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
Sunday, 2 July 2017
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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