Star Wars is well and truly back, baby! Ever since Disney acquired the rights from 'LucasFilm' in 2012, there's been a seemingly endless wave of new Star Wars movies, comic books, animated series, video games - its literally everywhere. I genuinely saw 3 different 'Star Wars: Battlefront II' trailers before 'The Last Jedi' had even begun. Due to the sheer density of Star Wars in the media right now, it was very important that Episode VIII was a fresh take on what had come before it. After all, despite 'The Force Awakens' being really terrific, one of the biggest complaints of Episode VII was that it retread a lot of old ground and was at times just a retelling of 'A New Hope'. Thankfully, it appears that the studio has allowed director Rian Johnson enough creative control that he has been able to craft a film that feels very much like his vision of Star Wars. There are of course references to it's predecessors, but on the whole Episode VIII takes the Star Wars universe in a fresh and immensely exciting direction - which is just one of the many reasons why 'The Last Jedi' is fantastic.
The story follows on directly after the events of 'The Force Awakens'. The galaxy is in a state of turmoil. Despite the rebel's victory destroying 'Starkiller base', they are fleeing the wrath of the First Order. Rey has gone off in search of Luke Skywalker and answers about her newly discovered force powers.
The performances on the whole are superb. The new trio of heroes established in Episode VII are all great, with the most interesting developments in character given to Rey and Poe. Mark Hamill is amazing as returning Luke Skywalker, made bitter and hateful by years of neglect and self-hatred due to a mistake made in his past, before being given one last stand as the 'legend' that Episode VI made him. Adam Driver's Kylo Ren is truly incredible. He balances simmering anger with a naive and childish spite masterfully and the conflicted nature of his character makes him both an intriguing and terrifying villain. New additions such as Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern), Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and DJ (Benicio Del Toro) all play really well. Andy Serkis gives yet another impressive turn as Snoke. Special mention though must go to Carrie Fisher. Perhaps it's bias created by the influence of her passing, but her performance here is heartfelt and quite frankly mesmerising. It's a beautiful send off to one of the most beloved movie characters of all time.
The action on show is amazing. Frantic yet meaningful space battles, intense fight scenes and one of the best lightsaber duels in the whole franchise. There are a few instances of CGI that are a little bit shaky, but on the whole the film looks great. Yet all of the action and explosions are undercut by several lengthy pauses and even silences that are included to give the audience time to breathe. This is perhaps unusual from an action-packed blockbuster, but the time for reflection that they present to the audience gives each action set piece so much more in terms of emotional impact. There's one silence in particular which, coupled with some stunning visuals, brought a tear to my eye.
I do have some complaints. The movie does feel overly long, which I think is perhaps due to some of the subplots being much less interesting than the main narrative of the film. As a result, you do feel like some scenes could have been cut to allow more time with the main protagonists. There is one chase sequence in the middle of the film that feels very referential to the prequels (in the worst of ways) and ends up contributing very little to the story, which does beg the question why include it? Also, whilst there are some generally funny moments, lots of the jokes do feel slightly out of place and it's almost a shame to see Domhnall Gleeson's General Hux reduced from a Nazi-esque antagonist to comic relief in this movie.
However, one of the strongest elements of this film is the way it advances the Star Wars world in creative and interesting ways. There are answers offered to many of the mysteries posed in 'The Force Awakens', but the ways in which they are handled and dismissed are genuinely shocking and brilliant in equal measure. There are call-backs and references to everything that has come before it (which will have your inner child punching the air with joy), but they are balanced really well with innovative ideas and concepts that I really hope to see developed further in the future.
I liked the original Star Wars movies yet I never really understood what all the obsessive fandom was about. My moment of realisation was getting goosebumps from seeing the title crawl for Episode VII in a movie theatre for the first time and as the iconic theme tune blared out, I finally understood. They had recaptured the magic of Star Wars and re-gifted it to my generation. Personally, I really enjoyed 'The Force Awakens' but 'The Last Jedi' is a step up. A perfect blend of original ideas with classic elements that all contributes to an emotional rollercoaster of a movie. Highly recommended - I can't wait to see it again.
4/5 Stars
Monday 18 December 2017
Monday 20 November 2017
'Justice League' Spoiler free review
The odds were, undoubtedly, stacked against Justice League being a success even before it was released. Burdened by being a part of the much maligned DCEU and being under immense pressure to continue the upward curve that appeared to have begun with Wonder Woman earlier this year, people's expectations for Justice League have been pretty low. Personally, I was cautiously optimistic. I was hopeful that DC had learnt their lessons and confident that, at the very least, this entry could't be any worse than some of its predecessors. I was wrong. My optimism and goodwill towards this movie (and lets face, it the franchise as a whole at this point) has now all but disappeared, because Justice League is a bad movie.
After Superman's death in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) is a changed man. Fearful of a imminent otherworldly invasion, he seeks the help of Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to assemble a team to defend the world now that their 'beacon of hope' is gone. With the help of Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller), the heroes must unite in order to stop the villainous Steppenwolf and his army from destroying our world.
I will start with the positives, despite there not being many. To me, the undisputed best part of this film is Superman. Shock horror - he's back from the dead. Despite his resurrection being a bizarre mixture of incredibly convoluted and stupidly basic, its well worth it because in my opinion this is the best interpretation of Superman that has ever been put to screen. The crying and the scowling from the previous movies is gone, replaced by a comic accurate suit, an insanely overpowered skill set and, perhaps most importantly, a smile. He can finally be seen as the symbol of hope that he was always meant to be. His dialogue is somewhat cheesy and the difference in his power-levels in comparison to the other members is hilarious, but that's exactly what I want from Superman. Hands down the strongest part of the film. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is also a strong as ever. Stepping into a leadership role in Kal El's initial absence, she is powerful and gorgeous in equal measure and Gadot makes her really endearing and likeable to the audience. However, there are several occasions where she is needlessly over-sexualised, which goes against everything that was established about the character in her solo film. I enjoyed Jason Momoa's Aquaman and was really impressed by Ray Fisher in his first cinematic performance. Generally, all the heroes get equal chance to showcase their abilities and contribute something to the team, which can be difficult in large ensemble films but is handled well here. Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons and J.K. Simmons are all good, given that they have very little to do. However, there is little else about this movie that I didn't hate.
I do feel genuinely bad for Ben Affleck. For all the criticism that the DCEU has received, his performances as Batman have always been one of the strongest parts of this franchise. However, the stresses of critical panning and constant bombardment from fans asking 'Hey, when are you gonna direct the Batman movie?' has clearly taken a toll on him and it's painfully evident here. Throughout Affleck's performance is static and poor, clearly the result of his general boredom and disinterest with this project and this series as a whole. You can tell that he's only here to cash his pay cheque until he can eventually find a way out of this hellish role. I can't blame him. Why would anyone want to commit to continue having your work torn apart by critics and fans alike? The other weak point in the performances is Ezra Miller's Flash. I don't necessarily think its the fault of the actor, but I hated this portrayal. He's intended to provide comic relief, yet without exception everyone of his punchlines felt forced and left an uncomfortable silence. The funniest part about him is Miller's pathetic run. The effect of his speed-force is pretty good, but it's never really used for anything.
In fact, despite trying desperately hard to be, this film is not funny. At all. All the best jokes were used in the trailers so had no impact upon viewing and the rest were unmemorable and again left almost eerie silences among the audience. I'm not quite sure how this is possible, given the fact that Joss Whedon, the man who's quips brought The Avengers to life back in 2012 was responsible for much of the dialogue. Yet here, the dialogue is awful, interactions between character is uninspired and at times boring and the humour has clearly been forced into a universe that was not built for it. People have been asking for the DC movies to be more lighthearted, and this certainly is, but it's such a knee-jerk change from the dark and gritty Batman vs Superman that it feels wholly unnatural and unearned.
Due to the tragic and untimely death of his daughter, Zach Snyder stepped away from the project back in March and Joss Whedon was hired to finish what he has started. Unfortunately, this has been to the detriment of this film. It's clear to see where the two differing ideologies of these filmmakers has been squashed together and it quite simply doesn't mesh. The story is practically paint by numbers, to the point where if you've seen one of the trailers for this film, you know exactly what is going to happen. There are no twists and turns along the way. The villain is just awful. Visually uninteresting and with dull one-note motivations he is no more entertaining than any of him army of faceless para-demons, which also feels very played out by this point. I don't understand how it's possible to make a film with such great characters boring, but they achieved it.
Coupled with the uninteresting story, is a lack on any memorable action scenes. With only one or two exceptions, the set pieces are poorly paced and offer very little enjoyment. Snyder's favourite slow motion shot is yet again massively over used and there are examples of action beats that have literally been ripped straight from Avengers Assemble but are somehow executed worse. Quite remarkably, despite having a whopping $300 million budget to cover Whedon's reshoots, the visuals in his movie range from quite good to simply God awful. The design of the villain is poor, there are some excruciatingly obvious location changes that have been horribly green-screened over and the attempt to digitally remove Henry Cavill's moustache is frankly laughable.
I cannot help but wonder, if I had not seen a Marvel movie would I have enjoyed this. Potentially. Unfortunately for DC though, I have and in a year where the MCU has released 3 great movies they needed something infinitely better than this to stay relevant. It's infuriating the amount of potential that is wasted here. It baffles me that two directors with such an iconic group of characters backed up by a undeniably strong cast and a $300 million budget couldn't make better than this. Uninspiring, uninteresting and on the whole a massive let down - though to be honest I don't know why I expected anything else.
2/5 Stars
After Superman's death in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) is a changed man. Fearful of a imminent otherworldly invasion, he seeks the help of Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to assemble a team to defend the world now that their 'beacon of hope' is gone. With the help of Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller), the heroes must unite in order to stop the villainous Steppenwolf and his army from destroying our world.
I will start with the positives, despite there not being many. To me, the undisputed best part of this film is Superman. Shock horror - he's back from the dead. Despite his resurrection being a bizarre mixture of incredibly convoluted and stupidly basic, its well worth it because in my opinion this is the best interpretation of Superman that has ever been put to screen. The crying and the scowling from the previous movies is gone, replaced by a comic accurate suit, an insanely overpowered skill set and, perhaps most importantly, a smile. He can finally be seen as the symbol of hope that he was always meant to be. His dialogue is somewhat cheesy and the difference in his power-levels in comparison to the other members is hilarious, but that's exactly what I want from Superman. Hands down the strongest part of the film. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is also a strong as ever. Stepping into a leadership role in Kal El's initial absence, she is powerful and gorgeous in equal measure and Gadot makes her really endearing and likeable to the audience. However, there are several occasions where she is needlessly over-sexualised, which goes against everything that was established about the character in her solo film. I enjoyed Jason Momoa's Aquaman and was really impressed by Ray Fisher in his first cinematic performance. Generally, all the heroes get equal chance to showcase their abilities and contribute something to the team, which can be difficult in large ensemble films but is handled well here. Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons and J.K. Simmons are all good, given that they have very little to do. However, there is little else about this movie that I didn't hate.
I do feel genuinely bad for Ben Affleck. For all the criticism that the DCEU has received, his performances as Batman have always been one of the strongest parts of this franchise. However, the stresses of critical panning and constant bombardment from fans asking 'Hey, when are you gonna direct the Batman movie?' has clearly taken a toll on him and it's painfully evident here. Throughout Affleck's performance is static and poor, clearly the result of his general boredom and disinterest with this project and this series as a whole. You can tell that he's only here to cash his pay cheque until he can eventually find a way out of this hellish role. I can't blame him. Why would anyone want to commit to continue having your work torn apart by critics and fans alike? The other weak point in the performances is Ezra Miller's Flash. I don't necessarily think its the fault of the actor, but I hated this portrayal. He's intended to provide comic relief, yet without exception everyone of his punchlines felt forced and left an uncomfortable silence. The funniest part about him is Miller's pathetic run. The effect of his speed-force is pretty good, but it's never really used for anything.
In fact, despite trying desperately hard to be, this film is not funny. At all. All the best jokes were used in the trailers so had no impact upon viewing and the rest were unmemorable and again left almost eerie silences among the audience. I'm not quite sure how this is possible, given the fact that Joss Whedon, the man who's quips brought The Avengers to life back in 2012 was responsible for much of the dialogue. Yet here, the dialogue is awful, interactions between character is uninspired and at times boring and the humour has clearly been forced into a universe that was not built for it. People have been asking for the DC movies to be more lighthearted, and this certainly is, but it's such a knee-jerk change from the dark and gritty Batman vs Superman that it feels wholly unnatural and unearned.
Due to the tragic and untimely death of his daughter, Zach Snyder stepped away from the project back in March and Joss Whedon was hired to finish what he has started. Unfortunately, this has been to the detriment of this film. It's clear to see where the two differing ideologies of these filmmakers has been squashed together and it quite simply doesn't mesh. The story is practically paint by numbers, to the point where if you've seen one of the trailers for this film, you know exactly what is going to happen. There are no twists and turns along the way. The villain is just awful. Visually uninteresting and with dull one-note motivations he is no more entertaining than any of him army of faceless para-demons, which also feels very played out by this point. I don't understand how it's possible to make a film with such great characters boring, but they achieved it.
Coupled with the uninteresting story, is a lack on any memorable action scenes. With only one or two exceptions, the set pieces are poorly paced and offer very little enjoyment. Snyder's favourite slow motion shot is yet again massively over used and there are examples of action beats that have literally been ripped straight from Avengers Assemble but are somehow executed worse. Quite remarkably, despite having a whopping $300 million budget to cover Whedon's reshoots, the visuals in his movie range from quite good to simply God awful. The design of the villain is poor, there are some excruciatingly obvious location changes that have been horribly green-screened over and the attempt to digitally remove Henry Cavill's moustache is frankly laughable.
I cannot help but wonder, if I had not seen a Marvel movie would I have enjoyed this. Potentially. Unfortunately for DC though, I have and in a year where the MCU has released 3 great movies they needed something infinitely better than this to stay relevant. It's infuriating the amount of potential that is wasted here. It baffles me that two directors with such an iconic group of characters backed up by a undeniably strong cast and a $300 million budget couldn't make better than this. Uninspiring, uninteresting and on the whole a massive let down - though to be honest I don't know why I expected anything else.
2/5 Stars
Sunday 29 October 2017
'Thor:Ragnarok' spoiler free review
A crucial element to the success of Marvel Studio's cinematic universe is the diversity between each entry. Despite all featuring in the same world, each film covers vastly different themes and storylines. Captain America:The Winter Soldier was a paranoid spy thriller, Ant Man was a heist comedy and the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is a glorified space opera. This is surely due to the wide array of directors Marvel have assigned to their projects. Of the 17 MCU movies, 13 different directors have been at the helm, all offering their own spin on the superhero genre. The appointment of Taika Watiti for 'Thor:Ragnarok' was a left of field and perhaps slightly risky choice, but it has absolutely paid off as he has crafted perhaps the most odd and audacious movie yet. A surreal mix of entertaining and consequential action and outrageously daft humour that is blended extremely well - 'Thor:Ragnarok' is a fast paced, genuinely hilarious romp.
In exile on the other side of the universe, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must do battle with a very familiar face and enlist the help of his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and new ally Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) in order to return to Asgard to prevent the all powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home and its people.
Despite being the definitive 3rd entry in the Thor series, 'Ragnarok' is a vast departure from anything we have seen from his character before. It was a wise move for the franchise to leave behind the regal stoicism of the first film and the dreary and uninspired nature of the sequel. Chris Hemsworth is an actor with incredible comedic understanding and timing and under the genius vision of Taika Watiti, he is finally allowed to show off this talent in a way that the MCU has never demonstrated before. He's still big-headed, noble and at times ignorant but this is coupled with new found sense of humour. Sometimes he means to be funny, others not so much but he's hilarious throughout the film. In fact, everybody is. You can see how much fun the actors are having bouncing their lines of dialogue off each other. Mark Ruffalo offers his best Marvel performance yet as Hulk and Bruce Banner. Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie offers a perfect counterpart to Thor. Tom Hiddleston is charming and devious as always, but even he gets his comedic moments which he handles very well. Jeff Goldblum goes all into his role as the eccentric and unhinged Grandmaster. Idriss Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch and Anthony Hopkins are all great in more fleeting roles. Cate Blanchett offers one of the most powerful and menacing Marvel villains yet in the Goddess of Death. Her strength is demonstrated almost instantly and she proves a worthy adversary to Thor. Taika Watiti even appears as the loveable Korg, who is one of the most enjoyable parts of the film.
The tone of this movie is spot on. It incorporates classic elements of superhero movies and combines them with the outlandish nature of the director's comedic brain. Slapstick is balanced perfectly with more cheeky irreverent humour, that feels fresh out of What we do in the the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, is all executed brilliantly by the cast. It could be argued that at times more serious moments are undercut by the use of a pun, but on the whole the high stakes are partnered with the levity really well.
There are also some stunning action set pieces. Hela's initial conquest of Asgard, high speed spaceships battles and the Hulk taking on a giant wolf all spring to mind as highlights. The Thor vs Hulk showdown does not disappoint. It was the part of the trailer that got everyone excited and it fully delivers. It's funny, tragic and throughly entertaining to watch.
There are certain freedoms allowed to directors by having your film set away from earth. Much like in Guardians of the Galaxy, there's really no restriction to the sets and characters you can implement and this movie does not hold back. Of course its nice to see the golden streets of Asgard again, but the star of the show is Sakar. A junk planet used by the rest of the galaxy to dump their unwanted crap turned into a gladiator arena by the Grandmaster. Miles and miles of weird and wonderful alien tech, three headed aliens and a giant hologram of Jeff Goldblum. Sakar acts as a physical example of the style of this film. Its colourful, camp and at times very stupid but its all intentional to assure that the audience has as much fun as possible whilst watching, which he has definitely achieved.
Taika Watiti (Honestly, I cannot stop saying his name, I mean seriously try saying it aloud) recently said in an interview that he was sick of the current state of our world and wants to offer his audiences and fun and ridiculous escape. He has achieved this and then some. His direction and general approach to filmmaking has breathed new life into an already tremendous cast who all offer hilarious performances. As Marvel movies go, its certainly one of the weirdest and most ridiculous we've seen but its also right up their with the very best of them. I promise you that you will leave 'Thor:Ragnarok' with a grin plastered across your face.
4/5 Stars.
In exile on the other side of the universe, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must do battle with a very familiar face and enlist the help of his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and new ally Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) in order to return to Asgard to prevent the all powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home and its people.
Despite being the definitive 3rd entry in the Thor series, 'Ragnarok' is a vast departure from anything we have seen from his character before. It was a wise move for the franchise to leave behind the regal stoicism of the first film and the dreary and uninspired nature of the sequel. Chris Hemsworth is an actor with incredible comedic understanding and timing and under the genius vision of Taika Watiti, he is finally allowed to show off this talent in a way that the MCU has never demonstrated before. He's still big-headed, noble and at times ignorant but this is coupled with new found sense of humour. Sometimes he means to be funny, others not so much but he's hilarious throughout the film. In fact, everybody is. You can see how much fun the actors are having bouncing their lines of dialogue off each other. Mark Ruffalo offers his best Marvel performance yet as Hulk and Bruce Banner. Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie offers a perfect counterpart to Thor. Tom Hiddleston is charming and devious as always, but even he gets his comedic moments which he handles very well. Jeff Goldblum goes all into his role as the eccentric and unhinged Grandmaster. Idriss Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch and Anthony Hopkins are all great in more fleeting roles. Cate Blanchett offers one of the most powerful and menacing Marvel villains yet in the Goddess of Death. Her strength is demonstrated almost instantly and she proves a worthy adversary to Thor. Taika Watiti even appears as the loveable Korg, who is one of the most enjoyable parts of the film.
The tone of this movie is spot on. It incorporates classic elements of superhero movies and combines them with the outlandish nature of the director's comedic brain. Slapstick is balanced perfectly with more cheeky irreverent humour, that feels fresh out of What we do in the the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, is all executed brilliantly by the cast. It could be argued that at times more serious moments are undercut by the use of a pun, but on the whole the high stakes are partnered with the levity really well.
There are also some stunning action set pieces. Hela's initial conquest of Asgard, high speed spaceships battles and the Hulk taking on a giant wolf all spring to mind as highlights. The Thor vs Hulk showdown does not disappoint. It was the part of the trailer that got everyone excited and it fully delivers. It's funny, tragic and throughly entertaining to watch.
There are certain freedoms allowed to directors by having your film set away from earth. Much like in Guardians of the Galaxy, there's really no restriction to the sets and characters you can implement and this movie does not hold back. Of course its nice to see the golden streets of Asgard again, but the star of the show is Sakar. A junk planet used by the rest of the galaxy to dump their unwanted crap turned into a gladiator arena by the Grandmaster. Miles and miles of weird and wonderful alien tech, three headed aliens and a giant hologram of Jeff Goldblum. Sakar acts as a physical example of the style of this film. Its colourful, camp and at times very stupid but its all intentional to assure that the audience has as much fun as possible whilst watching, which he has definitely achieved.
Taika Watiti (Honestly, I cannot stop saying his name, I mean seriously try saying it aloud) recently said in an interview that he was sick of the current state of our world and wants to offer his audiences and fun and ridiculous escape. He has achieved this and then some. His direction and general approach to filmmaking has breathed new life into an already tremendous cast who all offer hilarious performances. As Marvel movies go, its certainly one of the weirdest and most ridiculous we've seen but its also right up their with the very best of them. I promise you that you will leave 'Thor:Ragnarok' with a grin plastered across your face.
4/5 Stars.
Saturday 21 October 2017
Blade Runner 2049 spoiler free review
Making a good sequel is an extremely difficult task. Finding the right balance between further exploring the elements that made the first movie successful and creating new and interesting advancements in characters and worlds is a very enviable skill, particularly as many sequels tend to end up ruining the charm of their predecessors in the interest of making it 'bigger and better'. A good example of this is the recent 'Kingsman' sequel. Don't get me wrong - its a good movie. Yet it pales in comparison to the first, as it's attempts to be even more outrageous and ridiculous crossed the line into stupidity and the message of the original was seemingly cast aside. This is coupled with the fact that Blade Runner came out over 30 years ago (to a critical panning upon release), meaning that the sequel had to appeal to an almost wholly new audience, whilst still pleasing the cult fan base. Thankfully, Denis Villeneuve has passed this tricky test with flying colours, as Blade Runner 2049 is simply spectacular.
Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is one of the new era of Blade Runners, tasked with 'retiring' all prior models to Niander Wallace's (Jered Leto) supposedly more compliant Nexus 9 variants. K discovers a long buried secret that could potentially reshape society and the existence of replicants. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) in search of answers to the mystery he has unraveled. There really isn't much more you need to know going in to this movie. There are many twists and revelations (some of which coming very early in the film) which I feel are made all the more engaging if you don't know they're coming.
The performances are fantastic throughout, from all members of the cast. Ryan Gosling absolutely kills this roll and cements his place as one of my favourite current actors. His performance is immensely captivating, as a cold hearted killer who gradually becomes more emotionally conflicted as the story progresses. He's likeable, relatable and serves as a great action hero. Harrison Ford also really shines. His role is briefer than you might expect, but seeing how Deckard has changed and grown in the years since the first movie is entertaining and quite moving. Jared Leto goes all in, as he so often does, and to his credit he does come off a sinister and unhinged. Sylvia Hoeks is surprising and brilliant. She serves as Wallace's slave but also a Terminator-esque killing machine that can murder a man with a single tap. She's menacing and terrifying to watch, probably stealing the spotlight from Leto as the films main villain. Dave Bautista offers perhaps his best performance in a movie so far and Robin Wright, Ana de Armas and Carla Juri all do amazing work in brief yet impressive roles.
Visually, the film is incredible. Just like the original, its a perfect blend of digital and practical effects that are all stunning to watch. The colour palette alone is a thing to behold - the rich orange of the Las Vegas dessert, the dark gritty blues of the LA streets and the sterile whiteness of Wallace's facilities all complement and contrast each other exceptionally well. Sound is also handled very well - the mix of screen shaking synthesisers and eerie silences gives a much more sinister tone to the score than the first movie and creates some extremely tense scenes.
Of course, propping up this visually baffling universe is an intriguing and clever narrative. Its fascinating to see how people opinions of replicants has changed as the line between humans and robots becomes increasingly blurred and serious questions are posed about what it means to be human and what does it mean for something to really 'live'. The ideas are explored in much more depth here than in Blade Runner and its extremely welcome.
As much as I enjoy the first movie, a fair criticism is that it does drag at times and whilst the long unbroken shots of the city skylines are breathtaking to look at, they do go on a bit in parts. You might expect a similar fate for the sequel, given that it comes in at a whopping 2 hours and 43 minutes. The movie does feel long, but at no point does it ever bore you. The flat out action scenes are, just like the original, few and far between but what we do get is fantastic. Spinner crashes, gun fights and replicants beating the shit out each other in very visceral yet stylised ways. Yet a lot of the film creates tension and excitement in other ways. Lengthy, unnerving silences and the increasing aggressiveness of the score offer just as much to the audience as any of the action. The way that the action is blended with the lingering shots of mesmerising scenery is done perfectly and means that the movie never starts to meander in the way the first did.
I cannot urge you enough to rush out and see Blade Runner 2049. It's in my opinion the perfect sequel. It does justice to the original through homage, whilst advancing the universe and it's characters in new and meaningful ways. Visually exceptional, captivating storyline and outstanding performances. One of the best films of 2017.
5/5 stars.
5/5 stars.
Saturday 14 October 2017
'The Meyerowitz Stories' Review
Adam Sandler is, at his core, a decent actor. Before you start laughing at this statement, allow me to explain. Granted, the movies that he appears in are more often than not terrible, but its undeniable that as a performer he does quirky outlandish humour very well and with the right direction and supporting cast around him he is more than capable of carrying a role and even a movie. The Meyerowitz Stories serves as a handy reminder of just what he can do.
The narrative of the story (or stories as the movie is split into three connected chapters) is a simple yet extremely effective one. Retired New York sculptor Harold Meyerowitz (Dustin Hoffman) is offered a chance to get 'back on the map' through an art retrospective by his daughter Jean (Elizabeth Marvel) and two sons, high flying Matthew (Ben Stiller) and low life Danny (Adam Sandler). The reunion of these differing personalities quickly leads to half-buried arguments come bubbling to the surface.
The performances of each and every member of this cast are amazing, especially Sandler. As a great father but a disappointment in the eyes of his own, he really makes this role his. He's funny, endearing and extremely relatable. The audience can sympathise with every knock-back, which Danny has seen his fair share of. Ben Stiller also really shines. Another actor who due to the low quality of most of his movies has a stigma associated with him, he portrays the polar opposite of Danny. He's rich, successful and obsessed over by his father (not that he would ever tell him). Both Stiller and Noah Baumbach (both writer and director) handle this character really well. Despite their obvious differences, Danny and Matthew are both striving for the same goal of their father's affection and respect, whilst approaching from the opposite ends of the spectrum. Of course, as this is their third appearance on screen together, Sandler and Stiller share great chemistry and watching them repair their damaged relationship is the real emotional crux of the movie. Similarly, Hoffman delivers a strong performance. He is by all accounts the villain of the piece, and if he wasn't so unintentionally hilarious he'd be near insufferable to the audience. Yet Hoffman brings a boyish charm to this dysfunctional old man. Elizabeth Marvel's Jean serves a good middle ground between her brothers and proves to be just as damaged as her siblings. Emma Thompson and Grace Van Patten both have a lot of fun in their roles and wrap up this mess of a family nicely.
Now being an Sandler/Stiller movie, there is an un-written requirement for a certain kind of comedy to be included. Strong language, dialogue that arrives at break-neck speeds and even an hilariously hapless Sandler on Stiller fist fight that will have all Happy Gilmore fans appeased. To the film's credit, its funny. Very funny. Yet under this veil of a light hearted comedy, there is an at times heart breaking tale off the adults who due to different forms of mental abuse from their father are all equally, as Jean puts it so eloquently, 'f*cked up'. All three have never truly been allowed to grow up, Matthew's success in business was all to gain his father's approval, Danny nearly breaks down when he hears the family house is being sold and Jean is haunted by incidents that I won't spoil. The realisation the three siblings undergo - that they will not resent their father's attempts at parenting as they want to be better than him - is truly compelling. Coupled with themes of betrayal, redemption, acceptance and Danny saying goodbye to his daughter as she leaves for college make this core of this movie profound and sincere, which is blended perfectly with the outrageous sense of humour.
Overall, I was massively impressed and surprised by The Meyerowitz Stories. Its a genuinely great movie. Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller offer the undoubted best performances of their careers and supported by an excellent cast they hold up narrative that is both hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure. And it's now available on Netflix from the comfort of your sofa. What could be better than that?
4/5 Stars
The narrative of the story (or stories as the movie is split into three connected chapters) is a simple yet extremely effective one. Retired New York sculptor Harold Meyerowitz (Dustin Hoffman) is offered a chance to get 'back on the map' through an art retrospective by his daughter Jean (Elizabeth Marvel) and two sons, high flying Matthew (Ben Stiller) and low life Danny (Adam Sandler). The reunion of these differing personalities quickly leads to half-buried arguments come bubbling to the surface.
The performances of each and every member of this cast are amazing, especially Sandler. As a great father but a disappointment in the eyes of his own, he really makes this role his. He's funny, endearing and extremely relatable. The audience can sympathise with every knock-back, which Danny has seen his fair share of. Ben Stiller also really shines. Another actor who due to the low quality of most of his movies has a stigma associated with him, he portrays the polar opposite of Danny. He's rich, successful and obsessed over by his father (not that he would ever tell him). Both Stiller and Noah Baumbach (both writer and director) handle this character really well. Despite their obvious differences, Danny and Matthew are both striving for the same goal of their father's affection and respect, whilst approaching from the opposite ends of the spectrum. Of course, as this is their third appearance on screen together, Sandler and Stiller share great chemistry and watching them repair their damaged relationship is the real emotional crux of the movie. Similarly, Hoffman delivers a strong performance. He is by all accounts the villain of the piece, and if he wasn't so unintentionally hilarious he'd be near insufferable to the audience. Yet Hoffman brings a boyish charm to this dysfunctional old man. Elizabeth Marvel's Jean serves a good middle ground between her brothers and proves to be just as damaged as her siblings. Emma Thompson and Grace Van Patten both have a lot of fun in their roles and wrap up this mess of a family nicely.
Now being an Sandler/Stiller movie, there is an un-written requirement for a certain kind of comedy to be included. Strong language, dialogue that arrives at break-neck speeds and even an hilariously hapless Sandler on Stiller fist fight that will have all Happy Gilmore fans appeased. To the film's credit, its funny. Very funny. Yet under this veil of a light hearted comedy, there is an at times heart breaking tale off the adults who due to different forms of mental abuse from their father are all equally, as Jean puts it so eloquently, 'f*cked up'. All three have never truly been allowed to grow up, Matthew's success in business was all to gain his father's approval, Danny nearly breaks down when he hears the family house is being sold and Jean is haunted by incidents that I won't spoil. The realisation the three siblings undergo - that they will not resent their father's attempts at parenting as they want to be better than him - is truly compelling. Coupled with themes of betrayal, redemption, acceptance and Danny saying goodbye to his daughter as she leaves for college make this core of this movie profound and sincere, which is blended perfectly with the outrageous sense of humour.
Overall, I was massively impressed and surprised by The Meyerowitz Stories. Its a genuinely great movie. Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller offer the undoubted best performances of their careers and supported by an excellent cast they hold up narrative that is both hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure. And it's now available on Netflix from the comfort of your sofa. What could be better than that?
4/5 Stars
Tuesday 10 October 2017
Kingsman: The Golden Circle review
Matthew Vaughn has a real knack for bringing fun into each film he makes. Even before Kingsman: The Secret Service, he had created an epic fantasy in Stardust and in Kick Ass he managed to make superheroes fun again before Marvel Studios had the genre on strings. Yet Kingsman was something else. He managed to make the current run of James Bond movies, which were universally praised, look boring in comparison to his clever twist on the spy concept. It was ridiculous, hilarious and hugely over the top - but it absolutely worked and succeeded in its task to bring the irreverence back to the British Spy films that had been missing since the Moore era of Bond. I am pleased to report that the follow up Kingsman: The Golden Circle is much of the same. It's an action packed romp of a movie.
With their headquarters destroyed and the world held hostage by a psychotic Cartel leader, the Kingsman must seek the help of their American counterparts, Statesman in order to save the world again.
The returning members of cast all give great performances. It's very satisfying to see Taron Egerton's 'Eggsy' developed from a London youth without direction in life into the suave gentlemen spy we see in this movie. Whilst the return of Colin Firth does somewhat undermine Eggsy's character growth, he is a welcome inclusion and the two share some great on screen chemistry. Mark Strong's Merlin is also explored further in this film and its nice to see how he and Eggsy have changed and bonded even further in Harry's absence. Of the new cast members, I have some complaints. Of the big names that were added to the cast, many if not all of them are underused. Jeff Bridges and Halle Berry's roles are both fleeting and Channing Tatum is barely in the movie despite featuring heavily in the promotional material. Pedro Pascal has a decent go at Agent Whiskey, but some of the writing for his character is quite poor and he could easily be swapped out for another character. Julianne Moore's villainous Poppy is also considerably weaker than the first films big bad. Yet again the performance is fine, yet her character is a little underwhelming in comparison to Samuel L. Jackson's 'Valentine' and I didn't buy many of her motivations and character developments. There is also an Elton John cameo, which initially is very funny but is massively overused and steals screen time from some of the actual characters.
If you didn't like The Secret Service then this movie is not for you, as there are many returning elements that are undoubtably the strongest parts of this film. Fast paced, super violent yet stylised fight scenes, some gripping action set pieces and a whole host of new and exciting gadgets for the agents to employ. Unsurprisingly, the best elements of this movie are those that are taken from the first. Call backs to conversations, jokes and fight scenes are all present and offer rewarding chuckles to the audience. However, there are some bizarre creative choices in this film. The core concept and execution of many of the films themes and ideas is not as good. There's one particular moment that is intended to mock the incredibly sexist nature of Bond movies just as the outrageous anal joke did the first time round, but actually becomes very vulgar and uncomfortable to watch. I wonder if perhaps this is due to studio interference, who after seeing the success of the first movie were so eager for another that they didn't allow the necessary time for the writing and script to be as strong as they needed to be.
I had heard a lot of negative press about 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' before I saw it and I have to say that I feel its very unjustified. Is it as good as the first? No. Is it a perfect movie? Far from it. But its funny, action heavy and a well executed continuation of the story. There are some missed opportunities and elements that don't need to be included, but its still an enjoyable movie that I would recommend seeing, especially if you love the first.
3/5 Stars
With their headquarters destroyed and the world held hostage by a psychotic Cartel leader, the Kingsman must seek the help of their American counterparts, Statesman in order to save the world again.
The returning members of cast all give great performances. It's very satisfying to see Taron Egerton's 'Eggsy' developed from a London youth without direction in life into the suave gentlemen spy we see in this movie. Whilst the return of Colin Firth does somewhat undermine Eggsy's character growth, he is a welcome inclusion and the two share some great on screen chemistry. Mark Strong's Merlin is also explored further in this film and its nice to see how he and Eggsy have changed and bonded even further in Harry's absence. Of the new cast members, I have some complaints. Of the big names that were added to the cast, many if not all of them are underused. Jeff Bridges and Halle Berry's roles are both fleeting and Channing Tatum is barely in the movie despite featuring heavily in the promotional material. Pedro Pascal has a decent go at Agent Whiskey, but some of the writing for his character is quite poor and he could easily be swapped out for another character. Julianne Moore's villainous Poppy is also considerably weaker than the first films big bad. Yet again the performance is fine, yet her character is a little underwhelming in comparison to Samuel L. Jackson's 'Valentine' and I didn't buy many of her motivations and character developments. There is also an Elton John cameo, which initially is very funny but is massively overused and steals screen time from some of the actual characters.
If you didn't like The Secret Service then this movie is not for you, as there are many returning elements that are undoubtably the strongest parts of this film. Fast paced, super violent yet stylised fight scenes, some gripping action set pieces and a whole host of new and exciting gadgets for the agents to employ. Unsurprisingly, the best elements of this movie are those that are taken from the first. Call backs to conversations, jokes and fight scenes are all present and offer rewarding chuckles to the audience. However, there are some bizarre creative choices in this film. The core concept and execution of many of the films themes and ideas is not as good. There's one particular moment that is intended to mock the incredibly sexist nature of Bond movies just as the outrageous anal joke did the first time round, but actually becomes very vulgar and uncomfortable to watch. I wonder if perhaps this is due to studio interference, who after seeing the success of the first movie were so eager for another that they didn't allow the necessary time for the writing and script to be as strong as they needed to be.
I had heard a lot of negative press about 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' before I saw it and I have to say that I feel its very unjustified. Is it as good as the first? No. Is it a perfect movie? Far from it. But its funny, action heavy and a well executed continuation of the story. There are some missed opportunities and elements that don't need to be included, but its still an enjoyable movie that I would recommend seeing, especially if you love the first.
3/5 Stars
Tuesday 8 August 2017
'War for the Planet of the Apes' spoiler free review
We are living in a reboot and remake culture. A modern blockbuster is now more likely to be based on a graphic novel, book or real life event than to be an original concept. Some projects are just rebranded and rereleased stories that have already been told in cinematic form in years gone by, in an attempt to prey on people's nostalgia and draw a larger audience. The issue with this is that it's incredibly difficult to make a satisfying reboot. Either the studio will try to change as little as possible to adhere to fans and the movie ends up offering nothing new or it diverts from the original so much that it loses that spark that drew people to the first incarnation. Either way a lot of modern reboots end up flopping, both critically and commercially. There are exceptions however, the current 'Planet of the Apes' series for example. The amalgamation of some astounding special effects and a fresh, exciting take on the narrative has made the first two entries extremely popular, which put pressure on this film to wrap up the trilogy in a satisfying way. I'm glad to say that it certainly does - 'War for the Planet of the Apes' is great.
There has been quite a significant time shift between this movie and the last. The evolution of both the apes and the Simian flu has allowed Caesar and and his apes to assert their dominance over humanity. However, the apes are locked in conflict with the few surviving humans, led by 'The Colonel' (Woody Harrelson). As the attacks on both sides become more intense and personal, the two opposing sides take one last stand against each other to claim the earth for themselves.
I didn't know that it was possible, but the visual effects have yet again increased in quality from the previous entries. The appearance of the apes is breathtaking. Caesar is of course exceptional but the quality spreads to each and every ape in the movie. Whether they are in the foreground or background, or a main character or an extra, each and every one of the apes looks real. The way sweat and rain runs down and dampens their fur, the ridges in their faces expanding and retracting with different expressions. Its a testament to how advanced the technology of cinema is these days - it is able to create character models that are at times more realistic than the actual creatures themselves.
The visual effects are incredible but it's the performances that really bring the Apes to life. It infuriates me that Hollywood will not reward Andy Serkis with an Oscar for his portrayal of Caesar, when in reality his skill-set has transcended the label of 'acting'. He has transformed himself into an ape - learning in excruciating detail about how they walk, yell, growl. Its this hard work and dedication to his role that allows him to give such a believable and genuine performance. In fact, all of the apes are believable, but Serkis for me deserves some serious credit and recognition for his excellent work. The other stand out performer in this movie is Woody Harrelson. Another aspect of these films that has improved with each instalment is the human characters and Harrelson's Colonel is the pinnacle. Menacing and cold, yet in some ways relatable to the audience as human beings. The perfect antithesis to Caesar.
The action scenes, as to be expected, are great. Apes riding around on horseback wielding two machine guns remains to be one of the most terrifying thoughts I can imagine. Yet the action also feels very believable. I would argue its about the most accurate interpretation of warfare that a movie about talking apes could be. The interactions between comrades and the effect the surroundings have on the battles are fascinating and provide a different element to war.
A surprising element of this movie was it's success at referencing and paying homage to classic films that have come before it. Hints to movies such as 'Apocalypse Now' and 'The Great Escape' are welcome inclusions as they incorporated into the story in a subtle enough way to not distract from the main plot, only to serve as nods to audience members who have seen those films.
Overall, 'War for the Planet of the Apes' is an immensely satisfying conclusion to this trilogy of films. It leaves potential for other stories to be told in the future but also finishes the current arc in a rewarding and heartfelt way. The action is amazing, the performances are great and the visual effects are some of the best ever put to the silver screen.
4/5 Stars
4/5 Stars
Sunday 9 July 2017
'Spiderman Homecoming' spoiler free review
I'll be honest with you, as much as I love Spiderman, I was done with him in cinematic form. After 'Spiderman 3' caused Sam Raimi's trilogy to come crashing to a halt only for SONY to trot out a rebranded retelling of the exact same story just five years later, I was a little bit burned out on watching what felt like the same Spiderman movie for the 5th time. However, his amazing cameo appearance in 'Captain America:Civil War' completely won me round to the idea of his reappearance in cinema. Of course, even with the almost assured quality that comes with an MCU production, it's a difficult task to portray the most popular comic book character ever in a way that will please die hard fans yet also feel fresh and exciting. In my opinion though, Spiderman Homecoming has absolutely succeeded in that regard.
Following shortly after the events of 'Civil War', Peter Parker has had his life completely transformed through his experience with the Avengers. Under the watchful eye of his mentor Tony Stark, Parker desperately tries to prove his worth and become a fully fledged Avenger. He struggles though to balance the weight of being a hero with all the trials and tribulations that come along with being a teenager in high school. Peter's abilities and resolve are soon put to the test as he attempts to defeat the villainous Vulture who threatens everything that he holds dear.
I'll start with what I believe to be one of the strongest elements in this movie. Tom Holland. He absolutely crushes it. He is Spiderman. He seems almost as though he was built to play this role. Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield both offered some positives in their portrayals, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best interpretation of Spiderman we've ever seen put to film. His balance of teenage awkwardness, sarcastic quips and a willingness to do the right thing are all spot on. He's funny, relatable and makes a very satisfying protagonist. His new suit is also great. A near perfect blend of elements from traditional Spiderman lore to please fans mixed with new and exciting upgrades from Tony Stark that are both comical and undeniably cool.
The other top performers are as to be expected. Robert Downey Jr is great as Iron Man as always. Many of the reviewers and podcasters I follow often voice their displeasure about Tony Stark being a terrible person, but to me his story arc throughout the MCU has been an immensely satisfying one. In this film, his personal debate over Spiderman is really great to watch. On the one hand he's eager for Peter to fulfil his potential as a hero but is also anxious that if anything were to happen to him it would be on his shoulders. His relationship with Parker as a mentor/father figure might be my favourite development of his character so far. Yet, despite what the trailers may suggest, he does not distract from Spiderman. His role is much more fleeting than you might anticipate and this is very much still a Spiderman movie. Michael Keaton's Vulture is a fantastic villain. He's a vast departure from his character in the comics, but to be honest I much prefer this interpretation. He's cold and intimidating and whilst he is a clear villain, he's also very relatable. Everything he does is for the sake of his family. You get the sense he doesn't enjoy doing such dastardly deeds, but he feels they are necessary to provide for those he cares for. One of the best villains the MCU has offered so far.
The rest of the cast are a mixed bag. Marisa Tomei is also very different to her comic equivalent, but she's great in her role of Aunt May. Jon Favreau and Gwyneth Paltrow have minor roles but go a long way in tying this film into the cinematic universe. Zendaya's 'Michele' is also good and actually has some of the funniest moments in this film. The B villains, 'The Tinkerer' and 'The Shocker' are both fine, but really aren't given enough to do to warrant any real praise. Peter's love interest Liz is a similar story - she's not bad but doesn't really offer a memorable performance either. Peter's best friend Ned is funny at times, but a lot of his jokes fall flat and you can tell he's clearly been instructed to deliver 'trailer lines' at certain points in the film. Flash is inoffensive, but is a departure from the comics that I personally didn't feel was handled very well.
Marvel Studios deserve some serious credit for the way they've made this film feel fresh and different to other Spiderman movies. For one, they've bypassed the origin story aspect, which I'm grateful for. We've seen his origin twice in the past decade, so for the studio to acknowledge that the audience already knows where he came from prior to 'Civil War' and dive right into immersing him into this current universe is really refreshing. Crucial elements of his backstory, for example the death of Uncle Ben, are hinted at but theres no need for us to see them again. Another element of this film that sets it apart from its competitors, is the portrayal of Peter Parker as a teenager, which I felt was lacking in previous films. Of course, it helps that Holland and his co-stars are actually teenagers playing high schoolers, but the whole atmosphere of this movie gets that point across really well. This film is in some ways a homage to classic John Hughes teen movies, even showing a clip from 'Feris Bueller' at one point. A surprisingly accurate representation of what life is like for kids at high school, contending with bullies, detention and crushes. In addition, the movie really hammers home to the audience that Peter is a kid. He doesn't have complete control of his powers yet and he doesn't have a full understanding of how the worlds works. Theres one scene in a particular where you forget that he's even a superhero as in that moment you only see a scared and broken child. This duality between being a teenager and being a hero bares the main emotional crux of the film and is shown off really cleverly, both thematically and visually.
The action is also pretty good in this film. Some great web swinging and wall climbing, rivalling 'The Amazing Spiderman 2' for the most realistic we've seen. However, all three of the major action set pieces can all be seen in the promotional material which does take some of the sting out of their impact, especially the ferry scene.
Overall, I'm finding it quite hard to compare 'Spiderman Homecoming' to other Spidey movies that have come before is because it is so different in so many ways. However, its certainly up there with my favourites. A heart felt narrative woven into the mould of an action movie, with a refreshing storyline with some excellent twists and the best interpretation of Spiderman we've ever seen on the big screen.
4/5 Stars
Following shortly after the events of 'Civil War', Peter Parker has had his life completely transformed through his experience with the Avengers. Under the watchful eye of his mentor Tony Stark, Parker desperately tries to prove his worth and become a fully fledged Avenger. He struggles though to balance the weight of being a hero with all the trials and tribulations that come along with being a teenager in high school. Peter's abilities and resolve are soon put to the test as he attempts to defeat the villainous Vulture who threatens everything that he holds dear.
I'll start with what I believe to be one of the strongest elements in this movie. Tom Holland. He absolutely crushes it. He is Spiderman. He seems almost as though he was built to play this role. Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield both offered some positives in their portrayals, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best interpretation of Spiderman we've ever seen put to film. His balance of teenage awkwardness, sarcastic quips and a willingness to do the right thing are all spot on. He's funny, relatable and makes a very satisfying protagonist. His new suit is also great. A near perfect blend of elements from traditional Spiderman lore to please fans mixed with new and exciting upgrades from Tony Stark that are both comical and undeniably cool.
The other top performers are as to be expected. Robert Downey Jr is great as Iron Man as always. Many of the reviewers and podcasters I follow often voice their displeasure about Tony Stark being a terrible person, but to me his story arc throughout the MCU has been an immensely satisfying one. In this film, his personal debate over Spiderman is really great to watch. On the one hand he's eager for Peter to fulfil his potential as a hero but is also anxious that if anything were to happen to him it would be on his shoulders. His relationship with Parker as a mentor/father figure might be my favourite development of his character so far. Yet, despite what the trailers may suggest, he does not distract from Spiderman. His role is much more fleeting than you might anticipate and this is very much still a Spiderman movie. Michael Keaton's Vulture is a fantastic villain. He's a vast departure from his character in the comics, but to be honest I much prefer this interpretation. He's cold and intimidating and whilst he is a clear villain, he's also very relatable. Everything he does is for the sake of his family. You get the sense he doesn't enjoy doing such dastardly deeds, but he feels they are necessary to provide for those he cares for. One of the best villains the MCU has offered so far.
The rest of the cast are a mixed bag. Marisa Tomei is also very different to her comic equivalent, but she's great in her role of Aunt May. Jon Favreau and Gwyneth Paltrow have minor roles but go a long way in tying this film into the cinematic universe. Zendaya's 'Michele' is also good and actually has some of the funniest moments in this film. The B villains, 'The Tinkerer' and 'The Shocker' are both fine, but really aren't given enough to do to warrant any real praise. Peter's love interest Liz is a similar story - she's not bad but doesn't really offer a memorable performance either. Peter's best friend Ned is funny at times, but a lot of his jokes fall flat and you can tell he's clearly been instructed to deliver 'trailer lines' at certain points in the film. Flash is inoffensive, but is a departure from the comics that I personally didn't feel was handled very well.
Marvel Studios deserve some serious credit for the way they've made this film feel fresh and different to other Spiderman movies. For one, they've bypassed the origin story aspect, which I'm grateful for. We've seen his origin twice in the past decade, so for the studio to acknowledge that the audience already knows where he came from prior to 'Civil War' and dive right into immersing him into this current universe is really refreshing. Crucial elements of his backstory, for example the death of Uncle Ben, are hinted at but theres no need for us to see them again. Another element of this film that sets it apart from its competitors, is the portrayal of Peter Parker as a teenager, which I felt was lacking in previous films. Of course, it helps that Holland and his co-stars are actually teenagers playing high schoolers, but the whole atmosphere of this movie gets that point across really well. This film is in some ways a homage to classic John Hughes teen movies, even showing a clip from 'Feris Bueller' at one point. A surprisingly accurate representation of what life is like for kids at high school, contending with bullies, detention and crushes. In addition, the movie really hammers home to the audience that Peter is a kid. He doesn't have complete control of his powers yet and he doesn't have a full understanding of how the worlds works. Theres one scene in a particular where you forget that he's even a superhero as in that moment you only see a scared and broken child. This duality between being a teenager and being a hero bares the main emotional crux of the film and is shown off really cleverly, both thematically and visually.
The action is also pretty good in this film. Some great web swinging and wall climbing, rivalling 'The Amazing Spiderman 2' for the most realistic we've seen. However, all three of the major action set pieces can all be seen in the promotional material which does take some of the sting out of their impact, especially the ferry scene.
Overall, I'm finding it quite hard to compare 'Spiderman Homecoming' to other Spidey movies that have come before is because it is so different in so many ways. However, its certainly up there with my favourites. A heart felt narrative woven into the mould of an action movie, with a refreshing storyline with some excellent twists and the best interpretation of Spiderman we've ever seen on the big screen.
4/5 Stars
Sunday 2 July 2017
'Baby Driver' leaves 'Fast & Furious' in its rear view mirror
I like Edgar Wright, but if I were to criticise him I would say that he's never made a great film. Don't get me wrong, all of his directorial efforts are remembered fondly (Hot Fuzz stands out to me as a personal highlight) and he's certainly never made a bad movie, but in my opinion his films have never transcended into greatness. Until now. His latest 'Baby Driver' is an exquisite blend of what we've come to expect from Wright's movies and brand new elements that make this film one of the most original and refreshing movies I've seen this year.
The story follows Baby (Ansel Elgort), a young boy who uses music to drown out the tinnitus he suffers from as a result of an accident he was in as a child, relying on his personal soundtrack to make him the very best getaway driver. When he meets Debora (Lily James), the woman of his dreams, he sees the chance to escape this shady life he's been coerced into. However, the crime lord Doc (Kevin Spacey) refuses to let him go so easily. Baby's 'final' job will threaten his life, love and freedom.
Perhaps a key reason for the the success of this film is that the narrative is propped up by an all star cast. There's always a danger of overcrowding and an imbalance of screen time in large ensemble movies, as seen in 'Ocean's 11' and more recently in 'Suicide Squad'. This is not the case here though. The lead actors get enough time to establish themselves as protagonists and earn the audience's approval, and whilst the supporting cast's roles are also fully fleshed out, they never invade space. As you can expect from such an outstanding cast, the performances are all fantastic. Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm are all amazing. Yet Ansel Elgort deserves a special mention. Before this movie, all I'd ever seen him in was 'The Fault in our Stars', which had left me with a less than positive opinion of him, but this film has more than redeemed him in my eyes. He is charismatic and charming yet quirky enough to be relatable. He never once appears arrogant or cocky though - he's likeable throughout the movie as an underdog that the audience are rooting for. Lily James is also great, offering the perfect companion for Elgort and the two share some excellent chemistry on screen. Jon Bernthal and Eiza Gonzalez both have more fleeting roles but are also both great.
The action in this movie is exceptional. Personally, I had liked the last few 'Fast and Furious' movies, mostly because they are very aware of what they are - high budget, low concept blockbusters that require minimal thought allowing audiences to switch of their brains for 2 hours and just enjoy some great car chases. Yet the action in this movie runs circles around anything on offer in that franchise, which is incredible considering that Wright, to the best of my knowledge, has never done stunts on this scale before. Ever. That's insane considering how good some of the action set pieces in this film are. All the car chases are great, especially the opening scene and one chase on foot may even top them all.
However, there's an element in this movie that sets it apart from others in this genre. The music. This movie is in many ways a musical masquerading as an action film. Over 75 songs are used to some extent in the final cut, which means that there is rarely a moment in this film where there isn't music playing, which helps the film maintain a frantic pace as well as inexplicably playing fantastic songs again and again and again. And this isn't the case of a studio just throwing a bunch of money at a film and buying whatever pop songs are popular to feature in the trailers and entice more viewers. It feels as though every single song was carefully hand picked by Wright himself and is implemented into the storyline masterfully. I'm not exaggerating when I say this, but the use of music in this film is genius. Pure genius. The way that each song is layered perfectly over the images, every action beat in unison with that of the song. Guns blazing, gear sticks clunking - every single detail is sheer perfection. And the scene I mention earlier, a chase on foot through the streets set to 'Hocus Pocus' by Focus is exceptional.
In a modern Hollywood landscape that is dominated by studios turning out the same junk every two years as a blatant cash grab, (cough Transformers 5 cough Pirates of the Caribbean 5) it gives me great joy to see a film like this succeed. It's a hit both critically and commercially and it absolutely deserves to be. It has all the characteristics of a modern blockbuster - a cast practically overflowing with stars and amazing action set pieces and it has classic elements of Wright's repertoire, dark humour and visceral action. Yet, this film feels like so much more than your average thriller. It feels almost handmade, you can sense the time and effort that has gone into it, especially the soundtrack. This is, in many ways a passion project, which has been executed exceptionally. I urge you to rush and see this film - the outstanding cast, fantastic action and incredible usage of a phenomenal soundtrack make it one of the best movies to be released this year. A must see!
4/5 Stars
The story follows Baby (Ansel Elgort), a young boy who uses music to drown out the tinnitus he suffers from as a result of an accident he was in as a child, relying on his personal soundtrack to make him the very best getaway driver. When he meets Debora (Lily James), the woman of his dreams, he sees the chance to escape this shady life he's been coerced into. However, the crime lord Doc (Kevin Spacey) refuses to let him go so easily. Baby's 'final' job will threaten his life, love and freedom.
Perhaps a key reason for the the success of this film is that the narrative is propped up by an all star cast. There's always a danger of overcrowding and an imbalance of screen time in large ensemble movies, as seen in 'Ocean's 11' and more recently in 'Suicide Squad'. This is not the case here though. The lead actors get enough time to establish themselves as protagonists and earn the audience's approval, and whilst the supporting cast's roles are also fully fleshed out, they never invade space. As you can expect from such an outstanding cast, the performances are all fantastic. Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx and Jon Hamm are all amazing. Yet Ansel Elgort deserves a special mention. Before this movie, all I'd ever seen him in was 'The Fault in our Stars', which had left me with a less than positive opinion of him, but this film has more than redeemed him in my eyes. He is charismatic and charming yet quirky enough to be relatable. He never once appears arrogant or cocky though - he's likeable throughout the movie as an underdog that the audience are rooting for. Lily James is also great, offering the perfect companion for Elgort and the two share some excellent chemistry on screen. Jon Bernthal and Eiza Gonzalez both have more fleeting roles but are also both great.
The action in this movie is exceptional. Personally, I had liked the last few 'Fast and Furious' movies, mostly because they are very aware of what they are - high budget, low concept blockbusters that require minimal thought allowing audiences to switch of their brains for 2 hours and just enjoy some great car chases. Yet the action in this movie runs circles around anything on offer in that franchise, which is incredible considering that Wright, to the best of my knowledge, has never done stunts on this scale before. Ever. That's insane considering how good some of the action set pieces in this film are. All the car chases are great, especially the opening scene and one chase on foot may even top them all.
However, there's an element in this movie that sets it apart from others in this genre. The music. This movie is in many ways a musical masquerading as an action film. Over 75 songs are used to some extent in the final cut, which means that there is rarely a moment in this film where there isn't music playing, which helps the film maintain a frantic pace as well as inexplicably playing fantastic songs again and again and again. And this isn't the case of a studio just throwing a bunch of money at a film and buying whatever pop songs are popular to feature in the trailers and entice more viewers. It feels as though every single song was carefully hand picked by Wright himself and is implemented into the storyline masterfully. I'm not exaggerating when I say this, but the use of music in this film is genius. Pure genius. The way that each song is layered perfectly over the images, every action beat in unison with that of the song. Guns blazing, gear sticks clunking - every single detail is sheer perfection. And the scene I mention earlier, a chase on foot through the streets set to 'Hocus Pocus' by Focus is exceptional.
In a modern Hollywood landscape that is dominated by studios turning out the same junk every two years as a blatant cash grab, (cough Transformers 5 cough Pirates of the Caribbean 5) it gives me great joy to see a film like this succeed. It's a hit both critically and commercially and it absolutely deserves to be. It has all the characteristics of a modern blockbuster - a cast practically overflowing with stars and amazing action set pieces and it has classic elements of Wright's repertoire, dark humour and visceral action. Yet, this film feels like so much more than your average thriller. It feels almost handmade, you can sense the time and effort that has gone into it, especially the soundtrack. This is, in many ways a passion project, which has been executed exceptionally. I urge you to rush and see this film - the outstanding cast, fantastic action and incredible usage of a phenomenal soundtrack make it one of the best movies to be released this year. A must see!
4/5 Stars
Saturday 3 June 2017
'Wonder Woman' spoiler free review
In terms of female led comic book movies, Wonder Woman is an important film. We've seen examples of great female super heroes in film, but in terms of movies with female leads the efforts have been pretty lacklustre. They have either been completely forgotten, or are still remembered for all the wrong reasons. Looking at you Catwoman. So it was pretty important that Wonder Woman was good. If not, directors might misconstrue that people don't want to watch movies about female super heroes. Coupled with the fact that both fans and critics alike were vastly running out of patience with the DCEU, there was an enormous amount of pressure of this film to succeed. And it many ways, it does - Wonder Woman is pretty good.
After filling the audience in on how Diana Prince became Wonder Woman, the film tells the story of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a British Intelligence spy fleeing from Nazi Germany in the climax of WW1. When he discovers the ancient island of Themyscira, he tells the Amazons of a new weapon being devised by Doctor Posion, with the capability to kill thousands of innocent people. Diana realises her sacred duty to protect mankind and goes with Trevor to fight. She holds the weapon that can slay Ares, the God of War, who she deems responsible for the destruction. Yet in her quest to save the world, she discovers truths about mankind and about herself that change who she is for ever.
The casting in the film is solid. Personally, I wasn't 100% sold on Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman after her brief appearance in Batman vs Superman, but this movie has got me completely on board. Physically, she fits the part brilliantly. She feels strong, so much so that you can almost believe she's smashing the tiles and floors that she's hurled against. Appearance wise as well - spot on. Its a 'slight' deviation from Lynda Carter's day and does pose the age old question "why would you fight in an outfit the exposes so muck skin?", but Gadot is the perfect mix of beautiful and badass. She also succeeds at making the character likeable. Her courage and conviction is blended well with her naivety and innocence as she's exposed to the world. There are moments where her naivety borders upon stupidity which gets slightly annoying at times and a few of her lines don't quite fit, but overall she makes a fantastic Wonder Woman and I can't wait to see her in future DC movies. Chris Pine absolutely nails his role. Again, he's just as likeable as he needs to be and offers Diana an example of why all hope for mankind is not yet lost. The dynamic between Pine and Gadot is fantastic - one of the strongest elements of this film. All three villains are good. I loved the reveal of Ares in particular. All other cast members have seeming fleeting roles, but they're all fine. Lucy Davis is a welcome inclusion, offering numerous moments of levity.
I feel as though a lot of credit for the strength of the characters in this film should be directed at Patty Jenkins. It is refreshing to see a female director in a movie genre that has seriously lacked diversity in the past and in my opinion the reason that so much of the dialogue and character interactions feel so authentic is that she's a female writing parts for female actors. Many times in the past, male directors have written dialogue for women that feels cliched and forced, purely due to a lack of understanding of how women really think and feel. Yet Jenkins has managed to write engaging and realistic lines for all female roles in this movie, especially Wonder Woman herself.
The film looks great too. Wonder Woman's outfit is colourful enough to remind audiences of previous designs, whilst still looking realistic enough to fit in with the real world setting. The locations on display are amazing. Themyscira, home of the Amazons, is simply beautiful. So vibrant and rich in colour. Other DC movies have been criticised for being too dark and grim but this is certainly and improvement. And yet, this fanatical fictional environment is contrasted well with the dirty streets of 20th century London and a surprisingly realistic interpretation of the warfront in France.
The action scenes are great, with only a few exceptions. There are a few examples of CGI jumps and flips that feel a little bit off, but its mostly great. The battle between the Amazons and the Nazis and all of the Wonder Woman fight scenes are spectacular, in particular her march against the opposing trench in 'no man's land'. Punches and kicks feel real and gritty, yet theres also examples of ridiculous flips and tricks that make the whole affair more comic like and undoubtably very cool. The final battle does feel a little bit 'samey'. Another example of a flashing light in the sky to end a comic book movie. In fact, the battle between Wonder Woman and Ares feels very similar to the Superman vs Zod fight in 'Man of Steel'. However, this version is infinitely better, as over the course of the film I came to care about the characters and the consequences of their fight, which has been absent in other DC projects.
That is arguably what sets this film apart from other DCEU movies. 'BvS' for example had 'cool' action scenes, but their impact was undercut by a stupid plot and poor character representation. Wonder Woman on the other hand is full of great action that is interwoven into a simplistic but great narrative with engaging likeable characters.
It's also exceedingly obvious that this film took a lot of inspiration from 'Captain America:The First Avenger'. Even if you ignore the wartime narrative, there are some very clear parallels. However, this is by no means a bad thing. 'The First Avenger' is great and Wonder Woman is in many ways DC's equivalent to Captain America. Courageous, selfless and offering hope to those who cannot fight for them selves. To me, its not quite as good as 'The First Avenger', but I can say that I enjoyed this movie more than some of the weaker entries in the MCU.
When considered as a huge leap forward for female led comic book movies, Wonder Woman is a huge success. Hopefully this is the catalyst for a new wave of female super heroes coming to the big screen. She-Hulk, Spider Gwen ... the possibilities are endless. On a more basic level, Wonder Woman is good. Maybe even great at times. Its nothing groundbreaking, but its a solid comic book movie and is by far and away the best film that the DCEU has offered so far. Fingers crossed that 'Justice League' is of a similar standard.
4/5 Stars
After filling the audience in on how Diana Prince became Wonder Woman, the film tells the story of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a British Intelligence spy fleeing from Nazi Germany in the climax of WW1. When he discovers the ancient island of Themyscira, he tells the Amazons of a new weapon being devised by Doctor Posion, with the capability to kill thousands of innocent people. Diana realises her sacred duty to protect mankind and goes with Trevor to fight. She holds the weapon that can slay Ares, the God of War, who she deems responsible for the destruction. Yet in her quest to save the world, she discovers truths about mankind and about herself that change who she is for ever.
The casting in the film is solid. Personally, I wasn't 100% sold on Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman after her brief appearance in Batman vs Superman, but this movie has got me completely on board. Physically, she fits the part brilliantly. She feels strong, so much so that you can almost believe she's smashing the tiles and floors that she's hurled against. Appearance wise as well - spot on. Its a 'slight' deviation from Lynda Carter's day and does pose the age old question "why would you fight in an outfit the exposes so muck skin?", but Gadot is the perfect mix of beautiful and badass. She also succeeds at making the character likeable. Her courage and conviction is blended well with her naivety and innocence as she's exposed to the world. There are moments where her naivety borders upon stupidity which gets slightly annoying at times and a few of her lines don't quite fit, but overall she makes a fantastic Wonder Woman and I can't wait to see her in future DC movies. Chris Pine absolutely nails his role. Again, he's just as likeable as he needs to be and offers Diana an example of why all hope for mankind is not yet lost. The dynamic between Pine and Gadot is fantastic - one of the strongest elements of this film. All three villains are good. I loved the reveal of Ares in particular. All other cast members have seeming fleeting roles, but they're all fine. Lucy Davis is a welcome inclusion, offering numerous moments of levity.
I feel as though a lot of credit for the strength of the characters in this film should be directed at Patty Jenkins. It is refreshing to see a female director in a movie genre that has seriously lacked diversity in the past and in my opinion the reason that so much of the dialogue and character interactions feel so authentic is that she's a female writing parts for female actors. Many times in the past, male directors have written dialogue for women that feels cliched and forced, purely due to a lack of understanding of how women really think and feel. Yet Jenkins has managed to write engaging and realistic lines for all female roles in this movie, especially Wonder Woman herself.
The film looks great too. Wonder Woman's outfit is colourful enough to remind audiences of previous designs, whilst still looking realistic enough to fit in with the real world setting. The locations on display are amazing. Themyscira, home of the Amazons, is simply beautiful. So vibrant and rich in colour. Other DC movies have been criticised for being too dark and grim but this is certainly and improvement. And yet, this fanatical fictional environment is contrasted well with the dirty streets of 20th century London and a surprisingly realistic interpretation of the warfront in France.
The action scenes are great, with only a few exceptions. There are a few examples of CGI jumps and flips that feel a little bit off, but its mostly great. The battle between the Amazons and the Nazis and all of the Wonder Woman fight scenes are spectacular, in particular her march against the opposing trench in 'no man's land'. Punches and kicks feel real and gritty, yet theres also examples of ridiculous flips and tricks that make the whole affair more comic like and undoubtably very cool. The final battle does feel a little bit 'samey'. Another example of a flashing light in the sky to end a comic book movie. In fact, the battle between Wonder Woman and Ares feels very similar to the Superman vs Zod fight in 'Man of Steel'. However, this version is infinitely better, as over the course of the film I came to care about the characters and the consequences of their fight, which has been absent in other DC projects.
That is arguably what sets this film apart from other DCEU movies. 'BvS' for example had 'cool' action scenes, but their impact was undercut by a stupid plot and poor character representation. Wonder Woman on the other hand is full of great action that is interwoven into a simplistic but great narrative with engaging likeable characters.
It's also exceedingly obvious that this film took a lot of inspiration from 'Captain America:The First Avenger'. Even if you ignore the wartime narrative, there are some very clear parallels. However, this is by no means a bad thing. 'The First Avenger' is great and Wonder Woman is in many ways DC's equivalent to Captain America. Courageous, selfless and offering hope to those who cannot fight for them selves. To me, its not quite as good as 'The First Avenger', but I can say that I enjoyed this movie more than some of the weaker entries in the MCU.
When considered as a huge leap forward for female led comic book movies, Wonder Woman is a huge success. Hopefully this is the catalyst for a new wave of female super heroes coming to the big screen. She-Hulk, Spider Gwen ... the possibilities are endless. On a more basic level, Wonder Woman is good. Maybe even great at times. Its nothing groundbreaking, but its a solid comic book movie and is by far and away the best film that the DCEU has offered so far. Fingers crossed that 'Justice League' is of a similar standard.
4/5 Stars
Sunday 28 May 2017
'La La Land' is just as great as everyone says it is
In the modern world, cinema is often dominated by big budget blockbusters with a focus on action set pieces, often at the expense of the plot or narrative. 'La La Land', however, is a refreshing change from that formula. Obviously after seeing it make a near clean sweep at the 'Oscars' (excluding the Best Picture debacle), I was expecting big things and I'm glad to say my expectations were met and even exceeded, as 'La La Land' is a beautiful film.
The plot is initially that of a classic romantic story. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz pianist playing in dingy gigs and house parties trying to collect enough money to achieve his dream of opening his own jazz club. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress who's stuck serving coffee to movie stars and auditioning for tv advertisements. The two meet and connect over their admiration for each other's desires and passions and inevitably fall in love. Yet, the film is so much more than a love story. It features devotion, sacrifice, betrayal. Can they ever hope to achieve their dreams or will their affection for one another prevent them ever fulfilling their ambitions. It's certainly more complex than your average rom-com, in particular the bitter-sweet ending that is contrasted brilliantly to the up-beat and lively tone of the song and dance that comes before it.
Almost everything about this movie is beautiful. It's beautifully acted, sang and shot. Gosling and Stone are fantastic in their roles. Gosling is this extremely likeable underdog who's hell bent on achieving his dream no matter who tells him he can't, and Stone is in many ways the perfect partner for him - just as ambitious, but also more conscious of the obstacles in her way. This makes it all the more satisfying to see her learn from Seb, to believe in herself and disregard everyone else, which then again pays off as she teaches him the same lesson that he taught her when she notices his dream is slipping away for her sake. The two have a great dynamic and their performances are pretty much faultless. I wasn't 100% sold on Gosling's singing throughout - not that he was in any way bad, it just felt more obvious that his voice had be altered in editing, at least in comparison to Stone who sounded much more natural. However, 'City of Stars' which is primarily sung by Gosling is gorgeous and from what I can tell all of his piano scenes were actually played by himself which more than excuses his vocals.
In fact all of the music throughout is fantastic. A quality soundtrack with a seamless blend of original songs and classic jazz (which like Mia I'm not the biggest fan of) but its beautifully sung and played throughout so I can't complain. John Legend's cameo is welcome, and he puts in a decent acting performance as well as showcasing his musical talents. And the music in woven into the script perfectly. From the very first scene you can tell that the musical set pieces are going to be near spotless, particularly the dances between the leads. Again, from what I saw, their routines are all either one take or have been edited so well that its impossible to tell if they aren't, which either way is very impressive. The choreography is stunning too.
As well as having excellent vocals and dancing, the film looks stunning. Amazing locations and backdrops to the routines. Also, this movie is extremely vibrant and colourful. The opening scene looks as though the performers were involved in an explosion at a paint factory. Such an array of rich blues, reds and yellows that still some how feels grounded and realistic - you feel like you might see someone wearing those colours in LA. In addition, the colours, songs and dances are a perfect homage to the classic romantic musicals of old. 'Casablanca' is mentioned by name, and whilst this film gets nowhere near the heights of that masterpiece, its a great tribute to a seemingly forgotten genre of film, whilst still being a fantastic movie in its own right.
Despite being fully aware that admitting it will lose me a serious amount of 'man-points', I love musicals and 'La La Land' is a brilliant example of that. If you're not a fan of musicals, or romance in general then this film definitely isn't for you. Yet, regardless of the genre, I feel anyone should be able to appreciate the skill and artistic vision that went into this film. Great performances, choreography and music throughout. In my opinion, 'La La Land' is more than worthy of all the awards that in won. A truly beautiful film.
5/5 Stars
The plot is initially that of a classic romantic story. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz pianist playing in dingy gigs and house parties trying to collect enough money to achieve his dream of opening his own jazz club. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress who's stuck serving coffee to movie stars and auditioning for tv advertisements. The two meet and connect over their admiration for each other's desires and passions and inevitably fall in love. Yet, the film is so much more than a love story. It features devotion, sacrifice, betrayal. Can they ever hope to achieve their dreams or will their affection for one another prevent them ever fulfilling their ambitions. It's certainly more complex than your average rom-com, in particular the bitter-sweet ending that is contrasted brilliantly to the up-beat and lively tone of the song and dance that comes before it.
Almost everything about this movie is beautiful. It's beautifully acted, sang and shot. Gosling and Stone are fantastic in their roles. Gosling is this extremely likeable underdog who's hell bent on achieving his dream no matter who tells him he can't, and Stone is in many ways the perfect partner for him - just as ambitious, but also more conscious of the obstacles in her way. This makes it all the more satisfying to see her learn from Seb, to believe in herself and disregard everyone else, which then again pays off as she teaches him the same lesson that he taught her when she notices his dream is slipping away for her sake. The two have a great dynamic and their performances are pretty much faultless. I wasn't 100% sold on Gosling's singing throughout - not that he was in any way bad, it just felt more obvious that his voice had be altered in editing, at least in comparison to Stone who sounded much more natural. However, 'City of Stars' which is primarily sung by Gosling is gorgeous and from what I can tell all of his piano scenes were actually played by himself which more than excuses his vocals.
In fact all of the music throughout is fantastic. A quality soundtrack with a seamless blend of original songs and classic jazz (which like Mia I'm not the biggest fan of) but its beautifully sung and played throughout so I can't complain. John Legend's cameo is welcome, and he puts in a decent acting performance as well as showcasing his musical talents. And the music in woven into the script perfectly. From the very first scene you can tell that the musical set pieces are going to be near spotless, particularly the dances between the leads. Again, from what I saw, their routines are all either one take or have been edited so well that its impossible to tell if they aren't, which either way is very impressive. The choreography is stunning too.
As well as having excellent vocals and dancing, the film looks stunning. Amazing locations and backdrops to the routines. Also, this movie is extremely vibrant and colourful. The opening scene looks as though the performers were involved in an explosion at a paint factory. Such an array of rich blues, reds and yellows that still some how feels grounded and realistic - you feel like you might see someone wearing those colours in LA. In addition, the colours, songs and dances are a perfect homage to the classic romantic musicals of old. 'Casablanca' is mentioned by name, and whilst this film gets nowhere near the heights of that masterpiece, its a great tribute to a seemingly forgotten genre of film, whilst still being a fantastic movie in its own right.
Despite being fully aware that admitting it will lose me a serious amount of 'man-points', I love musicals and 'La La Land' is a brilliant example of that. If you're not a fan of musicals, or romance in general then this film definitely isn't for you. Yet, regardless of the genre, I feel anyone should be able to appreciate the skill and artistic vision that went into this film. Great performances, choreography and music throughout. In my opinion, 'La La Land' is more than worthy of all the awards that in won. A truly beautiful film.
5/5 Stars
Sunday 30 April 2017
'Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2' Spoiler free review
'Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2' spoiler free review
Who could have imagined back in in 2014 that the Guardians of the Galaxy, a relatively unknown group of comic book characters, would be drawing over £100 million in the box office during the opening weekend of their second cinematic outing. Yet that's exactly what has happened. Due to the ever observant leadership of Marvel studios, a fantastic cast and the bold brilliance of director James Gunn, the first movie was an immense success and as a result the sequel has become one of the most anticipated blockbusters of 2017. Turns out it was with good reason, as Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2 is everything you loved about the first movie and then some!
Starting shortly after the events of the first film, the galaxy is rewarding the team for their heroics by hiring them to do odd jobs - 'odd' referring to battling giant space monsters rather than painting a fence. When one job goes badly wrong for them, the Guardians are forced to flee. Their escape leads them into the path of Ego (Kurt Russell) who proclaims to be Peter Quill's long lost father. Still disturbed by his lack of knowledge about his parents and even his own genetic makeup, Peter and the team go with Ego in search of answers. Yet all is not as it seems.
The cast of this movie is fantastic. All 5 returning members are as great as the first outing, some even out-doing their last performances in my opinion. Gamora's interactions with her revenge seeking sister Nebula are great if not slightly disturbing, whilst Drax really comes into his own in this film. The transformation of Groot to Baby Groot is a stroke of genius (not only because Marvel Studios are going to make a shed-load of money selling Baby Groot toys) but because it offers the team a new dynamic whilst maintaining the same membership. Baby Groot is often more of a hinderance than a help, with some quite hilarious results. The interactions between the Guardians are on point and offer some genuine 'laugh out loud' moments. Also the expansion of some characters story arcs, such as Rocket and Yondu are much welcomed and only further display the bond between this group of outcasts that have become a family. The new characters are also great. The Sovereign are presented as this omnipotent threat, yet seeing the Guardians get under their skin, whether using quick wit or even quicker space ships is immensely satisfying. Ego is also great, as you'd expect from an actor of Russell's calibre. I won't delve too deeply into his character for fear of spoiling but he captures the role brilliantly. Mantis is probably the weakest character in the film, not because she's bad - just because everyone else is so good. She still has some standout moments though.
I've heard people complain that the story of this film is not as good as the first one, but I would strongly disagree.Volume 1 was a lightning bolt of a movie - sheer magic captured in a film, and its arguably impossible to ever recreate that initial sense of awe. However, this film has a pretty good go at it and in my opinion defiantly succeeds. The plot of the film covers some pretty substantial topics, including feelings of abandonment, redemption and the strength of family. Yet it's all interwoven into the hilarious nature of a Marvel movie. I would say that this is one of the most joke filled Marvel films to date, and whilst not every joke is a winner, there are definitely more hits than misses.
I've heard people complain that the story of this film is not as good as the first one, but I would strongly disagree.Volume 1 was a lightning bolt of a movie - sheer magic captured in a film, and its arguably impossible to ever recreate that initial sense of awe. However, this film has a pretty good go at it and in my opinion defiantly succeeds. The plot of the film covers some pretty substantial topics, including feelings of abandonment, redemption and the strength of family. Yet it's all interwoven into the hilarious nature of a Marvel movie. I would say that this is one of the most joke filled Marvel films to date, and whilst not every joke is a winner, there are definitely more hits than misses.
James Gunn deserves some serious credit for this film's success. Granted, the film being set off Earth offers him a certain level of freedom that directors of other Marvel movies don't get, but what he has done with that freedom is spectacular. The courage shown to include a whole host of whacky and nonsensical characters, settings and creatures has to be commended. I mean, he put Howard the Duck in these movies. Howard the Duck!! Granted they're only cameos, but Howard the Duck is proven cinematic poison - so to include him just to give some die hard comic fans a smile is really incredible. And Ego the living planet? 10 years ago, if a director had said 'Yeah and one character in this movie is gonna be a giant planet with a face on it' they'd have been laughed out of Hollywood. Yet Gunn has done it, and in a way that isn't at all goofy or bad - it fits snuggly into this crazy universe he's created and I love it!
The visuals in this movie are spectacular. As mentioned, the freedom of having a movie set somewhere other than Earth allows for a world to be as vibrant and cooky as possible and this film doesn't hold back. Everything; spaceship models, character prosthetics, creature designs, locations. Everything looks fantastic. In addition, after previous Marvel movies have been criticised for a lack of colour, this film has an astonishing array of vibrant and exciting palettes around each and every corner. Its an old cliche, but it really does look like it's been ripped from the pages of a comic book.
And of course the soundtrack. I've heard people say that they were more excited for 'Awesome Mixtape Volume 2' than they were the actual movie. It had a very tough act to follow for the first soundtrack, but it has certainly delivered. Fleetwood Mac and Parliament being personal highlights as well as the opening scene set to 'Mr Blue Sky', which may be the best opening scene to any movie ever made.
I urge you to rush out and see Guardians 2. My expectations were high and yet I was still impressed. Stunning visuals, soundtrack and performances all round. I didn't dare think it possible but it matched the levels of the first entry and perhaps even surpassed it. A must see.
4/5 Stars
The visuals in this movie are spectacular. As mentioned, the freedom of having a movie set somewhere other than Earth allows for a world to be as vibrant and cooky as possible and this film doesn't hold back. Everything; spaceship models, character prosthetics, creature designs, locations. Everything looks fantastic. In addition, after previous Marvel movies have been criticised for a lack of colour, this film has an astonishing array of vibrant and exciting palettes around each and every corner. Its an old cliche, but it really does look like it's been ripped from the pages of a comic book.
And of course the soundtrack. I've heard people say that they were more excited for 'Awesome Mixtape Volume 2' than they were the actual movie. It had a very tough act to follow for the first soundtrack, but it has certainly delivered. Fleetwood Mac and Parliament being personal highlights as well as the opening scene set to 'Mr Blue Sky', which may be the best opening scene to any movie ever made.
I urge you to rush out and see Guardians 2. My expectations were high and yet I was still impressed. Stunning visuals, soundtrack and performances all round. I didn't dare think it possible but it matched the levels of the first entry and perhaps even surpassed it. A must see.
4/5 Stars
Saturday 25 March 2017
'Get Out' Spoiler Free Review
Horror as a genre is not my thing. Ghosts aren't real, zombies are boring and I don't particularly see the appeal of watching people slash each other to bits. However, there are exceptions to this rule. '30 Days of Night', for example, I enjoyed due to its intelligent use of darkness and sound to create the suspense and fear. 'Get Out' achieves it's relentless intensity in similar ways, but in a way I've never seen before. It's truly incredible.
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) ,a young black man, has been dating his white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) for 4 months. He's invited to go and stay with her family upstate for the weekend. During his stay he uncovers a horrifying answer to the disappearance of young black men from across the country. He is warned by a fellow black man to "get out!". This is not as easy as it would seem.
The entire cast of this film are fantastic. Daniel Kaluuya really makes this role his own. His performance is gripping and his character is likeable enough that by a certain point in the film you'll be literally jumping of your chair, pleading for him to survive. Allison Williams is also great in her first cinematic role. I only know of her name since made a brief appearance in 'Jake and Amir' (one of my most beloved shows) as 'Cheryl'. She captures a similar character here. Initially, the perfect girlfriend, funny, gorgeous, standing up for her man against the racial prejudice he encounters. But as the narrative progresses and the truth is revealed, her role progresses into a darker, freakier place and she portrays it brilliantly. In fact, all the Armitage family are great. Friendly on the surface, but scratch beneath and you discover some down right terrible people who've done some awful things. The rest of the cast all to a good job of creating this unsettling, nerve-wracking atmosphere throughout the film, but in particular the two 'servants' Walter and Georgina. So broken, mentally manipulated and offering brief glimpses into whats actually going on. LilRel Howery as Rod is also fantastic (more on him later).
In lesser hands this movie could have just been your bang average horror movie. But Jordan Peele has done so much more with this. The movie starts out just as you expect it to. A black man feeling slightly out of place in the company of seemingly infinite white people. There's this unnerving under current throughout the story as soon as Chris and Rose hit a deer on the way to her parents house. From that point onwards, their is little room to breath in this film. It's incredibly intense. My heart's still racing a day later. The horrifying truth of the narrative is swiftly unraveled. There are hints all throughout as to whats going on, but unless you're specifically looking for them you'd pay no attention. The handling of the exposition is done masterfully. It's explained to both the audience and Chris simultaneously what's actually going on in this house, reinforced by flash backs of the clues left in earlier scenes.
Even the use of 'jump-scares' (which I will always maintain is a cheap way of scaring people) are done superbly in they film. The combination of light/dark, the performances of the characters and the score of the film (one chord in particular - you'll know when you hear it) is nothing short of perfection. Yet, this movie is so much more than jump-scares. I liken it to the success of shows like 'Black Mirror'. They're not scary because they make you jump. They're scary because they offer you an insight into disturbingly real perceptions of the world and they make you think. That is a much underrated element of cinema these days in my opinion.
The few moments of levity are offered by Chris's friend Rod, who's back home in the city. His character and his interactions with Chris are genuinely hilarious. He has easily some of the most memorable lines in the film and offers a much welcomed pause from the relentlessness of events at the Armitage house.
Not going into too much detail, for fear of spoiling, but the concept of the movie is the perfect blend on cool and horrifying. I, for one ,certainly did not expect the turns that come throughout the film. It appears as though the moral will be about racial hatred. It's not.
Rotten Tomatoes ( a popular movie critic website ) has given 'Get Out' a 99% rating. Thats unheard of in modern cinema. For a film with such low production budget and unknown characters and plot to be that well received by critics. I 100% agree with them. This movie, in my humble opinion, will be remembered as a classic of this era of film for future generations. I honestly can not find fault with it. The cast are brilliant. The setting and the score are top notch. The blend of horror and comedy is perfect. I'm not exaggerating, but 'Get Out' is nothing short of exceptional.
5/5 Stars
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) ,a young black man, has been dating his white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) for 4 months. He's invited to go and stay with her family upstate for the weekend. During his stay he uncovers a horrifying answer to the disappearance of young black men from across the country. He is warned by a fellow black man to "get out!". This is not as easy as it would seem.
The entire cast of this film are fantastic. Daniel Kaluuya really makes this role his own. His performance is gripping and his character is likeable enough that by a certain point in the film you'll be literally jumping of your chair, pleading for him to survive. Allison Williams is also great in her first cinematic role. I only know of her name since made a brief appearance in 'Jake and Amir' (one of my most beloved shows) as 'Cheryl'. She captures a similar character here. Initially, the perfect girlfriend, funny, gorgeous, standing up for her man against the racial prejudice he encounters. But as the narrative progresses and the truth is revealed, her role progresses into a darker, freakier place and she portrays it brilliantly. In fact, all the Armitage family are great. Friendly on the surface, but scratch beneath and you discover some down right terrible people who've done some awful things. The rest of the cast all to a good job of creating this unsettling, nerve-wracking atmosphere throughout the film, but in particular the two 'servants' Walter and Georgina. So broken, mentally manipulated and offering brief glimpses into whats actually going on. LilRel Howery as Rod is also fantastic (more on him later).
In lesser hands this movie could have just been your bang average horror movie. But Jordan Peele has done so much more with this. The movie starts out just as you expect it to. A black man feeling slightly out of place in the company of seemingly infinite white people. There's this unnerving under current throughout the story as soon as Chris and Rose hit a deer on the way to her parents house. From that point onwards, their is little room to breath in this film. It's incredibly intense. My heart's still racing a day later. The horrifying truth of the narrative is swiftly unraveled. There are hints all throughout as to whats going on, but unless you're specifically looking for them you'd pay no attention. The handling of the exposition is done masterfully. It's explained to both the audience and Chris simultaneously what's actually going on in this house, reinforced by flash backs of the clues left in earlier scenes.
Even the use of 'jump-scares' (which I will always maintain is a cheap way of scaring people) are done superbly in they film. The combination of light/dark, the performances of the characters and the score of the film (one chord in particular - you'll know when you hear it) is nothing short of perfection. Yet, this movie is so much more than jump-scares. I liken it to the success of shows like 'Black Mirror'. They're not scary because they make you jump. They're scary because they offer you an insight into disturbingly real perceptions of the world and they make you think. That is a much underrated element of cinema these days in my opinion.
The few moments of levity are offered by Chris's friend Rod, who's back home in the city. His character and his interactions with Chris are genuinely hilarious. He has easily some of the most memorable lines in the film and offers a much welcomed pause from the relentlessness of events at the Armitage house.
Not going into too much detail, for fear of spoiling, but the concept of the movie is the perfect blend on cool and horrifying. I, for one ,certainly did not expect the turns that come throughout the film. It appears as though the moral will be about racial hatred. It's not.
Rotten Tomatoes ( a popular movie critic website ) has given 'Get Out' a 99% rating. Thats unheard of in modern cinema. For a film with such low production budget and unknown characters and plot to be that well received by critics. I 100% agree with them. This movie, in my humble opinion, will be remembered as a classic of this era of film for future generations. I honestly can not find fault with it. The cast are brilliant. The setting and the score are top notch. The blend of horror and comedy is perfect. I'm not exaggerating, but 'Get Out' is nothing short of exceptional.
5/5 Stars
Saturday 4 March 2017
Logan - Best X-Men Movie Ever ?
If you were to compile a list of iconic Marvel comics, theres a few that would certainly jump out at you. Civil War, Planet Hulk, The adventures of Animal Man issue 1 (wait a minute...). Another that would undoubtedly make the list is Old Man Logan. Featuring many of the most prominent figures in Marvel comics and telling the unnerving end (for now) of Wolverine. And whilst, due to rival studio restrictions, there is no way that Logan can be an exact adaptation of the Old Man Logan storyline, that is the issue from which the latest entry to the Fox X-Men universe is based upon. Now, obviously using such a popular comic book leads to massive amounts of pressure from fans who want to see their favourite storylines done well. Especially when you consider that the current X-Men universe have ranged from "yeah it was fine I guess" to "OMG what have you done stop making these you monsters!". However I'm pleased to announce that Hugh Jackman's Wolverine has been giving a worthy send-off because Logan is incredible.
Set in 2029 (Don't even try to figure out how this fits into the timeline of the universe, its broken, Fox admitted it themselves, just go along with it okay?), its not looking good for mutant kind. A mix of a mutant virus and another event that I won't spoil, has led to mutants being wiped off the planet. It looks bleak too for the few survivors. Wolverine is fighting with an internal sickness and Professor X is approaching death. However, the emergence of X-23, a young mutant with extremely similar abilities to Logan, leads to the uncovering of a horrifying experiment, which forces Logan to return for one last stand - to save mutant kind.
I feel it's only fair to start with Hugh Jackman, seeing this is his last X-Men movie and the universe owes him so much. For years now his excellent portrayal has in many ways propped up the at times mediocre X-Men franchise, to the point where its hard to imagine anyone else playing the role. He's just as fantastic here. He captures the spirit of Old Man Logan perfectly. Bitter, broken and just about ready to end it all. The ageing (and de-ageing) of his character of course assists the performance, but its Hugh Jackman's portrayal that brings the character to life. In fact, the whole cast is good. X-23 was surprisingly good, this is probably the best performance Patrick Stewart has given as Professor X and the villain is also pretty solid. The interactions between all are great as well.
It a risky strategy to make your movie R rated. You run the risk of excluding enough people to make the movie tank in the box office. However, with the immense success of Deadpool, studios are becoming increasingly more open to the concept. Fans of Wolverine know that he has been known to murder his enemies in a very visceral manner, especially in Old Man Logan. Thats exactly what we get here. The action throughout the movie is spectacular. I was particularly impressed by X-23's combat and Wolverine's is dead on to the character. I don't have a problem with the very graphic violence in the film, as its used to further emphasis just how broken Wolverine is. Initially he may have spared some people, but now, after all he has been through he is taking no prisoners. Also contributing to the R rating is the the use of profanities. There are some moments that 'f*ck' is used to be humorous and provide welcome moments of levity in what is on the whole a very dark film, but to be honest I did begin to feel that the use of bad language got a little bit excessive with out serving much purpose to the story. I can certainly see why this movie got an R rating, and would probably recommend you didn't take any younger children to see it.
Being a comic book movie, there are of course countless references to the X-Men film universe and X-Men comics. I won't spoil them for you, but I though I ought to mention it simply because the way that they are crafted into the narrative is almost seamless and they will have your inner fanboy jumping for joy.
Overall, this review was pretty tricky to write. A lot of what I wanted to discuss was sparked by some pretty major plot points of the movie that I don't want to spoil for you now. But that, I suppose, is arguably one of the biggest compliments I can pay to this film. This is the first X-Men movie that has ever got me excited for the future of their universe. Which is infuriating, as this could potentially be the last one, although the narrative does leave some room open for future movies. If those future movies were to the standard of Logan, I'd absolutely be on board. The cast is great, Hugh Jackman of course but X-23 I feel deserves a special mention. The action is amazing, exceedingly violent but it contributes to the story. This is undoubtably the best X-Men movie that Fox have made, and I urge you to go and see it fast. Maybe don't take the kids though :)
4/5 Stars
Sunday 8 January 2017
Why 2017 is going to cripple my bank account
2016 is over! Good riddance. I think its fair to say that for most people it was a pretty rough year. Brexit, Trump, the migrant crisis, and celebrity deaths. So many. High key ones as well. Bowie, Prince, Cruyff, Fisher, Rickman, Ali, Wilder - so many! But its over now. We can all look forward to the new year. What marvels await us in 2017?
Unfortunately, foresight for 2017 sees me very much out of pocket. Along with the fees for my first driving lessons (theres a scary thought), the inevitable tonne of revision guides I'll need to survive my A levels, 2017 is stacked full of cinema. So many movies are coming our way this year. Some will be great. Some terrible. Some I want to be great. Some I want to be terrible. So this a list of my 20 most anticipated movies for 2017 (anticipated for good or bad reasons)
1. Alien:Covenant
I remember the first time I watched the first 'Alien' movie at a friends sleepover when I was around 10 years old. Scared me senseless. Horror as a genre isn't my thing, and a lot of the sequels and spin-offs to the original film have been poor. However, it apparent that this film will at least attempt to recapture the magic of the first. A lot of the cast return, including Michael Fassbender. I'd quite like for it to be good.
2. Star Wars: Episode VIII
Who isn't excited for this ? 'The Force Awakens' was a massive success in 2015, and although I'm eager to see more spin-off movies like 'Rogue One', I'm also excited to see the continuation of the Skywalker story. Lets just hope its not a 2 hour long 'Rocky' style training montage of Luke and Rey levitating rocks on a island.
3. Wonder Woman
Fans have warned DC studios that they have one more chance to make a decent movie. BvS ? terrible Suicide Squad ? immensely disappointing. DC need to knock this one out of the bag to keep fans on board and prevent the entire universe getting shoved off to another studio and getting rebooted. There are positive signs though. Gal Godot was one of very few good parts of Batman vs Superman and the story looks likes its taken a lot of inspiration from 'Captain America: The First Avenger' in terms of a wartime/superhero story line, which can only be a good thing. Fingers crossed.
4. Beauty and the Beast
Disney's live action adaptations have been pretty good so far. People enjoyed both 'Cinderella' and 'The Jungle Book'. With Emma Watson and Ewan McGregor taking the main roles, this looks promising. Expect this to make an absolute killing at the box office.
5. Logan
We're finally getting an film adaptation of 'Old Man Logan' - an immensely popular Marvel comic! The X-Men movies have been, for the most part, a complete mess. However, Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Wolverine has been incredible and it will be nice to see it one last time, before Marvel Studios buy the rights from Fox and we can start getting good X-Men movies.
6. Power Rangers
A gritty, real life adaptation of the classic kids TV show. The trailer looks pretty good.
7. Spider Man: Homecoming
He's back, baby! After a decade of mediocre Sony Spider Man movies, Peter Parker is back where he belongs. Tom Holland managed to stand out as a huge positive despite only featuring briefly in 'Civil War' and I can't wait to see more of him, especially his interactions with Iron Man. Also, Michael Keaton's Vulture looks genuinely terrifying and as though he could be an actual threat to 'Spidey' instead of the more traditional elderly man in a spandex who is usually on the end of quite a beating.
8. Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan's filmography is pretty much bullet proof, and with Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy propping up the story line, this has serious potential. Awards incoming.
9. Thor:Ragnarok
The last 2 Thor movies have both been closer to fine than fantastic, but people love Chris Hemsworth's portrayal, and the prospect of Thor teaming up with Dr Strange and Hulk in a bizarre amalgamation of 'Ragnarok' and 'Planet Hulk' is extremely exciting. Plus Taika Watiti is a very promising young director.
10. Transformers: The Last Night
Hopefully, this is also the 'last' movie in this God awful franchise. Overproduced graphics that end up offering very little to film, weak and boring story lines and Mark Wahlberg's dopey Boston accent. And I must not forget that the misogynistic sexual exploitation of the female lead in the movie, which this time around is to a girl thats under age! Kill this series already.
11. 50 Shades Darker
...
NEXT!
12. Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2
This is more like it. Everything that was great about the first movie, plus three new team members, Baby Groot, and the both bold and brilliant decision to include Ego the living planet in a movie. As well as another 'Awesome Mixtape' to enjoy. Cannot wait.
13. Justice League
Ben Affleck's Batman is fantastic (when he isn't brutally murdering people). Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is great. The glimpses that we've seen of Aqua Man, The Flash and Cyborg all look awesome. Henry Cavill's Superman isn't perfect but with a little work could be great. Do you see what I'm hinting at here? It cannot be that hard to make a good movie with such an prestigious line up of actors and comic book characters alike. Yet Zach Snyder is 0 for 2 on his DC movies. Hopefully, one of these two things occurs. Either Snyder knocks this one out of the park and it kick starts the DCCU, or it flops massively just like BvS and the studios kick him an give someone else a try.
14. The Emoji Movie
Why oh why does this exist? Granted TJ Miller is a very funny person and the 'meh' joke from the trailer is pretty good. I guarantee though that that joke will get old very quickly and after maybe a month in the box office,this movie will be swept under a metaphorical rug and never spoken of again.
15. King Kong: Skull Island
A star studded cast of Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson and John Goodman, trapped on an island with the largest and most horrifying version of King Kong ever put to screen? Yes please.
16. The Lego Batman Movie
I felt blessed when two of my great loves (movies and lego) were combined to make The Lego Movie (2014). Now they've thrown Batman into the mix. He was hilarious in TLM and from the trailer I get the sense of the perfect balance between adapting the source material and taking the mick out of it at the same time. Should be good.
17. T2 Trainspotting
The original is before my time, but its apparently beloved by fans. All the original cast return, most prominently Ewan McGregor and Johnny Lee Miller. Maybe not one to see with my little sister though.
18. War for the Planet of the Apes
The rumoured final instalment of this current iteration of POTA movies. Since 'Rise' in 2011, the human characters have improved to match the standards of the Apes. Woody Harrelson looks to be going all in in his role, but to be honest I'd see another one of these based on the visuals and Andy Serkis' performances alone. Who doesn't love seeing an Ape bearing two machine guns whilst riding a horse into a tank?
19. Ghost in the Shell
Its going to be interesting to see if Rupert Sanders can pull this movie off with out triggering the fan base of the anime into a hate frenzy. Whilst it seems ridiculous that in the modern world, its not possible to find an asian female actress for the lead role so instead we have to put up with patchy, borderline racist facial prosthetics, Scarlett Johansson is great. It will probably be fine.
20. Captain Underpants
I think the best way to describe my feelings towards this movie is probably ... OMG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! I spent more time reading these as a child than I'd care to admit, and whilst it will almost certainly be terrible, my forehead will be literally sweating with nostalgia.
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