tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15206528470073876302024-03-12T23:42:40.671+00:00Writebase MoviesMark Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05243652250343283417noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-65424199075314404402017-05-02T01:00:00.000+01:002017-05-24T17:06:05.102+01:00Movie Review: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSos74Xs6kD5ZkEvKDFWI33X-wo7QbRzCq3nzkEq3k0p5ALqjuS8Evm4SDA423i7FfTesWM9PRkJySlrkWcHflE7GQsLKojlNxZ6WHf3LhmA4UWJOeFx7iwrFDZ4BOOJIW6r09jD5HshyF/s1600/GOTG+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSos74Xs6kD5ZkEvKDFWI33X-wo7QbRzCq3nzkEq3k0p5ALqjuS8Evm4SDA423i7FfTesWM9PRkJySlrkWcHflE7GQsLKojlNxZ6WHf3LhmA4UWJOeFx7iwrFDZ4BOOJIW6r09jD5HshyF/s200/GOTG+2.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia<br />
(Copyright: Walt Disney<br />
Studios Motion Pictures,<br />
the film publisher<br />
or graphic artist.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Written By:</b> Paul Burke<br />
<br />
<b>Distributor:</b> Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures<br />
<b>Production Company:</b> Marvel Studios<br />
<b>Director:</b> James Gunn<br />
<b>Producer:</b> Kevin Feige<br />
<b>Scriptwriter:</b> James Gunn<br />
<b>Main Cast:</b> Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell<br />
<b>Released:</b> April 28 2017<br />
<b>Running Time:</b> 136 Minutes<br />
<b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: white;">12A</span></b><br />
<br />
He says “Welcome to the frickin’ Guardians of the Galaxy”. Only he didn’t use “frickin’”. – Rocket<br />
<br />
The sequel to Marvel’s surprise hit finally lands. Were this any other studio, we would have had a sequel to the critically and commercial hit much earlier, keen to jump on all that goodwill, alas with the Marvel Cinematic Universe being interconnected every movie has a place in line. Thankfully, we will not have another three-year wait to see the group again as they will be teaming up with the Avengers next year, which a truly exciting prospect.<br />
<br />
Funnily enough, though, there is barely any connection to the wider Marvel Universe in Volume #2. Writer and director James Gunn gave us such an offbeat hit that he has basically been given carte blanche in the sequel. This is quite the compliment in the tightly-controlled Marvel Universe, one not even afforded to Joss Whedon in Avengers Age of Ultron.<br />
<br />
We open to the Guardians in team mode, a not-so-well-oiled machine, and straight away we are reminded of how different these films are to the others in the universe with a funky, mixed-focus, alien battle set to the music of ELO. Obviously.<br />
<br />
Actually, the music deserves special mention. George Lucas once said that sound and music are 50% of the entertainment in a movie, and both Guardians of the Galaxy movies are prime examples of this. This sentiment most likely refers to a score (of which there are some really nice emotive pieces here by composer Tyler Bates), but in Guardians of the Galaxy, it is a collection of 70’s hit singles, some classics, and it gives the pace of the movie a real rhythm. Sells a hell of a lot of soundtracks too. Due to the success of the first film, Gunn has obviously been allowed any song he wishes, and boy he’s crammed a lot in, but it’s to his credit as a writer how the songs hit the right tone.<br />
<br />
The pacing of the first act seemed somewhat off after that first scene. Without the villain not being so clear until later, there does not seem to be much focus on the overall plot. However, it does at least leave plenty of room for that rarest of things in an ensemble – character development. Each character is so well-defined to us now, yet you get a sense of a deep history behind them that you know there are so many stories there and so many directions you can take this group on.<br />
<br />
There were moments were it seemed like the movie was going for some sort of gag-rate record that the constant stream of jokes were beginning to undermine serious moments. This was more in the first half, mainly involving scenes that involved the over-used Ravagers. And quite frankly, there is a certain Pac-Man moment that should not have happened. I get the fun of Peter Quill’s old culture references to his comrades, but this was a cringe moment in what was an emotionally and physically charged scene.<br />
<br />
But it can be forgiven because the hit rate is much better than the miss, and some hit hard. When did comic book movies become funnier than comedy movies?<br />
<br />
The visual effects are eye-popping; this truly is a comic book on screen. The different states we see the character of Ego in are very impressive. It’s great to see a director allowed to really give us the entire colour pallete. And the effect of showing older Hollywood legends as the young men we remember them as – like Michael Douglas & Robert Downey Jr in past Marvel films – turns up again here to wonderful affect. Kurt Russell as Ego is just really cool, guys. Credit too for the promotional team as the fantastic trailers gave nothing too important away.<br />
<br />
Finally, although I am a fan of the plot device of well-established teams splitting to join up again later – something that allows characters more room to grow and create different dynamics – the real magic in this space age comic book action adventure of mismatched family drama is when our heroes have a back-and-forth together.<br />
<br />
Each member brings something different and the lines sizzle. There are not many cinematic sights more guaranteed to make you smile than the Guardians of the freakin’ Galaxy together in full flow.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall Rating: 8/10 – We Are Groot</b>Mark Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05243652250343283417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-74179988129408360612017-04-19T00:00:00.000+01:002017-04-30T21:25:45.654+01:00Beauty And The Beast<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhShui170dvYs9DQavL6wtlp15whzDTGu28Bkg0CNtX5uGgZgCuyn6RhTjTxSYLzo2BRvur3DgnPwt3fjktD_Cub658A_MCjWQR1LBmfLgfDZNgJAEn63lQ619_UbwHWX9oZrbLz26_Yxj/s1600/Beauty+%2526+The+Beast+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhShui170dvYs9DQavL6wtlp15whzDTGu28Bkg0CNtX5uGgZgCuyn6RhTjTxSYLzo2BRvur3DgnPwt3fjktD_Cub658A_MCjWQR1LBmfLgfDZNgJAEn63lQ619_UbwHWX9oZrbLz26_Yxj/s200/Beauty+%2526+The+Beast+2017.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia<br />
(Copyright: Walt Disney<br />
Studios Motion Pictures,<br />
the film publisher<br />
or graphic artist.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Written By:</b> Scott Gunnion<br />
<br />
<b>Distributor:</b> Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures<br />
<b>Production Companies:</b> Walt Disney Pictures and Mandeville Films<br />
<b>Director:</b> Bill Condon<br />
<b>Producers:</b> David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman<br />
<b>Scriptwriters:</b> Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos<br />
<b>Main Cast:</b> Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson<br />
<b>Released:</b> March 17 2017<br />
<b>Running Time:</b> 129 Minutes<br />
<b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: #f1c232; color: white;">PG</span></b><br />
<br />
Beauty And The Beast arrived upon us burdened with high expectations. It came shackled with the intimidating legacy of the original that came before it, whilst also afflicted with the immense pressure to convert animated greatness into something credible and magical at the same time.<br />
<br />
Apparently, Emma Watson turned down La La Land before signing on to star as Belle; allegedly, she wanted La La Land to be filmed in England. Instead, she opted for this. Good decision, whether it be intentional or not.<br />
<br />
The film allowed Emma Watson to finally abandon the shadow of Harry Potter, cast aside its legacy and establish herself as an actress in her own right. The film was so good that it made you forget all about Watson's well-documented pretentious posturing concerning feminism and everything else, something that has no doubt been holding back her career progression.<br />
<br />
At times, the film felt like a word-for-word reproduction of Disney's animated original, yet it somehow managed to add an extra half-hour to the running time. So surely it can't have just been a word-for-word remake, though at times it certainly did seem like one. It's interesting that Kevin Kline's Maurice didn't have a musical moment, considering his musical background with two Tonys to his name.<br />
<br />
The golden moment was the Gaston musical number involving Gaston, Le Fou and the villagers in full swing. It was an epic moment; a musical at its best. Another musical moment - "Be Our Guest"- felt like, as I said earlier, a word-for-word reproduction of its counterpart scene in the Disney original. A disappointment, though visually impressive.<br />
<br />
The much-speculated 'gay moment' turned out to be overblown. Yes, Le Fou was obviously in awe of Gaston, though this could quite easily have been misconstrued as admiration as opposed to unrequited lust and desire. No doubt, it will have gone unnoticed by the legions of young cinemagoers who absorbed the movie and enjoyed it in whole. There is a moment towards the end where Le Fou dances with a man, and this too is underwhelming and overblown. Much ado about nothing.<br />
<br />
To those who bigged it up, I say: stop trying to politicise Disney!<br />
<br />
Despite these criticisms, the movie in whole was visually impressive and delightful. In fact, it was magical. The cinema was rammed with children and adults in equal measure, which speaks to its universal appeal. No doubt, there is a Golden Globe for Best Picture in either the Musical or Comedy category pending.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding</b>Mark Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05243652250343283417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-54748404067717420552016-04-25T12:24:00.002+01:002016-04-25T20:44:10.288+01:00Click the links below for movie reviews and news!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-60140832011448655582016-04-03T17:00:00.000+01:002016-04-22T16:36:35.237+01:00Zootropolis<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj5m5RjYISkrEk6d38KvKUXIQZ4-10n8pfHF6IhnZfxELFy4eaoSEJlRg6smfzuxA-Kb1QiUe_3leUG4MYsX_bo_3jaffjZ4oVkT1F_TaE58V2EU-_RQBXKqH6cpn34IQ1x9V6qDI7Otb/s1600/Zootropolis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj5m5RjYISkrEk6d38KvKUXIQZ4-10n8pfHF6IhnZfxELFy4eaoSEJlRg6smfzuxA-Kb1QiUe_3leUG4MYsX_bo_3jaffjZ4oVkT1F_TaE58V2EU-_RQBXKqH6cpn34IQ1x9V6qDI7Otb/s200/Zootropolis.jpg" width="139" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <br />Entertainment Focus<br />(Copyright: Disney)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Paul Burke<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures<br /><b>Production Companies: </b>Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios<br /><b>Directors:</b> Byron Howard and Rich Moore<br /><b>Producer:</b> Clark Spencer<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Jared Bush and Phil Johnston<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate, Tommy Chong and Octavia Spencer<br /><b>Released:</b> March 25 2016<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 108 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: #f1c232; color: white;">PG</span></b><br /><br />“Life isn't some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and all your insipid dreams magically come true. So let it go.” - Chief Bogo<br /><br />I see what you did there, Disney: Zootropolis, or ‘Zootopia’ as it is known in America and therefore in the wider world (or ‘Zoomania’ in Germany, just in case you're reading this in Germany and are confused - schreien um meine deutschen fans!)<br /><br />Those niggling changes are basically forced on Disney having to rename for territories where those titles already have copyright. But while the company will see ‘Zootopia’ as the true title, I'd argue that ‘Zootropolis’ is a more fitting name. Because this is a very modern movie, set in a very modern metropolis. Modern-day items like CCTV and phones are used as plot devices. And the Zootropolis really feels like a full, bustling city of different types. ‘Zootopia’ is basically just a pun on ‘utopia’. Do people really love a pun that much?<br /><br />But anyway, it is Zootropolis here in the UK and it's all the better for it. Since buying the Pixar company, the Disney corporation have used their acquired know-how to begin putting out their very own Pixar-like content, in terms of looks and almost in terms of quality too. Tangled (before Pixar, it must be said), Bolt, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6 and now Zootropolis move away from how Disney previously would have done stories about a talking animal, a video game, a robot and a Princess. They are almost anti-Disney. Sure, they are still predictable stories with a be-true-to-yourself message, but how we get there is different to what we are used to. With limited musical numbers overall, the Princess’ true love story is about her sisters, and the tale of the talking animal actually goes a little Animal Farm and hits us with a political story wrapped up in a classic ‘follow your dreams’ moral. But unlike every version of Animal Farm I've ever seen, at least Zootropolis does so entertainingly.<br /><br />So, we basically follow Judy Hopps, a bunny rabbit from the country who not only dreams of living in the big city, but wants to do so as a cop. No easy feat when you consider most of the animal kingdom's predators roam the streets of Zootropolis. But Judy and her boundless energy has proved to herself countless times that anyone who tries to tell her that being the “little guy” is a disadvantage in life is wrong. Standard fare so far, then, as is much of the movie for the first two acts. She teams up with Nick Wilde - a con artist fox who grates on her; they have a standard, though quite intriguing, mystery to solve - to find the missing member of Zootropolis, and they do so through many exciting and often hilarious set pieces. The Godfather-inspired mob wedding provides several laughs, as well as the joke about the DMV being run by sloths, which is probably the stand-out moment of the movie. It's standard, but it's good-looking entertainment up to this point for the intended child audience and their parents (for whom there is even a Breaking Bad reference).<br /><br />But once the mystery is seemingly wrapped up early, we are hit with a whopper of a third act. All of a sudden, the audience are being confronted with the idea of how people deal with and, just as importantly, use fear. It is a hugely prominent part of modern day politics, especially in this US election year, and arguably modern-day life since 9/11. And here, Disney confront that theme out of the blue, but without beating us over the head with it. With a kids movie! Yes, despite the mentions of 9/11, this movie is aimed at children. But they aren't reading this review. (Well, hopefully; if so, please leave the Internet kids. It's a bizarre and frightening place.)<br /><br />The story’s outcome is fairly predictable early on, and while it has a lot of heart, it doesn't really have the same emotional weight as something like Up or Toy Story 3. It is not as visually interesting as the likes of Wall-E. But that is not to say that Zootropolis doesn't look stunning, because it really does. So much thought goes into how all these animals live, transport and work together that it could rely on its sight gags alone, but thankfully it doesn't. It plays on our ideas of these animals, modern-day life, and how they blend together, and not just in a superficial way. In fact, they don't ask the audience to forget what we know about animals, but they use our preconceptions on them to forward the plot. And rather than chase its 2D past, as it has been accused of doing before, Disney has instead taken the lead set by its ground-breaking in-house acquisition Pixar, and continues to push its own special Disney brand forward into the new modern-day.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-88159799871366754662016-03-26T15:30:00.000+00:002016-04-25T14:57:53.694+01:00Batman V Superman<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4m-yBBEfuCCgJRsKl9HyLfCQM7wDTagwDSPvaFZKQI6jUwp-qsUc5S9dWLPkjdAJFFCoewRObklmJhnO0eFUYN1HmrkqgUgnbH8sLO_i6O0302y0WMGw60piKclEYJB9yR6yaL2yijxj/s1600/Batman+V+Superman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4m-yBBEfuCCgJRsKl9HyLfCQM7wDTagwDSPvaFZKQI6jUwp-qsUc5S9dWLPkjdAJFFCoewRObklmJhnO0eFUYN1HmrkqgUgnbH8sLO_i6O0302y0WMGw60piKclEYJB9yR6yaL2yijxj/s200/Batman+V+Superman.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia <br />
(Copyright: Warner Bros. <br />
Pictures, the film <br />
publisher or graphic <br />
artist.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Written By:</b> Paul Burke<br />
<br />
<b>Distributor:</b> Warner Bros. Pictures<br />
<b>Production Companies:</b> DC Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment and Cruel and Unusual Films<br />
<b>Director:</b> Zack Snyder<br />
<b>Producers:</b> Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder<br />
<b>Scriptwriters:</b> Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer<br />
<b>Main Cast:</b> Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot<br />
<b>Released:</b> March 25 2016<br />
<b>Running Time:</b> 151 Minutes<br />
<b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: white;">12A</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<i><b>“The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world. God versus man. Day versus night. Son of Krypton versus Bat of Gotham.” - Lex Luther</b></i><br />
<br />
It's not Batman <i>vs</i> Superman. It's Batman <i>V</i> Superman. Because having the ‘v’ instead of ‘vs’ is a way ‘to keep it from being a straight “versus” movie, even in the most subtle way.’ According to the director Zack Snyder.<br />
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So what does this mean, despite the fact that Lex literally says ‘versus’ several times in the movie? Wait, does this mean we aren't going to see Batman and Superman beat on each other for 151 minutes?! Well, despite what all the excellent marketing we've been hit with might suggest, no we're not. But that was obvious because this is Superman, the character who originally started superhero movies with Christopher Reeve, against Batman, the character who gave superhero movies credibility under Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. The sell isn't their great battle or the "who will win?" outcome. These guys are the heroes. The selling point of the film is seeing two hugely iconic characters sharing the big screen for the first time.<br />
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It also cannot be a straight “versus” movie because, as almost everyone tells me before seeing the film, Superman is an unstoppable force and Batman is just a billionaire genius (conveniently forgetting that Superman's biggest foe is Lex Luther, who is a billionaire genius). How could Batman stand a chance?! Well, I'll forgo divulging the times Batman has defeated Superman in their comic book forms for now and concentrate on what we have here, which is the first true chapter of the DC Comics cinematic universe.<br />
<br />
Because cinematic universes are a thing now. Because Marvel and Warner Bros. have trusted the vision of their universe with Zack Snyder. And what vision Snyder has. Quite a polarising director, Snyder has as many critics as fans due to his vivid style. While it is great for his movies to have a look and a feel that makes a Snyder film instantly recognisable, some argue that it is not fitting for every story he produces.<br />
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But it works well here. Better than it did in Man of Steel where Snyder's naturally vivid style seemed at odds with producer Christopher Nolan's natural, gritty look. Unlike Nolan, Snyder is really allowed to make a Batman V Superman comic book movie with more emphasis on the comic book and less on the movie.<br />
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And it is filmed very much like a comic book; the scenes can be short and cut between each other in a way that is sharp and rushed. In fact, for adult fans of comic books, this movie should be perfect. More complex and adult notions of what drives Batman and what Superman's place in the world is are explored, but unlike the Nolan films, the other worldly element Superman brings means that the movie can take leaps of reality. Though it means that characters make some questionable decisions (would people really just stroll through a cloud of dust from a destroyed building?), it also allows us to accept Wonder Woman's involvement, and she is an entertaining addition to proceedings.<br />
<br />
The problem is that the dialogue also sounds like it is from a comic book. Characters don't really engage with each other, there are no natural conversations, and people mainly just say convoluted things at each other. Everything is metaphorical or anecdotal. Everyone is a philosopher.<br />
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The movie also has a hefty run time. Where Marvel used five solo superhero movies to build up to its shared universe team, DC are rushing it somewhat by only giving us glimpses of its entire team here. The several dream/vision sequences are clearly with the bigger picture in mind, but they just expand an already bloated movie, and without serving much narrative which can be very confusing. If you don't have an extensive knowledge of the source, then you'll be left scratching your head at just how odd these scenes are. You'll feel you had a bizarre vision yourself. Think Thor in Avengers Age of Ultron in that electric cave Jacuzzi.<br />
<br />
Now, the new guys. Ben Affleck does everything the role calls for adeptly, which is anger. Batman is just really angry. And Superman is stressed. Super stressed. Batman V Superman kind of shows us the absolute worst of the heroes. That said, their action scenes are very well done, although they're a bit of a mess in the climactic battle. Batman, in particular, probably has his best fight scenes in any film; they're fast and brutal, but also clearly show what is happening, which is not how the Nolan fight scenes came out in their finished form. It could be straight from an Arkham computer game.<br />
<br />
Gal Godot is a refreshing presence. Different from the other two heroes we've seen done to death in movies, she brings the same exuberance to the role as Wonder Woman does to the action. So much exuberance, in fact, that her arrival in the action changes the previously-sombre score to an up-tempo one. It's bizarre really, like a computer game score; the likes that appear after a cut-scene that basically tell you ‘this is when you fight now’. But it does help her leave her a strong impact, while it also leaves enough mystery left hanging over her character to justify her upcoming solo movie.<br />
<br />
And then there's Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luther. Obviously going for a modern type of Mark Zuckerberg-esque billionaire instead of the classic suit character we're used to, the new take is refreshingly different, giving Superman a truly opposite foe. Eisenberg looks like he has more fun than anyone in a film ever has. The man ticks and twitches his way through with a borderline lunacy that you can accept his maniacal side enough; his respected billionaire businessman side, less so.<br />
<br />
Overall, the movie probably takes itself too seriously, which never really seems to fit the Superman character. The dialogue seems like a first draft and the scenes, with the expanded universe in mind while also introducing so many characters, give the audience an enormous amount of information to digest in the allotted time. But the structure of the movie is excellent, all things considered; the necessary pieces are all there; and the action sequences actually get a lot more build-up than I expected. In fact, the film is so un-Snyder that it's Snyder's best movie. Not the best Batman or Superman movie by any means, but for the average film-goer, at least they are seeing these old characters do something different.<br />
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<b>Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-40647529324296233132015-03-28T11:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:45.949+01:00American Hustle<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvSZGspyQtgIgfiQjBpClMnr1qsawwj1Lln_kScDJvKGWb1Z5JfPQVdPYjTCTlKn7v-lbZnr0pDcZ9OQOD1x8bZP5yzcSEgPGozQsgNhRdlkQotYbIGxpl9iOmnajBTtqjwg7UJFaKgaF/s1600/American+Hustle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvSZGspyQtgIgfiQjBpClMnr1qsawwj1Lln_kScDJvKGWb1Z5JfPQVdPYjTCTlKn7v-lbZnr0pDcZ9OQOD1x8bZP5yzcSEgPGozQsgNhRdlkQotYbIGxpl9iOmnajBTtqjwg7UJFaKgaF/s1600/American+Hustle.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia. <br />(Copyright: Columbia <br />Pictures, the <br />film publisher <br />or graphic artist.)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributors:</b> Columbia Pictures (US) and Roadshow Entertainment (Australia)<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Atlas Entertainment and Annapurna Pictures<br /><b>Director:</b> David O. Russell<br /><b>Producers:</b> Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison and Jonathan Gordon<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence<br /><b>Released:</b> December 12 2013 (Australia), December 13 2013 (US) and January 1 2014 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 138 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />American Hustle combines a pretty strong cast (Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence) for a movie that I would describe as unusual. It is part-comedy, part-drama, part-romance, with crime and violence mixed in, over the course of a long running time, and with a fair amount of confusion as it relates to the main plot-line. Still, as a whole, the movie remains an engaging experience, and one worth seeing for the powerful performances by the aforementioned stars.<br /><br />We begin by learning that a relationship has been formed between two con artists in Irving Rosenfeld (Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Adams). They are rmoantically linked, although their love for each other is perhaps best exemplified by the lengths to which each is willing to go to ensure that their schemes are a success, from pretending to be English aristocrats to generally misleading potential customers to the point where you realise that their fate truly lies in the hands of the con artists. More troubling, though, is that Irving is actually married to another woman named Rosalyn Rosenfeld (Lawrence), who is mentally unstable yet has an undying love for her man.<br /><br />Unlike some movies where you would believe that having two women on the scene spells trouble further down the line, Irving if anything is unapologetic: he realises as time goes on that he has made mistakes within his relationships, but he is in no hurry to try and narrow it down to one, and he feels no guilt as his primary concern is how he can make money. Rosalyn later learns the truth but, rather than immediately blowing up Sydney, she subtly gets involved, making herself indispensible yet distracting, and generally getting her revenge from the inside. This, of course, doesn't go well with the con artists and leads to a number of confrontations as the movie goes on.<br /><br />However, whilst love and romance are elements of American Hustle, its main storyline centres around the leading characters' attempts to make money through false means. And the plot takes an intriguing twist when Irving and Sydney are caught in a loan scam by an FBI agent named Richie DiMaso (Cooper), but through a number of suggestions and allegations, it ends up that Richie actually works alongside Irving and Sydney to pull off even greater cons, to the point where some of his attempts seem so over-the-top and so difficult to pull off that even Irving has misgivings.<br /><br />Unbeknownst to him, however, it soon comes to light that Richie and Sydney have fallen in love. This means that Irving is at risk of not only losing his key business partner in the event that Richie and Sydney try to cut Irving out of potential deals, meaning a loss of big money (and consider that if he moves away, Richie as an FBI agent will most likely have Irving taken to jail), but of also losing the woman he is in a relationship with behind his erratic wife's back. In short, Irving has been conned into a situation where he now has to go along with the orders of everybody around him, because while the developments are clearly taking a toll on him, he has much more to lose by getting out. It eventually leads to one major potential deal with the Mayor of Camden, New Jersey (Renner), where the deal-making process is comprised of several parts where the different storylines and character clashes are certain to come to a head. And given what each character has to lose, and since each character is in someway playing somebody else, it is uncertain as to how this will be resolved, who if anybody will face punishment for their actions, and who if anybody will come out of the whole thing smelling like roses.<br /><br />It is an unusual story, packed with different plot developments. It is never predictable, and is engaging to watch. Lawrence shines as the unstable wife whose behaviour is at times alarming, even given the obvious negative treatment she is receiving, yet remains in love with the man she married and uses her own forms of psychological manipulation to achieve some level of redemption. Describing her as a sympathetic character may be a bit of a stretch because she comes across so erratic that you are unsure whether she is someone whose side you would take, but the character is a complex one that holds your attention in all scenes where she is featured. Bale and Cooper also play their roles well and, in the case of Bale, he plays a poker face which ensures that, despite his stated intentions and what is going through his mind, you never quite know what he is thinking and what he will do, and how he will react to sudden changes in the situations that he finds himself in. Adams also does this albeit to a lesser extent.<br /><br />The main problems I had with American Hustle concerned the structure of the story. It is very hard to follow what is going on, to determine who is on whose side, and to establish who deserves sympathy and who deserves scorn. I have outlined the plot above, and the way I have written it out, you will understand it more than you would if you watched the film. It isn't a case that too much is going on, just that too many developments occur without proper exploration of the whos, whats and whys. I also felt that the running time of 138 minutes was a little too long, as the movie lost a bit of steam in the final quarter. Some scenes could have been dropped or at least shortened; a two-hour presentation would have reduced the irrelevant activity, and by streamlining the film as a whole, it perhaps could have been easier to explain the important developments and relationships, since we wouldn't have had added unncessary elements on an already-busy storyline.<br /><br />That all being said, I still enjoyed American Hustle, and so did many others, given the praise it has received and the fact that it won three BAFTAs, three Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as ten Academy Award nominations. So, whilst it is a bit hard to follow and it does drag on a bit, I think that American Hustle is a very engaging movie which will entice fans of any genre, whether it be comedy, drama, crime or suspense. It may be best to watch it and then see it again to understand everything that goes on, but if the question is whether I would recommend American Hustle, the answer is a definite yes.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-84718423989456136402015-03-26T18:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.007+01:00Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLqyTy9ePYlx7VJYgJs8VAnsDv2pu79Mg_ymfF_Hwsd_PgBSCzzOG0vlsfVmJusTt7WOVvqFmelfd7DeO3ch-j3idLPGOe6UpfQtGMGUOUkHOyRdRSF35kyV4GclQcp3_P6m5tt-bkdv-/s1600/Wrestling+With+Shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLqyTy9ePYlx7VJYgJs8VAnsDv2pu79Mg_ymfF_Hwsd_PgBSCzzOG0vlsfVmJusTt7WOVvqFmelfd7DeO3ch-j3idLPGOe6UpfQtGMGUOUkHOyRdRSF35kyV4GclQcp3_P6m5tt-bkdv-/s1600/Wrestling+With+Shadows.jpg" height="200" width="110" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: IMDB</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Vidmark/Trimark<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> A&E Television Networks, High Road Productions and Trimark Pictures<br /><b>Director:</b> Paul Jay<br /><b>Producers:</b> Paul Jay, Sally Blake, David M. Ostriker and Silva Basmajian (NFB)<br /><b>Writer:</b> Paul Jay<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Bret Hart, Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Stu Hart, Julie Hart, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart<br /><b>Released:</b> December 20 1998<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 93 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: E</b><br /><br />Since it's WrestleMania Week, this week's retro movie review takes a slightly different approach by focusing on a wrestling-themed production, which is more of a documentary than a film; however, its reality-based content and gripping footage allows it to shine nonetheless.<br /><br />Wrestling With Shadows tells the story of Bret Hart, at one point the WWF/WWE's biggest star. He first became WWF Champ in 1992, and lost his third title to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII in 1996. Shortly afterwards, Hart went on an extended vacation from wrestling, and pondered his future as WCW made him an offer; bear in mind that WCW was now overtaking the WWF in terms of popularity. It is around this time, in autumn 1996, when Bret chooses to stay in the WWF that the documentary begins to tell its narrative.<br /><br />Director Paul Jay and his crew were hoping to follow the life of a WWF wrestler, and a very popular one, outside the ring so that fans could get a feel of their real-life persona, mixed in with footage shot at the family home, and of stories going back to the early days of Bret's career. Along the way, we get to see backstage footage of WWF events (a novelty at the time), and a chance to see how storylines impact upon a character's real-life (Bret turned into an anti-American heel in 1997, albeit one who still remained, in his words, "very pro-Canadian", leading to a divide on loving and hating the man based on where fans lived).<br /><br />That was the intention, anyway. But during the timeline of filming, things changed.<br /><br />For Bret would be leaving for WCW in late 1997, reluctantly it must be said, because apparently the WWF could no longer afford Bret's contract due to financial difficulties. Bret said in his autobiography Hitman that as production of the documentary was still ongoing, he thought it would be a good idea to allow Paul Jay and company to film his final few weeks in the WWF.<br /><br />It is fascinating to see Bret's clear desire to stay in the WWF being overruled by the wishes of Vince McMahon, the apparent money troubles in the WWF and the change to more adult-orientated content on Raw and WWF PPV events. But it pales in comparison to the elephant in the room: Bret is leaving, not long after Survivor Series 1997, but remains WWF Champion. And with SS being in Canada, where Bret is genuinely idolised, losing the crown there to his real-life enemy Shawn Michaels is a combination too emotionally strong for the Hitman to overcome. So, he suggests to Vince (as captured here) for a DQ finish to his match with Michaels in Montreal, and for him to vacate the title the next night on Raw and leave on a positive note (he was still an anti-American villain, remember). McMahon agrees, and so Bret goes into Survivor Series and his last major match for the WWF after 13 years in the company.<br /><br />But in the body of the match, Michaels locks a Sharpshooter on Bret; however, while Bret tries to reverse the move as planned, referee Earl Hebner calls for the bell, as advised from a stationed-at-ringside Vince and Michaels himself. Bret had been robbed of the WWF Title for real; the Montreal Screwjob had taken place.<br /><br />Bret is clearly fuming, and post-match footage shows Vince leaving the arena with a black eye and a limp from a Bret punch (the fight itself is not on camera; imagine if it had), and Bret's then-wife Julie admonishing Triple H, who pretends to have had no involvement in the whole saga. Michaels on camera lies to Bret by saying he had no participation in it either. In Bret's mind, subsequent Raw footage of Vince saying that "Bret screwed Bret" and of DX mocking a midget Bret proves otherwise. The documentary ends with Bret reflecting on his poor treatment by the WWF and suggesting that heroes are no longer accepted, only anti-heroes.<br /><br />The story of why Montreal happened and who was right and wrong is too great to go into here; I will write about it in-depth in the future. For this review, the purpose is to show that what began as a basic scope of a WWF wrestler's lifestyle turns into a production that shows the true story of the most controversial incident in wrestling history. It is truly real-life; Bret cannot hide his emotions towards the end, and the events of November 9 1997 genuinely weakened Bret for many years. Before Montreal, the documentary is a nice look at the backstage goings-on and home life of a top WWF star; when it comes to covering Montreal, though, it is as gripping as any production on any sports event that you will ever see.<br /><br />Jay would later comment that he wanted to humanise Vince more, so that he wouldn't come across as the villain and may have been able to have his say (outside of his comments shortly afterwards on Raw). As it is, we only see and hear Bret's side of events; having the opposite set of opinions would have made coverage of the incident even more powerful. Still, that wasn't going to happen in the late 1990s, when wrestling was only occasionally noted to be entertainment, and since this was essentially a Bret Hart documentary and not a WWF one.<br /><br />So, the crew inadvertantly captured the events leading up to the most talked-about incident ever in wrestling, and of the moment itself and its aftermath. For that, Wrestling With Shadows is essential viewing for any wrestling fan, but the documentary would still have been engaging without the events that led to Bret's departure from the WWF. As a total package, though, Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows is a brilliant documentary and a must-see for all followers of the world of professional wrestling.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-71130455038161738922015-03-20T15:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.268+01:00Annabelle<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVIKm8zANaRmJPwRpIrZEkGoL1s2wJQWtpvAUEiLhVYcssuRaywGjK0VGze6KaTzyVzJVjPgFeesJfQq2BbrJvpS1kJ0cIfFLrCQ_-JqDfAtz4ZGHVuL2NSRfM1rfe1AMKVw-K1CXM15B/s1600/Annabelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVIKm8zANaRmJPwRpIrZEkGoL1s2wJQWtpvAUEiLhVYcssuRaywGjK0VGze6KaTzyVzJVjPgFeesJfQq2BbrJvpS1kJ0cIfFLrCQ_-JqDfAtz4ZGHVuL2NSRfM1rfe1AMKVw-K1CXM15B/s1600/Annabelle.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia <br />(Copyright: New <br />Line Cinema)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Warner Bros. Pictures<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> New Line Cinema, RatPac Entertainment, Atomic Monster and The Safran Company<br /><b>Director:</b> John R. Leonetti<br /><b>Producers:</b> Peter Safran and James Wan<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Gary Dauberman<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton and Alfre Woodard<br /><b>Released:</b> October 3 2014 (US) and October 10 2014 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 99 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />Recently released on DVD and Blu-ray but having premiered last autumn (just in time for Halloween), Annabelle is both a prequel to and a spin-off from the 2013 movie The Conjuring. It tells the story of a doll which, over time, causes great terror and puts lives at risk. And, yes, the movie is scary. Not the most frightening film you will ever see, but frightening enough that you will suddenly feel uneasy about having your doll by you in your bedroom (assuming you still collect dolls, like me ... I'm only joking).<br /><br />Annabelle begins in 1970 with first-person accounts of the doll, in a scene which was also used at the beginning of The Conjuring. They are told to Ed and Lorraine Warren, or at least their characters as the real-life couple were ghost-hunters who had told or spread the story of a haunting doll named Annabelle. Then we go to 1969, where the movie begins proper.<br /><br />We meet John Gordon (played by Ward Horton) and his wife Mia (Annabelle Wallis; a fitting first name for the lead actress), who live in Santa Monica, California, and are expectant parents, and their neighbours, the Higginses. We also see the doll Annabelle for the first time, a childhood treasure of Mia's which is re-introduced to her by John. However, as the movie poster proves, the doll has a chilling, evil glare in its eyes, one of which appears to be bleeding a tear. Now, I am a man, but if I was a woman, and I had been a little girl, receiving a doll of such resemblance would have scared the you-know-what out of me; I wouldn't have wanted it anywhere near me. Nevertheless, it's a horror movie, and whilst I can't fathom why a doll which looked like Annabelle would not immediately scare a young child, which Mia had been, it is suitably frightening for this story and gives you the chills each time you see it.<br /><br />Anyway, you can tell that things are too pleasant; something untoward is bound to happen. It comes one night when Mia awakes and hears what turns out to be the murdering of her neighbours. When she returns home and calls the police, she is viciously attacked by the assailants, one of whom is holding the doll of Annabelle. The attack is frightening, violent and bloody, but Mia survives. We learn that the assailants were actually the children of their neighbours, Annabelle Higgins and her boyfriend, and that they are members of a satanic cult named the Disciples of the Ram, where they worship a demon with horns. After the attack, the doll is disposed of, but it keeps reappearing.<br /><br />And so do the devil worshippers. The Gordons relocate to Pasadena, with Mia having now given birth early due to the after-effects of a fire caused by the disposing of the doll, but the evil follows them. A detective named Evelyn (Alfre Woodard) is brought in to help them, as is their local priest Father Perez (Tony Amendola), but the demonic attacks and home invasions continue, and those who are brought in to help also become targets. It becomes apparent that the only way to stop the plague of evil is to offer up a soul for it to take. The manner in which the evil ghost behind the doll tries to achieve this goal is uncomfortable to watch, and the way in which the situation is dealt with is equally shocking.<br /><br />Annabelle only has around four or five scenes of genuine threat and horror, but those that are here do deliver. The other scenes take the time, occasionally too much time, to build up the characters and set up the chilling moments. In that sense, this is a lot more about storytelling than actual horror; however, the scariest scenes will make an impact. Some elements will be a little clichéd to long-time fans of the genre, but they are timeless in that they will always get a jolt out of you. Put it this way: even if you have always watched horror films, if you're walking by your bed and you are suddenly, unexpectedly grabbed by something beneath it ... you'd still be scared.<br /><br />The plot itself is a little familiar; the idea of an evil doll spooking its owners goes back decades, a good example being a 1963 episode of the classic US series The Twilight Zone, which focused on a doll named "Talky Tina" that starts off being gentle and sweet, but becomes evil and causes psychological terror and threatens to kill those around it. (Incidentally, The Simpsons did a parody of this in a Halloween episode with a Krusty doll which was very funny, but elaborating on that here would lower the tone of this review; you really should see it though.) The key differences between the Annabelle movie and Twilight Zone are that in this film, Annabelle looks more sinister, this movie is much stronger for its horror and especially for bloody violence, and this doll possesses a truly evil streak, one which at times is beyond belief. Ironically, the name of the mother who buys "Talky Tina" for her kids in that Twilight Zone episode is ... Annabelle. Spooky, eh? (Cue the Twilight Zone music; if you've seen it, you'll know what I mean.)<br /><br />Summing it up, then, Annabelle is a film which will be judged not by the performances of those involved or the strength of its story, but on the delivery of thrilling, horrifying visual elements. In that respect, it does a good job, because while the scary scenes are few and far between, those moments do generally meet expectations. As I said earlier, fans of the genre will not consider this to be the scariest film they have ever seen, and even those who saw The Conjuring may have expected more, but it does provide a suitably horrifying movie experience. And there are rumours of this being the beginning of its own film series. So, despite some mixed reviews, you should enjoy it. Just don't watch it at home in the presence of your old childhood doll.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-60330083023255387042015-03-19T16:00:00.001+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.336+01:00Austin Powers In Goldmember (Austin Powers 3)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvvmSaea-2GBnu4F9Fsp7A4JSsiSr-O97pZdPZsaXwpol5QLT0_hfj0K-4Encoh1QaF-Nh3VefMi0wA1ONjxhplpeD02EZRj5t4VJSuF33-f2xlGKXOBh3I3ScpMafQpTi2x1mbCirOcY/s1600/Austin+Powers+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvvmSaea-2GBnu4F9Fsp7A4JSsiSr-O97pZdPZsaXwpol5QLT0_hfj0K-4Encoh1QaF-Nh3VefMi0wA1ONjxhplpeD02EZRj5t4VJSuF33-f2xlGKXOBh3I3ScpMafQpTi2x1mbCirOcY/s1600/Austin+Powers+3.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> New Line Cinema<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Gratitude International, Team Todd and Moving Pictures<br /><b>Director:</b> Jay Roach<br /><b>Producers:</b> Jan Blenkin, John S. Lyons, Eric McLeod, Demi Moore and Mike Myers<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Mike Myers and Michael McCullers<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Mike Myers, Beyoncé Knowles, Seth Green, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Sterling, Verne Troyer and Michael Caine<br /><b>Released:</b> July 26 2002<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 94 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">12</span></b><br /><br />And so we come to the third and final chapter of the Austin Powers trilogy! In 1997, the build-up suggested that Austin Powers would be popular but a bit of a niche film. In 1999, the sequel was more popular. By 2002, when Austin Powers 3 arrived, it had become one of the most anticipated films of the year, and the casting reflected this: Goldmember opens with a self-parody called Austinpussy (a take on the James Bond film Octopussy; other Bond homages are included in this film), and this scene features cameos by Steven Spielberg , Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito (we also get a cameo by John Travolta later on). We then come to the real opening scene, an elaborate musical montage that includes another celebrity cameo by Britney Spears.<br /><br />We begin by learning that Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) plans to go back in time again, to 1975 this time, and to bring back Johan van der Smut a.k.a. Goldmember (Mike Myers in his fourth new character of the trilogy) to help him in a plot to pull a meteor into the Earth that will strike the polar ice caps and cause global flooding. However, his plan is quickly foiled by Austin Powers (Mike Myers again) and both Dr. Evil and Mini-Me (Verne Troyer) are arrested. For this act, Powers is knighted but, to his disappointment, he realises that his father Nigel Powers (Michael Caine) is not present. He soon learns that Nigel has been kidnapped.<br /><br />The only man with the answers about Nigel's whereabouts is Dr. Evil, still imprisoned. After some humorous jail scenes involving Evil and Mini-Me, the evil Doctor informs Austin that Goldmember is behind the capture and explains where and when to travel back to for a rescue - but only if Evil and his miniature sidekick are released from prison, which Austin agrees to. We then go to 1975, and we realise that Nigel is very much of the same, flirtatious mould that Austin is, albeit a little older and ever-so-slightly wiser. We meet Goldmember, as well as one of his female sidekicks Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé Knowles). Long story short, Goldmember takes Nigel with him into the time machine and back to 2002, whilst Austin is left to be taken out by Goldmember's assailants. But Foxxy helps Austin escape and the two return to 2002 as well, where the plot takes shape and a trip to Tokyo, which includes a brief reappearance by Fat B-----d (yes, Mike Myers once again), provides details of what Dr. Evil and Goldmember have in mind, and also leads the two to finding and rescuing Nigel.<br /><br />It seems like standard fare, then, as Powers and company look to quash Evil, but there are some changes. We realise that Austin and Nigel have some differences which could affect their chances of remaining on the same page. Meanwhile, Scott Evil has started living up to his surname and proving to be the son that Dr. Evil would finally appreciate, which not only sees <i>their</i> father-son bond strengthen, but also results in the Dr. Evil-Mini-Me relationship weaken, to the point where Mini-Me later joins Austin's side (and hilariously turn into a Mini-Austin). It all comes down to one final showdown between Powers and Evil, the culmination of years of assassination attempts, destructive plots and all manners of time travel, and act as the true end to the Austin Powers trilogy. But, wait: there's a twist. Not all is as it seems, and a stunning relevation changes everything. But there's still a resolution to be found; how will this twist affect the climax as well as the future?<br /><br />As stated, this film had been anticipated for a while, much more than the previous two entries. For this reason, it had a higher standard to live up to, and I felt that it did. I actually enjoyed it more the second time than I did the first, just because aspects of the plot seemed to make more sense then. The humour is of the same vein as in the previous Powers films, although the sexual innuendo is slightly toned-down in this entry. The story is of greater prominence this time around, although that isn't to say that the comedy within the movie suffers; not at all. There are still plenty of funny moments, both verbally and visually, which range from Austin's impossible-to-ignore mentions of a mole on the face of his team's mole, Number 3 (Fred Savage), to some witty one-liners by Nigel Powers, to a ridiculous yet hilarious visual in Tokyo involving Austin, a fountain and - well, I won't spoil it here.<br /><br />The new additions to the line-up hold up their roles well. Knowles does a good job as Foxxy, and Michael Caine does a tremendous job of not only applying himself fully to the role of Austin's father, but of actually out-shining his on-screen son at times. One would assume that the parent may be a distraction or a hindrance, but Nigel is a great character to join the fold. If anything, the only disappointing new character is actually Myers' newest creation, Goldmember: he has some funny lines, but overall he is nowhere near as funny as Mike's three other alter egos, and I found myself enjoying his scenes less than anyone else's in the movie.<br /><br />As a whole, I thought it was a very good movie and a worthy addition to the series. That being said, I thought it was a step down from The Spy Who Sh---ed Me; a fair number of the jokes feel forced, either by recycling material and not being funnier this time around, or just not being as funny as the cast clearly want it to be. It would have been better to have abandoned this material and come up with something new in those scenes, as they did with the Austin character: sex is not really on his menu in this film besides the original scene where he first finds Nigel, and instead we get a new, family relationship with Nigel, and as stated his jokes are overall really funny. I also thought that the time travel aspect was unnecessary; having dealt with going forward in film one and going back in film two, it just felt like a rehashed concept in film three.<br /><br />Rumours continue to circulate that there will be a fourth movie in the series. It has been nearly 13 years since Goldmember now, so I doubt it happening, and I actually hope it doesn't now. Myers wasn't exactly a young man when the trilogy began, but I think the character would feel too old now. If some material misfired in Goldmember, I can't see it working again in a new movie. Plus, without giving away the ending of the film under review here, the manner of its conclusion means that another film would feel odd; either some key plot developments would be ignored or we would lose some much-loved characters. And, besides, the Austin Powers character is essentially a 1960s swinger living in the modern age; the world has changed a lot since 2002, and with nearly a decade-and-a-half added to the time clock, how many younger people nowadays even know of what life was like back in the 1960s for some of the jokes to work?<br /><br />So, I hope that Goldmember marked the end of the Austin Powers series and, if it did, it went out on a high. Despite my comments earlier, this is still a very funny movie and a satisfactory end to the trilogy. I just felt with watching this that it was the right time to bring the series to an end, and so whilst there would undoubtedly be a following and a tremndous amount of hype for a fourth movie, I hope that the Austin Powers tale culminated with this movie, Goldmember. If you want to see this film, I would suggest watching the previous two films first but, if you decide to just see this one, you will still enjoy it a lot.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-18200659826243811382015-03-13T17:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.559+01:00Night At The Museum 3: Secret Of The Tomb<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHAsmhGBgcY8AMakdsOBETy50MWHm_f4pWUZlXvzJXVemYp3O9u6ut9FxUnVbwltmlHGVCony2fSrqPfjr7xnklmq7pf4wtDvF0sNAruzGihrveldIo1a8TjpdgQxD3r_RKSddxOZXkdW/s1600/Night+At+The+Museum+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHAsmhGBgcY8AMakdsOBETy50MWHm_f4pWUZlXvzJXVemYp3O9u6ut9FxUnVbwltmlHGVCony2fSrqPfjr7xnklmq7pf4wtDvF0sNAruzGihrveldIo1a8TjpdgQxD3r_RKSddxOZXkdW/s1600/Night+At+The+Museum+3.jpg" height="200" width="134"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia <br>(Copyright: 20th Century Fox, the <br>film publisher or graphic artist.)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br><br><b>Distributor:</b> 20th Century Fox<br><b>Production Companies:</b> 21 Laps Entertainment and 1492 Pictures<br><b>Director:</b> Shawn Levy<br><b>Producers:</b> Shawn Levy, Chris Columbus and Mark Radcliffe<br><b>Scriptwriters:</b> David Guion and Michael Handelman<br><b>Main Cast:</b> Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Dan Stevens, Ben Kingsley, Mickey Rooney and Ricky Gervais<br><b>Released:</b> December 19, 2014<br><b>Running Time:</b> 98 Minutes<br><b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: #f1c232; color: white;">PG</span></b><br><br>I have found that, if you are planning to see a movie which acts as part of a series, it helps to watch the films in chronological order, otherwise it may get a little confusing to understand what is going on. That definitely applies with the third instalment of Night Of The Museum: although I was a little familiar with the trilogy and its basic elements, this was the first of the NOTM movies that I had actually seen, and it took me some time as a newcomer to the franchise to get to grips with the characters and situations. Once I had overcome these, however, the story began to make sense (well, within the parameters of this film, anyway).<br><br>A flashback to Egypt in 1938 sees the discovery of the tablet of Ahkmenrah by an archaeologist and his son, but before they can take it away, they are strongly warned that "the end will come" if they do so. Back in the modern day, a nighttime event at the Museum Of National History in New York City goes disastrously wrong (in a humorous way) when the exhibits that have come to life act abnormally (had I been familiar with the movies, I would not have found it strange that the exhibits were alive in the first place with it not being treated as unusual); we soon learn that this is connected to the aforementioned tablet.<br><br>Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), who is responsible for the exhibits, conducts some research and meets Cecil Fredericks (Dick Van Dyke), who is now long grown up but was the young boy who originally tried to take the tablet in Egypt, and learns that the message referred to the end of magic, something which would have a detrimental effect on the after-hours existence of the exhibits. And it becomes apparent that the tablet is corroding, hence the strange behaviour of the exhibits at the aforementioned event. A consultation with Dr. McPhee (Ricky Gervais), who is being fired, results in Larry travelling to London and to the British Museum, where Ahkmenrah's parents are and where it is hoped that the problems that the tablet is causing can be resolved.<br><br>In the meantime, we see problems in the father-son relationship between Larry and his child Nicky, who is rejecting advice that he go to college and is instead looking to carve out a career as a DJ. Hoping that the trip to the UK may help them to bond, Larry allows Nicky to come along with him, but unbeknownst to Larry, most (if not all) of the other exhibits travel over as well. And chaos soon ensues when it becomes clear that getting the tablet to Ahkmenrah's parents is not as easy as it seems. Both on the outside and the inside of the British Museum, there are human obstacles, but it seems that they have an ally in their quest to bring the tablet to its rightful home in the form of Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens). There is an initial confrontation but it is resolved and all involved are on the same page ... or are they? And how will the developments to come affect the outcome of a mission which, if unresolved, could see all the exhibits return to a state of non-existence? And will the father-son difference of opinions have a happy ending?<br><br>The movie is notable for being the last movie to star Robin Williams and Mickey Rooney; both are cast here as Theodore Roosevelt and Gus respectively, but both passed away before it was released. As such, the film credits include separate tributes to both actors.<br><br>This is a film aimed at families and children (hence the PG rating), so it stands to reason that much of the humour is of the nature which would appeal to and be acceptable for kids. Given those barometers, I still found that the movie was enjoyable enough that adults should gleam a decent amount of entertainment from it. Without trying to provide a major spoiler, I will say that as a lifelong Liverpool FC fan, I for one appreciated the inclusion of an LFC mug during one scene at the British Museum (actually, it's in two scenes, but it's clearly a case of them being separated into two parts rather than being two different scenes). If you're a Kopite watching this movie, keep your eye out for that one!<br><br>As I said earlier, it really does help to have seen the previous two entries in the trilogy before watching this film, as a lot of things would then make a lot more sense. Otherwise, I would categorise as a fairly good, but by no means a classic, comedy adventure movie which a family with young kids should enjoy. And it has a star-studded cast which never hurts, as well as a parade of unusual and interesting characters.<br><br>So, if you are debating whether or not to watch Night Of The Museum 3: Secret Of The Tomb, I would suggest that you give it a try, but don't expect too much from it. And if you watch films one and two first, you'll understand movie number three a lot more.<br><br><b>Overall Rating: 6/10 - Reasonable</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-87501772612123325022015-03-12T17:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.624+01:00Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Sh---ed Me<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaJ0dG3XaSEEcJ39_RBpcWKh59R8V7n11I03CqiaGMLMFcaax_ZskUkJRxjgptoOfLjsWX3yCiLm0rnKGtZdFxNqddyN4Ay-gR1rIfeOoTHN31g1vm7faoHL-taDuKwPHjj6WsetA41EO/s1600/Austin+Powers+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaJ0dG3XaSEEcJ39_RBpcWKh59R8V7n11I03CqiaGMLMFcaax_ZskUkJRxjgptoOfLjsWX3yCiLm0rnKGtZdFxNqddyN4Ay-gR1rIfeOoTHN31g1vm7faoHL-taDuKwPHjj6WsetA41EO/s1600/Austin+Powers+2.jpg" height="200" width="138" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> 20th Century Fox<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> New Line Cinema, Eric's Boy, Moving Pictures (uncredited), Team Todd and Pixar Animation Studios<br /><b>Director:</b> Jay Roach<br /><b>Producers:</b> Jan Blenkin, John S. Lyons, Eric McLeod, Demi Moore and Mike Myers<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Mike Myers and Michael McCullers<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Mindy Sterling, Rob Lowe, Elizabeth Hurley, Kristen Johnston and Verne Troyer<br /><b>Released:</b> June 11 1999 (US) and July 30 1999 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 95 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">12</span></b><br /><br />Just when you thought it was safe to get back into bed ...<br /><br />The second part of the Austin Powers trilogy, The Spy Who Sh---ed Me (a take-off on the name of the James Bond flick The Spy Who Loved Me), picks up where the original left one, quite literally; we return to the location where Austin Powers (Mike Myers) and his new wife Vanessa (Liz Hurley) are together, only to discover that she is an evil fembot! Austin withstands an assault and is sad at the discovery, but then cheers up when he realises that he is single again, which opens the film.<br /><br />It is now 1999, and Dr. Evil (Mike Myers again) returns to Earth in hilarious fashion, as a guest on The Jerry Springer Show (which was very popular back then) to discuss his awkward relationship with his son Scott (Seth Green). This is a brilliant scene, probably the funniest of the entire trilogy. We then learn that he has plans to return to 1969, whilst Austin was frozen, to steal his mojo and thus weaken Powers', erm, powers, but not before meeting his new sidekick, a little man who is one-eighth the size of Evil, Mini-Me (the role that made Verne Troyer famous).<br /><br />Back in 1999, Powers meets one of Dr. Evil's assistants Ivana Humpalot (Kristen Johnston) at a photo shoot, but although Ivana is assigned to kill him, instead she finds him irresistable and they have sex. But disaster strikes: as part of Dr. Evil's, erm, evil plan, he employs a new associate of his, the hilariously-titled and humourously-large Fat B-----d (the third character played by Mike Myers in the continuation of a running joke), to visit the frozen Austin and remove his "mojo". With Powers weakened from a villain-tackling standpoint and a sexual standpoint due to this, there is no greater incentive for him to also go back in time and defeat Evil, who is planning to destroy the world from his new lair on space (he calls the whole plot "The Alan Parsons Project", which you may have heard of via the rock band).<br /><br />In the 1960s, Austin meets a young lady who would become his new sidekick, Felicity Sh--well (Heather Graham; by the way, apologies for the dashes but, hey, this website is family-friendly). As the name suggests, she is nothing like Vanessa, and since this is Austin Powers we're talking about, there is instant connection, but Powers concedes that without his mojo, he simply can't bring himself to have sex with her, although he does find her to be beautiful (who wouldn't?).<br /><br />In the meantime, Evil is treating Mini-Me more like a son than he does Scott, which causes friction, but he also gets closer with the 1969 Frau (who, unlike the retro No. 2 who is played by Rob Lowe, hasn't changed at all from the modern day). Fat B-----d is disgusting, but in a funny way. (Author's sidenote: Somehow, my old secondary school class managed to convince the teacher to let us watch this movie in class. The scene where Fat B-----d talks about "having a crap on deck that could choke a donkey" was the point where it was turned off; that lesson was great fun. Oh, I miss doing English). Never more so than when he is naked and Felicity has to sleep with him to insert a tracking device into the mammoth man, a fact that Austin later learns and is disappointed by (the opposite to his actions in the first movie).<br /><br />Austin and Felicity track him to Evil's lair and soon all involved head to space for the climatic, daft but funny conclusion. During the credits are extra scenes with the odd revelation, so keep watching once the main feature ends.<br /><br />Throughout the movie are a ton of jokes, many quite rude or gross (there are two different montages of quips about penis references), but overall they are very, very funny. There are scenes which are funny for other reasons, including the ridiculous yet amusing performance of "Just The Two Of Us" by Dr. Evil and Mini-Me. And knowing that a third movie is on the horizon, the ending is satisfying enough.<br /><br />To me, this film was the peak of the Austin Powers saga. The jokes are better than in the original and the new characters are great additions, and the material is fresher than in the third movie. You do have to be into a certain type of humour to enjoy it (or, to put it another way, if you're not into a certain type of humour, you won't enjoy it), but assuming that you're on board and you "get" the jokes and scenarios, you will love this movie. As stated, there is one more film in the trilogy which I will review next week, and that one is also great, but if you only plan to watch one Austin Powers movie, make it The Spy Who Sh----d Me.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 9.5/10 - Classic</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-3147414925027686512015-03-06T15:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.789+01:00Fifty Shades Of Grey<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEu12DBeIUhYxNKPIkwLP_Mn43votAC1Ytp3f6fEhViDyHJFfKgyxuONnXaY-Pn7e4WxoR2eQ-rsw88tN__rRlFPIK0qK2eZ00oEwrcVIzk0C3xDYlrra5zOlenrnLfPU1SNbyb3AbCrzB/s1600/50+Shades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEu12DBeIUhYxNKPIkwLP_Mn43votAC1Ytp3f6fEhViDyHJFfKgyxuONnXaY-Pn7e4WxoR2eQ-rsw88tN__rRlFPIK0qK2eZ00oEwrcVIzk0C3xDYlrra5zOlenrnLfPU1SNbyb3AbCrzB/s1600/50+Shades.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Universal Pictures<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Focus Features, Michael De Luca Productions<br /><b>Director:</b> Sam Taylor-Johnson<br /><b>Producers:</b> Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and E.L. James<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Kelly Marcel<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford, Victor Rasuk, Luke Grimes, Rita Ora, Max Martini, Callum Keith Rennie, Andrew Airlie, Dylan Neal and Marcia Gay Harden<br /><b>Released:</b> February 11 2015 (Berlin) and February 13 2015 (UK and US)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 125 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: red; color: white;">18</span></b><br /><br />The long-awaited (by some) motion picture version of Fifty Shades Of Grey, the surprise hit novel of 2012, was recently released to great fanfare (that it was premiered the week of Valentine's Day was no coincidence). However, before I got round to seeing this film, I had heard a lot of people saying how boring it was, and how disappointed they were with the movie. Was it as bad as people claimed or were the poorer elements more noticeable because of all the hype? I was about to find out.<br /><br />I should point out before going any further that I had not read the original book, so whilst I knew of the themes which the movie would contain, I was unsure what the plot was about. Therefore, the storyline as a whole would be fresh to me, whereas those who had read the book and loved it would have known exactly was coming, which could perhaps explain part of the reason why they did not enjoy the film as much as they would have hoped for.<br /><br />The movie begins with Anastasia "Ana" Steele (Dakota Johnson) covering for her friend Katherine "Kate" Kavanagh (Eloise Mumford)E in travelling to Seattle to interview Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), head of Grey Enterprises. She is totally nervous and, due to her nerves, she comes across as unprofessional when interviewing Grey. However, whilst he clearly notices her somewhat less-than-stellar interviewing skills, and uses his intimdating presence to show his superiority, he is willing to overlook this because, as we learn, he has something of a crush on her. Due to their vastly different backgrounds and levels of wealth, the relationship develops very slowly, and we only know for sure that the two are getting closer when, after Grey brings Ana back to his hotel room after discovering her in a drunken state on a night out with friends, the two share a passionate kiss in an elevator.<br /><br />Even at this point, though, the assumption (or at least my assumption, being someone who did not read the novel) is that the two would become an item, I hate to say it, but "the normal way". But whilst their love for one another turns physical, we learn that Grey is only willing to do certain things with her on a social level, and insists on Ana conforming to his desires when it comes to what they get up indoors. He even has a contract drawn up for her to sign, which strikes her as odd; why would she have to sign a contract to become a girlfriend to this multi-billionaire?<br /><br />We soon discover why when we see Grey's so-called "play-room": Christian enjoys performing sadomasochistic activities, and always being in control, even at times admitting that he feels his other half should be "punished" if necessary. Ana is shocked by this but, being a virgin before she met Grey, she feels that she has nothing to lose by going along with a relationship that looks rosy on the outside, but the details of which remain very secretive. She does insist on certain things which she simply will not get involved in as she gets to know Grey more, and he is willing to listen, but with the contract unsigned, there is still a sense of distance that Christian puts between the two before he is willing to fully commit. This is despite the fact that he showers her with expensive gifts, including a new car and a laptop. In the end, though, her insecurities force her to at least experience what would be "the worst"; after this, Ana simply cannot comprehend why Christian would find this pleasureable and leaves.<br /><br />Sorry to spoil the ending, but let's be honest: if you see this film, it is mostly because a) you read the novel and loved it; b) you haven't read the novel but want to see it for its feminist ideology, or c) you're being dragged along by your girlfriend. (Hey, it's true.) As for me? Well, I'm a film reviewer and so it stands to reason that I should at least go and see one of the most anticipated films of 2015 and provide a review. Well, that's my excuse anyway (only joking).<br /><br />Seriously, though, I actually did not find the film to be too bad. There isn't a great deal of excitement but I wasn't bored watching it. I felt that the relationship between Christian and Ana built slowly and logically, or at least logically under the circumstances. The believability of how two people of completely different backgrounds would begin such a relationship was questionable, as was the manner in which Ana dropped something of a key revelation about herself, and within minutes in screen time it may as well have not been mentioned (remember, I didn't read the novel, so I assume that in the book, this was a far bigger aspect of the plot). Still, it flowed well enough, or as well as could be expected, even when we learn the truth about Christian and realise why someone of such wealth remains single. Oh, and the soundtrack is very good, and appropriate to the movie. No, really, the soundtrack <i>is</i> very good!<br /><br />I didn't think that the ending was up to scratch, though: we are told throughout about the importance of the contract being signed, and we are repeatedly informed that some sort of revelation about Christian which would truly explain the reasons for his behaviour were forthcoming, and yet the conclusion is abrupt and suddenly it ends without answering either of the burning issues. I know that a sequel is planned so perhaps we'll get more information there, but purely from the perspective of someone watching this film who is new to the world of Fifty Shades, I found the ending to be sudden and a bit unappealing.<br /><br />Jamie Dornan is believable as Christian Grey, in terms of playing an intense, intimdating yet at times charming man, although it's unquestionable that his looks were prioritised over his acting skills when the casting was made. I actually thought that Dakota Johnson did a very good job as Anna. Considering the themes of this film, I expected the lead female character to be a raunchy, in-your-face girl who gave off the impression that she would be willing to do anything. Although the film includes some heavy physical content, at no point did I feel any less about Anna, which is a credit to the portrayal of her by Dakota. It's not Oscar-level acting by any means, but it's good to see nonetheless.<br /><br />So, how to sum Fifty Shades Of Grey up then? I felt it was satisfactory but nothing more. It certainly wasn't a classic film, but nor do I think it was a giant waste of time. I think those who had waited so long for it would be disappointed and understandably so, but only an absolute knock-out movie would match such expectations and, with credit to the original writer of the novel E.L. James, Fifty Shades was never going to be that kind of film. At the same time, those who had no time for the novel and had even less time for the movie probably wouldn't see anything to change their minds. But for a someone who has read the novel and simply wanted to see it in action, or for a neutral observer, I think you'll find it worth your while; do not expect a great film by any means, but it's watchable enough that you should be satisfied, rushed ending aside.<br /><br />And that's the end of my review. Now, time to write the overall rati ... oh, was there a word I forgot to mention in relation to this film during the course of the review? One beginning with "s"? Okay, okay, to answer that question before I finish ... yes, there is, and it's quite strong but it could be worse, so I doubt anyone (at least amongst the British audience) who goes to see the film will be offended by those scenes. Alright, <i>now</i> are you happy?<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 5.5/10 - Above Average</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-53169535681583888802015-03-05T16:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:46.827+01:00Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxxKkD1ebYPVRPPMQebcThpfCpTZ3Zn6UUun0UHYPcwTr33jq7QOJ601fnNK785JlIjDCb0gs4NcWy94qSnmLxyAHPdgeqFqXmJQZauihThVBSU9xdmWsEyEhlhNOzB6CmQTWYxxfbTXa/s1600/Austin+Powers+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxxKkD1ebYPVRPPMQebcThpfCpTZ3Zn6UUun0UHYPcwTr33jq7QOJ601fnNK785JlIjDCb0gs4NcWy94qSnmLxyAHPdgeqFqXmJQZauihThVBSU9xdmWsEyEhlhNOzB6CmQTWYxxfbTXa/s1600/Austin+Powers+1.jpg" height="200" width="128" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> 20th Century Fox<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Capella International, Eric's Boy, Juno Pix (uncredited), KC Medien, Moving Pictures (uncredited), New Line Cinema and Pixar Animation Studios<br /><b>Director:</b> Jay Roach<br /><b>Producers:</b> Jan Blenkin, Eric McLeod, Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Claire Rudnick Polstein<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Mike Myers<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner and Seth Green<br /><b>Released:</b> May 2 1997(US) and September 5 1997 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 94 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />In 1997, Mike Myers, star of the Wayne's World films, introduced the world to his newest movie trilogy. This one was a spoof on the hugely successful James Bond franchise as well as other films, except that the hero here, Austin Powers, hammed up his British roots (Myers pulls off the role very well; although a Canadian, he has British connections via his parents) to become a sixties swinger as opposed to the perfect gentlemen that Bond was and remains. Plus, whilst Bond had an appetite for women which was more a charm as part of his character, in Austin Powers a desire to have sex IS the character: although his primary focus is to prevent terrible things happening, his obsession with females often threatens to steer him off-course.<br /><br />This first movie of what would become a three-parter begins with Powers having fun one night in his nightclub, surrounded by many beautiful women (who hilariously know exactly who he is, despite him supposedly being a secret agent), as well as his assistant Mrs. Kensington (Mimi Rogers), only to be subject to an attempted assassination by Dr. Evil (also played by Myers, a running joke that is never acknowledged throughout the series). Powers avoids this fate by punching the villain's assailant (a woman who turns out to be "a man, man!"), but Dr. Evil gets away in a space rocket disguised as a Big Boy statue, which cryogenically freezes him for 30 years.<br /><br />We then jump to 1997, where Basil Exposition (Michael York) reveals that Powers froze himself in response to Evil's actions, and with reports that the Doctor is back on Earth with plans for world domination and/or destruction, it is time to release Austin in an attempt to stop the diabolical plot. The scenes where Powers comes back around are funny, as are the items he left behind. We also meet Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), daughter of Austin's old partner who is Powers' new sidekick. Unlike her mother, though, she has no desire to sleep with Austin, insisting she is work-focused and that times have changed since the 1960s when casual sex was the norm.<br /><br />Meanwhile, we are introduced to Dr. Evil's team of scallywags, including his number 2 man ("His name ... Number 2"), played by Robert Wagner, and Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling). Other evil members of the squad include Patty O'Brien, played by Paul Dillon; Mustafa, played by Will Ferrell; Random Task, a deliberate parody of Odd Job played by Joe Son; and Alotta Fagina (as in, "a lot of vagina" ... get it?), played by Fabiana Udenio. Evil is also surprised to learn that he had a son created in a lab during his time in exile, Scott Evil (Seth Green). Seeing a relatively normal young man trying to win the love of his dangerously evil father is very amusing, especially later in a scene where they attend a therapy session and Evil freely admits that he wants Scott killed, and reveals daft parts of his background: "My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanise, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy."<br /><br />Still, while the developing relationships on both sides are of importance, the primary plot is about Evil's desire to hold the world ransom for money, despite Number 2 having made his empire a multi-billion dollar enterprise called Virtucon while he was frozen, which then becomes an attempt to get more money by stealing nuclear weapons after Evil learns that his ideas had already been done, and his behind-the-times approach surfaces again when he initially suggests a ransom fee of 1 million dollars; under advice, this becomes one hundred billion dollars.<br /><br />Powers bumps into Evil's associates at a casino, leading to a humorous assassination attempt scene. But as Powers and Vanessa uncover the Project Vulcan which Evil has in mind, the two become smitten, yet Austin feels that it isn't right for them to have sex. Which makes it funnier when he does later sleep with Alotta Fagina with his justification being that he had to do this to get the required information about the project.<br /><br />Eventually, Austin and Vanessa are captured by Evil, as he closes in on the time where he will proceed with his dastardly plot even if he receives the money. The two are trapped, but even if they find a way out, can they stop Dr. Evil before it is too late? Will Austin's sexual temptations prevent the duo from staying on the same path? And is everyone really on the same page on Dr. Evil's team? Plus, if they do survive, what will become of Austin and Vanessa's relationship?<br /><br />There are many comedic elements, many of which parody the stereotypical aspects of super-sleuth films of the past, such as the apparently dangerous yet not completely threatening devices (Dr. Evil puts Austin and Vanessa in "the unnecessarily slow-moving mechanism"), the lack of importance given to minor characters (a deceased henchman's wife wonders aloud why nobody ever considers them), deliberately bad production (an extended laugh by the evil crew, a threat to world leaders being interrupted by a clip from Beavis & Butthead) and other moments of mirth. And we haven't even mentioned Evil's cat Mr. Bigglesworth!<br /><br />This is a great comedy film; it is a little slow to progress at times, and it looks very old-fashioned when watching it now despite it only being released in 1997 (and I mean the 1990s-era scenes, not just those from the 1960s), but it is a very funny movie with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. It helps to be someone not embarrassed by sexual innuendo as there is a ton of that here; but even if it isn't your thing, you should find a wealth of enjoyment from the movie spoof elements, the silly dialogue between Dr. Evil and his team, and the one-liners which are repeated to this day by die-hard fans of the trilogy. Myers, in particular, deserves great praise for perfectly playing two very opposite yet equally funny characters (some would say that Evil is the funnier of the two), and for writing the screenplay as well.<br /><br />As this is part one of the series, you might guess that this is the peak with the subsequent two films being slightly disappointing add-ons. But you'd be wrong: movies two and three (which I will cover in future reviews) are both very funny and, if anything, this is probably the least amusing of the three parts. Don't let that put you off seeing this film though: Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery is a comedy treat from which you will take a great helping of entertainment.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-62451601290019553612015-02-27T15:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.152+01:00Whiplash<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SKICcpJC_e7BENpz2xBjaih8K__ODwk0VFiR_9wD03bJEBeBqqUdWaf-MNoWr7e5T_uD95qvPh4q4RquyUlLVQn3GafrU3EvLuLSSWmkfkFJYdk7c2WdtD2Eh-mb7Xxzo93ngs3wDI-n/s1600/Whiplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SKICcpJC_e7BENpz2xBjaih8K__ODwk0VFiR_9wD03bJEBeBqqUdWaf-MNoWr7e5T_uD95qvPh4q4RquyUlLVQn3GafrU3EvLuLSSWmkfkFJYdk7c2WdtD2Eh-mb7Xxzo93ngs3wDI-n/s1600/Whiplash.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia <br />(Copyright: Sony Pictures <br />Classics, the film publisher <br />or graphic artist.)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Sony Pictures Classics<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions and Right Of Way Films<br /><b>Director:</b> Damien Chazelle<br /><b>Producers:</b> Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, Michel Litvak and David Lancaster<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Damien Chazelle<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Miles Teller, J.K Simmons and Paul Reiser<br /><b>Released:</b> January 16 2014 (Sundance Film Festival), October 10 2014 (US) and January 16 2015 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 107 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />There are certain films that you make specific plans to see, and then there are those which you don't. Whiplash is one of those that happened not unexpectedly, but by chance. You see, me and a friend attended a special screening of an upcoming film where the identity of the movie would only be known when it begun. And when I saw the name "Whiplash" appear on-screen, I was unsure what to expect. It sounded like a thriller. But it could have been a drama. Or would it be something completely different? And regardless of what genre it was, would it be any good?<br /><br />The first question is hard to answer. It is a drama, but it has elements of a thriller, and it also has aspects which make it a comedy. And the second question? Well, it is good. Very, very good.<br /><br />It starts off quite slow as we are introduced to Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a student jazz drummer determined to become a master at his craft, a goal spurned on by the direction of his new jazz teacher Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). His skills improve due to the guidance of his tutor, but of greater note is how strict a teacher Simmons is. He uses brutal criticisms to not only push his students to the peak of their powers, but he forces them to the level of tears - Fletcher throws a chair at Neiman as he is getting to grips with the musical number Whiplash in his very first lesson - even to the point where they are performing so hard with their instruments that they are bleeding profusely. And it is so realistic and there are so few camera cuts during the music rehearsal scenes that you wonder how they could have made it look so real. The answer is simple: these scenes were done <i>for real</i>. Well, maybe not quite as ferocious as what we see, but there are few special effects used here; what you see is what you would get had you been on set for the filming of these scenes. It helps that the other students are largely compromised of real musicians.<br /><br />And Fletcher does not hold back: whatever you think is "too far", he goes beyond that, and then some. His delivery is as intense as could be, his general look and mannerisms exude intimidation, and he looks like he would sooner put a bullet in your throat than let you use it to produce music. In Neiman's case, as he is a drummer, we see his eyes water and his mouth quiver with every brutal verbal shot fired at him by Fletcher as he is rehearsing and attempting to learn new routines with very little practice and with the knowledge that one error results in him being torn apart.<br /><br />All of that makes Fletcher seem like a truly loathsome man. But, at the same time, one cnanot help but smile - and, at times, laugh out loud - at some of his criticisms. Some of his cutting lines are so unacceptable, so filthy, so far beyond the realsm of acceptable taste in a college environment that you can't help but giggle, even if he is reducing his students to an absolute wreck.<br /><br />Still, Andrew does improve. Too much, in fact: as he grows in confidence, it crosses over into arrogance as he willingly sacrifices a romantic relationship to pursue his dream to be, as he tells his less interested family, "the greatest drummer who ever lived". But being pushed by Fletcher and his attempts to fight back by standing up for himself result in a car accident that one would assume crushes his dreams. But he gets back up, only to be treated like an afterthought by the uncaring Fletcher. Now, Andrew does fight back, for real, and both are taken away from the environment which turned them into monsters.<br /><br />However, their story does not end there. A chance reunion leads to them coming to an understanding, and even building something of a friendship as Fletcher invites his former student to perform at a major jazz festival. This is Andrew's chance to prove his talent once and for all. However, will he get the chance, or is Fletcher setting Andrew up for one giant fall? And, once he discovers the truth, how will Neiman respond to what could be the greatest moment, or greatest disappointment, of his life?<br /><br />The story is very engaging, and there are plenty of twists which ensure that the plot never becomes predictable. The high-drama scenes are as intense as could be, and one cannot help but be mesmerised at what is unfolding on the screen. Fletcher manages to provoke hatred and some admiration at the same time, although the former definitely outweighs the latter; and the same applies to Andrew, only in his case the latter definitely outweighs the former. And whilst Simmons is the undisputed star of the movie as Fletcher - he brings to the role an air of menace, passion and a demand for perfection that, along with his cutting yet at times hilarious insults and his generally high levels of intimdation and intensity, that he becomes one of the most memorable "villain" characters that you are likely to see - Teller is very good as Neiman, and his performance in the final scene can only be described as phenomenal. To explain why would spoil the ending, so I cannot elaborate; when you see it, however, you will come away feeling that you have just witnessed something momentous. All I'll say is, you'll be even more impressed to know this was <i>all</i> real.<br /><br />Perhaps the greatest compliment that I can give Whiplash is that I was not expecting to see this film, I may not have gone to see it had I known it was a drama based on jazz music, and there are scenes which are a bit slow and even the climax, as spectacular as it is, made for an abrupt ending. Plus, I had not heard of most of the cast beforehand. But even with all that, I found Whiplash to be an extremely compelling movie that I would recommend to anybody. Unlike what I had done, you should <i>definitely</i> make specific plans to see what I consider to be a brilliant film.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-58981408088302210962015-02-26T18:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.234+01:00Airplane!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeaZo2rmL5yJ_d4HuCEOtMABtDKo6MC4fWoZqsnQJbyR-phVklD9YqE_ih6h4sRDjqZZQAY94bPp0vAWEdDci9Azf2q0oxPc-DUr30cAP8xPXwS6NTy-NyBf6xoQXs-GTX8HhwKYrITdU/s1600/Airplane!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeaZo2rmL5yJ_d4HuCEOtMABtDKo6MC4fWoZqsnQJbyR-phVklD9YqE_ih6h4sRDjqZZQAY94bPp0vAWEdDci9Azf2q0oxPc-DUr30cAP8xPXwS6NTy-NyBf6xoQXs-GTX8HhwKYrITdU/s1600/Airplane!.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Paramount Pictures<br /><b>Production Company:</b> Paramount Pictures<br /><b>Directors:</b> Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker<br /><b>Producer:</b> Jon Davison<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty and Leslie Neilsen<br /><b>Released:</b> July 2 1980<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 87 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />"Surely, you can't be serious."<br /><br />"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."<br /><br />If ever a piece of dialogue embodied a film, it's this classic exchange from the movie Airplane! For whilst the plot centres around the possibility of an aeroplane crashing, and one's desperate attempts to prevent such a tragedy from happening, the frequent one-liners and ridiculous yet hilarious visual jokes are so funny that the tone of the movie is never anything less than slapstick comedy (fans of the Naked Gun movies, including me, will not be surprised once viewing this film that the Zucker brothers were also responsible for the aforementioned trilogy).<br /><br />Ted Striker, played here by Robert Hayes, used to be a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, after a bad experience which traumatised him, he now has a fear of flying. But he happens to be a passenger on this flight, which becomes uncomfortable when he learns that one of the air hostesses is Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty), who used to be his girlfriend. They catch up on old times, accompanied by flashback clips (the homage to Saturday Night Fever, a recent film at the time as it was released in 1978, is great), but it becomes clear that past problems remain an issue for both, and their interaction becomes awkward for each as the film rolls on despite Ted's hopes to rekindle their romance.<br /><br />However, there is a greater problem on the horizon. The menu for passengers consists of only two options, fish and steak, but the fish has given food poisoning to everybody who has eaten it including, worryingly, the pilot and his co-pilots. The illness is identified by Dr. Rumack, played by my favourite comic actor Leslie Neilsen, who humorously says that he avoided the food problem himself by eating lasagna. Still, whilst the problem is identified, it hasn't been solved: the plane is going to crash unless someone else takes control at the cockpit.<br /><br />But whilst an inflatable autopilot named "Otto" helps, the only passenger with experience of flying planes is Ted Striker, who as noted is nervous enough due to a fear of flying. At this point, though, he's the only hope that everyone has, causing people to panic (including the Statue Of Liberty, who puts her head in her hands at the prospect). Despite having never flown an aircraft of this nature, he gives it a shot, but nerves get the best of him, especially when having to exchange instructions with Rex Kramer (Robert Stack), previously Ted's commanding officer. Add to that his relationship problems with Elaine, and the forecast seems bleak. However, a timely pep talk by Rumack convinces Ted that he has what it takes to finish the job and land everybody safely - but is it too little, too late?<br /><br />The premise is easy to follow and the side-story of an old romance slowly reforming gives the story a logical structure, but the true entertainment comes from the hundreds - and I do mean - hundreds of physical, visual and verbal gags, many of which are very, very funny, and some of which are classic movie lines. Other images are unforgettable, such as this one of Steve McKroskey (Lloyd Bridges) to the right. <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdWjuGKG2aHfLFnoLUG0JeTCIKxTSCD6Vixqk7N-K3rEUYAcfNrryRcrMJXs15fJuooyd-hEI2tDUSPAXNIcS94im0nyydRooOKY9TDJ0CnDm1dERiQGNJPJwOtskkYkQO8nAMSVwIZXS/s1600/Steve+McKroskey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdWjuGKG2aHfLFnoLUG0JeTCIKxTSCD6Vixqk7N-K3rEUYAcfNrryRcrMJXs15fJuooyd-hEI2tDUSPAXNIcS94im0nyydRooOKY9TDJ0CnDm1dERiQGNJPJwOtskkYkQO8nAMSVwIZXS/s1600/Steve+McKroskey.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Pix Good</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Notice anything?<br /><br />I am a bit biased, but I have to say that Leslie Neilsen is brilliant here as a straight-faced doctor who comes out with some hilarious comments or is simply funny in his overall mannerisms, including a repetition of a good luck message after the situation has been resolved. In fact, this marked the first role in comedy for Neilsen, previously a serious actor (which was another spoof element), who would then go on to become famous for deadpan comedy.<br /><br />Robert Hayes is very good as Ted Striker, and is believable not only in portraying the Ted character and handling the situations he encounters, but also in making the ridiculous seem genuine. For instance, if somebody says they have "a drink problem", it's unlikely to resemble the dilemma Ted has, but it never stops being funny despite the daftness of it. The rest of the cast are good too: Julie is very good as Elaine, and even minor characters are involved in some very amusing moments, one example being the use of the pilot phrase "Roger" when one of the co-pilots is actually called Roger.<br /><br />In closing, Airplane! is the perfect spoof of a disaster movie (it particularly lampoons the 1957 film Zero Hour!). It takes a logical storyline and turns it into a comedy classic, not by making the overall plot nonsensical, but by adding a huge amount of great jokes to virtually every scene. You would probably have to watch this more than once to notice them all. And they range from the silly (Dr. Rumack's exchanges) to the dark (such as trying to calm down passengers on a risk-surrounded flight by showing them a movie which includes a plane crashing), but they all have one thing in common: they are very funny and even the oft-repeated lines never get old. If you haven't seen Airplane! in the past, make plans to watch it because it is an all-time great comedy film, maybe even the best comedy ever, so you will love it. Shirley.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 10/10 - Perfect</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-36052470826476128612015-02-24T12:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.346+01:00The Oscars 2015: And the winners were ...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1B6UTHJdV5FdXUdJBiLrUnjMw4ns60JNpEog6m2emgo8CV2t5RPoVfF1izUj_8frjb-RNcnZj4ikhBDgw8pNs3irQxoLlzVyH9pkx25RfQo-EdUrWLV-RkHkIt-je0JQEXmaX5mAZ4U/s1600/The+Oscars+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1B6UTHJdV5FdXUdJBiLrUnjMw4ns60JNpEog6m2emgo8CV2t5RPoVfF1izUj_8frjb-RNcnZj4ikhBDgw8pNs3irQxoLlzVyH9pkx25RfQo-EdUrWLV-RkHkIt-je0JQEXmaX5mAZ4U/s1600/The+Oscars+2015.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Collide</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By: </b>Luke Mythen<br /><br />Another year, another Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. This year, the 87th awards show was hosted by the very enthusiastic and talented Neil Patrick Harris, taking over from last year’s host Ellen DeGeneres. Before the awards, everyone had their own opinions and favourites, ranging from Birdman to The Theory Of Everything; everyone had their own views on who should win. And whether you love these awards or you hate them, they are the peak of an actor's or a film maker's career, they can open doors, and they can allow the unrecognisable to become recognisable. They have also provided us with some of the most famous television moments, from Ellen DeGeneres' selfie with the audience in 2014 to Marlon Brando’s Oscar snub in 1973 when a young American Indian girl named Sacheen Littlefather took to the stage to meet the crowd. If you would like to see this in full, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUacU0I4yU">here</a>.<br /><br />As with every ceremony, the opening is vitally important. There was an immense pressure on the shoulders of the diverse host, who has previously worked on stage and was most recently in Gone Girl and the television series How I Met Your Mother. The opening was very tasteful, which is a rarity for the Oscars: the song was quick and easy to bob along with, and it was performed well by both Neil Patrick Harris and Jack Black. The Birdman sequence was really something to behold; another historic moment in the history of the Oscars.<br /><br />The live performances on the night kept the show moving, and provided the audience with a grateful gap between awards. The stand-out performance, however, was the song by the Oscar winners on the night for their original number Glory for the film Selma. It moved a lot of the audience to tears with its message of hope and freedom, the message that Martin Luther King was spreading at this time.<br /><br />Still, we are not watching the Oscars because we want to see the host all night. We want to see the awards, the victory speeches and the losers' sour expressions. Back in January, we were given the shortlist of the nominations within each category, and a lot of them had already been predicted and expected, but there were some unusual absentees. For example, The Lego Movie, which was a personal favourite of mine last year, was not considered for Best Animation category, although the song Everything Is Awesome from the movie was nominated and performed at the ceremony, with a surprise guest known as Batman. Another strange absentee was Jake Gyllenhaal for his powerful and gritty performance in Nightcrawler. But now is not the time to concentrate on who should and who shouldn’t have been there; all we need to concentrate on now is who won and who didn’t this past Sunday evening.<br /><br />We shall begin with the most prestigious category, and that is Best Picture. The films nominated were Birdman, The Theory Of Everything, Whiplash, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Selma and The Imitation Game. All fantastic films in their own right; however, it was Birdman that came out victorious on the night. The field was strong, so it shows how good this year's winner had to be to triumph. You can read a review of Birdman by my colleague Mark Armstrong by clicking <a href="http://writebasereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/birdman-or-unexpected-virtue-of_23.html">here</a>.<br /><br />The next big category is Best Actor In A Leading Role. Now, this had a lot of speculation before the nomination announcement because the calibre of the past year had been so high. The nominated actors included Eddie Redmayne, Michael Keaton, Steve Carrell, Bradley Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch. I expected Redmayne to win, and he did. He provided a complete performance in The Theory Of Everything, as we accompanied him on a fascinating journey as Professor Steven Hawking from his time in University to the present day. I remember leaving the theatre that day knowing then that he would win the Oscar for Best Actor. You can read my full review of this particular film by clicking <a href="http://writebasereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-theory-of-everything.html">here</a>. As you'll see, my foresight was exceptional!<br /><br />The last category I am going to divulge into is Best Actress In A Leading Role. The nominations were again fierce and the competition was intense. Those up for the award included Marion Cotillard, Felicity Jones, Reese Witherspoon, Roseamund Pike and Julian Moore. The winner, of course, was the ever-talented Julian Moore for her performance in Still Alice. This is a long overdue Oscar for the actress who in the past has been nominated but was unsuccessful for films including Boogie Nights (1997) and Far From Heaven (2002).<br /><br />Overall, this year’s Oscars didn’t stand out like many have in the past, as the films up for contention were not big box office smashes, such as in 2010 when the overall income for all the nominated films were over $1 billion. This time around, it was a much lower key event, but the winners were on the whole logical, the host was very entertaining, and the show ran very smoothly. And so I look forward to next year’s event with bated breath.<br /><br />I conclude with a list of the winners in all categories at the 2015 Oscars. See you on the red carpet in 2016!<br /><br /><b>Best Picture:</b> Birdman<br /><b>Best Actress In A Leading Role:</b> Julianne Moore (Still Alice)<br /><b>Best Actor In A Leading Role:</b> Eddie Redmayne (The Theory Of Everything)<br /><b>Best Director:</b> Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman)<br /><b>Best Adapted Screenplay:</b> The Imitation Game (Graham Moore)<br /><b>Best Original Screenplay:</b> Birdman (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Armando Bo)<br /><b>Best Original Score:</b> The Grand Budapest Hotel (Alexandre Desplat0<br /><b>Best Original Song:</b> Glory (Selma; Music and lyrics by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn)<br /><b>Best Documentary Feature:</b> Citizenfour (Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky)<br /><b>Film Editing:</b> Whiplash (Tom Cross)<br /><b>Cinematography:</b> Birdman (Emmanuel Lubezki)<br /><b>Production Design:</b> The Grand Budapest Hotel (Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock)<br /><b>Best Animated Feature:</b> Big Hero 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli)<br /><b>Best Animated Short:</b> Feast (Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed)<br /><b>Achievements In Visual Effects:</b> Interstellar (Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher)<br /><b>Best Actress In A Supporting Role:</b> Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)<br /><b>Sound Editing:</b> American Sniper (Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman)<br /><b>Sound Mixing:</b> Whiplash (Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley)<br /><b>Best Documentary Short Subject:</b> Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 (Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry)<br /><b>Best Live Action Short Film:</b> The Phone Call (Mat Kirkby and James Lucas)<br /><b>Best Foreign Language Film:</b> Ida (Poland)<br /><b>Makeup and Hairstyling:</b> Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier (The Grand Budapest Hotel)<br /><b>Costume Design:</b> Milena Canonero (The Grand Budapest Hotel)<br /><b>Best Actor In A Supporting Role:</b> J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)<br /><br />Disagree with any of the choices? Leave your comments below!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-13180515772360660342015-02-20T15:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.409+01:00Nightcrawler<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcnXCvjf2lOiZ4GDSzUqcvxTse1oyBLigr64fOMLnVSfVz7gw5C7QpLo7afyPXoICXqLik_YA4OyqWtg4UIdtaBwCDSKhKoDJidmX1UJjG08m1vAtX_fXcbyzQv5v1pAj3PT4BOwR81BI/s1600/Nightcrawler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcnXCvjf2lOiZ4GDSzUqcvxTse1oyBLigr64fOMLnVSfVz7gw5C7QpLo7afyPXoICXqLik_YA4OyqWtg4UIdtaBwCDSKhKoDJidmX1UJjG08m1vAtX_fXcbyzQv5v1pAj3PT4BOwR81BI/s1600/Nightcrawler.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia <br />(Copyright: Open Road Films, the <br />film publisher or graphic artist.)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Open Road Films<br /><b>Production Company:</b> Bold Films<br /><b>Director:</b> Dan Gilroy<br /><b>Producers:</b> Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Michel Litvak, Jake Gyllenhaal and David Lancaster<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Dan Gilroy<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton<br /><b>Released:</b> September 5 2014 (Toronto International Film Festival) and October 31 2014 (UK and US)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 117 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />When I saw the trailer for the movie Nightcrawler, I immediately wanted to see it. A burst of adrenaline, the preview clip looked action-packed, edgy, dangerous - in short, it made the film must-see. I did go and watch it but, whilst there's no denying that it is a compelling film, it didn't quite have the impact that I hoped it would from the trailer.<br /><br />Nightcrawler sees Louis "Lou" Bloom (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) looking for work in any field, before a chance encounter with a TV news cameraman sees him enter the world of crime reporting, albeit on a very low budget. At first, his attempts to cover brutal injuries are hampered by the experience of his competitors, and due to the quality of his work, the stories he can provide film on are rejected by news channels. But after one particular story, his almost too-good-to-be-true camera shots of the incident act as a breakthrough: his footage is used on a Los Angeles-based news station, and he begins providing similar scoops for the channel going forward.<br /><br />Lou's career progresses in various ways: he can begin to afford better equipment, and soon hires an assistant, albeit one who acts more as a lookout, in Rick Carey (Riz Ahmed). He strikes up a good working relationship with Nina Romina (Rene Russo), the morning news director. He begins getting better footage of bigger scoops, leading to him earning higher sums of money for his films; so much so that at one point, a competitor attempt to establish a working relationship with him, only to be declined. But, most importantly, his footage becomes more gruesome as he shows a complete lack of conscience and consideration for victims; however, whilst the clips are shocking, the news station itself is struggling, so money triumphs over morals and the footage is shown.<br /><br />But then comes a major incident: a triple murder of a family with the two assailants escaping. Not only does Lou break the law to obtain horrific shots of the victims, he engineers a series of events to have the police catch the murderers, but whilst filming the high-drama scenes, even if it means endangering the lives of himself and his assistant. Meanwhile, Nina is under severe pressure concerning the approach the channel takes to covering the story, made more awkward when Lou suggests that they must have a romantic relationship for him to keep supplying the station with footage. What will happen, and what (if anything) will happen to Lou?<br /><br />I won't spoil the ending, but I will say that it felt like one or two crucial scenes are missing. The narrative takes us one way, to believe one outcome, but suddenly the situation somehow seems resolved and we enter a different arc, and then it ends. With one or two additional scenes to cover "How did (insert name) do (insert task)" or "How did he/she avoid (insert crime)", the climax would have made more sense; as it is, I was left wondering "Well, what happened?" I can accept an unexpected ending so long as we are given evidence to support why it was the case, but we aren't really given any.<br /><br />I said earlier that I was a bit disappointed with the film based on the trailer, and I state here why: the action comes thick and fast in the short promo for Nightcrawler, yet the movie itself does not have that much more action in it. This is more of a cursory glance at the motives of a man who may not be evil but is cold, calculating, uncaring and willing to do anything, without remorse, to achieve his goals. Jake Gyllenhaal is terrific in portraying this character and, from a moral standpoint, you do wonder "How can he do that?" The crime scene visuals are as shocking as you can get, although I can't say such images drive me to see a movie.<br /><br />So, how to sum up Nightcrawler? Based on my expectations, I was disappointed. Based on what I did see, though, I still found it to be worthwhile. It was dramatic, it was fascinating, it was at times uncomfortable yet compelling - in other words, it was a good movie. The less relevant scenes could have been omitted to include more moments to explain the climax but, besides that, it was a film that largely held my attention. It wasn't as good as I had hoped, but I still enjoyed it and, if you appreciate films that act as physical studies of how some states of mind operate, so should you.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-33848430471239887352015-02-19T16:00:00.001+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.443+01:00Mike Bassett: England Manager<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8eLKhZAnW1sVhCKaVpmO-xHHNq4R3w8ePeXW1HJ-x4OAZzVXs6BBMK3cXfuZukVwZlLHQMG7pRZBCPd0MmT1HXlVyVzWorrrgWSA0CrZKeTfV_yZaDBFDKblibsNl40zjGRtLfe_tzZp/s1600/Mike+Bassett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8eLKhZAnW1sVhCKaVpmO-xHHNq4R3w8ePeXW1HJ-x4OAZzVXs6BBMK3cXfuZukVwZlLHQMG7pRZBCPd0MmT1HXlVyVzWorrrgWSA0CrZKeTfV_yZaDBFDKblibsNl40zjGRtLfe_tzZp/s1600/Mike+Bassett.jpg" height="151" width="200"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Past Posters</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br><br><b>Distributor:</b> Entertainment Film Distributors<br><b>Production Companies:</b> Artists Independent Productions, Film Council, Hallmark Entertainment<br><b>Director:</b> Steve Barron<br><b>Producers:</b> Steve Barron and Neil Peplow<br><b>Scriptwriters:</b> John R. Smith and Rob Sprackling<br><b>Main Cast:</b> Ricky Tomlinson, Amanda Redman and Bradley Walsh<br><b>Released:</b> September 28 2001<br><b>Running Time:</b> 89 Minutes<br><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br><br>Released in 2001 as a prelude to the 2002 World Cup, Mike Bassett: England Manager is a spot-on parody of not only the English management set-up, but also of the game in general. But far from being a film that points fingers and criticises, it is a movie that highlights the stupidity and the hilarity of characters, situations and organisations in a manner that should please all football fans.<br><br>Ricky Tomlinson is the perfect choice to play Mike Bassett. He has a regional dialect, he says what's on his mind, he looks nothing like a footballer but claims to have a brilliant understanding of the game - in short, he is the common man, which many would argue is nothing like the England manager. But that's why the casting works: he is the polar opposite of how an England figurehead would behave (although some situations are not too dissimilar to those encountered by certain men who have had the job, albeit behind closed doors). Tomlinson is best known for playing Jim Royle in The Royle Family, but he is just as effective and just as funny in this role.<br><br>The tale (produced as a mockumentary) begins with the health-induced end of the England managing reign of Phil Cope (humorously accompanied by the newspaper headline "Can't Cope"), and after every top candidate is ruled out or rules themselves out, the FA has to turn to second-string boss Mike Bassett for the top job. His task is simple: one win in the last three World Cup qualifiers and England will grace the main stage. But, instead, the side make a pig's ear of it: two defeats are followed by a draw which is made worse by a shocking penalty miss which would have guaranteed qualification. Fortunately for Bassett, an unexpected result elsewhere in the group allows them an alternative passage to the tournament.<br><br>Unfortunately, whilst the road to glory was tough on Bassett, the tournament itself provides more nightmares: an appalling 0-0 draw with Egypt is followed by a heavy defeat to Mexico. On the brink of elimination, and most likely the sack, Bassett is encouraged to turn to alcohol to ease the tensions. This only leads to a drunken escapade, caught on camera, which points an even greater spotlight on him.<br><br>Despite widespread calls for him to resign, Mike refuses to step down but, when he is heavily criticised by the media, his response is powerful enough to win back some support from the die-hards. But his future still rests on the outcome of the final group game against Argentina; can his side pull off a miracle or is it bye-bye Bassett?<br><br>The plot is enhanced by the number of satirical stereotypes for players in the squad, from the alcoholic playmaker (Kevin Tonkinson, played by Dean Lennox Kelly) to the ultra-aggressive defender (Gary Wackett, played by Geoff Bell), as their troublesome situations are comedic yet true-to-life. This extends to the dugout, as Bassett's assistants include a spineless yes-man (Dave Dodds, played by Bradley Walsh) and an old-fashioned coach more interested in his used car business (Lonnie Urquart, played by Philip Jackson), a clear parody of Graham Taylor's management during his tenure as England boss.<br><br>In fact, the pre-World Cup section is largely based on Taylor's reign, from the poor results to the media scourge. Post-qualification, the film focuses on the pitfalls of the job, albeit in hilarious fashion; don't expect Roy Hodgson to swear at his own fans in the same way that Bassett does after the Egypt game. Other elements of the parody, which are nevertheless true, include how the manager's wife Karine (played by Amanda Redman) and son Jason (played by Danny Tennant) can feel the brunt of the national side's poor performances by association with the figurehead, and how the English media builds the team up to knock them down, almost resenting their success. The movie also features several celebrity cameos, such as Pele, Ronaldo (the original Brazilian one, not Cristiano) and Atomic Kitten.<br><br>There is a danger with films like this that they will either insult the audience or come across as being too serious. However, the movie is nothing of the sort: it raises some intriguing points about the English football set-up and aspects of life as a manager in this country, but it makes its points and tells its story through a range of truly funny incidents, visuals and one-liners. Tomlinson's half-time team talk when they're losing to Mexico is priceless. His general reactions to the bewildering situations he finds himself in (from the lacklustre training mechanisms to the incorrect team selections which sees lower-league players called "Benson" and "Hedges" included because his squad was written on the back of a cigarette packet) are brilliant.<br><br>And even the supporting cast are really funny, particularly Jackson who as assistant manager only has a minor role, but is totally believable and, whilst understated, his restrained delivery is what makes his material work. Something I also appreciated was how it didn't follow the perfect story arc: some developments are a little predictable, but without spoiling the plot, you will realise that it doesn't just go for the simple rags-to-riches-style story. The movie eventually spawned a TV series in 2005 based on domestic management (which I felt was a little disappointing), and rumours continue to suggest that a sequel to the movie is coming soon.<br><br>Mike Bassett: England Manager is the kind of film that you want to watch in the run-up to a major international tournament. Alternatively, it is a great football comedy to watch at any time because it is really funny and, whilst it was made in 2001, many of the pastiches are still relevant today. In fact, it is darkly comical that for all the ridiculous incidents that are encountered here, the vast majority are only slightly exaggerated versions of real-life events, characters and situations. So, if you are a die-hard football fan, a casual supporter or just someone looking for a funny British film, an ideal movie for you is Mike Bassett: England Manager.<br><br><b>Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-7827239932566773132015-02-13T15:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.511+01:00Gone Girl<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0DdTeTU4fnDvqiGoEcTUfulxT6pkIkyLq8WbWZFPwTGWObloFfmvFoZL8WS9G1wSKLgrbRyZZHdmMMFY67v-gIc63BmrIptP4VQmdF2dNBgtl4uXOMkMQ0TKB0y9ebM9jJRR91iQsLrc/s1600/Gone+Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0DdTeTU4fnDvqiGoEcTUfulxT6pkIkyLq8WbWZFPwTGWObloFfmvFoZL8WS9G1wSKLgrbRyZZHdmMMFY67v-gIc63BmrIptP4VQmdF2dNBgtl4uXOMkMQ0TKB0y9ebM9jJRR91iQsLrc/s1600/Gone+Girl.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Amazon</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> 20th Century Fox<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Regency Enterprises and Pacific Standard<br /><b>Director:</b> David Fincher<br /><b>Producers:</b> Leslie Dixon, Bruna Papandrea, Reese Witherspoon and Ceán Chaffin<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Gillian Flynn<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry<br /><b>Released:</b> October 2 2014 (UK) and October 3 2014 (US)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 149 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: </b><span style="background-color: red; color: white;"><b>18</b></span><br /><br />The movie Gone Girl was much talked-about when released. Feminism is a strong theme of the main character's actions, but the discussion was so high that I felt the need to see the film myself. I knew that it was based on a novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn (who also writes the screenplay) and I understood the basic plot, but I still wanted to see it in full. The result: a movie that raises questions of how we judge people based on what they have and have not done, at times confusing and on occasion shocking, but overall very, very compelling.<br /><br />For the first hour of this 149-minute motion picture, we have two interlinking story branches: one of a man, Nick Dunne (played by Ben Affleck), trying to learn why his wife Amy Elliott-Dunne (Rosamund Pike), has disappeared, with a police investigation looking at what may have happened, and with increasing evidence suggesting that he may have murdered her; and the other acts as an ongoing chronological flashback of the girl's diary entries from when they first met to their marriage to the troubles they faced as a couple and, ultimately, her disappearance.<br /><br />At first, the presentation hints at one outcome, but you are inclined to disbelieve it; however, subsequent revelations change one's perception of the character and lead you to perhaps rethink what the outcome may be. But then, around an hour in, a curveball is thrown, and the whole picture changes, as does the plot, for no longer is the question "What happened?" - it becomes "What will happen?"<br /><br />Revealing any more details would spoil the movie, but I can say this: you really do begin to wonder who is the hero and the villain, who deserves sympathy and empathy. These are points to ponder which are difficult to come to a conclusion on. Perhaps only those who have been in similar circumstances can relate to their situation and ultimately be able to pass judgement. It is possible that, when weighing it all up, both central characters deserve to be categorised in the same way, but even then is this a positive or a negative?<br /><br />Either way, what doesn't require a debate is how thoroughly gripping this film is. Some films take a while to get into their groove but, whilst it does take time to fully get the picture of what is going on here, Gone Girl draws you in almost immediately and holds your attention for the duration. When you think it's a quiet scene, something happens; when you think the plot is someway from being solved, a swerve is thrown in. Where you think the story is going, it suddenly isn't. I will say that the ending, whilst not a letdown, was a bit too open-ended for a film which probably won't have a sequel, but on the whole, the movie is utterly engaging (one particular scene near the end was very shocking, to me anyway), and whilst the long running time may dissuade some from viewing it, I guarantee that you will feel like it is time well spent.<br /><br />The performances are incredibly powerful. Rosamund plays the role of Amy extremely convincingly, although elaborating on why this is the case will spoil some elements of the plot. Nick Dunne is a multilayered character, who at various points deserves sympathy and disgust. His character is hard to define in terms of it being positive or negative, but it is one that many may be able to at least understand if not totally be on side with, so to speak, and Ben Affleck pulls it off marvellously. Other cast members put in strong performances, but this is a two-person film when it comes to making their roles count.<br /><br />This is an 18-rated movie due to its very strong language and strong bloody violence (and it gets very bloody at times). I personally felt that the first 75-90 minutes were 15 territory, with scenes in the last hour hoisting it up to an adult rating. I should warn viewers that one thing which isn't mentioned in the BBFC rating classification is the focus on sexual content which at times is heavy, both verbally and physically. This, mixed with aspects already mentioned, make for a strong if at times uncomfortable viewing experience. In short, you won't be offended, but the movie may not be to your tastes.<br /><br />Some criticisms of the film which have arisen concern are how the movie presentation handles elements of the novel, and how this impacts the events which play out and the perception of characters as a result. Certain scenes from the novel did not make it into the movie, but more notable is how, in Flynn's own words, she "killed feminism" via the way in which events play out. Others had a problem with how the subjects of marriage problems and sexual assault were handled, although as stated, the movie is based on the novel, so any such criticisms reflect the plot of the novel rather than solely that of this film.<br /><br />In summary, though, Gone Girl is a truly absorbing movie and comes highly recommended. It tells one hell of a story with swerves that at times will have you in disbelief, but are gripping nonetheless. I can't say too much as it would be a real spoiler, but I can say that I am glad I gave into my desires to see this film. And, if you are in the same boat, so should you; you won't be disappointed.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-33908934771740160962015-02-13T11:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.527+01:00Ex Machina<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJOOmYNpJls6Q_sU2yfNTpNT0zMs71Me2JyvLM1G93Z1nEv7QbOvIVuAXzZmOyUwlAtaS2PFJ0cD412xHabp8xkLWVMNt73ITzlNK0S30J1TPrQyiGbS5UsFmEg96ABP4G0FGhY-rrqY/s1600/Ex+Machina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJOOmYNpJls6Q_sU2yfNTpNT0zMs71Me2JyvLM1G93Z1nEv7QbOvIVuAXzZmOyUwlAtaS2PFJ0cD412xHabp8xkLWVMNt73ITzlNK0S30J1TPrQyiGbS5UsFmEg96ABP4G0FGhY-rrqY/s1600/Ex+Machina.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Luke Mythen<br /><br /><b>Distributors:</b> Universal Pictures (UK) and A24 Films (US)<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> DNA Films, Film4 and Scott Rudin Productions<br /><b>Director:</b> Alex Garland<br /><b>Producers:</b> Andrew Macdonald and Scott Rudin<br /><b>Scriptwriter:</b> Alex Garland<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac<br /><b>Released:</b> January 23 2015 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 108 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">15</span></b><br /><br />Ex Machina tells the story of a computer coder, Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), who wins the chance to spend a week at the house in the mountains belonging to Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the CEO of the company he works for. This film is the directorial debut for screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later, 2002), and he sets about telling the story about the complications of robots and their capacity of feeling attraction. The concept as a whole is a very difficult subject to approach; it's hard enough to script feelings for living characters, so writing them instead for an AI and allowing the audience to connect with those feelings is a tricky task.<br /><br />The film only has three characters, with the two human protagonists portrayed by Dominic Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, 2010) and Oscar Isaac (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2015) respectively. As an actor, it is must be very difficult to work with only one actor on a daily basis and to keep each scene fresh and interesting for the audience. But these two actors do a good job maintaining this: there is always an awkward tension between the two that flies brilliantly off the screen, and their contrasting views on the AI really make for an interesting conclusion at the end of the film.<br /><br />Stealing the show, however, is Alicia Vikander (A Royal Affair, 2012) as the new AI they are testing out. For the most part, her face plays a pivotal role in connecting her character with Caleb. The concept of the Turing Test revolves around the idea that when you are speaking to an AI, you don’t know the difference between an AI and a real human. The story is well-paced, with very little action; however, the social interaction with all three characters allows for a boat-load of drama.<br /><br />The complex nature of the relationship between the three characters leaves some questions come the climax of the film, as each character (including the AI) has their own motives for their actions, but they are largely resolved by the end. Without spoling it, the conclusion does leave you scratching your head a little, not for a lack of story development but more in terms of searching for logic. I was left wondering why a certain character did what they did when they must have known the consequences of their actions. When you see the film, it is obvious what I am talking about.<br /><br />The film has some excellent ideas that are delivered very well. It has been shot beautifully and is also written very well. The pacing is good, despite it dragging a little during the middle section for around 15 minutes. This is a must-see for hardcore movie goers, but for a viewer who wants to sit back and relax, it may not be your cup of tea.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-17869634567068033782015-02-12T16:30:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.542+01:00Up<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EydmExJQlHc27csGxUMSx8eu1-ByOMxmZsXllPvSCJaM0NS8t0lHX5R0fazxtYZ-mgy0LPHMnc1eDDKZZB5TsmVZpm8Tee8qYa9uoUM7J5wgZHiJ91zrYgmxq3rxcqTkNqWtnrO89hM/s1600/Up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EydmExJQlHc27csGxUMSx8eu1-ByOMxmZsXllPvSCJaM0NS8t0lHX5R0fazxtYZ-mgy0LPHMnc1eDDKZZB5TsmVZpm8Tee8qYa9uoUM7J5wgZHiJ91zrYgmxq3rxcqTkNqWtnrO89hM/s1600/Up.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Elaine Yu<br /><br /><b>Distributors:</b> Walt Disney Studios and Motion Pictures<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios<br /><b>Director:</b> Pete Docter<br /><b>Producer:</b> Jonas Rivera<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Bob Peterson and Pete Docter<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai and Bob Peterson<br /><b>Released:</b> May 29 2009 (US) and October 9 2009 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 96 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate: <span style="background-color: #38761d; color: white;">U</span></b><br /><br />The first time I saw any visuals of Up was in the trailer when it was just released at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2009, which heightened my anticipation to see it in full. Even though it was reputable for its 3D visual effects, I was more impressed by the storyline between the old man, Carl, and the boy, Russell. In this way, it is not like the classical Disney films, which always focuses on a romance between a Prince and a Princess. However, it still creates that fantastic Disney wonderland for both kids and adults.<br /><br />A mass of colourful balloons, the old house and the miraculous adventure in the forest conform to the fantasy of fairy tales. But, to me, the moment that is most touching is that which showcases the married life of Carl and Ellie as opposed to the up-and-down journey. This scene is like the animation version of salience film. No words for characters; the story is told by the transition of senses. It is also important to talk about the slight variation of the soundtrack in this scene. The melody is the same, but the beat varies with the atmosphere and with their mood. For example, at Carl and Ellie’s wedding, it is upbeat, but when they realised that they couldn’t have children, it slows down. Because of the excellent soundtrack, Up received the Best Score at the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Golden Globe Awards in 2009.<br /><br />Unlike the romance in fairytale Disney films, where the Prince and the Princess live happily ever after, Carl and Ellie have been gradually getting old. For the family, they put off pursuing their dream, but they didn’t quit. Ellie did not make their dream come true in their lifetime, but is Carl going to make it? That is a clue which the story leaves you with. I actually prefer this kind of imperfect romance: it is realistic, just like the romances of the real world: imperfect, but beautiful.<br /><br />Films are supposed to involve viewers in the fantastic world, and allow them to escape from the dissatisfied real world to further entertain them. Indeed, escaping happens in the film, as Carl avoids moving from his house to a retirement home and keeps the promise to his wife. He decides to turn the house into a makeshift airship with a mass of balloons, and starts his adventure to Paradise Falls just to keep his promise to Ellie. Nevertheless, the dream is disillusioned: he realises that his hero, the famous explorer Charles F. Muntz, was a devil accused of fabricating the skeleton of a giant bird. Fortunately, they beat the villain and fly back to the city.<br /><br />Once you are confronted with the situation of dissatisfaction that mirrors reality, you can escape. But it is not a wise choice, as the great world outside is just in your imagination. It might be cruel and evil. The ending implies that the wise choice on handling a tough situation is saluting it actively and bravely.<br /><br />The great visual effects will entertain audiences, particularly younger viewers. More importantly, though, the reflection and inspiration for the film is the foundation for it to gain a great reputation. The reality in Up is more than worthy to be explored and results in a superb animation picture.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-133167570552587752015-02-12T16:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.559+01:00The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_kCcacE0KCtRix-l5O1BPbiJq9YrSeiI37vrFR_cltQdBXscS_7uVWtJBHrZ4GoibKfGRMkVbfrzX6GbSK7zscpC_UPx7x4cgERshu74A6dcCyfc5dYcSb48s9vgc6oHvcJCnlYZo5P4/s1600/Naked+Gun+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_kCcacE0KCtRix-l5O1BPbiJq9YrSeiI37vrFR_cltQdBXscS_7uVWtJBHrZ4GoibKfGRMkVbfrzX6GbSK7zscpC_UPx7x4cgERshu74A6dcCyfc5dYcSb48s9vgc6oHvcJCnlYZo5P4/s1600/Naked+Gun+3.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Distributor:</b> Paramount Pictures</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Production Company:</b> Paramount Pictures</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Director:</b> Peter Segal</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Producers:</b> Robert K. Weiss and David Zucker</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Pat Proft, David Zucker and Robert LoCash</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Main Cast:</b> Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, Fred Ward, Kathleen Freeman and Anna Nicole Smith</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Released:</b> March 18 1994 (US) and May 20 1994 (UK)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Running Time:</b> 83 Minutes</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Certificate: <span style="color: red;">12</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The third and final entry in the incredibly funny Naked Gun trilogy follows the same formula as the two previous films: a basic, silly yet humorous plotline, with the Police Squad required to prevent a disaster occuring. Along the way is a ton of slapstick comedy, from one-liners to physical jokes to facial expressions. This is seen as the weakest of the three films, although it is still extremely funny and is a more than worthy end to arguably the greatest comedy trilogy ever.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Before we get to the main story, we learn that Lt. Frank Dreben (Leslie Nielsen) and Jane Spencer-Dreben (Priscilla Presley) are now married (hence her name change), but are searching for a spark that will spice up their sex lives, partly because Jane is hopeful that they may be able to have a child (or, as Frank says later on, a "little Frank Junior"; the visual of what he could look like is hilarious). But Frank's spirit is slightly down, partly because, as we see, he has recently retired from the Police Squad. Fortunately for him, his old friends Ed Hocken (George Kennedy) and Det. Nordberg (O.J. Simpson) pay him a visit and explain that they need a little assistance in an ongoing investigation. Frank is reluctant to get involved given his retirement, but does admit that he misses the old job - and, as Ed points out, "(Frank hasn't) shot anyone in six months", to which Frank replies "That's true. Funny how you miss the little things."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, Frank gets involved, but when Jane learns of his participation, she leaves him. Unusually, Frank tries to cover up his undercover work by suggesting that he was with another woman, but Jane humorously takes no notice and is more concerned with him getting involved in stopping crime again. As the story rolls on, we learn that a new villain (Rocco Dillon, played by Fred Ward) is planning to escape from Statesville Prison and, with the help of his team of cronies, he plans a major incident. To try and stop this, Frank offers to go to jail as a pretend criminal, get on Rocco's side and help him with his plot, with the intention of stopping it from within and alerting Police Squad of what is planned.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Eventually, we discover that the plan is to blow up the venue of the Academy Awards. By now, Jane is back on the scene, but the question remains: how can Frank and co prevent this explosion happening? Their attempts are not as difficult as one may expect in terms of turning things in their favour but, without obtaining the smoking gun, disaster is still guaranteed. A staple of the Naked Gun trilogy is how Frank's efforts to stop a tragedy occuring are ridiculously over-the-top yet riotously entertaining, and this movie is probably the funniest of the three in that regard: if you haven't seen this film, these scenes will provoke almost constant laughter. But the big question is: does the Police Squad succeed in their final big-screen outing? And, despite their trials and tribulations, do Frank and Jane finally get their "little Frank Junior"?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As stated, The Naked Gun trilogy ends in a great way here. Unlike some trilogies which try to resolve ongoing plot mysteries, none are required here: it simply allows the cast to do what they do best, and that's try to prevent chaos in a hilarious fashion. The only real link between all three movies concerns the evolution of the relationship between Frank and Jane and, in that respect, the ending should satisfy. There is a slight weakness in this movie in that, more than in the previous two, the plot at times takes a back seat to comedy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing considering that it is a comedy; however, it does mean that some jokes have that "trying too hard" feel to them, although there are a ton of laugh-out-loud moments.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's hard to say whether this should have been the end for The Naked Gun or not. This entry proves that there was still a lot of life left in the trilogy; it didn't really feel stale, and the jokes are as funny as ever. But perhaps it was best to let it end while they were still really, really entertaining, and to not let it continue and eventually become a shell of its former self (as was the case for other film series', such as Police Academy). And this allows the Frank Dreben character to go out on a high, or at least a high by the standards of his character and the world that he operates within.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Leslie Neilsen died on November 28 2010, aged 84. It was a great loss to the world of both movie and comedy that such a funny man would leave us, despite his advanced years. And it did feel weird when I first watched these movies again after his death. But whilst we won't receive any further entertainment from Neilsen, we can always look back on his work and savour the moments when he was utterly hilarious. Renowned at first for being a serious actor, the Canadian eventually became the comic actor who we all remember him as. He also shone in other movies, most notably Airplane! But he will be most remembered for his brilliant role as Lt. Frank Dreben in the three Naked Gun movies. Comedies will continue to be churned out, and many will be hilarious, but to this writer, none will ever be as complete a comedy package as The Naked Gun trilogy, and no comedy performer will ever be as funny in a movie setting than Leslie Neilsen as Lieutenant Frank Dreben.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Overall Rating: 9.5/10 - Classic</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-37165326093368436582015-02-11T12:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.611+01:00Spiderman swinging in the right direction<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihuO2XMgoYGO_GCbOb3Rhc_1vcBlJpiJ4M7rJgv_xbNVWa2NBlCgqY5Z5aaUI92Btlf2Rb0081YkXmDzv2n3do0bcPrQXaD6C7OTwmwrw6Q91DuLNOa-kEPg16ii4hPGzs3BKpA6dO9c/s1600/Spiderman+at+Marvel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihuO2XMgoYGO_GCbOb3Rhc_1vcBlJpiJ4M7rJgv_xbNVWa2NBlCgqY5Z5aaUI92Btlf2Rb0081YkXmDzv2n3do0bcPrQXaD6C7OTwmwrw6Q91DuLNOa-kEPg16ii4hPGzs3BKpA6dO9c/s1600/Spiderman+at+Marvel.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Marvel</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Luke Mythen<br /><br />Finally, Spiderman has returned to where he belongs, MARVEL!<br /><br />The huge news reveals that Spiderman will now join up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in phase 3, starting in 2016.<br /><br />This news will not come as a shock after the Sony email leaks at the back-end of 2014, and after the poor showing at the box office for The Amazing Spiderman 2. This announcement, first and foremost, brings a lot of excitement and enthusiasm that the character had lost even after its reboot in 2012. The fans should be excited: if anyone can make a new franchise work, it is Kevin Feige, the Marvel Godfather; he has turned unknown characters like The Guardians Of The Galaxy and Thor into A-List names for comic book fans.<br /><br />Spiderman, however, is a different kettle of fish. He is a universally known icon and character that has carried the Marvel comics for 70 years, but can he now integrate himself into the MCU? Most people would say: "Of course, why not?" However, there are some concerns that I have regarding this.<br /><br />Marvel ultimately don’t need Peter Parker swinging by in one of their films; they will make over a billion dollars this summer with the ‘Avengers Age of Ultron’ and ‘Antman’. So, why bring him back home?<br /><br />Well, that is exactly it: Spiderman is coming home, having been owned by Sony for many years and having really struggled since 2004, with Spiderman 2 (Sam Rami, 2004) being the last commercial and box office success. Since then, the MCU has evolved into a tornado of successful films, even when the characters are relatively unknown. The idea of Spiderman becoming part of the Avengers for ‘Avengers Infinity War Part 1 and 2’ is mouth-watering to say the least. So, ultimately, the main reason they have brought him back is because they want to, not because they need to.<br /><br />Sony need this deal more than Marvel. They have struggled directing this series the right way despite new directions, directors and actors. They do still have the final say on production, scripts and casting, but crucially they have the safety net of Kevin Feige, who will help steer them in the direction the character will take.<br /><br />All sounds good then, so what are the negatives about this news? Well, personally, the fact that Sony still have creative control worries me immensely. Yes, Marvel will be involved and will have the authority to make certain decisions, but ultimately it is still the same company who made The Amazing Spiderman 2 and Spiderman 3 (Sam Rami, 2007). Can Spiderman fit into the universe? It will be difficult for him to share a film as we suspect he will in Captain America 3: Civil War (Russo Brothers, scheduled for 2016). Would he steal too much focus away from the protagonists and the overall story? Yes, he might, but he could also offer a new exciting angle for the franchise to be taken in. His solo film has already caused a bit of a stir after the preceding films all needed their release dates to be pushed back by six months. Spiderman will now be released on the day that Thor 3: Ragnorok was scheduled, so is Marvel saying that he is more important to them than their rock Thor?<br /><br />Overall, though, this is a win for fans of comic books and, more importantly, fans of the Spiderman comic books. He will provide the Avengers with something that they are yet to explore, and provide Marvel with another platform to dominate at the box office. I am personally happy about the deal, although I still have concerns after the last ten years. But good luck to Spiderman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My Spidey senses are tingling with excitement!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-4796937946692411402015-02-06T15:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.685+01:00Selma<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXYglpMbnuV6nHD-DGSPQZhf5DGpT7j32f86juCXBzttGV1p9H-Gq2srywDPN9LD0QSvUywju3lV9h0XSsTI3_sGCbtm1bFUqKex4sfOhu8yHfz1cETHzf1Hp1bA28o7nVUTMDTEFfshY/s1600/Selma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXYglpMbnuV6nHD-DGSPQZhf5DGpT7j32f86juCXBzttGV1p9H-Gq2srywDPN9LD0QSvUywju3lV9h0XSsTI3_sGCbtm1bFUqKex4sfOhu8yHfz1cETHzf1Hp1bA28o7nVUTMDTEFfshY/s1600/Selma.jpg" height="200" width="128" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.7840003967285px;">Image Source: Wikipedia</span></div><div style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.7840003967285px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">(Copy</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.7840003967285px;">right: Paramount Pictures/Pathé</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.7840003967285px;">, the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.7840003967285px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.7840003967285px;">film publisher or graphic artist.)</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By: </b>Mark Armstrong<br /><b><br /></b><b>Distributors:</b> Paramount Pictures (US), 20th Century Fox (UK) and StudioCanal (Australia)<br /><b>Production Companies:</b> Cloud Eight Films, Harpo Films, Plan B Entertainment and Pathé<br /><b>Director:</b> Ava DuVernay<br /><b>Producers:</b> Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> Paul Webb and Ava DuVernay (uncredited)<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Andre Holland, Tessa Thompson, Giovanni Ribisi, Lorraine Toussaint, Stephan James, Wendell Pierce, Common, Alessandro Nivola, Keith Stanfield, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Dylan Baker, Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey<br /><b>Released:</b> December 25 2014 (US) and February 6 2015 (UK)<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 128 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate:</b> <b><span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: white;">12A</span></b><br /><br />When one thinks of Martin Luther King Jr, the leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, the mind immediately recalls the famous "I have a dream" speech from 1963. This new movie about MLK, however, focuses not on arguably the most famous words of the 20th century, but on King's describe in Selma in 1965.<br /><br />After opening with an unexpected twist at the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize presentation in Oslo, Norway, where King (played by David Oyelowo) is presented with the prize, the plot focuses on the racial prejudice towards black people that at that point remained prevalent in parts of the US, particularly when it came to voting. Whilst King asks then-President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to consider passing legislation that would allow blacks to vote unencumbered, Johnson notes that there are more pressing issues that he has to take care of. (Incidentally, critics have argued that Johnson is portrayed here as someone who just does not want to give King what he wants, whereas in reality their relationship was far more cordial.)<br /><br />However, not only are blacks not being allowed to vote, but as they protest, they are the victims of racist hate attacks. By 1965, mass matches are planned from Selma to Montgomery which, they hope, will bring about change. They do not succeed at first due to the increasingly brutal response of the state's law enforcement, but as these vicious beatings are broadcast across the country, a growing number of white Americans join their side, which prepares big questions as the film nears its climax: can the addition of white supporters boost the chances of black people getting to vote? Can King himself handle managing these marches? And at what point will President Johnson be forced to recognise that enough is enough and that passing the requested legislation will bring about an end to the tension?<br /><br />Even if you are unfamiliar with American history (and whilst I was familiar with Dr. King, I did not know the full story behind these marches), you can probably guess the ending, based purely on the way in which the world has changed since the 1960s, a perfect example being the election of the first black US President, Barack Obama, in 2008.<br /><br />The performances are very powerful (in particular, Oyelowo is totally believable as King), and the scenes are at times excruciatingly graphic. Some will undoubtedly leave you thinking "How could they do this to those people?", which is a sign of how realistic such moments are played out. And the ending should, if not bring a smile to your face, at least make you feel like justice has been done.<br /><br />On the other hand, I found that the movie dragged; had it been 90 minutes, with insignificant scenes cut, it would have held my attention more, as not a lot happened for large points. To reflect racist views of many Americans in the era, there is a lot of discriminatory language used which may be unsettling to viewers. Some historical inaccuracies have been noted, one of which was touched upon earlier. And some were disappointed that the film focused more on King than the Selma situation itself. Also, the costs of using Martin's speeches verbatim were so high that some important dialogue is changed to avoid paying royalties (this is one reason why we get no reference to the "I have a dream" speech, even as a way of introducing King at the beginning).<br /><br />On the whole, though, I think Selma is worth seeing. I wouldn't class it as one of the year's finest movies, but the strong, believable performances of the leading cast and the significance of what the story achieved in reality make this a compelling viewing experience.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1520652847007387630.post-233415108445919962015-02-05T16:00:00.000+00:002016-04-22T16:36:47.720+01:00The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell Of Fear<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGm1RJFE_eJPD22rW2CQ7OIElyDjbEtSsRw-UqAbX1ldWq3mqYhQYNofiii03Q7Ls8OmdoXOrz1UZj-bTafj8dvm5wUpU8L3sUluyl401C3KYVqos1-r4wK1SjkeNSug1CKCjeoFU2-iR0/s1600/Naked+Gun+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGm1RJFE_eJPD22rW2CQ7OIElyDjbEtSsRw-UqAbX1ldWq3mqYhQYNofiii03Q7Ls8OmdoXOrz1UZj-bTafj8dvm5wUpU8L3sUluyl401C3KYVqos1-r4wK1SjkeNSug1CKCjeoFU2-iR0/s1600/Naked+Gun+2.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Wikipedia</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Written By:</b> Mark Armstrong<br /><br /><b>Distributor:</b> Paramount Pictures<br /><b>Production Company:</b> Paramount Pictures<br /><b>Director:</b> David Zucker<br /><b>Producer:</b> Robert K. Weiss<br /><b>Scriptwriters:</b> David Zucker and Pat Proft<br /><b>Main Cast:</b> Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson and Robert Goulet<br /><b>Released:</b> June 28 1991<br /><b>Running Time:</b> 81 Minutes<br /><b>Certificate:</b> <span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><b>15</b></span><br /><br />The sequel to The Naked Gun (as you may have guessed given its title), the second Naked Gun film sees the old crew return as they encounter a new yet similar quandary to that of the original picture: the US President at the time, George H W Bush (played by John Roarke), plans to base his recommendation for America's renewable energy programme on the advice of Dr. Albert Meinheimer (Richard Griffiths). This upsets those in the oil, coal and nuclear industries, including Quentin Hapsburg (Robert Goulet). Their solution: replace Albert with their own double for Meinheimer, Earl Hacker (also played by Griffiths, funnily enough). The switch is in line with Albert's energy announcement at the upcoming National Press Club dinner.<br /><br />However, the Police Squad, led again by Lt. Frank Dreben (Leslie Neilsen), get wind of the plot and attempt to prevent it, whilst at the same time dealing with Hapsburg's hired goons. It all leads to the dinner itself, where their evil plot has to be foiled, but there's a twist: in the event of his plan failing, Hapsburg has a bomb planted to take everybody out, including the President. Once again, it's up to Dreben and co to stop it all happening, but events along the way mean that the Squad may not even get into the dinner. How will they do it?<br /><br />Frank's romance with Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley) is renewed here: Jane now works for Dr. Meinheimer, and they reacquaint when Frank explores the possibility of a plot against the good doctor. We aren't told why Frank and Jane hadn't seen each other since the first film, but it does result in this classic exchange:<br /><br />Frank: "How are the children?"<br /><br />Jane: "We didn't have any children."<br /><br />Worryingly for Frank, though, she has a new boyfriend, who is none other than Hapsburg. Frank's attempts to rekindle his love for Jane are again turbulent, but are less prominent than in the first movie, and all involved know whose side they are on by the time of the climax.<br /><br />The sequel to The Naked Gun is slightly less into telling a story and more about providing funny lines and moments. And in the vein of the first film, there is a wealth of entertainment to be found here. The Squad and Jane are all played by the same cast, so expect the same kind of one-liners, humorous visuals and hammy expressions. <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZhTYzVqgJz6cSaosM4Ek68KCSmztOAeIyZ8pQt8utN19rsJPuBStxC-cl2E5NRzVbF7Vnqpo__JgokJKxb4q3StOtXi3s6Zv_QYrx_MRWEyV7nB_PsQH3l72pIrw2Bcj1zvnxRwJEknQ/s1600/Frank+Dreben.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZhTYzVqgJz6cSaosM4Ek68KCSmztOAeIyZ8pQt8utN19rsJPuBStxC-cl2E5NRzVbF7Vnqpo__JgokJKxb4q3StOtXi3s6Zv_QYrx_MRWEyV7nB_PsQH3l72pIrw2Bcj1zvnxRwJEknQ/s1600/Frank+Dreben.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: Neon Reels</td></tr></tbody></table><br />(By the way. this entry into the series also features Frank's all-time best facial, as seen to the right).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I don't want to give too much away, but I will simply say that if you enjoyed the first Naked Gun then you will love this movie. And, if you read my previous review, you'll know that I am a huge fan of the trilogy and of Leslie's work in particular, so yes I found this to be a hilarious comedy, the humour for which still holds up and always will in the future.<br /><br />I mark it down a smudgeon just because the increased emphasis on humour means that the believability of one or two comedy moments is stretched and, whilst still funny, those jokes feel a bit forced. Overall, though, this is another exceptional chapter in the Naked Gun trilogy which will more than satisfy fans of the original, and fortunately the series wasn't over there, as I will document in a future review.<br /><br /><b>Overall Rating: 9.5/10 - Classic</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0