Review: Birdman (2014)

Birdman is one of the most highly praised films to come along in recent months. I had been very keen to see this. I did sit in wonder at the technical achievement of making this film look like it is all done in one take, but, I did not fall in love with the movie itself.

Keaton plays a former major star that is now mounting a Broadway play. He's on a comeback of sorts, and feels the need to ensure he's still somebody. He was the star of a hugely popular series of films - Birdman. I did like that Keaton played this role, it was almost like he was poking fun at himself (he was Batman), whilst the film seems to satirise or poke fun at everything else from actors, directors, producers, critics and the whole merry go round of that world. It is classed as a dark comedy. 

Keaton plays his role well, as do the mega support cast. We've got Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis and Andrea Riseborough all contributing with some great performances. The cinematography, as mentioned before, is very well handled. My mate was getting a bit sea sick at the start with all the camera movement and seemingly no cuts to shots, but, I had no issues with it. I sat there trying pick where the cuts were, as many have and will do. 

As a whole, I found the film interesting, but never really fell in love with what I was watching. I enjoyed the interactions Keaton has with each character, particularly his confrontations with Norton's character. In the end, my mate and I both looked at each other and were like "ok". I honestly didn't know what to think, and in some ways, I still don't. It is a bizarre film. A true arty farty type pic, with lots of potential analysis and discussion to be had. I may revisit on dvd sometime down the track, when all the hype has died down. For now though, I can appreciate the fuss, but it's not for me. 

Rating:

3 out of 5.

Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

I found out the night before seeing this film that I had won tickets to a premiere screening. What a delight that was, as this is definitely a film I was wanting to check out upon release. Was I disappointed? Hell no.

Colin Firth stars as a member of a secret society of spies, known as the Kingsman. These guys report to no one, so have the added benefit of no political angle. They're secret peacekeepers. They get no glory, just the satisfaction of having done good. After the loss of one of their own, they have to recruit another. Firth's candidate is a young and brash, almost hoodlum type. He's not had the best of lives, but, for reasons you will see, Firth owes it to him to help out.

The recruits are in training, whilst technology genius Samuel L Jackson is plotting an evil plan to 'help' the world. It's simple plotting, but the execution is great. Director Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass, X-Men: First Class) has constructed an intelligent, witty, funny, balls-to-the-wall action-spy-comedy that will knock your socks off. It is hell violent, and is definitely not for the stuck up types. You got to have a sense of humour with this one, otherwise you're not going to enjoy it. 

If you've seen Kick-Ass, then you know what to expect. He's taken the violence and comedy of that and melded it with some of the style and class of X-Men: First Class to create a truly enjoyable film. Firth is just amazing. He's perfecto as the super spy that is cool and suave, and violent when necessary. The young recruit of his is newcomer Taron Egerton. He does a great job of matching it with Firth, and shows some good promise as an actor. Mark Strong and Michael Caine play support roles, and both are as you would expect - excellent. Jackson as a super villain - great stuff.

I sat in giddy wonder as the events unfolded on screen. I think the ending was perhaps a bit overboard, but it is a minor complaint. I enjoyed the nods to the James Bond series. This is not trying to emulate it or even make too much fun of it, but it merely wants to join the party as a great spy series. It certainly has the makings, and there is always room for cool spy flicks.

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: Big Hero 6 (2014)

Got to the cinema complex with seeing The Imitation Game as the reason for being there. A massive queue awaited us, and it was sold out. So, the only other film I was reasonably keen for (it was a toss up between Imitation and this) was Big Hero 6. I'd heard good things on social media. 

And well, it was like fate. I absolutely loved Big Hero 6. It was funny, fun, superbly animated and just had plenty of heart to it. You may have gathered, if you've read many of my reviews, I'm about the emotion sometimes. This just gave me the warm fuzzies, with a bit of a tear too. 

I had no idea what this film was about. I had seen a couple of short trailers a few months ago, so I knew it was about a kid and his marshmallow like robot. I thought, yeah, that looks cool. Our kid is Hiro, and he is a genius. A genius that is squandering his talent until his brother convinces him to try out for the same nerd school he attends. Right from the get go though, I was drawn in. Hiro plays around in the underground world of bot fighting. These early scenes of a futuristic city and cool toys had me glued. 

Hiro comes into contact with Baymax, his brother's invention. The two bond, sort of, and adventure ensues. Now, I'm glazing over major plots points, but, add in a bad guy to the mix, and this turns into a superhero adventure. This, I did not expect, so I was pleasantly surprised. 

The elements that make up the story all seem familar. There's probably nothing really original here, with influences from other similar genre pictures apparent. But, that didn't really bother me. I was really caught up in Hiro's journey, mainly because of his partnership with Baymax. Baymax is just the coolest robot we've ever seen (well, one of at least). He's the sidekick we'd all love to have. Cute, lovable and just damn neat. If he doesn't warm your heart, then you're a cold son of a bitch. 

Although you could complain about originality, you just got to let go and have fun with it. I really enjoyed myself watching this film. It's got plenty of heart to it (there I go again) and is excellent entertainment for all ages. 

Rating:

4.5 out of 5.

Review: The Water Diviner (2014)

Russell Crowe stars in and directs this Australian historical drama. Set after the events of WW1, Crowe plays the father to 3 sons, killed in the war. As a promise to his wife, he goes to Gallipoli in Turkey to bring their bodies home.

Crowe has assembled a stellar cast, and shot this film in quite authentic locales. I occasionally had a mini series or telemovie feel about this, but that doesn't take away from the heart of the story. The film itself is very good, and engaging. It serves as a suitable dedication to Australian history, and shows that both the Turkish and ANZACS suffered greatly. The leaders of the armies from Turkey are by no means shown to be heartless, in fact, they probably had more heart than our allies.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel any sort of greatness when watching the film. There is a subplot with a hotel owner (played by Kurylenko) that is occasionally weird. I see what Crowe was trying to do here, but, it came off as a bit ho hum for me. Overall, a very good feature debut as Director for Crowe.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5.

Top Films for 2014

Well 2014 was a bumper year with 302 films watched, although it was only the first year I have been tracking number of films. So, who knows, I could have done more in previous years. Out of the 302, I have selected 31 (shown below) of the 2014 Australian release date films that I rated 4 stars or more out of 5. Of the list below, the top 6 are: Her, Begin Again, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Blue is the Warmest Colour and The Normal Heart. These 6 films are ones I gave at least 4.5 out of 5 to. The others, well, I could spend all day trying to sort them in order of preference, but, I won't. Not all of these films are critical darlings either (notice the inclusion of Transformers: Age of Extinction).

If you're interested to see my full list of films watched in 2014, here is a complete list.  

 

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.