Film Review: STAND BY ME (1986)

Director: Rob Reiner
Running time: 85 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 13th March 1987

Watched on DVD Monday 5th April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Surprisingly, until today, 23 years after its release, I had never seen this film. I’ve seen many references to it in various TV shows and I’ve seen many reviews, but it always escaped my attention, until today. I’ve been off work for a while and decided to try and fit in a film a day for 10 days. Today was the last day and due to family commitments time was a little short, so decided to put this one in the DVD player. I’m really glad I did, it’s a little dated, but even so it’s a really great film. It’s based on a novella called ‘The Body’ by Stephen King, whose work I admire, and it’s set in Oregon in the 1950’s.

A group of four boys, Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio hear of the whereabouts of the body of another missing boy, Ray Brower. They decide it would be cool if they went and found the body so they could return it to the family and become heroes. The only problem was it was about thirty miles away along the railway tracks. They arrange with their parents to be away for a night and set off the same day. Gordie is a sensitive type who had lost his big brother, Denny, six months previous. They were close and he missed him. Chris was the leader of the group and he had been in trouble at school for stealing the milk money. Teddy’s father had been on the beaches in Normandy and was suffering from shell shock. He had recently turned violent on Teddy and was now in an institution. Vern was overweight and not the brightest of the bunch, but seemed to fit in anyway. As these four set off they are unaware that a rival gang of older boys led by Ace Merrill also have plans to find the body, but these guys have cars and are really mean. I won’t say any more, don’t want to give too much away.

As I said at the beginning, this film looks slightly dated, but I think that’s more to do with the quality of the film stock and the fact the soundtrack is in mono. What really struck me was the quality of the acting, truly great performances from all four of the leads, Wil Wheaton as Gordie Lachance, River Phoenix as Chris Chambers, Corey Feldman as Teddy Duchamp and Jerry O'Connell as Vern Tessio. Also an honourable mention must go to Kiefer Sutherland who is quite intimidating as Ace Merrill.

Of course there are a lot of fifties songs in the soundtrack, including the title song. It’s a bit before my time, but the music fitted the mood really well. Over all it’s a really excellent film with some great performances, particularly from Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix. Although slightly dated for technical reasons I highly recommend this one.

My score: 8.5/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/
Official Site: N/A
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi3398631705/

Film Review: FAST & FURIOUS (2009)

Director: Justin Lin
Running time: 107 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 12

UK Release Date: 10th April 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 4th April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have seen all of the previous films in this series on TV, I’m not a huge fan and so I won’t go out of my way to watch them. I am, however, a bit of a fan of Vin Diesel, he seems to ooze that certain charisma a film star should have. He appeared in the first of these films, took a bit of a sabbatical for the second and came back for a brief cameo in the third. So it was with some anticipation that I watched the return of his character, Dominic Toretto in this, the fourth instalment.

Dom and his gang are in the Dominican Republic and up to no good; they are hijacking fuel trucks to sell the fuel for a profit. Included in the gang is Dom’s long time girlfriend Letty. Having just pulled a job they get word that the police are onto them and Dom decides it’s best for them to all go their separate ways for a while. They do this until the day Dom gets a call from his sister, Mia, telling him that Letty has been killed. Meanwhile, FBI agent Brian O’Conner, who was featured in the fist two of these films, is investigating notorious drugs dealer named Braga. It seems Braga is using drivers to smuggle drugs across the Mexican border and it was while working for him that Letty was killed. So both Dom and Brian have reason to get in with Braga, Dom, for revenge and Brian, for justice. They both try out as drivers and succeed by one means or another. It’s now a case of how do they get to the illusive Braga. I’ll leave my little summary there or I’ll give the whole plot away!

This is a pretty well made film with lots of car stunts and quite a lot of CGI work that is pretty well done, but does, at times, look a bit like a video game. You’ll know what I mean when you see the tunnel chase near the end of the film. As ever Vin Diesel was very good as Dominic Toretto, as was Paul Walker as Brian O’Conner. Honourable mentions go to Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty and John Ortiz as Campos.

I’ll admit it’s not the best film I’ve ever seen and so it won’t be making any of my top tens at the end of the year. But it does what it says on the tin, it’s got lots of car chases and there’s plenty of testosterone flying about. The chases were exciting and well executed, when they didn’t use too much CGI. I can’t recommend it very highly, but it is entertaining and it won’t tax the grey cells too much.

My score: 5.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1013752/
Official Site: http://www.fastandfuriousmovie.net/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2299986713/

Film Review: KICK-ASS (2010)

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Running time: 117 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK Release date: 26th March 2010

Watched at the cinema Saturday 3rd April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have seen all the comic-book superhero films, all the ‘Bat Man’ movies, the ‘Superman’ movies, ‘X-Men’ and ‘Spiderman’ movies. I’ve even seen films like ‘Blade’, ‘The Punisher’, (the excellent) ‘Watchmen’ and ‘Darkman’, but I’ve never seen anything like this. This film is very different and really excellent, it’s an action comedy and as such, a lot of the violence is done for comic effect. I have heard reports that some of the language is a bit colourful, to put it mildly, but, again it’s there for comic effect. It’s only later in the film that the violence gets more serious as our heroes discover the consequences of their actions. But enough of my prattling on, here’s a short summary.

Dave Lizewski is an average teenage school kid, he says he has one superpower, he’s invisible to girls. He and his friends, Marty and Todd, are into comic books and after hanging out one evening they are mugged by a couple of scumbags. It seems this is not the first time this has happened and Dave is getting a little fed-up with it. He goes online and gets himself a costume. After a bit of self-training, he decides he’s ready and ‘Kick-Ass’ is born. He decides to confront the two muggers who held up him and his friends but things don’t go well and he ends up having his ass kicked. After recovering in hospital and being screwed together with metal plates he finds his nerve endings are a bit shot, which means he can take a bit more of a beating than before. Meanwhile, a real Superhero known as ‘Big Daddy’ is training his eleven year old daughter, ‘Hit Girl’. They have a grudge against crime boss Frank D’Amico who framed ‘Big Daddy’ some years before. D’Amico’s son, Chris is disillusioned with his father and decides to become a Superhero himself, called Red Mist. Kick-Ass eventually gains notoriety when he beats up three guys picking on another guy. The fight is filmed and put up on the internet, bringing a lot of media interest in Kick-Ass. Dave is also noticed by Katie Deauxma, although she doesn’t know his secret identity, and thinks he’s gay. I won’t say too much more, but needless to say all of these various characters are destined to meet, and when they do…

I must first say that it is a really well made film with some excellent stunt work. I thought the score was really great as well. Excellent performances from all of the leading cast, Aaron Johnson as Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass, Nicolas Cage as Damon Macready/Big Daddy, Chloe Moretz as Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl, Mark Strong as Frank D’Amico, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Chris D’Amico/Red Mist and Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie Deauxma.

There is a lot of humour in this film, both spoken and visual. It’s also very very violent, so I wouldn’t recommend it to those of a nervous disposition. I don’t usually enjoy teen comedies, but this is very original, very different and it’s very refreshing to see a film that pushes the boundaries somewhat. I recommend it very highly!

My score: 8.9/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1250777/
Official Site (UK): http://www.kickass-movie.co.uk/
Official Site (US): http://www.kickass-themovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3192718361/

Film Review: ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (2008)

Director: Sacha Gervasi
Running time: 80 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 20th February 2009

Watched on DVD Friday 2nd April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have always been into rock music and I’ve seen many bands in my time, but I really can’t remember if I ever saw Anvil. I’m sure they must have played some of the ‘Monsters of Rock’ shows back in the 80’s, but the 80’s are pretty much a blur to me now. Anyhow, I digress, Anvil are from Canada and were formed by Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow (Lead guitar & vocals) and Robb Reiner (Drummer). Thirty years on they are still going and still trying to get the recognition they deserve.

Steve Kudlow works for a company that delivers meals to schools for his day job. At night and at weekends he’s the lead singer and guitarist for the band Anvil. Now, back in the 80’s they were performing on stage with the likes of Whitesnake and Bon Jovi at sell-out shows in places like Tokyo, Japan. The other bands found fame and fortune but Anvil never did. Their music influenced likes of Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax but they never got the recognition they deserved. This documentary takes us with the band on a tour of Europe, with tour manager Tiziana Arrigoni, through the recording of their thirteenth album and ends with them back playing live in Japan. It’s a roller coaster ride that, at times, gets very emotional, but their indomitable spirit wins you over and you can’t help but end up liking those guys. I won’t go into the specifics of what happens on screen, it’s better to see for yourselves.

I really liked this film, not just because it’s about a rock band, more because it’s about the determination they have to see their dream through. I really admire them for that. Even when they’re recording the album and Steve and Robb fall out, and the producer, Chris Tsangarides, is having to referee, you feel that it means so much to them.

There’s testimonials from the likes of Lemmy, Slash and Lars Ulrich, but I was more interested in the people in the band, rather than what they did in the past. A bunch of guys at 50 years old still playing their hearts out and putting everything they can into the band has to be admired. Whether you like rock music or not I highly recommend this film, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it; it’s only 80 minutes long and well worth it!

My score: 8.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1157605/
Official Site: http://www.anvilthestoryofanvil.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2869494553/

Film Review: THE MIST (2007)

Director: Frank Darabont
Writers: Frank Darabont (screenplay) and Stephen King (novel)
Running time: 120 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 4th July 2008

Watched on DVD Thursday 1st April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

First of all, I’ll admit to being a fan of the work of Stephen King, like many others I have read, and enjoyed, a lot of his works. However, I had not read this particular story before watching this film. The setting is a small town in Maine where a powerful thunderstorm has just wreaked havoc and the townsfolk are just getting things back together.

David Drayton, an artist who designs movie posters for a living, leaves his wife at home and heads to the local town store. He has his son, Billy with him, along with neighbour Brent Norton. As they set off they notice a mist coming down from the hills and across the lake. There are a lot of Army personnel on the road headed out of town; they are from the base situated in the hills. On arrival at the store they go about their shopping, David tries the payphone since he cannot get any service on his mobile but it’s not working either. All of a sudden, as the mist envelops the store an old man with a bloody nose runs in and tells the people there not to go outside. There’s something in the mist and it took his friend. One man makes a run for his car but we only hear his screams. They are now trapped in the store with, who knows what outside. Already people are divided, local ‘crazy’ woman, Mrs. Carmody begins quoting scripture and David’s neighbour, Brent begins trying to get people to make a run for it. David gets some help from teacher, Amanda Dunfrey; she looks after Billy while he tries to figure a way out with a store clerk, and friend, Ollie Weeks. When a young man is killed by something unworldly as he’s trying to go outside at the back of the store, people still will not believe it’s dangerous out there. A group of them try to get out but fail to get very far. The divisions in the group get wider the longer it goes on and Mrs. Carmody’s cries of holy retribution get more and more fanatical followers. I really don’t want to say too much more for fear of giving too much away, but I will say that David, Billy, Amanda and a few others do make an attempt to get outside.

It’s a pretty well made film but some of the CGI wasn’t top quality and did let it down slightly. It’s quite a tense storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Decent performances from all of the main characters, Thomas Jane as David Drayton, Marcia Gay Harden was great as Mrs. Carmody, Laurie Holden as Amanda Dunfrey, Andre Braugher as Brent Norton and Toby Jones as Ollie Weeks.

As with a lot of Stephen King stories, this is a very character driven piece and as such it works pretty well. The only thing I find with it is that the characters are sometimes portrayed as a little too much larger than life. For instance, Brent Norton is a lawyer and is adamant that there is nothing harmful outside. Even after the young man is killed he will not go into the back of the store to see the evidence. He’s convinced the locals are trying to play a prank on him, even after some others go back there and tell him they’re telling the truth. But I digress. Of course, because it’s a horror film, the people have to do the most stupid things possible to put themselves in harms way. But I’ll overlook all these cliché moments mainly because there is a really good ending. And no, I’m not going to give it away. Over all, it’s a little cliché in places, but stick with it, the ending is pretty unexpected: recommended.

My score: 7.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0884328/
Wikipedia Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mist_(film)
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2729509145/

Film Review: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008)

Director: Scott Derrickson
Running time: 99 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 12A

UK Release Date: 12th December 2008

Watched on DVD Wednesday 31st March 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Based on the original 1951 classic Sci-Fi movie of the same name, this film tries to update the story and, unfortunately, falls short of the mark IMHO. It’s not all bad though; there are some interesting differences in the plot that give it a bit more edge than the original. The setting is New York, the present day…

Dr Helen Benson, an astrobiologist at Princeton University, is taken by the military, leaving her stepson, Jacob, behind. She is taken, with other scientists, to a base where they are told of an object in space headed towards the Earth and due to hit Manhattan very soon. Waiting in helicopters (not a good idea IMHO), they brace for the impact. It never arrives; instead a glowing sphere gently lands in Central Park. The scientists and the military arrive quickly and, when a humanoid form starts to emerge from the sphere, one of the soldiers shoots and injures him. A giant robot-like creature emerges and begins to harm the soldiers, but is stopped by the humanoid. They take the humanoid to a nearby facility which appears to be a school. Here they remove the bullet and discover that the alien has taken human form and is growing rapidly. Dr Benson seems to have a rapport with him. While recovering he is interviewed by Regina Jackson, the United States Secretary of Defence. He tells them his name is Klaatu and that he is a representative of a group of alien races sent to talk to the world leaders. The Secretary wants to keep Klaatu secret and orders Dr Benson to sedate him so he can be moved to a more secure facility. Dr Benson disobeys and helps Klaatu escape. Meeting up outside and on the run, with young Jacob in tow, Dr Benson eventually finds out why Klaatu has arrived on Earth and is shocked to hear that he is there to destroy mankind in order to save the planet. I’ll leave my little synopsis there on that bombshell.

First of all, I must say the special effects are pretty spectacular, there is gratuitous use of CGI and it’s all very well done. Decent performances from most of the main cast, honourable mentions go to Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, Jennifer Connelly as Helen Benson, John Cleese as Professor Barnhardt and Jon Hamm as Michael Granier. I don’t usually point out performances that fell short of the mark, but I feel that both Kathy Bates as Regina Jackson and Jaden Smith as Jacob Benson were totally miscast.

In theory this should have been a really great film, the story was really strong but I felt the execution left a lot to be desired. It seemed that everything was far too rushed; you never got the time to engage with any of the characters. So, over all, some great CGI and a great story that was spoiled by being far too hurried. Could have been much better and as such is not very highly recommended.

My score: 5.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0970416/
Official Site: http://www.thedaytheearthstoodstillmovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1665335321/

Film Review: THE HURT LOCKER (2008)

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Running time: 125 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 28th August 2009

Watched on DVD Tuesday 30th March 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film won 6 Oscars, including Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow and Best Film. It has also picked up a further 72 Awards around the world and had 46 nominations. Given that kind of attention, there must be something really good about it, either that, or everything else was really bad. I decided it must be the first option, so I decided to get the DVD and give it a spin. I wasn’t disappointed; it’s a really good, well made film about the Iraq war. But more of my thoughts later, here’s a short summary.

The leader of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit with the U.S. Army’s Bravo Company, Staff Sergeant Thompson is killed in the line of duty. With just over a month of their tour to go, the Sergeant is replaced by Sergeant First Class William James. The rest of the team, Sergeant JT Sanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge are not put at ease by their new CO’s cavalier attitude to his work. It seems that James, although a very talented explosives expert, is also addicted to the danger. This puts his team on edge and arguments inevitably ensue. Things calm down when they come across a group of men from British private military company in the desert. They have just captured two wanted Iraqis but their vehicle has broken down. Just as the EOD team offer to help they come under fire from insurgents. Three of the British team are killed before the EOD team get it together and manage to neutralise the threat. This brings them closer and back at base they celebrate before the reality of the war hits them again the next day. I won’t say any more, don’t want to give too much away.

I found it a really compelling film to watch. Some great cinematography, the explosions, in particular, looked really impressive. Some great performances too, in particular, Jeremy Renner as Staff Sergeant William James, Anthony Mackie as Sergeant JT Sanborn and Brian Geraghty as Specialist Owen Eldridge. Honourable mentions go to the supporting cast, including, Guy Pearce as Sergeant Matt Thompson, Ralph Fiennes as Contractor Team Leader, David Morse as Colonel Reed and Evangeline Lilly as Connie James.

I’m quite surprised this film didn’t do as well at the box office as its critical acclaim might suggest, however I do remember it coming to a local multiplex and only being on show for a week. But over all I really enjoyed this film, it kept you guessing where it was going next but also allowed you to engage with the characters. The, kind of, documentary style put you right in the centre of the action which made it a more exciting experience. Definitely one of the films of 2009 and I recommend it very highly.

My score: 8.7/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0887912/
Official Site: http://www.thehurtlocker-movie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2755855129/

Film Review: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009)

Director/Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Running time: 153 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 18

UK Release Date: 19th August 2009

Watched on DVD Monday 29th March 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I’ll admit I’m not the greatest fan of Mr Tarantino’s work, for me he can blow hot and cold. He sometimes seems to be more interested in putting in subtle little twists and nods to obscure films that will only be admired by a certain few, rather than making a coherent movie. In this film, however, the twists and nods either too subtle for me, which I suspect, or he’s actually attempted to make a movie. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect and it’s very, very long, but it does all tie together quite neatly in the end.

When Shosanna Dreyfus escapes from the Nazis having seen her family shot, she thought she’d never see the man responsible for it, Col. Hans Landa, again. However, fate has a nasty way of playing evil tricks on people like Shosanna. Four years later she owns and runs a cinema in Paris, where, thanks to the attentions of a young German war hero, Pvt. Fredrick Zoller, she is to stage a German film premiere. All the German High Command, including Hitler himself, is to attend. News of this event comes through to Lt. Aldo Raine and his band of Inglorious Basterds, who are behind enemy lines causing havoc and fear in the German ranks. They are to destroy the cinema with the help of a spy, Bridget von Hammersmark, but the newly appointed head of security, Col. Hans Landa has other plans. I think that’s a pretty good summary, without giving too much away (I hope).

Let me first say that as a whole, I really enjoyed watching this film. It’s not Tarantino’s best, that’s still a tie between Pulp Fiction (1994) and Jackie Brown (1997) in my book. The performances are all outshone by Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa; he quite deservedly won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and BAFTA awards (plus quite a few others I see). Honourable mentions go to Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine (loved the accent), Mélanie Laurent as Shosanna Dreyfus, Eli Roth as Sgt. Donny Donowitz, Michael Fassbender as Lt. Archie Hicox, Diane Kruger as Bridget von Hammersmark and Daniel Brühl as Pvt. Fredrick Zoller.

Although I’m quite used to watching foreign language films, I found the switching between scenes in English, to scenes in German or French with subtitles quite distracting. Don’t get me wrong, many of the scenes were very well done and quite absorbing to watch, but they didn’t always fit together as well as they might. The music was pretty good too, although I did feel I was watching a Spaghetti Western at a couple of points near the beginning. So, over all it’s quite an engrossing film, if a little difficult to watch in one sitting at nearly two and a half hours in duration. But having said that, I do recommend it, it’s worth seeing if only for the performance of Christoph Waltz and Brad Pitt’s Tennessee accent.

My score: 8.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/
Official Site: http://www.inglouriousbasterds-movie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3738173977/

Film Review: PUNISHER: WAR ZONE (2008)

Director: Lexi Alexander
Running time: 99 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 18

UK Release Date: 6th February 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 28th March 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Set in New York and following on from the 2004 film, The Punisher, this film continues the violent story of vigilante Frank Castle. Now, as I remember, I wasn’t all that impressed with the first film in this franchise, but I thought I’d give the second one a go anyway. This one, although flawed, was a distinct improvement on the first, it’s rare, I know, but a sequel can sometimes be better than the original.

Frank Castle is stalking members of gangs involved in organised crime. He holds them responsible for the deaths of his wife and two children and has been wreaking his revenge for over three years. After taking out one particular gang, he is told that some of them have escaped and he takes off after them. Unfortunately, one of the escapees is an undercover FBI agent that Castle inadvertently kills. He is devastated by this and tries to make amends to the agent’s wife Angela and daughter, Grace. They want nothing to do with him and he is left with his guilt. One of the other escapees, Billy, is badly disfigured during Castle’s attack and, after plastic surgery fails, he becomes known as Jigsaw. Together with his two henchmen he goes and frees his psychotic brother Looney Bin Jim in order to kill Frank. The gang go to Angela’s house and hold her hostage while looking for money that her husband is supposed to have stolen from them, until Frank turns up that is. There is a lot more to the plot and several more characters are introduced, but I’ll leave my little synopsis here as I don’t want to give too many spoilers away.

This is a very dark and extremely violent film. They certainly don’t hold back on the graphic scenes of violence. Having said that, there is a coherent plot and the characters are pretty well developed. Some pretty good performances too, honourable mentioned go to Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle, Dominic West (from TV’s ‘The Wire’) as Billy/Jigsaw, Doug Hutchison as Looney Bin Jim, Colin Salmon as Paul Budiansky, Wayne Knight as Micro, Dash Mihok as Martin Soap, Julie Benz as Angela and Stephanie Janusauskas as Grace.

Although it’s never going to win any prizes, I did quite enjoy this film. Partly because the characters were well developed, and partly because the filmmakers didn’t sanitise the violence too much in order to get a lower certificate. Yes, it’s very violent and there aren’t any stand-out performances, although it was good to see Dominic West as a bad guy, but it is, by far, not the worst of its genre. I can’t give it a very high score because of it’s flaws, but I do recommend it to you.

My score: 6.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0450314/
Official Site: http://www.punishermovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi65536281/

Film Review: NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST (2008)

Director: Peter Sollett
Running time: 86 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 12

UK Release Date: 30th January 2009

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 27th March 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I remember back about a year ago I stumbled upon a film called Juno, one of the stars of which was Michael Cera. Now, one of the many things I really liked that film was the understated performance of said Mr Cera. And so we come to ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist’, a really bad title IMHO. It’s not a bad film, there’s a lot to admire, it just fell slightly short of the mark for me. But more of that later, let me tell you a little of the rather complicated plot…

Nick is depressed, he’s been dating Tris for a while and she’s dumped him. He spends his time making mix CDs for her and generally feeling sorry for himself. Oh, and he’s a huge fan of a band called ‘Where’s Fluffy’. Anyway, he is in a band himself, and the other band members, Thom and Dev, who are gay by the way, decide to take him out into New York, where they have a gig. Meanwhile, Norah and her best friend, Caroline, are also planning a night out in the Big Apple. They know Tris from school and Norah has been listening to, and liking, Nick’s CDs that Tris has thrown away. Nick’s band is playing in a club when Tris walks in with her new boyfriend. Of course Nick is distracted by this. Caroline has got drunk and Norah is left alone. When Tris comes up to her and asks her who she’s with, she says she’s with her boyfriend and proceeds to go and kiss Nick, who she’s never met before. (Complicated enough so far?) Deciding to help Norah take Caroline home, Nick helps them to his car but before they can leave, the rest of the band decide Nick and Norah should get together and offer to take Caroline home so the couple can go and find where ‘Fluffy’ is playing that night (it’s a secret). From here there are adventures, love, hate, kidnapping and a whole bunch of stuff you’re better off finding out by watching it yourselves (he said, wanting to keep the spoiler count to a minimum).

I found it quite an engaging film for the most part, with a really good soundtrack and some good performances. The budget was obviously not the biggest, but I thought they production team did a great job despite this. So, good performances from Michael Cera as Nick, Kat Dennings as Norah, Aaron Yoo as Thom, Rafi Gavron as Dev, Ari Graynor as Caroline and Alexis Dziena as Tris.

It’s a nice gentle teen comedy with some really great moments in it, but, for me, it kind of lost its way towards the end. When I felt the story should be building to a big finish, it all kind of fell flat. Nothing to do with the performances, I think the writers must have just run out of ideas. For all that, it’s a pretty nice watch and I kind of recommend the first three quarters… but you’ll watch all of it, I know you will.

My score: 6.2/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0981227/
Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/nickandnorah/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1681326873/