Film Review: KUNG FU PANDA 2 (2011)

Director: Jennifer Yuh
Writers: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Running time: 91 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

Genre: Animation/Action/Adventure
UK Release date: 10^th June 2011

Watched on Sky+ Monday 7^th May 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Since I quite enjoyed the first one I thought I’d give the second KFP movie a look (I’m a bit of a fan of animated films anyway). If anything I must say I enjoyed this one a bit more, it seems DreamWorks have learned a thing or two in the intervening three years. All the characters from the first film are back plus a new nemesis for Po; here’s a brief summary before I tell you what I thought of it.

The film opens with the story of Shen, a peacock who has been told by a soothsayer that he will be defeated by an enemy in black and white. He immediately sets out to deal with this enemy before the prophecy can come true. He parents are left with no choice but to banish him. Years later Shen has returned with a weapon, a weapon so powerful it could mean the end of Kung Fu! It’s up to Po and the Furious Five to stop Shen and save Kung Fu! Also, Shen knows the secret of Po’s origins and he may use this to get in the way of their victory. I will not say any more or the Spoiler Police (Kung Fu Division) will be using me as a practice dummy (again).

DreamWorks animations have a very particular style and I must say I like it; reminds me of old (non Disney) cartoons on TV. On the performance front, decent work all around from the voice talents of; Jack Black as Po, Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, Gary Oldman as Shen, Jackie Chan as Monkey, Seth Rogen as Mantis, Lucy Liu as Viper, David Cross as Crane, James Hong as Mr. Ping, Michelle Yeoh as Soothsayer and Jean-Claude Van Damme as Master Croc.

This film has a well written plot with likable characters and some excellent gags along the way (it easily passed the ‘six laugh test’). I also liked the musical score by John Powell and Hans Zimmer, some nice themes that go well with the visuals. One or two of the gags didn’t quite come off (for me) but I can forgive that for a very well put together entertaining film… Recommended.

My score: 7.5/10

IMDb Score: 7.4/10 (based on 62,521 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1302011/

MetaScore: 67: (Based on 31 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 81/100 (based on 161 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 79/100 (based on 90,056 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kung_fu_panda_the_kaboom_of_doom/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Shifu: This could be the end of Kung Fu.
Po: But I just got Kung Fu !
Shifu: And now, you must *save* it !

Po: How can kung fu stop something that stops kung fu?

Po: My fist hungers for justice!
[his stomach belches]
Po: That was... my fist.

Soothsayer: Your story may not have such a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are. it is the rest of your story, who you choose to be... So, who are you, Panda?

Tigress: I hope this turns out better than your plan to cook rice in your stomach by eating it raw and then drinking boiling water...
Po: This is nothing like that plan.
Tigress: How so?
Po: Because this one is gonna work.

Monkey: [On seeing a poor person being mistreated by a wolf over cooking rice] Po, do something.
Po: How am I suppose to help her cook rice without getting caught?... Wait, I have a better idea!

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://www.kungfupanda.com/
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kungfupanda
Trailer:

Film Review: BARNEY’S VERSION (2010)

Director: Richard J. Lewis
Running time: 129 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama
UK Release date: 28^th January 2011

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 26^th November 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film came out to a lot of critical acclaim. It was obviously positioned for the Oscars, for which it only received a nomination for ‘Best Achievement in Make-up’. Still, I thought I’d give it a look when it landed on my TV screen a few days ago. Well, it’s a pretty good film with a great rambling love story central to the plot, but no, it’s not a great film. It tries very hard to be, with some great performances, but fails to hit the mark (for me anyway). I will give you more of my thoughts after this brief summary.

The story of Barney is mostly told in flashback, as he looks back over his life. The story starts in the mid 1970’s in Rome where Barney and a rather Bohemian group of friends hang out, write, paint and drink themselves insensible. Having made one of his friends pregnant, Barney decides to do the right thing and marry her. This does not end well and Barney is left without a wife or a child (can’t say why; spoilers). Moving back home, his father, retired cop Izzy, introduces him to the daughter of a rich couple. She eventually becomes the second Mrs. P and it is at their wedding that Barney meets the woman of his dreams, Miriam Grant. Despite being married, Barney pursues her although she insists she will have nothing to do with a married man. A weekend at their home by the lake with Barney’s old friend Boogie brings about an opportunity to end the marriage and free him to capture the woman he loves. The film goes on to show the trials and tribulations of what occurs next to Barney. I will leave it there or the Spoiler Police will be taking me for a swim in the lake.

It’s all beautifully shot with some great tunes thrown in, but the thing central to this film is the performance of Paul Giamatti as Barney Panofsky, he is really great in the role! Also worthy of note is Rosamund Pike; she holds things together beautifully as Miriam. I must also give honourable mentions to; Dustin Hoffman as Izzy Panofsky, Scott Speedman as Boogie, Minnie Driver as The 2^nd Mrs. P and Mark Addy as Detective O'Hearne.

Although there are some great performances here, I felt the film didn’t quite hit the mark. There were a couple of reasons for this; one was that Barney, for all his charm, I didn’t find a particularly likable character. He’s far too selfish and doesn’t seem to understand the consequences of his actions sometimes. The second reason is that the film is just too long, it really starts to drag towards the end and, if, as me, you’re finding it hard to sympathise with the main character, it really doesn’t help. Having said that though, it’s still worth a look, if only for Giamatti’s performance, I thought he was quite excellent in this. And so, if only for Giamatti (and Hoffman’s one-liners)… Recommended.

My score: 7.3/10.

IMDb Score: 7.3/10 (based on 7,799 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1423894/

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80/100 (based on 129 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/barneys-version/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Clara 'Chambers' Charnofsky: Oh Barney, you really do wear your heart on your sleeve. Now put it away, it's disgusting to look at.

2nd Mrs. P's Father: Are you saying you were gratuitously violent with suspected felons?
Izzy: Gratuitously? I always got paid, I ain't gonna work for free.

Barney Panofsky: ...and I'm just gonna keep talking here, 'cause I'm afraid that if I stop there's gonna be a pause or a break and you're gonna say 'It's getting late' or 'I should get going', and I'm not ready for that to happen. I don't want that to happen. Ever.
[they pause]
Miriam: There it was. The pause.
Barney Panofsky: Yeah.
Miriam: I'm still here.

LINKS:
Official Site: http://www.sonyclassics.com/barneysversion/
Trailer:

Film Review: PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER (2006)

Director: Tom Tykwer
Running time: 147 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 24th January 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is the second time I’ve seen this film, but the first time I’ve attempted a review. I admit I loved the film first time around and, I’m very pleased to say, I haven’t changed my opinion of it on a second viewing. Based on a novel by Patrick Süskind it tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille and his quest for the ultimate perfume.

Set in the early 1800’s in Paris where Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born under a fish stall in a market. He is quickly orphaned, but has an extraordinary sense of smell. He just smells everything, piecing together the world around him by its odours. At thirteen he is sold by the orphanage to a tanner, where he works long and hard. One day he is chosen by the owner to go into the city on deliveries with him. This exposes Jean-Baptiste to even more scents and he finds one scent irresistible, that of a young woman selling fruit. So taken is he that he follows her and, before he knows it, in trying to keep her quiet while a couple walk by, he accidentally suffocates her. This doesn’t appear to matter to Jean-Baptiste, he now sniffs every part of her, trying to get her scent, but eventually it fades. Now he has a purpose, to discover how to capture and keep the scent of a woman. As fate would have it, he has to deliver to an old perfumer, Giuseppe Baldini, who is down on his luck. Jean-Baptiste demonstrates his abilities by divining the ingredients of a rival’s perfume and even improving on it. Baldini is so impressed, he buys Jean-Baptiste from the tanner and they begin to work together. Jean-Baptiste persuades Baldini to teach him everything he knows about making perfumes if he makes scents for him. Having learned everything he can from Baldini, but not the thing he really wants to know, Jean-Baptiste leaves for the town of Grasse where Baldini says he can get what he wants. Arriving there, Jean-Baptiste soon learns new techniques in capturing aromas and, after a few failed experiments, he perfects a way to capture the scent of a woman. What follows are a series of mysterious murders and Jean-Baptiste puts together the thirteen scents he needs to make the most perfect perfume. He has his sights on the last scent, that of Laura, the daughter of the well to do, Richis, who, in order to protect his daughter takes her away from the town, not knowing the Jean-Baptiste is in hot pursuit. I won’t say any more about the plot, I think that’s enough for one day!

This film is beautifully shot, has an epic plot and is very well performed and I don’t understand why it isn’t more highly rated. Yes, it’s a little too long, but I’ve found it enthralling both times I’ve seen it. Excellent performances from all of the leading cast, Ben Whishaw as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, Dustin Hoffman as Giuseppe Baldini, Rachel Hurd-Wood as Laura, Alan Rickman as Richis and John Hurt as the narrator.

There is a scene near the end of the film where Jean-Baptiste is about to be executed and, if you’ve seen it, you’ll know what I mean; it’s one of the most beautifully imagined scenes I’ve ever seen. As I’ve already said, the film is a bit too long, but apart from that I can find little else wrong with it. If you can spare the time I urge you to watch this film, hopefully you’ll thank me!

My score: 8.7/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0396171/
Official Site: http://www.perfumemovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi897581337/