is on a mission to find another planet for us to continue our existence on.

Matthew McConaughey continues his fine selection of roles with another excellent turn as Cooper. He's a former NASA pilot that is now a farmer growing corn (the only crop that we are still able to grow). He is chosen to lead a small team on a mission to explore the other side of a blackhole, to investigate the possibility of inhabiting one of a selection of newly discovered planets beyond our galaxy.

Nolan takes us on an often thrilling and tense ride through space and other worlds. The representation of space travel is impressive, and the visuals are absolutely amazing. This kind of film deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find. If that happens to be an IMAX screen, then lucky you. Nolan has, as per his last few films, filmed a large portion of the film using the IMAX camera system. A cinema with a great sound system is a must too. There is so much intensity in the sound mix and the score, you can feel it in your bones. Another ripper of a score from the master that is Hans Zimmer.

My wife and I discussed the film afterwards, and it was clear that it requires at least another viewing to truly appreciate what was happening and why. There's a lot of exposition taking place, so the concentration levels have to be set to high. But, that's a Nolan trademark as well, so it was to be expected. At 169 mins though, don't go in tired.

One of the key things that sometimes is lacking in Nolan's films is any sort of real emotion that draws me in deeper. I often feel like I am enjoying the spectacle and the story, but don't quite engage with the character's as I'd like to. Difficult to explain, as there is always some sort of emotion, but it feels like there is sometimes a coldness to his films. In saying that, this is quite different in Interstellar. The film seems to encompass a more sentimental nature than his previous films.

I wouldn't consider Interstellar a masterpiece on first viewing. It has some elements that will urk viewers, but these are minor in the grand scheme. It is a feature that I look forward to seeing again, and I will hopefully love more in time. This is usually the trend of experiences I have with Nolan's films. Initially almost always impressive, and very rewatchable. With each rewatch, I feel the love growing. 

I enjoy science fiction films, and love a visual spectacle on the big screen. With this sci fi opus, Christopher Nolan once again shows his films are definitely worth getting excited about. 

Rating:

4 out of 5.

TMTW September 2014 Review

This month I watched 20 films, which includes 7 rewatches. Of the 20, my recommendations would be anything I rate 3 or more out of 5. For me, 3 stars is a good film, worth watching once. The best first time watch this month was Blue Is The Warmest Color. Read my brief review on Letterboxd here

Films

5 star films

-

4.5 star films

Blue Is The Warmest Color
The Social Network (rewatch)
Zodiac (rewatch)

4 star films

The Terminator (rewatch)

The Prestige (rewatch)

The Town (rewatch)

John Carter (rewatch)

The Equalizer (review here)
Rosemary's Baby

3.5 star films

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) (review here)

The Devil's Backbone

Adore

The Maze Runner (review here)

Midnight Express
Panic Room (rewatch)

3 star films

Rover (review here)
Griff The Invisible 
Combustion
Mimic
Maleficient

Below 3 star films

-

I usually write a short review for most films, with major blog entries for some. My short reviews can be found here on letterboxd.com

TV

This month on the TV front was a bit slow. Wedding plans and long work hours mean I have rarely had the time to watch anything. I have stalled on The Strain, but plan on finishing that in October. Same with The Vampire Diaries. I did however get back into Agents of Shield, and finished off season 1. That show really kicked it into gear after about half way through the season. That first half was tough to get through, as it was just the same stuff each episode. But, I'm glad I went back to it. I did start Rectify season 2. I loved season 1, so was keen to see some more hardcore drama. I also started Gotham, which had a so so pilot episode. I'll let this show get some more episodes under its belt so I can see a few in a row. I hope it gets a lot better though.
 

Thanks for reading. Share your thoughts and/or recommendations below. 

Review: Gone Girl (2014)

It is difficult to review this film without potentially spoiling it. I read the book last year in preparation for the film, and I think this has affected my love for it. So, the colder you can go in, the better. But, all that is not to say it is not a good movie. In fact, it is very good - great even.

David Fincher is one of those directors that film goers highly anticipate the next feature of. I recently rewatched The Social Network and Zodiac, and loved them. I also rewatched Panic Room, and that is quite enjoyable too. In fact, I don't think Fincher has made a bad film. I'm unsure how this one would fit in with his overall filmography as far as rankings go, but further viewings will help me to figure that out.

Ok, back to Gone Girl. In brief, the plot is about a couple that are about to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary. Slight catch though - the wife disappears on the morning of it. What follows is a mystery thriller, with fingers slowly pointing in the direction of the husband as the culprit. Ben Affleck plays the husband, and Rosamund Pike is the wife. Both are very good in their roles. There are also some good support roles provided by Kim Dickens, Carrie Coon and Tyler Perry.

If you know Fincher's work, then you can expect a pretty dark ride. The script work is very good, with some funny lines and character interactions being thrown in here and there. The book to screen adaptation is quite faithful. The ending is a bit different, but it is not a major change. I think the ending in the film actually works better than the one in the book.

Overall, I found the build up to the very good finale to be a fun ride. Until the last 45 to 60 mins, I had been feeling the film was not a great as I thought it might be, but the last third or so really helped push it into a great film category for me. It's been only a few hours since I've seen it, and now I actually feel I could watch it again. Whenever you feel that, you know you're onto something special.

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: The Equalizer (2014)

I'm a huge fan of Denzel Washington. I pretty much love anything he is in. I haven't seen everything though, and that is something I must rectify. When I heard he was doing The Equalizer, I was very excited. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day with Denzel) has proven he is no slouch when it comes to quality action/drama films, and the result of the two together again is great.

This film has a slow introduction to the character's at play, but not boring. We get to learn about our Equalizer and his life at the moment and the people he's interacting with daily. From this we can see he is just a guy with a dark past, but with a heart of gold. But, as the film gets going, it releases its rage on you, as you feel every punch and action beat the film throws out. It's not glossy action, but a raw hard hitting type. Robert McCall is a quiet and calm man, but has a ferociousness that, if unleashed, will decimate everything in his path. 

The story, in brief, sees McCall help out a young girl caught up in the prostitution racket for Russian mobsters. He doesn't know the extent to which these people's power extends when he "assists" her. This in-turn unleashes a villain that is quite satisfactory in the form of Marton Csokas. This guy is always playing bad dudes, but I really liked this one. He had the brawn and brains to match those of McCalls. What plays out is a great game of sorts between the two.  

I really enjoyed this film. It has some imaginative fight/action scenes, great character development and, well, I love a good vengeance orientated movie as well. Denzel would have to be one of my favourite actors, so I may be a little biased when it comes to his movies. But, seriously, this is a quality action/drama/thriller film. Fuqua has proved to me at least that he knows how to craft a solid picture, and this is certainly of high standard. I hope this film is a success, as it very much deserves to be. 

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: The Rover (2014)

I'd really been looking forward to seeing David Michod's follow-up to the great Animal Kingdom. The Rover is a completely different film to that, and frankly, I was a little bit disappointed. I've probably hyped it up too much for myself after such glowing reviews. I did the same thing with Snowpiercer - felt let down after that one too.

The Rover is technically an excellently produced film. The cinematography of a stark post apocalyptic Australian outback is fantastic. You really get immersed into the barren world created here. You can feel that sweat and dirt that the character's are covered in. The flies hanging around are almost like character's themselves.

The film starts out quite well. The plot itself is pretty simple - Guy Pearce's car is stolen, and he wants it back. So, we see this theft pretty early on, and then the initial chase. This is quite a tense sequence of events. After this though, it almost completely drops off.

What happens then is a study of Pearce's and Pattinson's characters. It's not that i didn't enjoy the interaction, but it just felt like I was sitting around wating for more to happen. The whole time I'm wondering more and more about the back story for each and we're getting tidbits, which is good, but, I think that slow pace is what let it down for me. Although it picks up in the last 15 or so mins, and the ending closes some of those 'what is going on?' questions, I just felt deflated.

Pearce and Pattinson are very good performance wise. Guy is pretty good in almost anything, but Pattinson is the surprise here. He's completely ditched the Edward Cullen persona in this film. I almost felt like he was channelling Billy Bob's character is Sling Blade at some points.

All up, worth watching for sure, and I probably will again one day. But, just not the gut punch I thought it would be.

Rating:

3 out of 5.

TMTW August 2014 Review

This month I watched 23 films, which includes 5 rewatches. Of the 23, my recommendations would be anything I rate 3 or more out of 5. For me, 3 stars is a good film, worth watching once. The best new release I watched this month was Guardians of the Galaxy. Read my full review here

Films

5 star films

Warrior (rewatch)
Groundhog Day (rewatch) 

4.5 star films

Star Trek Into Darkness (rewatch)
Kingdom of Heaven (rewatch)

4 star films

Calvary

Guardians of the Galaxy
Insomnia (rewatch)

North by Northwest
The Shining

3.5 star films

Lucy (review here)

Out of the Furnace

Homefront

Misery

The Book Thief

Man on Wire (Documentary)
Predestination
Not Suitable for Children

3 star films

Safe
The Expendables 3 (review here)

Dog Day Afternoon
Sleeping Beauty (2011)

Below 3 star films

The Other Woman (2.5 stars)

In The Cut (2.5 stars)

I usually write a short review for most films, with major blog entries for some. My short reviews can be found here on letterboxd.com

TV

This month I finished a great show - True Blood. This show has been such fun to watch. Caters to my love of vampires, with more than a dash of sex. I've been a fang banger wannabe since day one, and it was sad to see this show come to an end. The final season was quite a slow one, plodding along and closing off the character's stories. I was mostly happy with the overall ending. Can you ever have the perfect ending to a tv series? Goodbye True Blood. I have very fond memories of you. 

Finished season 2 of The Following. I have to say, although I like and enjoyed the season, I probably won't be back for season 3. It's just not as gripping as when it first started. I find I am being a lot more picky these days. I finished season 1 of The Americans. Again, I did enjoy it, but I just don't feel the pull to come back for season 2. I haven't made up my mind on this one, so we'll see. 

Started and finished the miniseries Top of the Lake. It's a mystery thriller cop show set in New Zealand. Beautifully filmed, and well acted. The story is pretty engaging, and the ending will leave you a bit like......fuck! Probably a little odd in places, but it had an authentic small town story vibe going on, which was quite good. Definitely check it out. 

Said goodbye to another very much loved show - The Killing. This show hit the chopping block after season 2, but it got a reprieve. season 3 had a blow you away ending, and then the show got cancelled - again. I recently found out it got a 6 episode season 4 run to finish it off properly, which was extremely satisfying. This show actually ended perfectly. 

Finally got started on season 5 of The Vampire Diaries. I know what you're thinking - "really, you watch this show?" It's the real guilty pleasure amongst my line-up. It has a fast pace, and is just so cool. Again, I love vampires, so it is catering very nicely. Another show about vampires I am continuing with is The Strain. It has gotten better each week, but I feel it still hasn't reached an addictive level for me. I'll definitely continue with it though, as I would at least like to give the first season a complete go. 

Thanks for reading. Share your thoughts and/or recommendations below. 

Review: The Expendables 3 and Semi Ode to Action Heroes!

I grew up watching 80's and 90's action movies. Arnie was king to me. I also loved Stallone, Van Damme and Seagal. They made cool action films, with the blockbusters mostly coming from Arnie and Stallone. It's difficult to explain the sense of joy I had as a kid watching their films. It was part of my culture then, and it still is, to some degree. I don't care a huge lot for the direct-to-video films they do now (mainly Van Damme and Seagal there), but, I love the idea of the Expendables. 

Notice I said the idea of it? Well, it is a great concept. Let's bring back the heroes of that time and throw them all together in a movie with some old school action. Sounds great! The first Expendables film is the best to me. It had the perfect mix of nostalgia and hard hitting action. The next 2, which includes this recent one, are still good. You were expecting me to trash it? Because I said I like the idea? Well, no, I can't trash them. Why?

Well, here is why - I don't look at these films with the expectations of the modern day action films. I want to watch these films purely because they have the stars that I grew up loving. Sure, they're old as hell, and the banter between them can fall flat, but man, it just fills me with joy to see them all together, kicking it old school! These guys aren't Expendable to me. They're my first big screen loves. They're the pioneers of action. 

Now, The Expendables 3 is fun. It's probably on par with number 2, although my memory of that is currently a bit vague (I couldn't get around to a rewatch beforehand). We've got another awesome cast, with some newbies thrown in. The newbies, are well, they're ok.  More importantly, we've got Stallone, Statham, Crews, Couture, Lundgren, Li and Schwarzenegger from the previous films, with the great additions of Banderas, Snipes, Grammer, Ford and Gibson to the 'Expendable' side of things. What a freaking cast man! 

The action scenes are well staged if a bit obvious in the dodgy cg department. The editing is also a bit choppy, but I suspect that is done to keep it at a PG level this time round. It doesn't detract from the fun too much. But, you can't help but wonder what it would have been like to see bodies actually being blown apart....oh well, it is a minor gripe. The essence of the films still remain - old school fun. There are some great references to actual life stuff for some of these actors. If you know what's been going on with some of them, then you'll get it. I thought Gibson as the villain was pretty cool. I miss seeing him onscreen.

Don't go in expecting greatness here. But, I hope you have a good time with it, like I did. Bravo to Stallone for continuing to indulge the fans.

Rating:

3 out of 5.

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Saw this film over a week ago, but haven't had time to sit and write up my thoughts for you all. Finally, Saturday morning, and I have some time. 

Ok, well, one thing for sure is, this film has stuck with me. I definitely feel an urge to watch it again - even if just to take my partner along to see it. To me, it's probably not Marvel's best, but it is certainly one of their top entries.

Chris Pratt, in beef cake mode, plays our Guardians leader Peter Quill. He's like a bounty hunter/treasure hunter/space adventurer figure, and the object he's after is what leads to him joining the others. Chases and mayhem ensues, with plenty of laughter and exciting sci fi action set pieces. I don't want to give you too much of a plot synopsis, as you can get that elsewhere, like IMDB. I didn't really know what the story was all about going into it - only what the trailers showed.

The trailer had me hooked from the get go. It was just so cool and funny. And, the music, woah! When a movie blends music into the action and story so well, you have to see it. The film itself lives up to the hype though. The soundtrack is very cool, and fits so well. I want the soundtrack - in fact, I'm streaming it as I write this up.

To me, it had a Star Wars kind of vibe about it. Peter Quill is kind of like a Han Solo for me, whilst Groot had me thinking about Chewbacca. I feel Groot, in particular, will become the modern day, almost speechless sidekick we all grow to love more and more - just like Chewie. And, like Star Wars, this is all set in a universe where alien and humanlike live together. Space ships and anything space agey is all part of a normal day. 

The scripting is very witty, with some great twists on sayings we all know. The story itself is pretty cool, and the villain, I think, was quite menacing. Played by Lee Pace, I think he was quite intimidating and looked great. The special effects are excellent - which is to be expected from something big budget these days.

The Guardians are played by Chris Pratt (Peter Quill), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Bradley Cooper's voice (Rocket - a raccoon) and Vin Diesel's voice (Groot - a tree). Yes, that's right, a raccoon and a tree. It all just works so well though. All the character's are pretty well fleshed out as well. It could be difficult to pick a fave at this stage, although Groot gets the heart warmer award for sure. Zoe Saldana has undergone two coloured characters now (blue and now green), so I'm wondering what colour is next for her.

Well, this film is definitely worth a look, and I may try to get a second look at the cinema. It's very entertaining, and pure sci fi world fun. You'll know who Star Lord is by the time it ends.

I am Groot! 

Rating:

4 out of 5.

TMTW July 2014 Review

A common format, it seems, amongst other bloggers of film and tv, is to recap at the end of each month. I caught onto this through seeing posts by fellow twitter peeps, and thought I would give it a go myself. So, here is my first monthly recap of film and tv.

This month I watched 23 films, which includes 4 rewatches. TV wise, I probably didn't track like I should have, but I will try to list those I continued, finished and started. 

Of the 23, my recommendations would be anything I rate 3 or more out of 5. For me, 3 stars is a good film, worth watching once. These can be for various reasons, which I won't go into here, as that is probably a separate blog entry. I will list below the films based on star ratings. I will do an alphabetical order within these ratings. 

Films

5 star films

None this month.

4.5 star films

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (review here)

4 star films

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (rewatch)

The Lego Movie

Locke

Mission Impossible (rewatch)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (rewatch)

Tracks

3.5 star films

Bad Words

Blue Ruin

Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded (Documentary)

Lethal Weapon 3 (rewatch)

Only Lovers Left Alive

Thanks for Sharing

The Wedlock

3 star films

Cold in July

Grudge Match

Insidious Chapter 2

Joe

Red 2

Sabotage

Under the Skin (review here)

I usually write a short review for most films, with major blog entries for some. My short reviews can be found here on letterboxd.com

TV

I watch a lot of different shows, so remembering what I was watching in July is a bit tricky. The obvious ones are True Blood and 24. I started The Strain, The Americans (S1) and Rectify (S1). Recitfy is definitely the pick of the new shows for me this month. Smashed the first season in a few days, whereas The Americans I'm plodding my way through. The Strain is interesting, with excellent details to the horror effects and an interesting mythology. It may be a tad cheesy though. We'll see how the rest of S1 goes. Continued on with True Blood S7, which has been a complete change of pace from previous seasons. It will be damn interesting to see how this all ends in August. 24 finished it's Live Another Day season, which was ok in the end. Not a fantastic season like it's regular 24 ep presentations, but solid entertainment. I hope they bring it back...again.

Seasons I finished were The Bridge (S1) and Penny Dreadful (S1). Both were good, especially towards the latter halves of the seasons. I'll revisit next seasons for both those. And, finally, a show I am currently in is S2 of The Following. S1 was great, but this season has been just ok. It's almost redeveloping itself, so things are still ramping up. I'm up to ep 8.

Thanks for reading. Share your thoughts and/or recommendations below.  

Review: Lucy (2014)

Strange, surreal, yet, in some ways, remarkable. Scarlett Johansson is 3 for 3 for odd roles, but all interesting.

Scarlett plays Lucy, a sort of lost soul perhaps, or just good time gal that lives and studies in Taiwan. Her recent boyfriend gets her entangled with some not so good guys. They're after what she has been conned into delivering to them. Events take place, and that leads to some interesting ramifications.

The film started out a bit so so for me, but, once it got going I was entranced. It kind of takes the ideas behind Limitless (2011) and amps it up substanitally.

I really enjoyed the exploration of using our brain more than what we can, and where that could take us. It's all theory, but, this presentation of that theory is bizarre and exciting.

I suppose, if you look hard enough, this film plays either as a cousin to Her and Under The Skin, or forms part of a trilogy. I would've liked to seen a little more though, as the film runs at a meagre 89 mins.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5.

Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

A cinema going experience that leaves me greatly satisfied is like nourishment for my soul. It's been at least 2.5 weeks since my last trip, as sickness has kept me away. Well, today, I got to go back to my first love. And, well, what a film! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is greater than it's predecessor. And, I loved Rise.

Set 10 years after the outbreak of the Simian Flu, humans are barely existing anymore. 1 in 500 were thought to be immune to the Flu virus. The apes of San Francisco have created a home, and do not know if humans still exist. This is, of course, until humans discover their presence whilst on a trek in the woods. 

This film is built on emotion and characters. The story itself is merely a device to bring the interaction between ape and human back into the fold. Although it is still relevant, it's the interaction that provides the excitement, both at a conversation and action level. The motion capture work here is phenomenal, with each ape having distinct features and characteristics. The realism of it all is really something to behold. Even moreso than Rise. I dare anyone to say they didn't believe the apes looked real.

The story follows the usual tropes of building a relationship between human and animal, which starts with fear and then comes to understanding and so on. The apes are led by the great Caesar, a truly inspiring character, with awesome presence on screen. He has kept this ape colony together, and helped them to build a safe haven - a home. They live by code, especially 'ape not kill ape'. Caesar has seen the worst of human kind, and doesn't want his apes to fall victim to our ways. Jason Clarke, playing our lead human, is amazing. His character embodies everything that is good about human beings, and it is his fear of war that allows the relationship with Caesar to develop. Unfortunately, not all the humans and apes are as great as their leaders.

The messages sent through this film are strong, and I hope the rest of viewers take note. War mongering has ruined us, and it is all we're known for as a race. Well, perhaps not all for, but, we're certainly pretty good at fighting and killing. Should another race come to earth or an existing develop our intelligence, they'll see us for what we are - killers. This is unfortunate, and the good of will suffer for it. There's a line spoken towards the end, about humans and forgiveness, which resonated so much with me. 

Do yourself a favour, and go watch this film. Listen to it, watch it, feel the emotion pulsating through. If you get bored and find it silly, then I'm sorry for you. 

Rating:

4.5 out of 5.

Review: Under The Skin (2013)

Under The Skin certainly lives up to its name. I've been thinking about it and reading others thoughts on it ever since I got out of a screening just over an hour ago.

I sat there, transfixed to the action on screen. I didn't know what to expect from this film, but in some ways it's not what I had in mind at all. I had been thinking something more in the way of a gory sci fi horror, instead it was more pyschological horror. But, I didn't not like this movie. It's an exercise in art film. The kind of film that most audiences will be "What the fuck?" with.

Scarlett Johansson plays an unnamed character, an alien, that seems to devour men like they were prey. She is cruising a metro area of Scotland in a big white van, asking unsuspecting men for directions, whilst at the same time asking them questions about their life (single, married, family etc). She targets the unattached men, or men that have nothing to go home to. Luring them to her place, which is like some sort of dark room with infinite space, their desire takes over as they walk into an almost black abyss.

This film is designed to be deciphered, but I don't even know if I can truly understand what is happening here. Perhaps you're not supposed to. This is just one for provoking your thoughts, and creating discussion - of which it certainly does....but there is no one meaning or answer.

The music and photography is used to good effect. I do admire what the director has produced here. Scarlett is very good. She plays that fish out of water (an alien) very well. As I said before, I was probably a bit disappointed, but I understand why some people are loving the shit out of this film. Although there is little dialogue, the story and events taking place on screen were still quite engaging. It's no masterpiece or excellent film for me, but overall I think it is quite well made. I'll revisit it one day, even if to try and decipher it some more.

Rating:

3 out of 5.

Review: Transformers - Age of Extinction (2014)

This is the kind of film I have to rate based on how much I enjoyed it, but not for it's quality of character development, acting or story. It's Michael Bay at his most bombastic!

Yep, it's loud, obscene, gratuitous, ridiculous....but hell, I had a really great time at the cinema with this.

I'm a Michael Bay fan. I have been ever since Bad Boys graced the screen, and I haven't looked back. He makes the kind of movies that feed my need for popcorn cinema at its most extreme. Sure, there is The Avengers and Iron Man style of popcorn cinema, and then there is Bayhem.

He's got plenty of haters out there, but, box office shows, plenty of people flock to see his 'onslaught to the senses' films.

I had ear to ear grins while watching this movie. At nearly 3 hours, it is a bit of a stretch, but, Bay is no slouch in the action dept, and he delivers in spades. There's laughs to be had along the way, and some truly awe inspiring effects shots.

Leave your critic hat at the door for this one. Yes, you could tear it to shreds as a critic would, but, let go, and have some fun. Bay certainly is.

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: Before Midnight (2013)

I thought the first two were very good. They captured the joy of discovery and falling in love. The conversations were quite natural, and the performances very real.

This film, I think, it is better than the first two. I enjoyed the ensemble scenes at the start, with the conversations between the main characters and others being enjoyable to listen to. Once away from that, the feelings and emotion between the two came across a lot stronger for me in this one. They truly did seem like a couple that is a bit on edge with each other. It was not all lovey dovey, like the first two.

One thing I also loved about this film, was the extended single shot dialogue scene at the start in the car. When you watch it, take note of how long each scene is...barely any cuts there. Amazing to see two actors just completely embodying their characters that way.

Beautiful to see these characters and actors grow with each over nearly 20 years. Well done!

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: Oldboy (2013)

I saw the original film a few months ago. I quite liked it. It was dark, and well made. Spent time to show you the real angst of the characters, especially the one imprisoned.

This Spike Lee remake takes the story, changes it up a bit, and then tries to execute it too quickly. I just didn't feel the time spent with Brolin in the apartment prison was long enough.

His relationship with Olsen's character seemed too forced. The fight scene in the apartment complex with all the goons seemed like a very crappy version of The Raid. The copycat style just didn't work for this. If you're going to do a remake, then take the story and completely immerse it into a new world. But, instead, we've got dumplings as the food again, and some asian influences? Why bother with that? Is it a nod to the original?

Brolin himself is decent enough, but I think the torment was better displayed in the original. The villain himself seems almost comic like in this. I don't know if Sharlto was right for it. Olsen is fine herself...she's got great boobs!

I just think that overall, this is a bit of a half hearted rehash. The effort is just not there, to take something that is considered a cult classic, and do it justice. For a great example, see Infernal Affairs, and then the remake of it The Departed. That's how you do it!

In the end, I thought, on it's own, if the original didn't exist, this would be a good film - i did enjoy it. But, because it is essentially nothing new, and lazy, it is disappointing.

Rating:

2.5 out of 5.

Review: 22 Jump Street (2014)

Well, get ready for a laugh riot....because, this film delivers it in spades. Hill and Tatum bring some more comedy gold.

The story is the same as last time, but, surprisingly, this movie takes the piss out of that - bigger budget, same story...hahaha...hell, it even goes to the point of taking the piss out of future sequels.

There's no point in going into story here - if you've seen the first, you know what it'll be about. The jokes aren't a repeat though, it feels quite fresh. It gets off to a bit of a shaky start, but, there's a point for me that it picked up and never looked back. My face hurt when coming out of this film.

Basically, if you want to laugh your ass off, then get to it! I'd say it is on par with the first.

Rating:

4 out of 5.