Film Review: OUTLANDER (2008)

Director: Howard McCain
Running time: 110 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 24th April 2009

Watched on DVD Sunday 31st May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I bought this disc on a whim, I hadn’t heard anything about the film but something about it appealed to be. Too often these types of purchase end up quite disappointing, but fortunately the gods smiled on me this time. Don’t get me wrong, it’s far from prefect, but it does what it says on the tin. It’s exciting, entertaining and there’s a dragon (of sorts) in it.

In the year 709AD a spaceship crash lands in a lake in what is now Norway. Two occupants make it to the shore before the ship sinks. One of them removes his helmet and passes out, the other does not move. When the first one awakes, he finds his companion has died. He retrieves a device from the lake and discovers where he has landed. The device ‘downloads’ all the available information about the language and culture of the region directly into his brain. Exploring, he finds a village, totally deserted; it has been attacked by some large creature. Catching sight of riders in the woods he starts to run, but is run down by one of the riders. Waking up in another settlement, he gives them his name, Kainan. The settlement is ruled by Rothgar, whose daughter Freya is promised to Wulfric who will be the next king. The village that Kainan had found was ruled by Gunnar who is away trading. They fear that Gunnar will blame them for the raid. Kainan tells them that the village was destroyed by a Moorwen, an alien creature he had inadvertently brought on his ship. Before long the Moorwen attacks the settlement and it also attacks Gunnar returning from his trading trip. The leaders combine forces to fight off this alien foe and they turn to Kainan for help.

It’s a very well made film with, for the most part, some excellent special effects. The story, although slightly predictable, was quite enjoyable and the fight scenes were all very well done. Pretty good performances from all of the main cast; James Caviezel as Kainan, Sophia Myles as Freya, Jack Huston as Wulfric, John Hurt as Rothgar and Ron Perlman as Gunnar.

I guess my only criticism is with the accents. Why do half of the cast seem to think Vikings spoke with Irish accents? I find it really irritating! Apart from that it was a pretty good effort. It did tend to get a bit baggy in the middle, but over all pretty entertaining, if a bit gory at times. If you like a bit of blood and guts, some swordplay and a touch of Sci-Fi thrown in, then it’s recommended.

My score: 6.6/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0462465/
Official Site: http://www.outlandermovie.co.uk/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3628270361/

Film Review: BEETLE JUICE (1988)

Director: Tim Burton
Running time: 92 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 19th August 1988

Watched on DVD Sunday 31st May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I know this is a pretty old film, but believe it or not, I had never seen it before. It’s one of those that somehow managed to escape me. I’ve seen bits and pieces of it when it’s been on TV, but this is the first time I’ve sat down and watched it all the way through. I’ll admit to being a bit of a fan of Tim Burton’s work over the years and so I was keen to have a look at this one.

Adam and Barbara Maitland Live in a beautiful country house that they have decorated themselves. When they die in an accident they return to the house as ghosts. To their horror, the house is bought by a couple from New York, Charles and Delia Deetz, who move in with Charles’ daughter Lydia. Delia considers herself an artist and, with the help of her friend Otho, proceeds to re-model the house. The Maitland’s are now really distressed, what with coming to terms with being dead as well, it’s all proving a bit much. Lydia can see the ghosts and, after talking for a while, the Maitland’s take a liking to her. Help is at hand in the guise of the crazy spirit known as Beetlejuice. But the Maitland’s, at first try to scare the Deetz family away themselves. This all goes wrong when they are enthralled by their efforts and want more! Can Beetlejuice save the day? Guess you’ll have to watch it to find out.

Although it looks quite dated by today’s standards, this is unmistakably a Tim Burton film. A lot of stop-motion animation is used for the special effects which reminded me of the much later Corpse Bride from 2005. Decent performances from all of the main cast, Alec Baldwin as Adam Maitland, Geena Davis as Barbara Maitland, Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, Jeffrey Jones as Charles Deetz, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Glenn Shadix as Otho. And, of course, a special mention for Michael Keaton who was great as the mad-cap Beetlejuice.

A pretty entertaining film with some nice touches. It looks a little dated now but it still works. It has the unmistakable mark of Tim Burton and will always be synonymous with Michael Keaton’s portrayal of the over-the-top Beetlejuice. Over all, good stuff, if a little dated: Recommended.

My score: 6.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/
Official Site: N/A
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi2800222489/

Film Review: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008)

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Running time: 110 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 10th April 2009

Watched on DVD Sunday 30th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I’ve heard a lot of praise about this film and so I thought I’d better check it out. I wasn’t disappointed; it’s a truly excellent film. Very original in its approach and very well executed, I find it hard to find a fault with it! But I digress; it’s made in Swedish with subtitles, but believe me its well worth battling with the text. Here’s a short summary before a bit more praise.

As I’ve already said, the film is Swedish, and as you’d expect the setting is a small town in Sweden. It’s winter, unless it snows all year round there, and twelve year old Oskar, a bit of a loner, makes a new friend, Eli, when she moves into the apartment next door. Oskar has a problem with bullies at school and Eli teaches him to stand up for himself, but this causes further complications along the line. Meanwhile, there are several unexplained deaths occurring across the town that nobody seems to be able to solve. As Oskar and Eli’s friendship deepens, he discovers her secret, she’s a vampire, and as such it may not be possible for her to stay for much longer. I won’t say any more, don’t want to give too much away.

This is the best film I’ve seen so far this year. Beautifully shot with a really atmospheric soundtrack and brilliant performances from the two main actors, Kåre Hedebrant as Oskar and Lina Leandersson as Eli. Notable mentions must also go to Per Ragnar as Håkan, Henrik Dahl as Erik, Karin Bergquist as Yvonne, Peter Carlberg as Lacke and Patrik Rydmark as Conny.

This is how a vampire movie should be made in my opinion, it’s understated and quite beautifully shot. The soundtrack fits the pictures perfectly and it’s a really touching tale. I really identified with the main characters and found it easy to feel for them as their lives are turned inside out. A truly excellent film and very very highly recommended!

My score: 9.5/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/
Official Site: http://www.lettherightoneinmovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi777782041/

Film Review: AEON FLUX (2005)

Director: Karyn Kusama
Running time: 89 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 17th February 2006

Watched on DVD Sunday 30th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film is based on the animated MTV series of the 1990’s. Unfortunately I never saw any of that show, but it lasted three seasons and had a cult following from what I’ve read. So I thought it might be an interesting one to watch on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon.

The setting in four hundred years in the future. A mystery virus has all but wiped out mankind. Those that remain were saved by Dr. Goodchild, a scientist who brought them to the city of Bragna where they live in peace and harmony, isolated from the outside. The Goodchild family has ruled over the city ever since and the current leader Trevor Goodchild rules with his brother, Oren, at his side. There is growing unrest amongst the population and a group known as the Monicans are determined to overthrow Trevor Goodchild and the ruling council. One agent of the Monicans in particular, Aeon Flux, has been chosen for a special mission, and that is to assassinate Trevor Goodchild. Her sister, Una, was recently killed in a police action and she is keen for revenge. But when she confronts the leader, she finds she cannot pull the trigger. There is something familiar about him and she wants to find out more. She eventually uncovers the truth and it is much bigger than she imagined, it will affect all of the surviving humans for centuries to come.

This is a very well made film with some excellent special effects. There were a few places where the pace seemed a bit laboured, but over all it wasn’t too bad to watch. Adequate performances from the leading cast, so honourable mentions go to Charlize Theron as Aeon Flux, Marton Csokas as Trevor Goodchild, Jonny Lee Miller as Oren Goodchild, Sophie Okonedo as Sithandra, Frances McDormand as the Handler and Pete Postlethwaite as the Keeper.

I thought the city of Bragna was very well done, it looked I would imagine a city of the future would look like. The film has a very stylish feel to it, but unfortunately the dialogue didn’t live up to the visuals. The middle third of the film seemed to drag quite badly. The ending was surprisingly very good though. Over all, it’s pretty good, I’ve seen much worse! Recommended for a one-off viewing.

My score: 5.9/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0402022/
Official Site: http://www.aeonflux.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi783614233/

Film Review: 12 ROUNDS (2009)

Director: Renny Harlin
Running time: 104 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 27th May 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 29th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I must admit I’m not a great fan of the WWE, however, I’m not totally cut off from the world of sport and I have heard of John Cena. The reason I mention this is because the star of this film, the aforementioned Mr Cena, may be unknown to many movie goers and I felt I should mention his sporting links. But more of this later, let me tell you a little about the plot first. The setting is New Orleans post Katrina.

Cop Danny Fisher and his partner, George Aiken, are on patrol when they get the call to assist the FBI. A dangerous gun runner and terrorist, Miles Jackson, has eluded capture when he double crosses the guy setting him up. Danny and George come across Jackson with his girlfriend, Erica Kessen, and a chase ensues. Danny finally catches up with the pair but Erica is killed in a traffic accident at the time of arrest. We now flash forward a year later and Danny is living with his girlfriend, Molly Porter, who has just left for work one morning when Danny receives a phone call from Jackson. He has escaped from jail and is seeking revenge on Danny for Erica’s death. Danny now has to carry out twelve tasks in order to get Molly back, which, even with the help of the FBI seems a very tough challenge.

This is a rough, tough movie with plenty of car chases, explosions and fights at every turn. All of the stunt work and special effects are very well executed and look very good on the screen. The acting was OK, nothing great, but honourable mentions go to John Cena as Danny Fisher, Aidan Gillen as Miles Jackson, Ashley Scott as Molly Porter, Steve Harris as George Aiken, Brian J. White as Hank Carver and Gonzalo Menendez as Ray Santiago.

I guess this film was OK, it’s not the best action movie I’ve ever seen, but it’s not the worst either. John Cena gets to show off his fighting skills, particularly in the final show down, but it didn’t really deliver for me. I didn’t engage with any of the characters and so I found it hard to care when they were being hurt. Aidan Gillen was pretty menacing as the bad guy, but, again, I wasn’t really convinced by him. Over all, lots of explosions, lots of car chases and some average acting, not really recommended unless you’re really into explosions and car chases.

My score: 5.1/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1160368/
Official Site: http://www.wwe.com/inside/overtheropes/wwestudios/12rounds/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3295740697/

Film Review: CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (2009)

Director: Michael Moore
Running time: 127 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 12A

UK Release Date: 26th February 2010

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 23rd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

A documentary by Michael Moore can be an interesting experience. I have seen a few of his earlier films and they’re always controversial, but always interesting. This one tells how capitalism has been exploited by the rich few to get richer from the hard work of the many poor of America. It’s quite shocking to think that in this day and age there are people begging on city streets in a supposedly advanced society.

The documentary tells us the history of how the banks got people into positions of power in the U.S. government. And how they used that power to change the law in order to rip people off so they could foreclose on their properties. The sub-prime market was also talked about, and how, when this scheme blew up in their faces, they went to the government and got a bail-out fund. Quite despicable behaviour. There is a lot more covered in this film, but these are the main points.

I always find with Michael Moore films that he presents information that the viewer is expected to believe are facts without any supporting evidence. It shouldn’t be too difficult to get some supporting data, should it?

While I don’t always agree with Michael Moore’s point of view, he does ask some very probing questions. I guess his stunts are quite interesting as well. For instance, putting ‘Crime Scene’ tape around the big banks on Wall Street, or turning up in an armoured truck to collect the tax payers’ money from Goldman Sachs was pretty cool. This is a very interesting film that is worth seeing, but don’t always take Mr Moore’s facts as given, he’s just as liable to bend the figures as any banker.

My score: 6.2/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1232207/
Official Site: http://www.capitalismalovestory.co.uk/intl/uk/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1594360345/

Film Review: EVERLASTING MOMENTS (2008)

Director: Jan Troell
Running time: 106 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

SWEDISH TITLE: ‘Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick’.

UK Release Date: 22nd May 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 23rd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is an interesting Swedish film about a woman, Maria Larsson, who lived in the early twentieth century in Malmo. The film is based on true events and is in Swedish with subtitles, so if you’re not into reading subtitles you’d probably better stop reading now. Before I tell you what I think of it, I’ll give you a short synopsis.

We begin in 1907 where Maria, her husband Sigfrid and their three children are living in Malmo. Sigfrid, or Siggi to his friends, works on the docks and, when he’s had a drink, he is prone to hit his wife and the children. Maria pleads with him to stop drinking, which he does for a while and then he’s back into the same routine. One day Maria finds a camera and, because money is short, she decides to take to a photographic studio to see if she can sell it. The owner, Mr Petersen, takes pity on her and, rather than buying the camera, he shows her how to use it. She takes her pictures back to the shop and Mr Petersen helps her develop them. He is impressed and gives her developing chemicals and photographic paper so she can continue. Mr Larsson by now is having a hard time at the docks, Socialism is spreading across Europe and a strike is called. Maria continues to take photographs on and off and after the outbreak of World War One, one is chosen to be printed in the newspaper. As time passes the family grows larger and Siggi begins to have affairs with other women, but Maria stays with despite all his bad ways.

The story is narrated by her eldest daughter, Maja, whose perspective gives the film an interesting narrative. A well made film which, if slowly paced, gives an insight into life in Sweden around the turn of the twentieth century. Decent performances from all of the main cast: Maria Heiskanen as Maria Larsson, Mikael Persbrandt as Sigfrid Larsson, Jesper Christensen as Sebastian Pedersen and Callin Öhrvall as Maja Larsson (age 15-22).

I quite enjoyed this film, although it has a slow pace, but you’re never quite sure what will happen next. I have seen some of Maria Larsson’s work on various TV shows about photography and she certainly had an eye for it. In the end it’s quite a touching story about a woman torn between her passion for photography and her love of her family. Just one comment about the subtitles, why do the people who put subtitles on films insist on keeping to just one colour, sometimes the background is the same colour as the text and it’s impossible to read! (OK, rant over) Over all, recommended for those that can deal with the subtitles.

My score: 7.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0961066/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3258712857/

Film Review: PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (2010)

Director: Mike Newell
Running time: 116 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK Release date: 21st May 2010

Watched at the cinema Saturday 22nd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

As a player of the original video game, back when computers were clunky and slow, I was quite interested to see how the Prince has evolved. I wasn’t disappointed; a lot of the moves and mythology from the original game survives in this film. Obviously the graphics are much better, and the film isn’t too bad either.

Dastan is an orphaned street urchin when he is taken in and adopted by King Sharaman, who has seen something he likes in the boy. He grows up alongside the kings’ two natural sons, Tus and Garsiv who treat him as an equal even though he will never inherit the throne. The king’s brother, Nizam is with the three brothers when they approach a city that the king has told them not to take. Nizam tells the brothers that a spy has found evidence that the city is making weapons for the Persia’s enemies. They take the city and Dastan comes into possession of a mysterious dagger that everyone seems interested in. Princess Tamina, who rules the city, also wants the dagger, but to protect it. The king comes to the city and is murdered, seemingly by Dastan. Fleeing for his life, he takes Tamina with him. That night, he discovers the dagger’s secret, it can turn back time, but only the person holding the dagger is aware of it. This makes the dagger a very powerful weapon. It will only work for one minute though before the sand is all used up. The magical sand is hidden below the city and if it is released, it will destroy the world. Can Dastan discover who really murdered the king, and can he and Tamina keep it safe from those who would use it for evil? Well, since I don’t want to spoil the ending, I’m not going to tell you right now.

As with previous Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer productions, I’m thinking of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films, there plenty of swashbuckling action. It’s a very well made film, as you’d expect with some very good special effects. Decent performances from all of the main cast, Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan, Gemma Arterton as Tamina, Ben Kingsley as Nizam, Alfred Molina as Sheik Amar, Steve Toussaint as Seso, Toby Kebbell as Garsiv, Richard Coyle as Tus and Ronald Pickup as King Sharaman.

A special mention for Alfred Molina as Sheik Amar, his comic role reminded slightly me of Robert Newton as Long John Silver. There was plenty of action, although I felt the ploy of running and jumping over rooftops was a little over used. Over all a very entertaining film with some great action and a pretty reasonable story, a great one to take the kids to! Recommended.

My score: 7.0/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0473075/
Official Site: http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/princeofpersia/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3849520153/

Film Review: VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (2009)

Writer/Director: Woody Allen
Running time: 93 mins (approx)

Certificate (UK): 12

UK Release Date: 13th February 2009

Watched on Sky+ Monday 17th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

As both a writer and a director, Woody Allen has made some funny, some thought provoking but always entertaining films. For me, this one falls into the thought provoking category. As with a lot of his films, this is an exploration of how relationships work. But let me tell you something of the plot first.

Friends Vicky and Cristina are to spend the summer in Barcelona. The more stable, and engaged, Vicky has arranged that they stay with her aunt Judy and husband Mark. Cristina, who has always been more daring, is just getting over writing and directing a twelve minute film she hated. They go out to see the sights and, after a few days they meet Juan Antonio, an artist, who offers to take them to a small town for the weekend where they can see the sights. He makes it clear his intentions are to get one, or both of them into bed. Cristina, being the more adventurous is keen to go and persuades Vicky to accompany her. After a day of sightseeing Cristina decides she wants to share Juan Antonio’s bed. Unfortunately she becomes ill right at the critical moment and ends up bedridden for the rest of the weekend. This leaves Vicky and Juan Antonio alone together. One thing leads to another and they end up in each others arms. When they return to Barcelona Juan Antonio calls Cristina up and they go out together. After a few weeks, Cristina moves in with Juan Antonio. And then Juan Antonio’s estranged wife, Maria Elena turns up. Throw in Vicky’s husband to be turning up and proposing they marry in Spain and you’ve got a pretty well mixed up Woody Allen plot. There is more, but, as ever I won’t give the ending away.

This is a very well made film with dialogue that is unmistakably written by Woody Allen. I do question some of the morality, but then again, Juan Antonio did make his intentions clear from the beginning. Very good performances from all of the major players, Rebecca Hall as Vicky, Scarlett Johansson as Cristina, Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio and Penélope Cruz as Maria Elena.

Although it’s not the kind of film I’d usually go out of my way to watch I did enjoy a lot of the dialogue and the way the film explores the neuroses of relationships. It’s pretty entertaining, especially whenever Maria Elena appears on the screen! Over all, recommended, but turn your moral compass off first.

My Score: 6.9/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0497465/
Official Site: http://www.vickycristina-movie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi941753113/

Film Review: ROBIN HOOD (2010)

Director: Ridley Scott
Running time: 140 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK Release date: 12th May 2010

Watched at the cinema Saturday 15th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have been a fan of the work of Ridley Scott for quite a few years now and so I was quite excited to see his latest offering. The story of Robin Hood has been told many times over the years, both as comedies and as more serious films. This rendition is a bit different, in that we are told the story of Robin and his men before they became outlaws.

Robin’s story begins in France. Having followed King Richard to the Holy Land for the crusades, master longbow man Robin Longstride and the rest of the King’s army are heading home. On their way they are pillaging as many French castles as they can. During one of these sieges the king is killed by a crossbow bolt through the neck. His crown is entrusted to Sir Robert Loxley to return to England. A traitor, Godfrey, ambushes him but the attackers do not get away because Robin and his men, Little John, Will Scarlet and Alan A’Dayle, ambush the ambushers. Godfrey gets away but is scarred by an arrow shot by Robin. Sir Robert, mortally wounded, makes Robin promise to return not only the crown to London, but also his sword to his father in Nottingham. Having delivered the crown and seen Richard’s brother, John, crowned king, Robin and his men head for Nottingham. There he meets Sir Robert’s wife, Marion, and his father, Sir Walter. In order that Marion can hold onto their lands after his death, Sir Walter proposes that Robin stays on and pretends to be Sir Robert. He agrees, partly, I suspect, because he’s attracted to Marion. Here we are also introduced to Friar Tuck, who helps Robin take grain intended for the rich bishop in York and plant it in the local fields instead. Meanwhile, Godfrey has gained the new King’s confidence, ousted the royal chancellor, William Marshal and set off, with a group French soldiers to ‘collect taxes’ in the North. Now, I think I’ve told you enough of the plot, there’s a lot more, but I don’t want to spoil the ending.

I really enjoyed this film, beautifully shot and brilliantly imagined, as we’ve come to expect from Ridley Scott. There were even some funny moments that were very welcome, we so seldom see little jokes like that in most modern dramas. It did fall a little flat in the middle, but soon picked up when the action got towards the end. Decent performances from all of the major players, Russell Crowe as Robin Longstride, Cate Blanchett as Marion Loxley, Max von Sydow as Sir Walter Loxley, William Hurt as William Marshal, Mark Strong as Godfrey and Oscar Isaac as Prince John. I should also give honourable mentions to; Danny Huston as King Richard The Lionheart, Eileen Atkins as Eleanor of Aquitaine, Mark Addy as Friar Tuck, Kevin Durand as Little John, Scott Grimes as Will Scarlet and Alan Doyle as Allan A’Dayle. Sorry it’s such a long list.

There has been a lot of talk about accents, particularly that used by Russell Crowe for Robin. To be honest, it didn’t really bother me; I didn’t find it particularly distracting. Over all I found it quite an enthralling film to watch with plenty of action, although it does fall a bit flat in the middle. Beautifully shot and well directed by Ridley Scott, forgiving the rogue accent problem. I was somewhat taken aback by the events just before the end, but I won’t say too much about that (spoilers). Over all, recommended.

My score: 7.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0955308/

Official Site: http://www.robinhoodthemovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi73860121/

Short Film Review: MR. BOJAGI (2009)

Director: Marco Van Belle
Running time: 10 mins (approx)

Certificate (UK): N/A

Watched via Internet Saturday 15th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I saw the trailer for this short film a few weeks ago and was quite intrigued. A man who can help you find the perfect gift is not something to be taken lightly. And with the added weight of someone like Brian Blessed in the cast, well I just had to see it.

A woman, carrying a package, enters the establishment if Mr Bojagi. He is up a ladder checking items on a very high shelf. He comes down and motions that the woman puts her package in a box marked ‘Returns’. He tells her that in order for him to find the perfect gift, he must see the recipient, her granddaughter, as she does. To facilitate this he puts the woman into a kind of mind reading device and asks her a series of questions. As he asks each question an image of the granddaughter appears on a screen. Does she like what Mr Bojagi has to say? Does she find the perfect gift? Well, in the interests of discretion, I won’t say right now, but there’s a link on the official site where you can watch for yourselves. It’s only there for a few days, so don’t miss out!

This is a very nice short film, only ten minutes duration, very well made and nice performances from both Brian Blessed as Mr Bojagi and Hildegarde Neil as The Woman. I liked the story, it’s well written and tells us something about ourselves and our attitude towards choosing presents for friends and loved ones. Very enjoyable to watch (I saw it twice) and highly recommended.

My score: 8.3/10

LINKS:

IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1487977/
Official Site: http://www.mrbojagi.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3010986521/

Film Review: ICE AGE 3: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (2009)

Directors: Carlos Saldanha & Mike Thurmeier
Running time: 90 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): U

UK Release Date: 1st July 2009

Watched on DVD Monday 10th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have watched and enjoyed all of the ‘Ice Age’ movies, they are good family fun. The third instalment is no exception. Very enjoyable from start to finish with plenty of ‘laugh out loud’ moments.

Scrat, the sabre toothed squirrel, has a rival for the acorn he craves so much, a female called Scratte. As they battle for possession of the sacred acorn, to much comic effect I might add, Manny and Ellie are expecting their first child. Diego feels he’s losing his edge and decides he wants to leave the herd and Sid is jealous of Ellie and Manny and adopts three seemingly abandoned eggs. Manny tells Sid to take them back but he doesn’t and finds three hungry baby dinosaurs the following morning. Sid tries to entertain the youngsters by taking them to the playground Manny built, but the babies only end up scaring all the other children away. The real mother then turns up and, having caused some havoc, takes the babies away, along with Sid. Manny, Ellie, Crash and Eddie all follow and Diego ends up chasing after Sid as well. They find themselves in a mysterious underground world populated by dinosaurs and one crazy weasel called Buck. This is where the fun really starts and this is where I’ll leave my little summary. You don’t want me to give the entire plot away do you?

As I said at the beginning, this is a most enjoyable film with plenty of ‘laugh out loud’ moments. I counted six (from me) which makes this a really good comedy in my book. Either that or it pressed all of my laughter buttons! Nice performances from the voice talents of, Ray Romano as Manny, Queen Latifah as Ellie, John Leguizamo as Sid, Denis Leary as Diego, Seann William Scott as Crash, Josh Peck as Eddie and Simon Pegg as Buck.

Over all, it’s a great family adventure with plenty of laughs along the way. As an adult I found the plot a bit simple, but the ‘laugh out loud’ moments made up for that. So, young or old this one’s definitely recommended!

My score: 7.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1080016/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3380019993/

Film Review: STATE OF PLAY (2009)

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Running time: 127 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 12

UK Release Date: 24th April 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 9th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film is based on the BBC TV mini-series "State of Play" (2003) written by Paul Abbott. Of course the setting has been moved to the bright lights of Washington DC and certain elements of the story have been changed to suit, but the basis of the original is still there.

When a drug addict is shot down in the street and another man badly injured, Washington Globe reporter Cal McAffrey is assigned the story. The next morning, political researcher Sonia Baker is killed when someone pushes her in front of a train on the subway. Young online reporter, Della Frye is assigned that story. Little do they know at this stage, but both incidents are linked. Congressman Stephen Collins is heading up a hearing looking into the activities of a private military contractor called Point Corp. The researcher, Sonia Baker, worked for the congressman and, what’s more, was having an affair with him. It also happens that Stephen Collins is friends with Cal McAffrey; they were room mates at college. This being the case, Collins turns to his friend for help when the press hound him after the story of the affair comes out. McAffrey begins to look into Sonia’s death and finds that there is a link between that and the story he was originally working on. A female drug addict makes contact with Cal and sells him some photos that had been stolen from a briefcase. Her friend, the addict who was shot, had taken them from a briefcase he stole from a businessman who turned out to be a hit man. The photos are of Sonia, showing her going about her business, which isn’t all it appears to be. This all links back to Point Corp. Cal’s editor, Cameron Lynne wants to publish, but Cal wants to dig deeper and expose the full story. It’s a very complicated plot, and I will not take you through all the twists and turns here, but I think there’s enough to whet your appetite for now.

It’s a very well made film with plenty to get your teeth into. As I’ve already mentioned, there are plenty of plot twists to keep you on your toes. Some really good performances too, in particular, Russell Crowe as Cal McAffrey, Ben Affleck as Rep. Stephen Collins and Helen Mirren as Cameron Lynne. Honourable mentions also go to Rachel McAdams as Della Frye, Robin Wright as Anne Collins (Stephen’s wife), Jason Bateman as Dominic Foy, Jeff Daniels as Rep. George Fergus and Michael Berresse as Robert Bingham.

I really enjoyed this film; it’s one you have to watch though, with all those plot twists, if you get distracted you could quite easily miss something. It’s a really well written plot with some good dialogue and some real edge-of-your-seat thrills along the way. On top of all that there are some really fine performances, Ben Affleck went up in my estimation with this one, Russell Crowe was great (as ever) and Helen Mirren was as brilliant as always. Over all, pretty highly recommended.

My score: 7.6/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0473705/
Official Site: http://www.stateofplaymovie.net/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2483225369/

Film Review: THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (2009)

Director: Dennis Iliadis
Running time: 106 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 18

UK Release Date: 12th June 2009

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 8th May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Back in 1972 Wes Craven wrote and directed a film called The Last House on the Left, I was a bit young to go and see it at the time and to this day it has still managed to elude my viewing. This is a remake of said film and, since I haven’t seen the original, I can only judge it stand alone, so to speak.

John and Emma Collingwood, along with their daughter Mari have just arrived at their lake house for a holiday. John is a doctor, and a pretty successful one at that, their holiday home even has a guest house! But I digress, here’s a short summary before I tell you what I think.

Having been busted out while on his way to prison, all round bad guy and psychopath, Krug just happens to be staying in a motel at a small town near the Collingwood’s holiday home. With him are his psycho girlfriend Sadie, his crazy brother Francis and his teenage son Justin. Justin meets Mari and her friend Paige at the local store and invites them back to their motel room to try some dope. Krug and the rest of the gang return and, having made the front page of the paper are not best pleased to find two ‘civilians’ there. Leaving town and taking the girls with them they take Mari’s car and head out through the woods hoping to make it over the mountain to the freeway. Mari tries to make an escape as they’re passing the end of her road, but the attempt fails and they crash the car. Incensed, Krug and his brother kill Paige and Krug rapes Mari, who makes another bid for freedom, but is shot while making a swim for it across the lake. The weather is closing in and the gang make it to the Collingwood’s house. They take them in and patch up Francis, who broke his nose in the crash. The gang are put up in the guest house, but Justin, feeling guilty, leaves Mari’s necklace for the Collingwood’s to find. A noise outside brings them to find Mari battered and bruised lying on the porch. When they also find the necklace they realise who has attacked their daughter and now it’s time for revenge!

Technically, this film was quite well made, so there was obviously some money behind it. Unfortunately I found the story a bit too predictable and there was one fatal flaw that really was a let-down for me, but more of that later. Decent performances from all of the major players, honourable mentions go to Tony Goldwyn as John Collingwood, Monica Potter as Emma Collingwood, Garret Dillahunt as Krug, Aaron Paul as Francis, Spencer Treat Clark as Justin and Riki Lindhome as Sadie.

So what’s the fatal flaw, well, it’s a big spoiler, so don’t read on if you intend to see this film. The story ends with the family escaping across the lake and all the bad guys either dead or incapacitated, apart from Justin, who’s in the boat with them. I can’t believe they guy that caused the rape of one girl and the murder of another is allowed to escape without any kind of retribution! I’m afraid I felt cheated by this ending. As far as I’m concerned I can’t recommend this one… No justice!

My score: 4.9/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0844708/
Official Site: http://www.thelasthouseontheleft.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1321337625/

Film Review: THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (2009)

Director: Tony Scott
Running time: 106 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 31st July 2009

Watched on DVD Monday 3rd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a remake of the 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three which starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw as the two main protagonists. This, updated version, changes aspects the story to fit modern tastes, but the guts of it are the same. I’ll try not to do a direct comparison with the original, partly because I haven’t seen it in a very long time, and partly because I don’t think it’s fair.

Walter Garber is an official of the MTA who, as punishment for accepting a bribe, has been demoted to dispatcher. Towards the end of his shift he notices that a train has become stationary in a tunnel. Calling the driver he gets no reply. Eventually, it becomes clear that a gang of hijackers, lead by a man known as Ryder has taken the train. It eventually separates and one car moves a few hundred yards down the tunnel. Left to negotiate with Ryder, Garber forms a kind of rapport with the hijacker. Ryder demands ten million dollars within an hour or he will start to shoot the hostages. The mayor is informed and he arranges for the money to be prepared. It’s clear that Ryder is quite volatile and when the police negotiator, Camonetti, tries to take over he shoots one of the hostages. A sniper accidentally shoots the hijacker’s driver, Phil Ramos, and another hostage is killed. Eventually the money arrives and Garber is told he must deliver it, putting him face to face with Ryder. I’ll leave my summary there, don’t want to give the ending away!

It’s a very well made film with some good dialogue and very good performances from both of the major stars. So, special mentions for both Denzel Washington as Walter Garber and John Travolta as Ryder. Honourable mentions go to Luis Guzmán as Phil Ramos, John Turturro as Camonetti and James Gandolfini as the Mayor.

One of the main problems I had with this film was the cinematography. In one scene we are meeting the mayor for the first time and the camera keeps moving round and around him, it made me feel dizzy! There were also a couple of plot holes that didn’t help. But for all that it’s pretty entertaining stuff. For the most part it kept me gripped, although it did start to drag a little towards the end. Over all, not bad: recommended.

My score: 6.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1111422/
Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/thetakingofpelham123/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1348535065/

Film Review: RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (2009)

Director: Andy Fickman
Running time: 95 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): PG

UK Release Date: 10th April 2009

Watched on Sky+ Monday 3rd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I fancied something that would entertain me, but at the same time wouldn’t tax my little grey cells too much. What better than a Disney action adventure, I thought, and I was right, it does exactly what it says on the tin.

In the desert outside Las Vegas an alien spaceship crashes, the two occupants get away, but the Department of Defence lead by Henry Burke is on the case. Meanwhile, Jack Bruno is an ex-con who is now trying to go straight and is making a living as a Las Vegas cab driver. Ferrying people from the airport to a UFO convention is getting a bit tedious for him. One of his passengers, Dr. Alex Friedman, gives him a ticket to her lecture; Jack thinks nothing of it and puts it in his visor. When two teenagers, Sara and Seth get into his cab his world is turned upside down. They ask him to take them to a desert location, offering him a very large amount of money. On the way there they are followed by Henry Burke and his team but the kids, being the aliens they are looking for use their special abilities to get away. Arriving at their destination the kids find an alien assassin is waiting for them, but they retrieve what they are looking for and escape with Jack. They now need to get to their ship, which has now been moved by Burke’s team. Jack remembers Alex Friedman and they go to the convention to get her help, not knowing they’ve been followed by the assassin. Escaping the assassin, they are now in a race to the location of their spaceship, Witch Mountain.

It’s all pretty well done, decent effects, an easy to follow story, likeable characters (the good guys at least) and some reasonable performances. For me, the villain, Burke, was not as threatening as the assassin, but I guess it was made for kids and you can’t make them too scary. For the performances, honourable mentions go to Dwayne Johnson as Jack Bruno, AnnaSophia Robb as Sara, Alexander Ludwig as Seth, Carla Gugino as Dr. Alex Friedman and Ciarán Hinds as Henry Burke.

Over all, it’s not great, but at the same time it’s not rubbish. It’s family entertainment and, as I said at the beginning, it does just what it says on the tin. I should point out there’s not a lot for the adult viewer, but it’s all very well made. My little grey cells weren’t too taxed and it was entertaining. Recommended for those who just want to switch off the little grey cells for a while and just be entertained.

My score: 5.6/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1075417/
Official Site: http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/race-to-witch-mountain.html
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1228473113/

Film Review: CHINATOWN (1974)

Director: Roman Polanski
Running time: 131 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 20th June 1974

Watched on Sky+ Monday 3rd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Having recently watched Mr Polanski’s The Ghost Writer (2010), I decided to look back at one of his earlier works. I saw Chinatown many years ago and so it was an interesting experience to re-visit the old classic. Set in, what appears to be, 1930’s Los Angeles during a heat wave, private detective J.J. Gittes makes a living investigating adultery cases.

One day, a Mrs Evelyn Mulwray walks into Mr Gittes office and hires him to investigate he husband Hollis. She believes he is having an affair and wants evidence. Gittes and his associates get right on the case. Mr Mulwray is followed as he goes about his work as Chief Engineer of the city’s water department. There is a meeting about building a new dam to bring more water to the city that Mulwray is against. He also spends time inspecting dry river beds and finishes up spending most of the night on a beach where a large amount of water is dumped very late in the evening. Eventually he is caught out with a young blonde woman and the evidence, in the form of photographs, is obtained. The following day the story is all over the newspapers and Mr Gittes is confronted by the real Mrs Mulwray and her lawyer. Everybody wants to talk to Mr Mulwray but he seems to have disappeared. He is later found dead in a reservoir with salt water in his lungs. Mr Gittes now has another mystery to solve, one involving corruption the city’s water department, Evelyn Mulwray and her rich father, Noah Cross.

This is a classic movie, no special effects or fancy techniques, just the skill of the director and the art of the actors to convey the story. It’s the little things I noticed that made this film a stand out for me, the setting of pocket watches to find out what time Mr Mulwray left the beach or the smashing of a tail-light to make a car easier to follow at night. Great performances from all of the main cast, special mentions go to the immense Jack Nicholson as J.J.Gittes, the fabulous Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Mulwray and the great John Huston as Noah Cross.

It’s a very slow paced film that, for me, got a little bit too pedestrian towards the middle. The storytelling was spot on and the cinematography and dialogue were great. Over all it’s a really compelling detective story with quite a few twists and turns in it. There’s quite a different ending that you may not expect. It may have scored higher if it hadn’t fallen a bit flat in the middle, but it’s most definitely recommended.

My score: 8.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0071315/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi1190331161/

Film Review: STAR RUNNERS (2009)

Director: Mat King
Running time: 88 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 13th June 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 2nd May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is one of those ‘made for TV’ Sci-Fi movies that are made on a tiny budget, and it really shows. It’s mostly shot in a quarry and, like most films shot in a quarry, it has to rely on a decent script to carry it off. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t have one of those either. But I digress; let me tell you something of the plot before I really rip into it.

Two smugglers, Tycho ‘Ty’ Johns and Lei Chen are captured by the government and blackmailed into collecting a crate from a distant space station. They arrive and locate the crate only to find their ship is being watched by some rebels. They open the crate and find a young woman, Asta, inside. Booking a flight on a commercial transport, the three make their escape. They soon find they are being followed and, after the pilot is killed, make a dangerous jump into hyperspace. They emerge in an uncharted region of space and crash-land on an unknown planet. The survivors make for a man-made structure. They search it and find they are not alone, there are eight foot bugs living there with a taste for blood. The rebels soon follow; they are very keen to get their hands on Asta. As time goes on we discover more about Asta and why she is so special. So special indeed that military ships also arrive to retrieve her. Just on the off-chance that someone might want to see this, I’ll end my summary here, so as not to give the ending away.

To be honest I really didn’t care for this very much. Don’t get me wrong, I like Sci-Fi a lot, but decent Sci-Fi, not this pulp. The story was too predictable, the dialogue was diabolical and the effects were pretty poor. The one thing in its favour was the acting wasn’t too bad, but how they brought themselves to deliver some of those lines is beyond me. So, honourable mentions go to Connor Trinneer as Tycho ‘Ty’ Johns (you may know him better as Charles ‘Trip’ Tucker from TV’s ‘Enterprise’), James Kyson-Lee as Lei Chen (again, you may know him better as Ando Masahashi from TV’s ‘Heroes’), Toni Trucks as Asta and Aja Evans as Jenessa.

Over all it’s a pretty poor TV movie shot in a quarry that doesn’t hit the mark. There’s some acceptable acting but that’s about all I can say about it. Definitely NOT recommended.

My score: 3.6/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1239459/

Film Review: IRON MAN 2 (2010)

Director: Jon Favreau
Running time: 124 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK Release date: 30th April 2010

Watched at the cinema Saturday 1st May 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I very much enjoyed the first film in this series and was hoping for more of the same in the sequel. Fortunately I wasn’t too disappointed, it lived up to the first one, maybe not quite as good (sequels seldom are), but a fine effort nonetheless. The setting is New York where Tony Stark, having brought peace to the world as Iron Man, is holding his Stark Expo, an exhibition of technology from all over the world.

In Russia, Ivan Vanko, brooding after the death of his father, Anton, who had worked with Tony Stark’s father, Howard, on the early prototype of the power source that now drives Iron Man’s suit. Ivan, now seeking revenge works on a suit of his own. Meanwhile back in the USA, Tony Stark has been summoned before a Senate committee who are determined to get him to give them the plans to the Iron Man suit for military use. One of the experts called to the hearing is Justin Hammer, one of Stark’s former competitors when he made weapons for a living. Bringing his friend, Lt. Col. James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes to testify backfires on the committee and Stark wins the day, but things are not over between him and Hammer. He now decides to hand control of Stark Industries over to Pepper Potts. The papers are drawn up and Natalie Rushman brings them for signing. She impresses Stark and later becomes Pepper’s assistant. Heading to Monaco, Stark decides to compete in a motor race. He is surprised when Ivan Vanko turns up and destroys his car with plasma whips. Fortunately, Pepper Potts is there with his Iron Man suit and he manages to subdue the Russian. Vanko goes to jail but is later sprung by someone who is very interested in his work. Returning home, Stark prepares for his birthday party, but something is praying on his mind and he gets drunk wearing the suit and ends up in a fight with Rhodey. Enter Nick Fury who helps put Stark back on the road to recovery and reveal that someone close to him is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Things are brewing up for a big fight at the end, but I don’t want to spoil it for you, I’ll just say it’s pretty spectacular and Vanko is very much involved.

This is a very well made film with plenty of very well designed and executed special effects. The score is great, but if you put AC/DC, The Clash and Queen in there you’re always going to get my vote! The performances were all good, special praise goes to Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer and Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko. Honourable mentions go to Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Don Cheadle as Lt. Col. James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes, Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

I must admit I didn’t much care for the character of Tony Stark at first, he is egotistic and narcissistic. Admittedly, as the film went on he did show he does have a human side. I also had a problem with America being the centre of everything yet again, it’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Although I did find it amusing when Stark is standing in front of a giant US flag projected on a screen with an Australian/British rock band providing the music. But enough of these minor niggles, the film is great, it’s not as good as the first one, but as sequels go, it’s certainly watchable. Over all, recommended.

My score: 7.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1228705/
Official Site: http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2256077849/