Review: The Grey

A hard, gritty and bleak affair of human survival.


Liam Neeson has to be another one of my favourite actors, and luckily here he branches away from the full action movie lead and takes up a much more character driven narrative (not that there's anything wrong with Neeson beating people up!)

His character goes by the name Attway, a level-headed man who finds himself hired into a oil company to shoot wolves that threaten the workers. But when their plane crash lands in the fierce snowy wilderness, he becomes the leader of a ragged band of workers, and must help them evade a pack of territorial wolves.
This is no action movie. The film has a plodding pace and slows down for glimpses into Attway's thoughts as he contemplates life and death, the bleakness of the affair is deliberately drawn out. But when events spiral into chaos, the direction is intense and visceral; I have never seen a plane crash so delicately set up and so mercilessly executed. The wolves themselves are mercifully shown briefly and in shadow, evading some awkward CG effects and increasing their ominous presence. 

It is a relentless film, our hero is both physically and mentally battered, and Neeson's performance is excellent; keeping us with the survivors through their impossible odds. It is not a film one can sit idly through, its intensity does not let you settle. I can only remember one light hearted moment!


But, I enjoyed it for what it was, a dark, visceral and surprisingly character driven story of survival.

Review: Limitless

A modern, flashy and fast paced thriller, yet the words "entertainment" and "fantasy" aren't enough to shake a skewed moral compass...

Eddie is a layabout and a failing writer, and upon losing his supportive girlfriend he turns to a mysterious pill which unlocks his mind's full potential (and turns him into Sherlock Holmes, almost literally). While he elevates into the business world - virtually overnight - enemies are drawn to his mysterious abilities, and his mettle is tested with the drug's overriding effects.

Limitless is certainly a very attractive and often intense thriller, and I found its pacing to be good for its simple concept. Bradley Cooper provides an interesting character to watch as the story unfolds, but then... most of the story is pretty predictable (I am certain most of you can guess right now what goes on in Limitless)

Spoilers Ahead??????? Maybe!

My only real issue with the film is its apparent lack of morality... While Eddie certainly isn't the most decent man, the film is only shown from his point of view, making us side with him. Now perhaps a moral core would have clichéd the film, that much may be true, but the film's ending is so brazen that one can only question what exactly the film's purpose was. Creativity and clear thinking is only available through artificial enhancement? Surely... living your life, can help with that instead? People in power are all corrupted by some unattainable advantage? The film's end was transparent in its intention to spark these debates. Maybe that was its purpose?

You can call it entertainment, and it certainly is; flashy, fast, intriguing, dangerous. But the ending irked me.

Additional Marshmallows: The director, Neil Burger, also directed The Illusionist, a very good movie that was completely overshadowed by Christopher Nolan's very similar The Prestige, released the same year. I hate to say it... but The Prestige was indeed better.

Review: Broken Embraces

Broken Embraces, a film by the prolific Pedro Almodovar, proves to be as attractive to the eye as most of his films... but a little broken in pacing.


It sure is difficult to summarise... A blind writer looks back in anger fourteen years, to a time when he was a film-maker, to correct mistakes he and others had made, and discover unseen treachery.


The film is, like many of Almodovar's films, beautifully shot and composed; colours are vibrant, characters are deep and stuffed to the gills with sexual tension and lust. But I'm afraid the film lost me early on with a yo-yo'ing plot that relied heavily on flashbacks and a multitude of characters.
The thriller's third act did settle this confusion nicely however, as the puzzle pieces began to fit together. It does make for an arduous first hour or so, but whenever it settles inside one of its two time frames, it is very well made.

I much preferred Almodovar's Live Flesh, which felt like it had greater consistency than this, but I still appreciate the man's ability to capture high emotion, and package it in a more subtle atmosphere. I will continue to view more of his films.

Saga Review: Star Wars

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

One man had a vision, a vision that even he didn't realise would become so popular, a story and universe not yet told in the history of cinema. George Lucas, a young an optimistic film maker, best friends with Steven Spielberg, became one of the pioneers of cinema when he made and released Star Wars in 1977.
The film had such a massive success that it flourished into a full trilogy; making two huge sequels over the following six years, easily commencing the modern idea of "The Blockbuster". Not only did Star Wars win six Academy Awards, it was one of the very first films to gain its own merchandise, and boy has that legacy never ended!

For almost fifteen years George Lucas reaped the benefits of his money-spinning franchise. Endless toy lines, some of the very first video computer games (and continuing into every new generation) spin-off television movies, children's cartoons, cinema re-releases and a film-quality enhancement in the mid-nineties, removing special effect composition outlines and scratches.
For fifteen years it was like Lucas was always present in the industry.... yet the man did not direct a single movie since Star Wars in 1977.

Boom, from nowhere seemingly, Lucas announces three new Star Wars movies at the end of the millennium. Three prequel movies to expand the history of the classic trilogy everyone knew and loved, and even then the concept of the prequel was relatively new, once again making Star Wars a forerunner in cinema history. Everyone. Everyone and their dog, could not contain the excitement.
So here are the reviews of the Star Wars saga, and if you know me, you know that I like to do things properly... the way things are intended to be... in the correct order... 
So without further ado...

Star Wars

What can I say about the humble beginnings of a franchise that defined several generations and changed the face of popular cinema?
Star Wars follows the story of Luke Skywalker, a simple “farm boy” who finds himself carried off on an adventure to rescue a princess from an evil Empire. He is aided by his mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi, the reckless smuggler Han Solo, and two droids.
I deliberately got myself a copy of the original version, in cinemas in 1977 and you know, 45 years on, it is still epic. Even the special effects and model shots are still impressive, mostly due to clever, sweeping camera work, and upon watching it you cannot deny the fact that this film blew audiences away.

The characters are stereotypes, but the dialogue is charming and instantly memorable and likeable. The story is incredibly straight forward, but there is a magic and theatre about the universe, a strange yet familiar vibe; many details aren’t expanded upon, yet you are given enough to accept them.
It is a standalone experience; quite slowly paced at first, but ramps up to eleven for an exhausting finale that shakes your nerves.

Truly it is the definition of the blockbuster, and a timeless classic. One that is perfect as it is...

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

I love this film. The sequel to the film that defines blockbusters, defines the sequels to blockbusters, and Empire is easily the best Star Wars film ever made.

Darth Vader, having survived the destruction of the Death Star, hunts down the remaining Rebel forces while pursuing Luke Skywalker, who is quickly learning the ancient ways of the Force. As the Empire’s grip tightens, Luke finds the lives of his friends in mortal danger.
At just under two hours, it is stunning how much happens in this film; we see frozen ice worlds, swamps, massive space cruisers and cloud cities. The once simple characters from the first film are fleshed out and very vulnerable now, yet their wit and charm has never been stronger. Harrison Ford as Han Solo appears to be in his stride and steals every scene he is in; certainly the rogue element that makes the original trilogy so great.The film boasts some of John Williams’ best musical work, from intense barrages of action to the very best science fiction romance, empowering already very good performances all around. 

It is dark and full of foreboding, yet contains some of the very best space opera action pieces ever.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Return of the Jedi must be one of the most technically challenging Star Wars films ever made; including the most frenetic space battles and complex puppeteering for the time. It may not as consistent as Empire, but it still has one of the greatest finales in sci-fi history.

Our heroes move to rescue Han Solo from the gangster Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine, while the Empire constructs a new terrible Death Star battle station. Luke, having mastered the power of The Force, must face his destiny and attempt to restore his father’s name.
I love Jedi more than some, simply because of the epic space battle in its conclusion, and how it is juxtaposed with the lightsaber duel between Darth Vader and Luke (I don’t care what anyone says, it is the best duel in the saga) with the emotional weight upon the characters compelling them to battle. Destiny and the repeating of dark history are the keystones of Jedi’s story.

I will say though that audiences are divided over the Ewoks and their role in the film. It certainly makes for a lighter tone than with Empire, and infinitely multiplies Star Wars’ marketability, while being a little questionable; a powerful Empire brought to its knees by teddy bears with sticks? However like I said, I love the battles that run parallel to this, so I was never that bothered.

A satisfying end; the characters face their destinies and both the light-heartedness and darker tones are both fulfilled.

The concept of prequels to these three grand films was unfathomable. Everyone knew we would see the creation of Darth Vader, one of the most iconic super villains of cinema history, as well as the terrible history that so marred the trilogy's past. The extinction of the Jedi, the Clone Wars, everything described was dark and muddied by tragedy, so much so that it seeped into Luke's own destiny.
What wonders and epic visions will we experience upon learning how it all came to pass?

Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace 

Awful CGI Jabba the Hutt has my sympathies, I was falling asleep.

There is a reason why there are so many videos documenting what’s wrong with Episode One, and I might not be capable of summing it all up. This film is a disaster.
A Trade Federation has taxation rights on the peaceful planet of Naboo, and two Jedi are sent to settle the growing anxieties only to find a boy with powerful links to the Force. Yadda-yadda-yadda.
They also find obnoxious CGI abominations at every turn; the film’s special effects are already aging twelve years on (the original trilogy lasted at least twice that amount of time) and composite layering looks nasty, and the Gun-Guns especially look transparent in their non-existence. The editing is choppy and the dialogue is half hearted with the original trilogy’s charm being replaced with an assortment of lead balloons. No involvement or passion.

The film feels rushed, especially as you might consider they had two decades to prepare it! There are brief, BRIEF moments of clarity (such as Anakin leaving his mother behind on Tatooine) and no, Darth Maul isn’t enough to save it. For every miniscule good moment, there’s an agonisingly long pod race, or Jar Jar being a total prat.

I don’t remember how I felt seeing this for the first time, but I do remember feeling hyped as hell beforehand. Everyone was. A “starting point” like this would be difficult for the series, but by no means should it be this bad! We could only hope it would get better...

Additional Marshmallows:

I cannot list all of the logic flaws in Episode One... but I can point out some. Star Wars is known to be theatrics over substance, but these are too glaringly obvious to let pass!

Why did Anakin make a “Protocol” droid for his mother who works as a slave?
Why didn’t the Jedi use the breathing apparatus they had at the lake when subjected to toxins on the Federation space station?
Why doesn’t Obi Wan use the Jedi “sprint” power (as previously displayed) to help Qui-Gon in the fight against Darth Maul?

Why would the Federation put their main reactor in the cargo bay next to all the volatile explosives, ammunitions and space craft?

Why do people even bother talking to Jar Jar?

Star Wars Episode Two: Attack of the Clones

A separatist movement unsettles the Republic, and the senate has to decide on forming an Army of the Republic. Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker is angsty.

It is hard to believe but... this one was worse than I remember, and I think it was whenever this film aped Empire Strikes Back... or tried to. George Lucas clearly has no idea how to direct actors, at all, and every romantic scene with Padme and Anakin fall utterly flat, or into some obscure creepy scene with Hayden Christiansen sneering. There is an awful, awful barrage of romance scenes that play out like Lucas’ test runs while reading “Directing Romance 101 For Dummies”.
Despite having virtually removed Jar Jar (and sadly replacing him with a torturously misused C-3PO) and the Gun-Guns, the final act’s battle sequences are hideous and drab, despite how exciting they appear to be. Oh they are better than Phantom Menace’s attempts, but only just.

There are some decent scenes though, unlike PM. Anakin’s vengeful return to Tatooine to save his mother, and the fight between Obi Wan and Jango Fett in the rain. However... the first example here is plagued by infuriating editing/transition choices that make the audience unsure of what they are looking at, and as for the second example.... WHY IS BOBA FETT A KID IN THIS!? Seriously, did Lucas really think the best way to honour/bring back the [second] coolest character in his franchise was to make him a little kid??

The entire final act upon the planet Geonosis is a travesty, a gabled mess of CGI foolery, while the romance that is supposed to herald the birth of much loved characters is passionless. A few choice scenes are remarkable... but little else.

Star Wars Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith

And so it ends, the prequels begin the transition towards the old and familiar with more gusto, but still suffers from colossal time wasting and from being the most marketable SW film yet.

Chancellor Palpatine is close to full control over the Republic, but the other systems refuse control until a rogue droid commander known as General Grievous is destroyed. Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan are on the case, but during this time, Anakin finds himself caught a battle of morality between the Jedi and the Sith.
Episode Three easily trumps the previous two, with one simple narrative device: stuff happens. Stuff of importance happens. While Hayden Christiansen cannot act under Lucas’ direction, he can do angry, and Anakin’s transformation is almost convincing here. The finale is almost compelling and taut. That is until... “NNNNNNooooooOOOOooooOoOO.”
Star Wars legendarily started toy markets with films, and arguing against this might make people call me a hypocrite, but really, Episode Three has so much irrelevant gadgets, machines, battles, vehicles etc, all for the sake of “Oh-oh, your child will want this toy!” Why does Obi Wan ride a giant lizard-thing?? Where did it come from?? How can he summon it with a whistle?? Is it like a park-and-ride, are they all summoned by a human whistle?

So I can’t say I cared for the battle sequences, they are overlong and overloaded again, but the humour was better; the first few scenes had some good dialogue. One killer issue is audiences asking: “Who is General Grievous??” Good question. I hope you watched the Clone Wars children's cartoon!

So it is far, far away from the original trilogy’s integrity, with persistent battles with children’s toys, but the conclusion is quite exciting.

Now you might think that is the end of the review... but you'd be wrong! Star Wars is a persistent beast, and as I have described already there where many things directed specifically towards children.
..... One assumes episodes One, Two and Three were directed at a wider demographic......


I did not watch The Clone Wars cartoon, although I heard it was quite good for what it was, set between Episodes Two and Three, seeing Obi Wan and Anakin fighting together against the Separatists and the Sith. While back in the 1980s there was the Droids and Ewoks cartoons, following R2-D2, C-3PO and... well, Ewoks, respectively.


But I am reviewing for you now three movies aimed at the kiddie market, both old and new! 
(boy was it a weird experience...)


Star Wars: The Clone Wars
   

It is one for the kiddies, but even then it appears to do little in inspiring confidence to those uninitiated to the cartoon show.

Set between Episodes Two and Three, Clone Wars is apparently set during the Wars, while Count Dooku’s separatists are causing chaos and the Republic’s new army is in operation. But for some reason though... we follow Anakin and his new Padawan learner as they rescue Jabba the Hutt’s son...
My first reaction to this cartoon was; “Huh, the CGI isn’t much different from the full motion pictures”, excluding the obviously caricature humans and leading characters. There was little difference in drive and story, only this time there doesn’t appear to be anything of relevance happening at all! Why are we even focused on Jabba’s son? Why did Jabba have to be in this at all? It ultimately felt like unnecessary filler, nothing of consequence happens.
But then, it wasn’t as god awful as people have said... it is NOT great... but it is surprising to hear loyal SW fans being in such uproar about it when you can compare it to Episodes One and Two.

As a television cartoon feature, it isn’t bad, if you paid for cinema admission though... ho-ho, you were robbed.

Additional Marshmallows: Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee and Antoney Daniels return as their characters, other roles are filled by their cartoon voice actors.

The Caravan of Courage - An Ewok Adventure

It is said that Lucasfilm didn’t have the budget to include Wookies in The Return of the Jedi, but it is also said Ewoks replaced them for being more marketable towards children. The creation of two Ewok Adventure television movies would suggest the latter!
Released a year after Jedi, Caravan of Courage follows a family whose ship crash lands on Endor, and the son and daughter find themselves lost after their parents are kidnapped by a mountain dwelling giant. It is up to the native Ewoks to form a team (read: caravan) to help the children rescue their parents.

This film is very peculiar... For a start, the Ewoks don’t speak English (or Galactic Basic for all you SW fans) so how does the film counteract this? With a narrator! Otherwise the children mostly cry for help, moan or complain at the Ewoks as they travel.
Their journey has some strange encounters, excluding the monstrous Gorax, such as glowing pixies and lakes that teleport anyone underwater when they touch the surface. Weird.
The young girl, Cindel, is positively awful, and while the boy Mace isn’t much better, his bouts of emotion sometimes trump Hayden Christiansen or Jake Lloyd!

It is a slow film, especially in getting started and the narration hinders it too, but for a film made entirely for kids (and specifically kids who saw Return of the Jedi) it is harmless enough.

Ewoks and the Marauders of Endor
(aka Ewoks: The Battle for Endor)

A follow-up television movie, off the back of Caravan of Courage, is much darker and exciting. Cindel finds herself alone after alien marauders attack the Ewok village in search for “The Power” from her parent’s crashed spacecraft. It is up to Wicket, Cindel and some new friends to defeat this menace of Endor.

I’ve watched a lot of Star Wars now, and perhaps I am going mad, but this movie (aka Battle for Endor) wasn’t actually half bad. I was fearful as the story centred around Cindel and her awful acting does not improve, but there is so much more happening here than with Caravan of Courage. The marauders attack in force with huge monsters and lasers, while the heroes discover another crashed spacecraft (this must happen a lot on Endor).

Wicket now speaks a little English (so the narration is gone thankfully) and the new character of Noa, an old man marooned on Endor, is quite endearing and has some snarky dialogue to quip. My only problem with it is the gigantic castle these marauders live in... Endor is a forest moon right? Do these guys actually live on Endor, if so how big is Endor anyway??

So yeah, I actually quite liked this, as a short Star Wars children’s film, it is dark but with fun characters and doesn’t slow down too much. As a sequel to Caravan it makes that film feel more worthwhile too.

Additional Marshmallows: Battle for Endor / Marauders later inspired the cartoon series called Ewoks.

Wow that is a lot of Star Wars right there... this review feels way longer than my Star Trek Saga review!
What do I think about the future of Star Wars? Well... what future?


One of the reasons I wanted to do this Saga (asides the 3D release) was George Lucas' recent hissy-fit towards critics and the fan base, announcing to the world that he has had enough of making Blockbuster films as all he receives is criticism. There is an argument that Lucas deserves better, that he is one of the pioneers of cinema still. No. I'm sorry but in 1977 he was a pioneer, since then he has had his credibility in question from all sides. I'm almost certain that those critics he bemoans were the individuals who praised and respected his vision forty years ago, if only he'd realise that he has completely lost his way.
The prequels are shameful, narratively and in production value, and have evidentially not withstood the test of time like the original trilogy. I always feel sad when I look at how the saga has evolved... and how hard it is to maintain the magic and theatre of the originals without remembering Lucas' apparent vision of how events transpired.


The 3D release of Star Wars will be interesting; interesting to see how well it actually does... But all I want from the future of Star Wars, is a trilogy blu-ray of the visually tidied original trilogy in HD quality. Without any junk CGI or sound effect additions.
Not that much to ask is it?

Review: War Horse

Spielberg is back at it again; tugging our heartstrings and does it with great ease. Yes, I do have a sentimental streak!

War Horse is a film adaptation of a stage play based from a children's book of the same name, and follows the traumatic adventures of a young man and a horse he befriends during World War One.
When a floundering farmer bids on purchasing a young stallion instead of a plough horse, it is up to the son to train the animal and rescue their family's farm from debt. Unfortunately after boy and animal have bonded, war is declared against Germany, and the horse is sold to the army. Distraught, the boy also enlists in the hope of finding his lost friend.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quirky sense of humour and love that the film's characters portray; I was wary of such films becoming heavy and sluggish with angst, but here there is a wonderful balance. The horse itself is a passenger for much of the movie, and we meet the many different faces that care for him throughout his fraught journey, each of them loaded with personality. I did not think the film was crass or corny.
Spielberg does not fail with the war torn environments and rolling hillsides; the brutality of trench warfare is played much like Saving Private Ryan's Beaches of Normandy. 
My gripe with the movie however was very irritating... the Germans don't speak in German. Spielberg is great at being accurate, and there's a scene included with a British soldier meeting a German officer and he notes: "You speak good English"... Yes, and so does the entire German army! It made scenes set within German ranks quite unconvincing, and I think some added tension was lost in later scenarios. Spielberg should definitely have known better!


Still, I don't believe this to be a entirely destructive criticism; the film is wonderful and the final act is unquestionably powerful. 'Will I cry', you ask?
Of course you will.

Additional Marshmallows: BBC's Sherlock Holmes star Benedict Cumberbatch appears as a Major in the British military.

Review: Captain America - The First Avenger

With The Avengers looming and audiences as accepting as they'll ever be, Marvel saves the most questionable iconic hero for last, yet succeed with a wonderful sense of self awareness.

Next to Thor, Captain America is another Marvel hero I have trouble with... I mean we are talking about a superhero who's defining feature is the Stars and Stripes, yet this origin story plays out with a remarkable sense of honesty, and paints this potentially aloof character as the most likeable hero in Marvel's catalogue.
Steve Rogers is a man determined to enter the US army during World War 2, despite a list of physical ailments that make him unsuitable, but when a scientist chooses him for an experimental enhancement, his future radically changes.
The film has a nice retro-science fiction feel about it, throw in the character of Howard Stark, the genius inventor, and Marvel's universe comes crashing together nicely. One of my favourite actors Tommy Lee Jones is a hard-as-nails military officer, while Hugo Weaving proves maliciously capable as The Red Skull. As with Thor, the writing here is charming and instantly appealing.
My only gripe with the film is some rather dodgy looking composite shots, especially in some action scenes; it made the scenes appear obviously layered and cheaply constructed. Whether it was on purpose (perhaps for the cheesy montages) or not I am unsure, but it may not age well.


Overall it is a great comic book action movie, as solid as all of these Marvel pictures are turning out to be! Now we have run out of heroes to introduce... we await for the payoff.

Additional Marshmallows: Did you know the director was responsible for Jumanji, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Jurassic Park 3 and Rocketeer?

Actually... there was a really strong Rocketeer vibe going on here!

Saga Review: Mission: Impossible

I undertook the mission to review possibly one of the most awkward and least consistent film sagas out there, the Mission: Impossible movies!
Asides from some similarities between films three and four, the only recurring element is Tom Cruise himself, and given the original film perhaps catapulted his career you cannot blame him for returning to the series again and again.
The first film was released way back in 1996, the sequel arrived four years after that, and while M:I2 died a death, the third film released six years after, in 2006! Now the fourth film has arrived in 2011, that's four films of varying quality over fifteen years.... hmmmm.


Let's light the fuse!




Mission: Impossible

Quite probably the launch pad for a young Tom Cruise’s action orientated career, the original Mission: Impossible looks and feels a little old-hat by today’s explosive standards. However it does show a definite side of intelligence, and perhaps faith to the material, with covert espionage and stealth over explosive suspense.
Ethan Hunt, a young covert agent working as part of an “IMF team” finds himself targeted by his own people after his team is mysteriously assassinated in a mission gone wrong. He must trick and deceive his way through several countries and build a team of his own to find the real villain.
Like I have said, the pacing is surprisingly pedestrian, and a lot of the technology on show has a glaringly 90s “people-don’t-know-what-the-internet-is-yet” vibe going on.
But, I actually enjoyed re-watching it. The twists are perhaps foreseen, but not unwelcome, and the occasional quips and one-liners made me chuckle. Plus the famous silent vault raid sequence with Cruise on a wire, and the explosive finale, are still exciting.

Looking dated and a little cheap now, but it is still more entertaining than you may be thinking.

Mission: Impossible 2

Wow... I mean wow. Who in their right mind thought John Woo was the right director for a Mission: Impossible movie? This film has so many issues with it I don’t think I can list them all.
Ethan Hunt returns to battle against a rogue IMF agent who intends to steal a super-virus and its cure for a monopoly on the profits.
The film hinges entirely around a “love triangle” of sorts between Cruise, our villainous Scot Dougray Scott and leading lady Thandie Newton. The chemistry between Cruise and Newton is complete vapour; Woo clearly believed his trusty slow-motion would explain all characterisation. While our villain is so cardboard you wonder why Dougray turned down the role of Wolverine in X-Men for this.
The plot is beyond simple; even the first film maintains some mystery, here it is black and white. The last act is completely absurd with Ethan displaying martial arts moves he has never demonstrated before, while ditching his “no killing” ethics for a more thorough “destroy everyone in sight” method.

A wasted two hours of my life, much more stupid and pointless than I had even remembered it being.

Mission: Impossible 3

The third instalment comes six years after the nonsensical part two, and shows absolutely no connection. In fact, it opens with a visceral torture scene, as if to say “we aren’t fooling around this time”.
Ethan Hunt is now training new IMF agents and is about to marry, but he is brought back in to stop a black market dealer who is looking for a dangerous bio weapon known only as “Rabbit’s Foot”.
Now if I told you this is J.J Abrams first major direction, you wouldn’t be surprised when I say the “Rabbit’s Foot” is a mystery, it is never fully explained. It is a plot device and little more.

However despite that, M:I3 is a surprisingly good action movie.  Abrams’ shaky handheld camera gets obvious sometimes, but the sequences themselves are very solid, while the plot does take the time to include some espionage (unlike part 2...) while the scenes in Shanghai are pretty cool. Cruise is on form, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman is probably the best villain so far in the M:I films, both intelligent and merciless, while Simon Pegg debuts as the character he will reprise in Ghost Protocol.

Give it a watch, it is good entertainment.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Usually the fourth in a series proves to be a franchise's dying gasp, but remarkably Ghost Protocol proves to combine the best elements of the better M:I films into a solid action / espionage movie!
(let's ignore for now the title's lack of consistent numbering with the previous films...)
Ethan Hunt finds himself with a new team, and a mission to track down launch codes for Russian nuclear missiles. He knows little about his team, but trust must win over as the entire supporting IMF initiative is disavowed.
In the director's chair is Brad Bird, one of Pixar's leading men (The Incredibles and Ratatouille) on his first live-action direction, and... he does an exceptional job.
M:IGP takes its time, and proves to be a long film, but the characters in the team are far more fleshed out than in previous films. Each of them have their own issues to deal with (except maybe the comedic Simon Pegg) which wrap together nicely as the story progresses. I would say the villain (played by Swedish Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's Michael Nyqvist) was underused however.

The action is clear and not rushed or overused, the espionage is clever and readable, and the dialogue is snappy. It even has consistency with M:I3! Amazing! Asides some little issues, it was good fun.

Phew, that was a lot of Tom Cruise.
Whether or not there is a fifth movie... I could not say, but Ghost Protocol appears to be a big hit in terms of the franchise. Simon Pegg has clearly added a great deal to the mood and feel of the films, and I'd like to see him back.

Review: Adventureland

A subtle comedy set in the 1980s yet carrying a lot of the current climate of economic change. The characters can be hit-or-miss, but when everything comes to an end, the movie is quite endearing.

A young, impressionable and sheltered graduate finds his plans for the future demolished when his parents cannot support him any longer, and he winds up working in an amusement park with new (equally lost) friends.
Jesse Eisenberg plays the lead role, as the geeky and awkward persona he always plays, and his heart throb is played by Kirsten Stewart... lord help him.
While there's a lot of honesty here, and everything is played nice and coherently, I felt the two leads were the least interesting. The boss of Adventureland, Bobby, and long-time employee Joel, were my favourites by a country mile. James' "best friend" Frigo annoyed the hell out of me.
Nice soundtrack, good supporting characters and a fulfilling ending, Adventureland pulls through despite some predictable plotting and mumbling lead characters.

Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Despite all of the criticism On Stranger Tides received, I found it particularly lukewarm, neither great or terrible!
Here Captain Jack Sparrow pursues his quest for the Fountain of Youth, but becomes snared by an old flame and the cursed Captain Blackbeard. He must evade and deceive enemies with the help of old friends, the only way he can, to unlock the powers of the Fountain.

The Pirates trilogy was already quite flawed; the original film was a spontaneous and exciting movie about pirates based entirely upon a Disney fairground attraction. But the sequels bigged up the story and felt overly clustered with characters and plotting.
On the one hand, On Stranger Tides feels a little more like the original movie; taking itself more like a treasure hunt or a chase movie, which I welcomed. There's less CGI monstrosities here too with more subtle magical undertones.
On the other hand though, it is hard having Captain Jack Sparrow carry a story on his own; his remarkableness is lost when he has less characters to contrast with (I am referring to Will and Elizabeth, obviously). He definitely feels a little misguided at times, and not in the charming sense.

While it is based off the Tim Powers novel On Stranger Tides, I doubt there is much consistency, the film is little more than a goofball action film about pirates. Not as memorable as Curse of the Black Pearl, but certainly not the disaster everyone claims it to be.

Review: Catfish

An independent documentary shot by young film-makers, Catfish follows the internet exploits of Nev, a young photographer who develops a relationship over Facebook.

Nev's brother and best friend are film-makers, and they decide to record the seemingly innocent relationship as it progresses. A young girl becomes a fan of Nev's photography, and sends him paintings that replicate them, and eventually he learns of her older sister, Megan, and begins an online relationship. But as the documentary progresses, Nev and the others discover that not everything is as it seems...
An honest, reflective slice of life; both saddening and intimidating in the reality displayed, bringing a deceptive lifestyle that many people nowadays choose into focus.

It is a simple film about every day people, you aren't going to be blown away or shocked, but Nev's investigation into who Megan is proves to be both unnerving and entertaining. The sort of thing thousands of people online could often consider doing, but would never be brave enough to attempt.
Anyone who uses networking sites over the internet and appreciate the personalities involved, should see this, and anyone who enjoys documentaries about modern society would be interested. I found it a very honest and genuine documentary.

Best and Worst of 2011

So 2011 has been rather slow for films, for me at least, but as I always do, I have constructed my list of every new film I have seen. Of course I also include new films I have seen on DVD and not just cinema visits, which vastly increases the numbers - to 101!

Of course, it is entirely my opinion, I'm sure there will be some disagreements ;)In Descending Order:

1. Stranger than Fiction

I think as someone who enjoys writing their own fiction, I could not shake this film from my mind ever since I saw it. A simple premise of a man who finds his life narrated by a mysterious voice. A Will Ferrell movie in first place... Impossible!

2. Black Swan

Admittedly not for everyone, but Black Swan is both utterly disturbing yet mesmerising; great performances throughout and visceral imagery. Plus it has a great line of excellent posters!

3. Source Code

Probably my next most unexpected favourite after no1. Source Code is a small film with excellent execution and pacing, giving the audience just enough to keep them guessing without getting preposterous.

4. Splice

A predicted favourite, yet it took ages for me to see it! Two scientists break the rules and create a disturbing humanoid creature. Classic monster horror film with a unique modern feel.

5. La Femme Nikita

I always like Luc Besson's direction, and with this picture of a drug abusing woman being trained into the perfect assassin, I found myself enjoying it without knowing exactly how. Casual pacing and intense performances.

6. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Yes, yes, the child inside me still gets something from the mashing robot mayhem. While there are still problems, and makes you wish TF2 never happened even more, it has fantastic special effects. Leonard Nimoy returning to the franchise was fun too.

7. Tangled 2D

I was surprised how I enjoyed Tangled so much. While there may have been some questionable moments (and a near disaster at the end) the animation was great as well as show-stealing animals Pascal and Maximus.

8. Kung Fu Panda

Yup, it took me this long to see it, but my doubts of "Jack Black in lead role" were washed away immediately as Poh the Panda proved to be excellent with his creative supporting characters. Gorgeous 2D sequences included.

9. The Fall

Striking a note with my love for Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, Tarsem's The Fall is an imaginative tale of love, lost and life's hardships, told with bold and surreal visuals. A surprising entry to my top list.

10. The Fighter

Another surprise, a boxing film in my top ten! I don't buy the hype of sport films, but The Fighter has such a rich and powerful supporting cast, both loving and terrifying, giving everything a very real strength.




The King's Speech
True Grit (2010)
X-Men: First Class
127 Hours
Rango
The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
Hugo (3D)
Mulan (1998)
Charlie Wilson's War
The Good, The Bad, The Weird
Bronson
Buried
The Adventures of Tin Tin: Secret of the Unicorn (3D)
Kung Fu Panda 2
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011)
The Social Network
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Treasure Planet
The Interpreter
Paranormal Activity 2
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Sucker Punch
Hanna
Stone of Destiny
Megamind
In the Heat of the Night
Gattaca
Ichi The Killer (2001)
The Karate Kid (2010)
Thor
Switchblade Romance
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Unstoppable
Cowboys and Aliens
The Green Hornet
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Slither
Crazy Heart
Drive Angry
Machete
Salt
The Girl who Played with Fire
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
True Grit (1969)
Rosemary's Baby
The Tourist
Edge of Darkness
The Emperor's New Groove
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Bad Lieutenant - Port of Call New Orleans
Frankenstein (1931)
Flags of Our Fathers
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Immortals
The Prince of Egypt
Ran
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Patriot Games
Red Eye
Unknown (2006)
Let the Right One In
Titus
Exam
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Seraphim Falls
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Metro
The Losers
The Last Picture Show
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Green Lantern
Rubber
Saw VI
Battle: Los Angeles
Centurion
Hua Mulan (2008)
The Eagle
Skyline
Sherlock Holmes (The Asylum's)

10. Knight and Day

Supposedly a comedy, yet provided no laughs with an airhead Diaz and a very threatening Tom Cruise, and even the action lacks any gravity. Like many films before, this celebrity-combiner failed badly.

9. The Human Centipede: First Sequence

The film with the premise that shocked a generation, yet as a film it is unremarkable and clunky with cliché, making it not so much unwatchable but rather unnecessary except to the die-hard horror collectors.

8. The Last Airbender

A film with too much to say and not enough time, horrible choppy editing and pacing, while all the magical mood is sucked out with unconvincing performances. Special effects alone cannot save it.

7. Frozen

From the very start the entire premise collapses in on itself. From then on it is merely laughter-control and trying to care about these sorry people stuck on a ski lift. 

6. Brooklyn's Finest

On paper I'm sure this film might have looked good, especially with its cast, but it is rife with the most generic clichés in its genre, making the gritty and sad life stories a slog to get through. 

5. Saw VII

I've spend a good half day of my life exclusively watching Saw movies for a final act that has been building over five films. What did it build up to? The biggest cop-out and transparent "Sorry, we've got nothing for you" ending I've ever seen.

4. Transporter 3

Another two hours of life wasted! The other two films are "passable" but with possibly the most ear-splitting and horrible female companion, Statham's Transporter series has been run into the ground completely. Exploding bracelets? Really?

3. Monsters

Does the title refer to the creatures we never see, or the monstrously inhuman acting on display throughout? The most drawl, uninteresting "monster" feature I will likely see... ever. 

2. Bloodrayne 3: The Third Reich

It barely reaches sixty minutes runtime, Uwe Boll's final attempt finally takes the video game's setting... But once again provides to be so laughably bad with overacting and even a "run-out-of-budget" ending!

1. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Seige Tale

What's worse than a bad movie? A bad movie that pretends it has potential, only to settle into a slow, inescapable whirlpool of total irrelevance and disinterest without you even noticing! A true cinema endurance test, and very much... not... worth it.  


Here's hoping 2012 is even better for movies, with Dark Knight Rises leading the way, Prometheus and The Avengers, two Snow White films and The Hobbit.

We can only wait and see!