Film Review: 127 HOURS (2010)

Co-Writer/Director: Danny Boyle
Running Time: 94 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama
UK Release Date: 7th January 2011

Watched at the Cinema Saturday 2nd April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I know it’s April already and this film came out in the UK in January, but after a very long wait it has finally landed at my local cinema! Since I’ve waited such a long time to see it there was no way I was going to miss it! I even dragged a friend along who doesn’t often see this sort of thing. I’ll give you my thoughts after this very brief summary (summary haters, and those that don’t wish to know about the plot, please try to shift that rock while I write the next paragraph).

Aron Ralston is an adventurer, mountain climber, he’s most at home with almost all outdoor types of activities. He feels he doesn’t have to rely on anyone else and has cut himself off from his friends and family to concentrate on the things he likes to do. Little does he know, this is going to cost him dear in the very near future. He goes out canyoneering  alone near Moab, Utah but doesn’t take his mobile phone (or cell phone if you prefer) with him and doesn’t tell anyone where he’s going. There he meets two girls, Kristi and Megan and they have a bit of fun jumping into a pool below a crack in the rocks. Eventually they go their separate ways and Aron heads off alone again. Taking a route seldom used he causes a rock fall that leaves him trapped, pinned by the arm with a large boulder. He is there for 127 hours before he resorts to desperate measures to free himself. During this time he reflects on the mistakes he’s made in his life, making a video diary he thinks will be his legacy. I’ll leave it there so as not to upset the squeamish Spoiler Police.

I thought this was a very well made film with several devices used to keep the audience interested. Split screens, flashbacks, dream sequences all keep the thing moving along nicely. I have to say it’s an outstanding performance from James Franco as Aron Ralston, he really nailed it! Honourable mentions also go to Kate Mara as Kristi and Amber Tamblyn as Megan.

I love the visual style used by Danny Boyle in this one. It could have been a tough gritty drama like the 2003 Kevin Macdonald film Touching the Void, (also a very fine film by the way) but I found it was a lot more than that. It will make you cringe, it will make you laugh, and it will even make some of you cry, but I found it very engaging and very enthralling (even though I knew what the final outcome was)… Definitely recommended.

PS My friend thought it was good but a bit padded out with all that hallucinating & stuff (His words, not mine).

My Score: 8.6/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1542344/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/127_hours/
Official Site: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/127hours/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi768149785/

Film Review: INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002)

Directors: Wai-keung Lau & Alan Mak
Running Time: 101 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Thriller/Drama
UK Release Date: 27^th February 2004

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 2^nd April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is the film on which Martin Scorsese based his 2006 Oscar winning film, The Departed. Set in Hong Kong, it’s the story of two cops, one good and one bad and both on the wrong side of the fence, but I guess if you’re familiar with The Departed then you’ll already know that. The similarities between the two films are very striking, much closer than I expected, but more of my thoughts later. Here’s a brief summary first (summary haters, and those that don’t wish to know about the plot, please try to discover who the mole is while I write the next paragraph).

Lau Kin Ming and Chen Wing Yan were at the police academy academy at the same time. While Yan was expelled, Lau graduated and rose up through the ranks. The thing is, Yan was expelled for a reason, for the next ten years he was to work as an undercover cop in the Triads (criminal gangs in Hong Kong). Only two people knew about Yan, one of them has died and the other is Lau’s boss, SP Wong Chi Shing. Now working for the criminal boss, Hon Sam, Yan is becoming tired of his undercover life and longs to be free of his duties. Wong promises him that after they get Hon Sam he will be allowed to return to the fold. Unfortunately, as they are closing in, it becomes clear that Hon Sam has a man inside the police force; someone high up. There are now two insiders, a cop undercover in the Triad and a Triad spy amongst the cops. It’s now a race against time to discover the identity of the other guy before he identifies you… Gripping stuff! I’ll leave it there, you’ll appreciate if you’ve seen the film, that it’s very difficult to summarise this one without giving anything away.

This is a really well made film with some great stunts, thrilling music and a tremendous plot. Hong Kong cinema has come on a long way and it shows, the production is really well done and there are some great performances. All of the leading cast did very well, in particular; Andy Lau as Inspector Lau Kin Ming and Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Chen Wing Yan, both are excellent in this. Anthony Wong Chau-Sang was very good as SP Wong Chi Shing, as was Eric Tsang as Hon Sam. Honourable mentions also go to Kelly Chen as Dr. Lee Sum Yee and Sammi Cheng as Mary.

I find it hard not to draw comparisons with Scorsese’s ‘The Departed’, since this is the source material. I found it surprising that the two films are very close in the plot devices they use. If anything, I slightly prefer this version, it has something extra that I can’t define. Maybe it’s because it’s subtitled and you are forced to pay more attention, but I like this one slightly better. Of course, I think it goes without saying, this one comes very very highly Recommended!

MY SCORE: 9.5/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMdB Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0338564/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/infernal_affairs/
Official Site: http://www.tfmdistribution.com/infernalaffairs/
Trailer: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/infernal-affairs/trailer

Film Review: FROM PARIS WITH LOVE (2010)

Director: Pierre Morel
Running Time: 89 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Action/Thriller
UK Release Date: 26^th February 2010

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 2^nd April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Based on a story by Luc Besson, this is an action thriller set in modern-day Paris. What, at first, seems to be a run-of-the-mill shoot-‘em-up does improve towards the end, but it’s still no masterpiece. A plot involving the U.S. Embassy, the C.I.A., drug dealers and terrorists twists and turns it’s way through the streets of Paris at a break-neck speed, only pausing every now and then for you to catch your breath. Here’s a brief summary before I give you may thoughts (summary haters, and those that don’t wish to know about the plot, please check the room for bugs while I write the next paragraph).

James Reece is the personal assistant to Ambassador Bennington in the U.S. Embassy, not surprisingly, in Paris (France). He has a girlfriend, Caroline, who he lives with, and he does the odd job for the C.I.A.; swapping number plates, planting bugs… etc. Having just got engaged, he receives a call from his C.I.A. contact telling him that if he has a job, and a new partner. Reece is keen to move up in the organisation and so is pleased to get this chance. He picks up his new partner, a very brash agent called Charlie Wax, at the airport and they immediately set to work. Following a trail starting at a Chinese restaurant supplying drugs and ending with a terrorist cell, the body count mounts up quickly as Wax gets to work. Reece, a very intelligent man, sometimes finds it hard to keep up, but eventually finds a way when events turn on those close to him. I’ll leave it there so as not to offend the Spoiler Police too much.

This is a pretty well made film with some nice cinematography and some decent stunt work. The action sequences are all very well done, although there isn’t really anything we haven’t seen before here. Decent performances all round, particularly from; John Travolta as Charlie Wax, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as James Reece and Kasia Smutniak as Caroline.

Although it won’t live long in the memory, I did find this film quite entertaining. It starts off like an 80’s action blockbuster and continues in that vein for quite a while. The plot, although it twists and turns quite a bit, is a tad predictable which doesn’t really add to the enjoyment. It’s not until the final scenes that we see some more intelligent dialogue and a slightly less predictable twist. If you can switch you brain off for 90 minutes and like to watch Travolta blow the bad guys away with gusto, then this is the film for you. Personally, with a hang over on a Saturday morning, waiting in for the meter reader, it was perfect! Recommended.

MY SCORE: 5.7/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1179034/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/from_paris_with_love/
Official Site: http://www.frompariswithlovefilm.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1726415897/

Film Review: AWAKENINGS (1990)

Director: Penny Marshall Running time: 115 mins (approx) Certification (UK): 12 Genre: Drama

UK Release date: 15^th March 1991 Watched on Sky+ Sunday 27^th March 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a heart-warming tale about a doctor and his work to find a cure for his patients who are stuck in a catatonic state. There are some great performances and it has many ups and downs along the way. It is based on a book by Oliver Sacks, a true story which will play at your heartstrings at times. More of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please help get Leonard back into bed while I write the next paragraph).

Dr. Malcolm Sayer has always worked in research because he doesn’t really get on with people. He has to take a job at a hospital where he has no choice but to work with the patients. There he meets, amongst his patients, Leonard Lowe, who has been in a catatonic state for thirty years. With the help of his assistant, Eleanor Costello, Dr. Sawyer carries out a series of tests to discover just what is wrong with him. He eventually discovers it is to do with an encephalitis epidemic back in the 1920’s and it is now the late 60’s. Convinced he can find as cure, reads up on all the current medications and finds an experimental drug that might do the trick. His boss, Dr. Kaufman, will only let him try it on one patient, he chooses Leonard and thus begins the awakenings… but will it last, and what are the consequences? I’ll have to leave it there so as not to be beaten by the Spoiler Police.

This is a really well made film with a beautiful score by Randy Newman, enhanced with many songs, both old and new. Great performances all round, particularly from Robert De Niro as Leonard Lowe and Robin Williams as Dr. Malcolm Sayer, who both went and observed Oliver Sacks and his patients prior to making this film, and it showed. I also have to mention Julie Kavner, it’s nice to see the voice of Marge Simpson as a real person for a change. Honourable mentions also go to; Ruth Nelson as Mrs. Lowe (Leonard’s mother), John Heard as Dr, Kaufman and it was also nice to see a brief cameo from Max von Sydow as Dr. Peter Ingham.

Although it starts off a little schmaltzy, this film grows into an engrossing drama with engaging characters and an interesting plot. There are hints of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) here and there, but I can forgive that, after all, it’s not a bad film to be compared with. Over all, it’s pretty good and well worth a viewing… Recommended.

My score: 7.6/10

LINKS:

(RT = Rotten Tomatoes) IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0099077/ RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1032970-awakenings/ Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1387790617/

Film Review: BROTHERS (2009)

Director: Jim Sheridan
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama
UK Release Date: 22^nd January 2010

Watched on Sky+ Tuesday 29^th March 2011

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is another film that got quite a bit of attention from the critics when it first came out. Given the fact that they generally know a bit more about film than I do, I decided to give it a try when it appeared in the TV schedules. Based on a Danish film of the same name that came out in 2004, it is, at times a very gripping and, at the same time, a very touching story of two brothers. I found it pretty good, not least for one stand-out performance, but more of that later. Here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please help fix the kitchen while I write the next paragraph).

Sam Cahill is a Captain in the Marines; he has a wife, Grace, and two young daughters, Isabelle and Maggie. At the beginning of the film he is about to deploy to Afghanistan. At the same time his brother, Tommy is just getting out of Jail. Their father, Hank, is a Viet Nam vet and makes it clear that he disapproves of the way Tommy has lead his life. Sam goes off to Afghanistan and Grace and the girls go about their normal lives. Tommy turns up every now and then, but Grace doesn’t really like him. Then the news comes that Sam is dead and Grace is devastated. Tommy, feeling guilty spends more and more time with her and the girls and they become quite attached to him. <<SPOILER ALERT>> Little do they know, but Sam is alive and being held captive in the mountains of Afghanistan. Eventually he is rescued, after suffering at the hands of his captors and being forced to do things he would rather forget, Will he be able to live with his wife and family again? Will they be able to live with him having thought him dead? Well, I guess I’d better not tell you or the Spoiler Police will be after me.

This is a really well made film with, surprisingly, a great musical score; it really stunned me how good it was! I’m not sure on the setting, but it looked, and felt, very cold. Performance wise, well, by far the best performance came from Tobey Maguire as Capt. Sam Cahill, he really pulled all the stops out and went way up in my estimation. Both Jake Gyllenhaal as Tommy Cahill and Natalie Portman as Grace Cahill were also very good. It was nice to see Sam Shepard as Hank Cahill and Mare Winningham as Elsie Cahill. Finally, a special mention for Bailee Madison as Isabelle Cahill and Taylor Geare as Maggie Cahill, both young actresses were very good also.

I was quite surprised just how good this film was. I was prepared for a bitter wordy drama all about feelings and bitterness. Yes, those things were there, but not in the way I expected. I found it much more watchable than I thought it would be and that’s credit to the filmmakers and the actors involved. It’s quite a tricky subject to cover and I thought they did a pretty good job… Recommended.

My Score: 7.5/10

LINKS:
(RT=Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0765010/
RT Page: TBA – the site is currently suffering difficulties (FOR A CHANGE!)
Official Site: http://www.brothersfilm.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi596444185/

Film Review: THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE (FIRST SEQUENCE) (2009)

Writer/Director: Tom Six
Running Time: 92 Minutes
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Horror/Drama/Thriller
UK Release Date: Not known

Watched on Sky+ 28th March 2011

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film gained a lot of notoriety when it came out, not least due to a rather effective marketing campaign. Although it’s not the kind of thing I’d usually choose to watch, I’ll admit to being slightly intrigued by it and so decided to give it a viewing when it arrived on TV recently. It’s certainly not the best film I’ve ever seen, but it does do what it says on the tin and I can’t knock it for that! More of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please kidnap more victims while I write the next paragraph).

Dr. Heiter used to be a famous surgeon. He specialised is separating Siamese twins and was very good at it. Now retired and living alone, he turns his mind to putting things together, rather than separating them. To this end he has already tried an experiment on his three rottweilers and is now ready to move on to the next step. Having chosen and kidnapped his first victim, a truck driver, he can’t believe his luck when two young American tourists, Lindsay and Jenny, arrive at his door having had car trouble. They are quickly dealt with and sedated in his cellar. Unfortunately for the truck driver, he doesn’t match and so another subject has to be found. This time it’s a young Japanese man called Katsuro who the doctor brings back to his cellar. And now it’s time to begin the experiment… but not before one of the makes a break for it. I will leave my short summary here so as not to upset the Spoiler Police too much.

To be honest, I found this film was quite badly made. I don’t know if it was because it was cut for a TV audience, but there seemed to be gaping plot holes and continuity errors all over the place. The best performance came from Dieter Laser who was everything you’d expect from a mad German scientist. Ashley C. Williams as Lindsay, Ashlynn Yennie as Jenny and Akihiro Kitamura as Katsuro were all adequate without being anything special.

Over all, I found this film quite disappointing with some debatable production values and a pretty bad script. Ultimately it’s not very pleasant and I didn’t find it particularly entertaining. Definitely not one for the squeamish and one I don’t think I’ll be giving a second viewing to… NOT recommended.

My Score: 4.7/10

LINKS:
(RT=Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1467304/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/human_centipede/
Official Site: http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/human-centipede
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4206561049/

Film Review: KICK-ASS (2010) - Revisited

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Running time: 113 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Action/Thriller/Comic-book
UK Release date: 26th March 2010

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 26th March 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I saw this film when it first came out in the cinema and really enjoyed it. This week it came to our TV screens in a slightly cut version (about 4 minutes shorter than the theatrical release) but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it. It was one of the best films I saw last year and the filmmakers will have to work hard to beat it again this year! If anything, I enjoyed it more second time around (if that’s possible!). But enough of my prattling on, here’s a short summary before I give you my thoughts (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please practice swearing with Hit Girl while I write the next paragraph).

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, a green wet-suit. 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 damaged, 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 in order to lure Kick-Ass out of hiding. They blame Kick-Ass for some losses they have been suffering recently. 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’ll have to leave it there or I’ll be having a knock at the door from the ‘Spoiler Police’ (& I don’t want that).

I must first say that it is a really well made film with some excellent stunt work. I thought the music chosen for 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. It’s a film that any superhero film fan should try to watch at least once a year and I recommend it very highly!

My score: 9.2/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1250777/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1217700-kick_ass/
Official Site: http://www.kickass-themovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1572603673/

Film Review: MICMACS (2009)

Co-Writer/Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Running time: 101 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Comedy/Crime/Drama
UK Release date: 26th February 2010

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 26th March 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a quirky French comedy (with subtitles) that, when it came out, attracted a few good reviews. On the strength of these I decided to watch it when it came up on TV recently. I have to say I wasn’t totally blown away by it, but there are some nice touches and there are parts I actually found genuinely funny! But more of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please help the gang sort that junk while I write the next paragraph).

When Bazil was young, his father was killed whilst clearing mines in North Africa. Amongst his effects returned to the family was a photo of the mine that killed him, and Bazil never forgot the logo embossed into the mine casing. Now grown up, he has a job at a video store. One evening a shoot-out occurs in the street outside and Bazil is accidentally hit in the head by a stray bullet. The surgeon decides it’s too risky to remove the bullet and so Bazil leaves hospital only to find he is evicted from his apartment and his job has been given to someone else. He is given one of the bullet casings from the shootout, it has a different logo to the mine that killed his father but, again, Bazil commits it to memory. He now lives on the streets of Paris making a living busking. He is eventually taken in by a group of misfits who live in a junk yard. They make a living by recycling and selling things other people have thrown out. Lead by Tambouille, they include a contortionist, La Môme Caoutchouc, who Bazil has a bit of a thing for. Going about his job of collecting useful things to mend, Bazil comes across two buildings opposite each other. They bear the logos of the two companies that made the weapons that ruined his life. He decides to get revenge on the leaders of these two companies, Nicolas Thibault de Fenouillet and François Marconi. He ropes in his new found friends and this is where all the fun begins… I’ll leave it there so as not to enrage the Spoiler Police any more than necessary.

This is a very well made film with some really clever and inventive set pieces. It is visually very quirky, but in a nice way, and has a pretty decent soundtrack. Decent performances all round, particularly from; Dany Boon as Bazil, André Dussollier as Nicolas Thibault de Fenouillet, Nicolas Marié as François Marconi, Jean-Pierre Marielle as Placard, Yolande Moreau as Tambouille and Julie Ferrier as La Môme Caoutchouc.

At the beginning I loved the quirky comedy, almost reminiscent of the great Jacques Tati (but not quite). Unfortunately it couldn’t sustain its early promise and ended up falling pretty flat in the middle third. It seemed to pick up a bit towards the end, but by then, I’m afraid, it had lost a lot of its magic (for me). I somehow expected better from the director of the likes of Delicatessen (1991) and Amelie (2001), but sadly it didn’t match up to its early promise. It’s still quite an enjoyable film with some moments I found really funny and so I’ll recommend it for one viewing, at least.

My score: 6.2/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1149361/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/micmacs/
Official Site: http://micmacs.substance001.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2588476441/

Film Review: TIGERLAND (2000)

Director: Joel Schumacher
Running time: 100 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: War/Drama
UK Release date: 18th May 2001

Watched on Sky+ Tuesday 22nd March 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is, again, a film I have seen before, and, again, I got a lot more out of it second time around. I have to blame my good buddy Mr. The Aus Man for pointing me in the direction of this one this week. Otherwise I may have watched one from ‘The (now famous) List’. But I digress; I will give you my thoughts on this one after a brief summary (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please “GIVE ME TEN SOLDIER!” while I write the next paragraph).

It is 1971 and at the U.S. Army Training camp at Fort Polk, Louisiana, the new recruits are getting ready for their eight weeks’ training. This will culminate in a visit to the infamous ‘Tigerland’, an area made to look and feel like Viet Nam. One soldier, Pvt. Roland Bozz, doesn’t want to be there and he tries everything he can to get himself discharged, but the Army won’t budge. He’s a humanitarian who does not want to fight. He is befriended by Pvt. Jim Paxton, an aspiring writer. Bozz is very good at getting people out of the army who have a legitimate reason, and he gains a bit of a reputation for this. The brass doesn’t know what to do with him, but he eventually shows leadership qualities and is made platoon Sergeant. This does not go down well with the psychopathic Pvt. Wilson, who takes it personally when Bozz has him removed from the platoon. Eventually they reach the stage where they have to go to Tigerland, and Bozz has a surprise waiting for him there. I’ve probably said too much, but I’ll leave it there so as not to make the Spoiler Police too upset.

At first I thought this film is trying so hard to be Kubrick’s 1987 classic, Full Metal Jacket, but I was proved wrong. Although it’s not quite as good as that, it’s still pretty good. Good performances all round, particularly from; Colin Farrell as Bozz, Matthew Davis as Paxton, Clifton Collins Jr. as Miter, Tom Guiry as Cantwell and Shea Whigham as Wilson.

As I said at the beginning, I have seen this film before, but I really couldn’t remember much about it. On a second viewing, I can see I missed a pretty good film, maybe not brilliant, but certainly a good effort. The picture has kind of a news report feel about it, with slightly washed out colours and quite a bit of hand-held photography. Over all, a pretty enjoyable film that keeps the audience interested and has a few interesting plot twists… Recommended.

My score: 7.3/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0170691/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tigerland/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1643577625/

Film Review: RAGING BULL (1980)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Running time: 129 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Drama/Biography/Sport
UK Release date: 10th April 1981

Watched on DVD Sunday 20th March 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have to admit first of all that I’m not a great fan of boxing, but I know who Jake La Motta was and I’m aware of what he achieved. This biopic tells of his rise to fame, but it also tells of his life out of the ring, about his brother, his wife and how he eventually fell from grace, only to get up again. But more of that later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please take fifteen rounds with Sugar Ray while I write the next paragraph).

As we begin, Jake La Motta is already a well known boxer, he is married to his first wife with whom he constantly argues. He is managed by his brother Joey who does his best to get him fights in the hope he’ll get a shot at the title. It seems a long time coming but Jake has other things on his mind at the moment. He as seen a girl, Vickie, who has taken his eye. She is blonde and very popular with everyone, including the rich Salvy, another local guy from the Bronx. But Jake is determined and eventually makes her his. They eventually marry, but Jake is always wary of other men, including his brother, around his wife. This streak of jealousy will eventually cost him dearly. Inside the ring, he has no such problems, beating all comers, and beating them so well that nobody wants to fight him. Eventually his chance comes, but there’s a catch... And there, I’ll have to leave it as the spoiler police would lock me up if I said any more.

Shot almost entirely in black and white, this film has the look and feel of one made back in the 1940’s to 1950’s. This works very well to give the atmosphere of the period in which it is set. A nice, mostly unobtrusive, score also works very well to set the tone of the movie. I thought Robert De Niro was tremendous as Jake La Motta, he gave his all for this part, even putting on a lot of weight for the latter scenes where La Motta becomes a stand-up comedian. Joe Pesci was also excellent as his brother Joey and Cathy Moriarty was good too as the sultry Vickie.

This film is seen by many as a modern classic, and I can see why, it is very good I can’t deny Scosese’s skill. I think the main problem I found with it was that I didn’t find it particularly entertaining. It’s very melodramatic in places, but it didn’t grip me in the way I expected… or maybe I’m being too harsh. De Niro is truly excellent too, but a great performance doesn’t always make for a great film I’m afraid. If you haven’t seen it before then I can definitely recommend it to you for at least one viewing, if just for De Niro. I’ll maybe watch it again in a few years and rave about it, but for now, it’s very very good… but not great.

My score: 8.4/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0081398/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/raging_bull/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3633616921/