Film Review: RANGO (2011)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer (Screenplay): John Logan
Writers (Story): John Logan, Gore Verbinski & James Ward Byrkit
Running time: 103 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

Genre: Animation/Action/Adventure
UK Release date: 4^th March 2011

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 8^th January 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a film I’ve wanted to see for some time, although I didn’t know all that much about it. Recommendations did the trick, but it never made it to my local cinema and so I waited for a TV airing. As you can probably guess, it aired this week and I’m pleased to say the recommendations were correct! Although not quite up there with the best of the Pixar films, it’s still very entertaining and beautifully animated. I will give you my thoughts after this brief summary.

When a pet chameleon is involved in an accident that leaves him on a desert road, he looks for help. It first comes in the form of an old armadillo called Roadkill; he sets the chameleon off in the direction of the nearest town, Dirt. On the way he is picked up by Beans who is going to town for supplies for her ranch. Once there the chameleon enters the saloon where he makes himself out to be a bit of a hero… a hero called Rango! The townsfolk immediately make him the sheriff; but there’s a problem. The town is running out of water, there’s very little left in the bank and the mayor is behaving strangely. When the remaining water is stolen from the bank it’s up to Rango, and a posse, to go and bring it back. Also, can they solve the mystery of the disappearing water supply? Well, I’ll leave it there or the Spoiler Police will be confiscating my glass of nice cool refreshing water by my side here… (thirsty?).

As I’ve already said, it’s beautifully animated and well worth seeing just for that alone! As for performances, well everyone was very good, particularly Johnny Depp as Rango/Lars, he surprised me with this performance; very reminiscent, at times, of his character, Raoul Duke, in ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’. Isla Fisher as Beans and Abigail Breslin as Pricilla both put in great performances, as did Ned Beatty as the Mayor. Honourable mentions must also go to; Alfred Molina as Roadkill, Bill Nighy as Rattlesnake Jake, Stephen Root as Doc/Merrimack/Mr. Snuggles, Harry Dean Stanton as Balthazar, Timothy Olyphant as Spirit of the West and Ray Winstone as Bad Bill.

I must say I did like the offbeat style of this film, very reminiscent of an old Western but with a modern twist. Lots of slapstick comedy moments and some great sight gags add to the fun. A nice score by Hans Zimmer is interspersed by a nice collection of songs, principally performed by ‘Los Lobos’. Over all, I found this film very entertaining with some great animation; one I will definitely re-watch sometime… Recommended.

My score: 7.9/10.

IMDb Score: 7.4/10 (based on 57,195 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1192628/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 88/100 (based on 205 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 69/100 (based on 94,672 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rango/

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

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Rango: [after some kids throw rocks at him] Hey! What was that for?
Priscilla: You're funny-looking.
Rango: Well? You're funny-looking too.
Priscilla: That's a funny-looking shirt.
Rango: That's a funny-looking dress.
Priscilla: You got funny-looking eyes.
Rango: You got a funny-looking face!
Priscilla: [small pause] You're a stranger. Strangers don't last long here.
[walks away]

Rango: Reptiles gotta stick together, brother.
Buford: I'm an amphibian.
Rango: Ain't no shame in that.

Rango: [an arrow is sticking through Turley's head, entering in his right eye and coming out the left-rear side of his head; Rango looks disgusted] You've, uh... got something in your eye.
Sergeant Turley: [indicates his left eye, seemingly oblivious] Oh, that? That's conjunctivitis. It's hereditary.

Rango: Is this Heaven?
Spirit of the West: If it were, we'd be eating strawberry Pop-Tarts with Kim Novak.

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

Film Review: BURKE & HARE (2010)

Director: John Landis
Running time: 88 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Thriller
UK Release date: 29^th October 2010

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 17^th September 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

When I first heard they were making a film about the notorious grave robbers and murderers, Burke and Hare, I was quite interested. When I latterly heard it was to be a comedy, I was not only quite taken aback, but also quite annoyed! If you know their story you’ll know they were quite brutal and evil men who quite deserved their ultimate fate. To trivialise it seems quite wrong to me; however, I decided to face my demons and give it a viewing. Now, I always try to watch a film with an open mind and look for the good ahead of the (usually quite obvious) bad. With this in mind, I put aside my preconceptions and hit play on my Sky+ box. I’ll give you my thoughts after this brief summary (bet you knew I was gonna do that).

In the early nineteenth century Edinburgh was the place to be to learn about human anatomy. Two colleges competed for students and, consequently, dead bodies for them to study. Dr Robert Knox ran the Barclay School of Surgery and Dr Munro ran the Royal College of Surgeons. Munro was also a politician and used his position to ensure his school had a good supply of bodies from public executions and the like. This left Knox needing a supplier and this came in the form of two Irish immigrants, William Burke and William Hare. They stumbled into the business when one of Hare’s lodgers dies and they discover that Dr Knox would pay them good money for the corpse. They begin with grave robbing but find that a bit too much like hard work. Cutting out the middle man (as it were) they progress to murdering their victims. After a while the missing people are, well, missed and the local Militia begin to investigate… Is this the end for Burke and Hare? Well, if you know the story then you’ll know the answer, but I’m not going to say here or the Spoiler Police militia will have me strung up by dawn.

Quite a well made film that doesn’t tax the grey cells too much, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from John Landis. As far as the acting goes, everyone was good without any stand-out performances. Simon Pegg as William Burke and Andy Serkis as William Hare both did a decent job. Tom Wilkinson was quite proficient as Doctor Robert Knox, as was Tim Curry as Doctor Monro. Honourable mentions go to; Jessica Hynes as Lucky, Ronnie Corbett as Captain Tam McLintoch and Isla Fisher as Ginny Hawkins. Also there are nice cameo’s from Christopher Lee as Old Joseph, Paul Whitehouse as gentleman Drunk, Michael Winner as Gentleman Passenger, Stephen Merchant as Hollyrood Footman and Jenny Agutter as Lucy.

The film begins with the statement; “This is a true story, apart from the parts that are not”. Unfortunately, the filmmakers have kept up with the tradition of making the vast majority of the story up from “the parts that are not”. This is not the only problem for me, I found that in trying to make the main protagonists likeable they totally trivialised the positively evil acts they were committing, which, I’m sure many will agree, isn’t right. There’s a sub-plot about Burke using his money to finance a theatrical production that is used for some justification of his part in the crimes they were committing, but it didn’t really work (for me at least). It’s not all bad though, I did like some of the less obvious humour on show, the nod to Greyfriars Bobby was quite a welcome distraction but over all I’m afraid I didn’t find it charming, funny, or ever “Outrageously Funny” as I’ve seen on a poster or two. Over all, yes, there are a few laughs on the way, but it soon falls flat on its arse and doesn’t really get up again… Not recommended.

My Score: 3.7/10.

IMDb Score: 6.1/10 (based on 4,467 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1320239/

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 36/100 (based on 45 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/burke_and_hare/

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

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
William Burke: She is an actress, not a whore.
William Hare: What’s the difference?

LINKS:
Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BurkeandHareMovie
Trailer: