Film Review: HAYWIRE (2011)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Lem Dobbs
Running time: 89 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Action/Adventure/Thriller
UK Release date: 18^th January 2012

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 10^th November 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a film that I’ve heard very mixed reviews about. My buddy Mark really didn’t like it… this has the advantage of him not giving away a lot of spoilers; as he’s prone to do when he does like something. With us having differing tastes when it comes to movies on occasion I decided to give it the once over and decide for myself. Well, I have to say that to some extent Mark was right; it’s certainly not a great film. I’ll tell you why after this very brief summary.

We begin in a diner where Mallory Kane has stopped while fleeing from exactly what we don’t yet know. Aaron arrives and tries to take her with him. She resists, there’s a fight and she escapes with one of the customers, a young man called Scott. She begins to talk about events and people that have brought her to this point and we go into flashback mode. The upshot of which is that she is a freelance covert operative has been set up and attempts have been made on her life… It’s time for payback and it will be brutal!... I guess that sums it up really.

It’s a film that in the beginning seems extremely incoherent and that’s no mistake… it is! The disjointed musical score by David Holmes doesn’t help one bit either. As far as performances go, well Gina Carano did a reasonable job as Mallory Kane; I know she did most of her own stunt work which is quite impressive, but her acting skills may still need a little work. We then have the likes of Channing Tatum as Aaron, Michael Douglas as Alex Coblenz, Antonio Banderas as Rodrigo, Ewan McGregor as Kenneth, Michael Fassbender as Paul, Bill Paxton as John Kane and Michael Angarano as Scott who all played their parts well, but over all, for me, it didn’t quite work.

I have come across several of these films with a decent cast but I well know that this is no guarantee of a decent film. Yes, the fight scenes are pretty spectacular, but no more so than those in the ‘Bourne’ films. I found the plot far too complex and this wasn’t helped by the characterisations which I found it very hard to engage with. It does all tie up quite neatly in the end, but it touches every single base on the way there. The film is only an hour and a half long and it seemed a lot longer than that by the time the final credits rolled… This is not a good sign I’m afraid and so this one does not get my seal of approval.

SteelMonster’s verdict: NOT RECOMMENDED

My score: 4.3/10

IMDb Score: 5.9/10 (based on 42,091 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1506999/

MetaScore: 67/100: (Based on 40 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 80/100 (based on 174 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 40/100 ‘Liked it’ (based on 37,015 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/haywire_2011/

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

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[first lines]
Mallory Kane: Shit.
[deep breath]
Aaron: [sitting down] What the hell are you doing out here? I had to drive all night. I'm hung over as shit. And you're really starting to cut into my vacation time, so can we go please?

Aaron: This your idea of relaxing? Wine and gun maintenance?
Mallory Kane: There's another glass in the kitchen.
Aaron: You gonna leave your name and number afterwards?

Mallory Kane: I don't even know how to play that. I don't wear the dress. Make Paul wear the dress.
Kenneth: Well, I'll ask.

Coblenz: In the auction business they have an expression called the "halo effect". Do you know what that is? It's when an object or work of art is more desirable because of its prior ownership. It's very rare when it happens, you know? Maybe once in a lifetime. Gotta catch it when you can.
Mallory Kane: [circling him]
Coblenz: Look, I got plenty of drama in my own office.

[last lines]
Rodrigo: Shit.

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

Film Review: A LIFE LESS ORDINARY (1997)

Director: Danny Boyle
Writer: John Hodge
Running time: 103 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Romance/Drama
UK Release date: 24^th October 1997

Watched on Sky+ Thursday 5^th January 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have to admit that for some time now I have been a bit of a fan of the work of Danny Boyle. As such, I’m made it a bit of a mission to take a look at as much of his back catalogue as I can whenever they are shown on TV. So this is how I came to watch this one. I have to say it’s not the best film I’ve seen associated with his name, but it’s passable. More of my thoughts after this very brief summary.

We start in heaven (where else), where two angels, O'Reilly and Jackson, are given their last chance to, let’s say, facilitate a couple falling in love. It’s a tough case; two people from very different backgrounds. First there’s Robert Lewis who’s a cleaner (& a writer in his spare time) who has just lost his job and been dumped by his girlfriend. Then there’s Celine Naville a rich socialite whose father wants her to go to work for him. They are thrown together when Robert goes to see Celine’s father to demand his job back and things go slightly wrong. He ends up kidnapping Celine and taking her to a cabin in the wilderness. He really doesn’t have a clue and Celine ends up taking the lead; deciding she may as well try to get some money out of her father. Meanwhile, O’Reilly and Jackson are hired by Celine’s father to find them. As you can see, it’s getting a bit complicated already and we’re only part-way through! I’ll leave it there though or the Spoiler Police (confusing plots division) will have me kidnapped in amusing circumstances (again).

A well made film that has the beginnings many of the hallmarks of Boyle’s latter works. Some interesting ideas thrown in, some that worked and some that didn’t, but then I see it as a bit of a stepping stone for Boyle. Nice performances all round; Ewan McGregor did a decent job as Robert Lewis, although his haircut is pretty bizarre! Cameron Diaz did a great job as Celine; it’s the kind of role she’s pretty comfortable in. I thought both Holly Hunter as O’Reilly and Delroy Lindo as Jackson were excellent. Honourable mentions must also go to; Ian McNeice as Mayhew, Frank Kanig as Ted, Stanley Tucci as Elliot Zweikel, Tony Shalhoub as Al and Ian Holm as Naville (Celine’s father).

Although I’m a fan of Danny Boyle’s work, I’m afraid this one failed to hit the mark (for me). I found the plot far too over-complicated, almost like they were trying to fit far too many ideas in all at once. To me it would have been much more interesting to see the story from the point of view of O’Reilly and Jackson, but then I guess I’m not a screenwriter (yet). Yes, there were some nice touches, for instance, I loved the song and dance routine in the bar; very funny. Over all though, it’s one I’ll have to sit on the fence as far as recommendation goes; it’s kind of in the middle there somewhere.

My score: 5.7/10

IMDb Score: 6.3/10 (based on 20,915 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0119535/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 39/100 (based on 36 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 56/100 (based on 52,726 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_less_ordinary/

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

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Celine: Remember what they didn't teach you at Harvard Business School.
Robert: I didn't go to Harvard Business School!
Celine: That's a figure of speech, Robert.

Celine: If word got around that I had been liberated for half a million dollars, I could never show my face in polite society again. Diamonds have no value except that which is placed upon them.

Tod: Do you think that I'd talk to a dog? Do you think I'd ask a dog whether you're good or evil? What do you think I am? Some kind of crazy backwoods lunatic with a barn full of human skulls and a scythe that I sharpen every day in readiness for Armageddon?
Robert: No, no, not at all, I'm sure you're just a regular kind of guy.
Tod: Right, I'm regular, I am a regular man. I want... but that's not the point! The point is, who are YOU? WHO ARE YOU?

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Trailer:

Film Review: I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS (2009)

Directors: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa
Running time: 94 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Drama
UK Release date: 17th March 2010

Watched on Sky+ Friday 11th March 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a film I never thought I’d see… It’s really not my kind of thing. But it has been recommended several times, even by respected critics, and so when it came up on TV I thought I’d better give it a watch. There are some good performances and it works quite well as a comedy, but I found it more tragic than anything else. I will explain that later, but here’s a brief summary first (summary haters and those that don’t wish to know anything about the plot please help that guy over the wall while I write the next paragraph).

At the beginning of the film Steven Russell is a happily married cop with a beautiful wife, Deb, and a daughter. He is keeping a secret from them and, after a traffic accident; he decides to let it all out… He’s gay (hope that’s not a spoiler!). He leaves Deb and begins to live a life of excess, but as he soon discovers, ‘being gay is really expensive!’ This doesn’t deter Steven; he begins a series of scams and cons in order to finance his new found freedom. Unfortunately, there are consequences and eventually these catch up with him and he ends up in jail. There he meets the soft-spoken Phillip Morris and instantly falls in love with him. When they are released from jail the pair lives together and Steven gets a job… But he is keeping a secret from Phillip… I’ll leave it there in the interests of not giving spoilers away.

Based on a true story, and obviously a lot of poetic licence, I found this film entertaining at times, but also quite tragic. It was tragic in that the Steven Russell character finds it so hard to stop himself from conning people and no effort is made to stop him, or at least rehabilitate him. Even his lover doesn’t seem to recognise that he has a serious problem. Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it… Performance wise, Jim Carrey did a great job as Steven Russell, he’s bold, brash and everything you’d expect from Carrey. He does show he can do the dramatic stuff too, there are hints of the excellent work he did in The Truman Show (1998) and Man on the Moon (1999). I hardly recognised Ewan McGregor as Phillip Morris; he puts in the best performance in the film (IMO). Honourable mentions go to Leslie Mann as Deb and Rodrigo Santoro as Jimmy.

So, over all, it’s quite an entertaining film, in parts, but one that just didn’t quite hang together (for me). I felt the cons came too much to the fore and the relationship between Steven Russell and Phillip Morris became secondary. At the end of the day I didn’t quite believe the love story and so all that Steven Russell did just became ‘crazy antics’. Having said that, it’s still quite watchable… but not one I’ll watch again… Recommended, but just for one viewing.

My score: 6.3/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1045772/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/i_love_you_phillip_morris/
Official Site: http://www.phillipmorrismovie.net/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4149844249/

Film Review: THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (2009)

Director: Grant Heslov
Running time: 94 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 6th November 2009

Watched on Sky+ Monday 10th January 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Having heard the journalist, Jon Ronson, who wrote the book on which this film is based interviewed a couple of times I was intrigued to see this one. Unfortunately, these interviews were all broadcast around the time of the cinema release and I never got the opportunity to see it. Fortunately, it arrived on the BBC just over a year later and so my curiosity was finally satisfied. My thoughts later, but here’s a short summary first (summary haters please stare at those goats over there while I write the next paragraph… sorry, I couldn’t resist that one).

When journalist, Bob Wilton, is separated from his wife in 2002, he decides to go to Iraq to prove himself to her. Here he meets Lyn Skip Cassady, an ex-member of the U.S. Army’s New Earth Army. What’s that I hear you say, well, it’s a special unit set up in the 1980’s to look into using psychic powers as a means of winning a war. The unit was headed by Bill Django who had spent many years studying the ways of the more free-spirited Americans. As Bob and Lyn travel through Iraq Bob learns more about the work of the unit and how he may be involved in the secret mission Lyn is currently on. In flashback we learn that Lyn had a nemesis back at the unit, Larry Hooper, who was to turn up again before the end of the mission.

Although I did find a lot of the humour in this one quite funny, I did find the story a little weak. It’s a pretty well made film with some good performances but I felt a little let down by the plot, particularly the end. Performance wise, George Clooney never missed a beat as Lyn Skip Cassady, Ewan McGregor was ok as Bob Wilton, but he wasn’t really stretched, Jeff Bridges did a great impression of ‘The Dude’ as Bill Django and Kevin Spacey again wasn’t at all stretched as Larry Hooper.

I found it funny that a film starring Ewan McGregor featured an Army unit that called itself ‘The Jedi’. And there are plenty of other little jokes like this throughout the film. If it wasn’t for George Clooney and Jeff Bridges I guess I would have given a lower score, but they just about pushed it to a 6.5 for me. So, over all, if slightly unsatisfying, it’s still worth seeing for Messer’s Clooney and Bridges alone… Recommended (just).

My score: 6.5/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1234548/
Official Site: http://www.themenwhostareatgoatsmovie.com/#home
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi309003545/

Film Review: TRAINSPOTTING (1996)

Director: Danny Boyle
Running time: 94 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

UK release date: 23rd February 1996

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 9th January 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is Danny Boyle’s second feature film and I must admit that by the time I’d seen this one I was convinced he was Scottish. Fortunately I know better now. This one’s all about drug addiction and the consequences of it. Sounds a drag, but believe me, it’s one of the most entertaining films you’ll ever see! But more on my thoughts later, here’s a very brief summary first (summary haters please go cold turkey in the back room while I write the next paragraph).

Set, for the main part, in Scotland, this film tells the story of Renton and his friends, Spud, Sick Boy, Tommy and Begbie. It tells of their flirtations with heroin and all that brings. How they rip each other off, ruin each other’s relationships, get high, get low, get sick, get off the drug, get back on it again… it’s all here. Eventually Renton decides to get off it entirely and moves to London, but that is far from the end of it. I’m going to leave it deliberately brief and vague because this is a dish best served without too much prior knowledge my friend.

First of all, it’s a great script by John Hodge based on the novel by Irvine Welsh; add to that the directorial skill of Danny Boyle and you have a bit of a masterpiece on your hands. There are times where things do get a bit surreal, but I think it all adds to the brilliant execution of this tale. Really great performances all round, particularly from; Ewan McGregor as Renton, Ewen Bremner as Spud, Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy, Kevin McKidd as Tommy and Robert Carlyle as the psycho, Begbie.

There are scenes in this film that are quite hard to watch but I believe it is all included to show just how real the effects of drug addiction are. There is also a lot of humour in this film which, kind of, plays against the grain in a couple of places, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment too much. Over all, with an iconic soundtrack, some great performances, a tremendous script and some brilliant filmmaking, this one is very, very highly recommended.

My score: 9.2/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0117951/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi596088857/

Film Review: SHALLOW GRAVE (1994)

Director: Danny Boyle
Running time: 92 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

UK release date: 6th January 1995

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 8th January 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is the first feature film directed by Danny Boyle and I have seen it a few times now. I find it funny that when an artist becomes famous, people always look back at their early work, as if looking for the beginnings of that spark of genius. Me, well I just enjoy a well made film with some good performances and a decent plot. But more about my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters please hide in the attic and guard the cash).

Three young flatmates, Juliet Miller, a doctor, David Stephens, an accountant and Alex Law, a journalist, have a spare room and are looking for a new tenant. Having interviewed, and callously rejected, several applicants they finally settle on Hugo, a writer. He moves in and locks his door and that’s that last the trio see of him… alive that is. After a couple of days they break into his room to find him lying dead on his bed. Searching the room, Alex comes across a suitcase stuffed full of cash. After much debate it is decided to keep the cash and dispose of the body. At this point I’ll have to stop or I will give too much away, but needless to say, things don’t go exactly to plan.

Unfortunately this film was made in the nineties and the three main characters personify everything I hated about that era. They are greedy, arrogant and just about the most loathsome trio I would wish to meet. However, the story that’s played out on the screen is pretty good, so I stuck with it. Great performances all round, particularly from Christopher Eccleston who is brilliant as David, Ewan McGregor is particularly lithesome as Alex and Kerry Fox put in a good effort as Juliet.

As we’ve come to expect from Danny Boyle, this is a very well made film with great attention to detail. The star performance for me came from Christopher Eccleston; he gave us the full range of emotions here which made him stand out. If the three main characters weren’t quite so loathsome then maybe I would have given a higher score, but it’s definitely worth watching nonetheless… Recommended.

My score: 7.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0111149/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi1328349977/

Film Review: ANGELS & DEMONS (2009)

Director: Ron Howard
Running time: 138 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12

UK release date: 14th May 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 20th June 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Having previously seen this at the cinema, I thought it might be interesting to give it a second viewing on the small screen.

I had read the Dan Brown novel before seeing the film. There are a lot of differences between the two, but the main plot line of the book remains. The main difference being that the part of the Camerlengo, played by Ewan McGregor, is portrayed as an Irish man as opposed to an Italian in the book. I will try to not dwell too much on the differences between the novel and the film, so as to review the film as a stand-alone work. I must say though that Ron Howard is one of my favourite directors, having directed some of my all-time favourite films, including Cocoon (1985), A Beautiful Mind (2001) and the absolutely brilliant Apollo 13 (1995).

The Pope has died and his successor is to be chosen from the conclave of assembled Cardinals. Four of their number, the preferitti, have been kidnapped and the other Cardinals are unaware that a bomb, comprised of antimatter, has been hidden in the Vatican. Symbologist Robert Langdon is called in and he must decipher clues left the ancient group known as the Illuminati before the bomb goes off and the four kidnapped Cardinals are murdered. He has the help of beautiful physicist Vittoria Vetra, whose father was killed when the antimatter for the bomb was stolen and the head of the Swiss Guard, who protect the Vatican City, Commander Richter. There are many plot twists in this tale of treachery and revenge, as more clues are revealed and the Illuminati take retribution for centuries of persecution.

This is an exciting thriller with some great action and a fast-moving plot. I thought the cinematography and the costumes were very well done. The setting is Rome and the Vatican City, although I have read that the Catholic Church banned filming in any church. Given that, the locations were excellent. The performances by all of the main characters were also excellent, Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna, Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra and Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Richter. Honourable mentions go to Pierfrancesco Favino as Inspector Olivetti and Nikolaj Lie Kaas as the Assassin. Over all, an enjoyable, fast-moving thriller which had a quite complicated plot, so you have to concentrate. I did find it a little long though at 138 minutes but still recommended.

My score: 7/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0808151/
Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/angelsanddemons/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1394934553/