11.
ParaNorman , Dirs. Chris Butler, Sam Fell, USA)
(Cert: PG)
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker
Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick
Norman (Smit-McPhee) is not like other
boys. This eleven-year-old enjoys watching horror movies and talking to his
grandmother (Elaine Stricht)…who is dead.
Norman can see ghosts and spends much of his time talking to them even
though he’s thought of as weird. The only other living kid who seems to like
this side of Norman is Neil (Albrizzi) (who is also picked on, in his case for
being fat). When Norman and Neil run into a strange man (John Goodman) who’s
been checking on Norman and who then dies, Norman and Neil have to find a way
to stop the dead from coming back to life.
Released almost at the same time as
Frankenweenie (2012) and Hotel Transylvania (2012), ParaNorman faces something
of a box-office rivalry, but it’s a strong offer willing to hold its own.
Whilst ParaNorman is still, essentially, a kid’s movie, it is a movie clearly written by horror buffs and
with that audience still somewhat in mind. The synthy leitmotif for the zombies
rising from the graves brings to mind late-70’s/early-80’s grindhouse zombie
fare, whilst there’s a rather humorous homage to Halloween (1978) and Friday
The 13th (1980) all in one gag. After a strong opening, the film falls back in
momentum for about an hour before bringing back a little more of a punch in the
climax. Yes, it sags a little in the middle, but it’s a smart, well-made and at
times hilarious love-letter to classic horror movies.
12.
Skyfall (Dir. Sam Mendes, UK) (Cert: 12a)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem,
Naomie Harris
During a mission to Turkey with a young
operative named Eve (Harris), James Bond (Craig) gets into a fight with an
assailant (Ola Rapace) and is accidentally shot by Eve and falls into a river.
Having been declared legally dead, Bond returns to service and goes on the
trail of a computer expert (Bardem), who is leaking information and identities
of agents and causing havoc.
Following on from the brilliantly paced
Casino Royale (2006) and the less involving, but still slightly impressive,
Quantum Of Solace (2008), Skyfall falls somewhere between them in terms of
quality. The film begins with a disappointing start, all generic action and
little in the way of depth. However, as the film goes on, more is revealed.
This is one of the richer (if not the richest) Bond film in terms of character
and backstory for James Bond as we explore elements of his upbringing. Javier
Bardem makes, unsurprisingly, an interesting and memorable antagonist both
menacing and a little campy. Eve is not one of the most interesting Bond girls
for the most part (nor is the secondary Bond girl played by Bérénice Lim
Marloe) but the twists at the end (three in turn) that relate to continuity
(somewhat frustratingly for those who really care about such things) do redeem
her character a little. With one of the most starry casts in a Bond film (the
likes of Albert Finney and Ralph Fiennes turn up in support roles) and a good
crew (Sam Mendes has perhaps the most pre-existing fame of any first-time Bond
director and is joined by Coen brothers cinematographer Roger Deakins) Skyfall
rewards a patient audience with one of the stronger films in the series.
13.
Seven Psychopaths (Dir. Martin McDonagh, UK)
(Cert: 15)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Christopher
Walken, Sam Rockwell
Marty (Farrell), an Irish screenwriter
living in LA, is wanting to work on a new screenplay, but only has the title
“Seven Psychopaths”. With the help of his friend Billy (Rockwell), Marty
manages to flesh out his screenplay with the story of seven variously different
psychopaths. Meanwhile, a serial “dognapper” (Walken) who secretly steals dogs
and returns them for the reward money, steals the prized Shi-Tzu (Bonny) of a
local criminal (Woody Harrelson). When these worlds collide (courtesy of Billy,
who looks after Walken’s pilfered pooches), Marty realises he’s bitten off a
lot more than he can chew.
Seven Psychopaths is a slippery film.
Thematically and narratively it is a very complex film that deals with a number
of rich and varied characters, but it largely pulls it off. This is in no small
part due to the strong performances of the ensemble cast, especially
Christopher Walken turning in some amazing work, whilst Sam Rockwell provides a
great comic character in Billy (his description of his ideal desert shoot-out
is a brilliant moment of comedic acting and writing). However, in keeping with
the complex nature of the film some plot threads are confusing whilst others
are nowhere near the revelations they intend to be and some of the more
publicised and supposedly more prominent stars (Olga Kurylenko, Tom Waits)
don’t exactly hang around. All the same, this is a clever and uproariously
funny film that will definitely leave some sort of impact on the viewer.
14.
Great Expectations (Dir. Mike Newell, UK/USA)
(Cert: 12a)
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Holliday Grainger,
Helena Bonham Carter
As a young boy, Phillip “Pip” Pirrip
(Irvine/Toby Irvine) aids the escape of a criminal named Magwitch (Ralph
Fiennes). Years later, Pip discovers that a mystery identity of some wealth has
bequeathed money to Pip, who proceeds to live the life of a gentleman in
London, only to discover that he will always have a past.
Charles Dickens’ classic tale of
rags-to-riches is no stranger to the big screen. Indeed, the 1946 film
adaptation by Sir David Lean may be the most revered Dickens adaptation in film
history so what exactly does the highly-reputed Mike Newell of such diverse
films as Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994) and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of
Fire (2005) have to offer things? Primarily, a strong cast is what is at the
heart of this picture. His Potter credentials serve him well with Ralph Fiennes
and Robbie Coltrane delivering strong performances as does Helena Bonham Carter
as perhaps the story’s most iconic character, Miss Havisham (though is still
noticeably a little youthful and glamorous for the part, despite how well she
plays it). Newell gives the film just enough of a contemporary edge to make it
fresh, and
whilst it doesn’t take any strong risks,
it’s still a very pleasing film.
15.
The Woman In Black (Dir. James Watkins,
UK/Canada/Sweden)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds,
Janet McTeer
Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) a recently-widowed
young solicitor leaves London to attend to a house owned by a recently-deceased
client. Upon arrival, Kipps notices the stand-offish manner of the locals, some
strange phenomena in the house and a mysterious woman in a black dress.
A great deal of faith rests in The Woman In
Black an adaptation of the Susan Hill novel. A film made to help re-launch
British studio Hammer (best known for their string of distinctive horror films
from the 1950’s to the 1970’s) as well as to progress the career of Daniel
Radcliffe following the conclusion of his seven-film, highly lucrative run as
JK Rowling’s boy wizard, Harry Potter. The latter goal it accomplishes
brilliantly. A talented actor, Radcliffe shows maturity as the still young
Arthur Kipps, with elements of the likes of Peter Cushing and Ralph Bates in
his performance. As for bringing back the Hammer style, it’s a bit more mixed.
The film has Hammer’s traditional gothic approach and fans of the films will
easily notice the set that was used for the interior of castle Dracula in the
older Hammer films (the story in itself owes something of a debt to Dracula)
and whilst the film lacks much of the distinctive Hammer blood and no nudity
(no bad thing as Hammer’s attitude to this lead to its creative downfall). The
film also has more shocks than an electric chair execution. So many that even
the most seasoned and jaded horror fan will jump at least once whilst the
uneasy atmosphere helps sell the picture. It probably won’t be a classic, but
as far as re-starting the Hammer franchise goes, it’s a worthy effort.
16.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Dir. Peter
Jackson, USA/New Zealand) (Cert: 12a)
Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellen,
Richard Armitage
Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) lives a life free
from complications in The Shire, until he is visited one day by Gandalf The
Grey (McKellen); a wizard that Bilbo hasn’t seen in years. Gandalf is quickly
followed by thirteen dwarves looking to find a jewel, sacred to their people.
Joined with Gandalf, Bilbo and the dwarves venture forth to take the jewel from
the fierce dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch) holding onto it.
The first part of a trilogy based on J.R.R
Tolkien’s beloved fantasy novel, The Hobbit signifies the first time director
Peter Jackson has tackled Tolkien since his highly acclaimed trilogy of based
on Hobbit follow-up, The Lord Of The Rings, the three films being released
between 2001 and 2005. For this return, Jackson tailors the film to suit the
different issues surround The Hobbit as a book. Written more for children, the
film is lighter and more whimsical in tone and the book’s three-hundred-and-ten
pages (at least going by the first edition) are condensed to a third of the story
to keep with the trilogy, but lengthened more to the standard of the
approximate three-hours apiece of the Lord Of The Rings films. Of course, this
makes the film more padded than a luxury mattress. Many will find the film’s
delving into the minutiae of Hobbit and Dwarf culture especially tedious and
the overly-plentiful and lengthy set-pieces are a definite flaw that results
from sticking too closely to the motif. But the warmth, charm, humour and
stunning scenery that made Jackson’s previous Tolkien epics such favourites is
still present here, from brilliant performances from all the cast, but
especially Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis, whose interplay is the film’s
greatest sequence.
17.
The Muppets (2011, Dir. James Bobin, USA)
Starring: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Kermit
The Frog (Brian Henson).
Gary (Segel) and his girlfriend Mary
(Adams) leave their small town (itself called Smalltown) for a romantic getaway
to Los Angeles, taking with them Gary’s mild-mannered and “different” brother,
Walter (Peter Linz) who is obsessed with the Muppets (physically he appears to
be a Muppet himself). They find Muppet Studios deserted and a local oil tycoon
Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) looking to tear it down for the oil reserves
underneath. Hoping to stop this, Gary, Mary and Walter find the Muppets to get
them to reunite and save the studio.
The first theatrical outing for Jim Henson’s
endearing band of puppets since 1999’s Muppets In Space (although they’ve made
appearances in made for TV films and Sesame Street is still on-going) The
Muppets plays to what it knows it’s strengths. Humour, music and sentiment
often mixed together. Although the film plays for a younger audience it’s also
faithful to those older Muppet fans with songs such as the classic Rainbow
Connection as well as the beautiful new ballad Pictures In My Head (with an
melancholic air of mourning for the late Jim Henson). The film is rife with
cameos (which could be a failing of the film as many of these stars may not
last too long in public consciousness.) and has a general wealth of humour that
puts it on the higher end of the group’s films.
18.
Room 237 (Dir. Rodney Ascher, USA) (Cert: 15)
Starring: Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks,
Juli Kearns
What’s in room 237? Well, there’s an
analysis of the different themes behind Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic horror
film, The Shining. Taking apart piece-by-piece subtle elements of the story,
various analysts explore themes as diverse as the genocide of Native Americans,
the holocaust and faked moon landings.
I think it pretty much goes without saying
you need to see The Shining before seeing Room 237 (and preferably the US full
cut, as opposed to the long available edited version in the UK). Room 237 is an
intriguing piece of film that serves as a good accompaniment to Kubrick’s
classic. The interviewees are presented in voice over (which can mean that
you’ll probably get accounts mixed up first time, if not paying attention) layed
over continuous sequences of The Shining alongside footage from documentaries
on their chosen subject and from other films (fellow Italian horror aficionados
will probably notice the frequent use of footage from Lamberto Bava’s Démoní
(Demons) (1985)). Needless to say, viewers will find some interpretations more
engaging than others. For instance, as relatively easy to read and as
well-known an interpretation as it is, I prefer the Native American reading of
the film, opposed to one interviewees belief in a conspiracy that Stanley
Kubrick directed faked footage of the moon landings. This won’t appeal to everyone (I found myself
thinking people were looking for themes that weren’t really there and were
over-analyising) but to Kubrick fans and film analysts, this documentary is
practically a must.
19.
The Avengers (Avengers Assemble) (Dir. Joss
Whedon, USA) (Cert: 12a)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett
Johansen, Tom Hiddleston
When a scientific experiment goes awry, a
portal across time and space is opened and the villainous Loki (Hiddleston) is
unleashed. Nick Fury (Jackson) commissions a team of superheroes, Black Widow
(Johansen), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo/Lou Ferrigno),
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) to help save the world.
Released as Avengers in the US and named
Avengers Assemble in several territories (probably to avoid confusion with
British spy series, The Avengers) Avengers Assemble is directed by Joss Whedon,
best known for successes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Dollhouse for
TV (Whedon originally made Buffy The Vampire Slayer as a movie in 1992, and is
also credited as a writer for Toy Story (1995)) and is a Marvel fan’s wet
dream. Building on already successful film ventures from Marvel, the film has a
great concept combining all the heroic forces and there’s great chemistry
amongst the ensemble lead cast, with them all given roughly equivalent
screen-time. The villains are let down slightly in that we only have Loki as an
adversary and he is a rather annoying one at that. The 3D effects work well
within the context of the film, but the whole film like most modern superhero
films can go into CGI overload. Whilst DC’s rival Batman films go for darkness
and drama, and does it very well, Marvel goes the opposite direction and the
whole film is light-hearted lapsing often into full-on comedy. It’s as dumb as
a sack of hammers, but just be advised to switch off your brain and let your
spirit fly free and you’ll be fine.
20.
Prometheus (Dir. Sir Ridley Scott, USA/UK)
(Cert: 15)
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender,
Charlize Theron
A series of ancient artefacts point to
evidence of an alien visitation to Earth billions of years ago. A crew of
explorers aboard the ship Prometheus explore a distant world to see what this
could all mean about the origins of mankind, but find something very sinister
on the surface.
After thirty years, Ridley Scott returns to
the science fiction genre with a prequel to his classic 1979 sci-fi/horror
hybrid, Alien. Despite the many years between the two films the design is very
much faithful to Scott’s original vision, but the few alterations are mostly
unnecessary and out of place. Where Scott’s science-fiction films endured was
in the special effects department. A combination of cutting-edge technology and
a use of darkness to hide imperfections and aging (a trick he used superbly on
Alien and to a lesser extent on Blade Runner (1982)) Prometheus is a lighter
film cinematographically and uses CGI in a fashion that goes against Alien’s
original strength and power, impressive though it is, I doubt this film will
age as well. Thankfully, the 3D adds nothing substantial which will aid this
film’s progression. As casting goes, Michael Fassbender is a perfect fit for
the ship’s resident android in a performance in keeping with Ian Holm’s performance
in Alien and Lance Hendriksen’s in the sequel Aliens (1986) and Noomi Rapace
does a brilliantly physical performance only slightly hampered by her thick
Swedish accent going against her British character’s origins.
21.
Safety Not Guaranteed Dir. Colin Trevorrow, USA)
(Cert: 15)
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake
Johnson
Working as an intern at a Seattle magazine,
Darius (Lauren Carlos, Plaza) takes an assignment along with another intern
(Karan Soni), following a writer (Johnson) to Ocean View to interview an
odd-ball, Kenneth (Duplass); who is looking for someone to travel with him on a
time machine he claims to have built. Through her research, Darius discovers
that Matthew might not be so crazy after all.
Safety Not Guaranteed is yet another quirky,
hipster-ish comedy with eccentrically charming characters and off-beat acoustic
songs. However, whilst this works against the film, Safety Not Guaranteed has a
lot going for it. It’s an interesting story that is very well told and takes
some genuinely surprising turns. The film does move at a brisk pace and some of
the plot points don’t really seem to ever get resolved, but overall the film is
very well-written with decent performances.
22.
Marley Dir. Kevin Macdonald, USA/UK) (Cert: 15)
Starring: Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy
Cliff
Marley is a documentary on the life of
Jamaican reggae superstar, Bob Marley and follows his life from his childhood
in Jamaica and all the way through his music career as he becomes not only one
of the world’s biggest musical personalities, but the spokesperson for an
entire culture.
There are few people in popular music who
have made as much of an impact on a truly cultural level as Bob Marley; the man
who symbolises not only reggae music to many, but also Rastafarianism and Jamaica.
Such a legacy is difficult to capture in a film and contain it within the
parameters of making it financially viable, but Marley gives the idea its best
shot and, mostly, pulls it off. It’s superbly shot with great insight into the
man and his beliefs, albeit only up until he becomes world famous. Whilst this
part, is still strong, it could’ve done with more exploration of Marley as a
whole in the later years of his life, and neglecting, at a moment of his life
as he became a cultural icon is quite a mistake to make. However, for those who
are fans of Bob Marley’s this is an important film.
23.
Rise Of The Guardians (Dir. Peter Ramsey, USA)
(Cert: PG)
Starring: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude
Law
Jack Frost (Pine) has the special gift of
being able to cover landscapes with frost and cold weather, which he has been
doing with great joy for over four hundred years. Unsure of his purpose, he is
called by the voiceless Man In The Moon to join The Guardians. A group of
holiday-related figures consisting of Santa Claus, also known as North
(Baldwin), the Easter Bunny known as Bunnymund (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy
(Isla Fisher) and The Sandman, just in time for them to have to protect the
children of the Earth from the sinister fear-inducing magic of Pitch Black
(Law).
Based on William Joyce’s book series, The
Guardians Of Childhood, Rise Of The Guardians has clear intentions of being the
first of a series for itself. Judging by this film, that’s not in itself a bad
thing. Rise Of The Guardians isn’t the perfect film as it’s a little too
focused on simply entertaining children (strange for, essentially, an action
film) rather than a more general audience and the film falls a little short of
the colourful exploits of the similar Avengers Assemble (2012) but the
characters are entertaining and are given a surprisingly even focus. The
animation is also gorgeous and makes the most of the 3D format, especially in
the opening moments. Entertaining and fun, there are certainly worse things for
a film to do but don’t look for much beyond the surface here.
24.
Gambit (Dir. Michael Hoffman, UK/USA) (Cert:
12a)
Starring: Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan
Rickman
Art dealer Harry Dean (Firth) and his
assistant, an art forger known as The Major (Tom Courtenay) hit upon a scheme
to get back at Dean’s wealthy and crass boss, Lionel Shabandar (Rickman).
Travelling to Texas, Dean and The Major meet with rodeo queen, P.J Puznowksi
(Diaz) in order to obtain a fake that she owns of Manet’s painting Haystacks
Dusk, a painting that Shabandar has spent years trying to collect.
A remake of the 1966 film of the same name,
Gambit still owes something of a debt of influence to British comedy in the
1960’s. Lead Colin Firth plays his traditional role of the almost unflappable
and very British hero, but with elements that suggest a more classic approach
(like a more down-to-earth Peter Sellers). As for the other roles, Cameron Diaz
is surprisingly very strong as the unpretentious Texan of P.J Puznowski (Tom
Courtenay also delivers a strong understated performance) whilst Alan Rickman’s
talents only get, sadly, a rare chance to shimmer. Some of the gags are flat
and disappointing given the Coen brothers screenplay, and the film never gets
as far as inducing belly laughs, but it’s satisfactory stuff.
25.
Beasts Of The Southern Wild (Dir. Benh Zeitlin,
USA) (Cert: 12a)
Starring:
Quvenzané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Gina Montana
A little girl known simply as “Hushpuppy”
(Wallis), lives with her father (Henry) in a dilapidated shack in a part of the
Mississippi Delta known simply as “The Bathtub”. During an argument,
Hushpuppy’s dad collapses and two grow closer as his health fails him. When a
major storm kicks up, The Bathtub is completely destroyed, leaving Hushpuppy,
her father and the other Bathtub residents to fend for themselves.
Made on a low-budget, Beasts Of The Southern
Wild has a simple and honest feel to it and doesn’t compromise any integrity.
This is at once a bleak portrayal of poverty, destitution and loneliness, but
also has affirming elements of whimsy. It’s implied that Hushpuppy can speak to
animals and slowly the film goes from realism to fantasy, though still with a
rough look. This film could just be a surreal portrait of life at the time of
Hurricane Katrina (the setting certainly seems to hint at this very strongly)
or an escapist fairytale. It doesn’t quite shake out all the available
fairy-dust and it’s a little too “kooky” for its own good at times, but the
performances (especially young Willis’) are strong and the film does have a
slight sense of wonder.
26.
Ted (Dir. Seth MacFarlane, USA) (Cert: 15)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth McFarlane,
Mila Kunis
One Christmas in 1985, eight-year-old John
Bennett (Bretton Manley, Colton Shires, Wahlberg) wishes that his brand new
teddy bear, Ted, can come alive. John gets his wish and Ted can walk and talk
(with the voices of Zane Cowans and later Seth MacFarlane). Because of this
magical occurrence, Ted becomes a celebrity. Twenty-seven years later, Ted has
lapsed into obscurity and spends his time living with a now grown John. With
John’s girlfriend, Lori (Kunis) wanting to have a more serious relationship
with John, he faces a dilemma about his relationship with her and Ted.
The feature-length live-action directorial
debut of animator and voice-over artist Seth MacFarlane (best known for the
shows Family Guy and American Dad!), Ted is a film about the pressures of
growing up done in McFarlane’s distinct combination of post-South Park low-brow
humour and classic American sit-com values. The film has an interesting and
unique opening concept, but at its heart it’s actually a film that’s been done
many times before (save for a subplot that only really kicks in towards the
film’s conclusion). Mila Kunis (a regular associate of MacFarlane’s who has
received critical acclaim in Black Swan (2010)) delivers perhaps the film’s
strongest performance but both Wahlberg and McFarlane do a decent job. With a
largely predictable formula that is well handled, Ted’s a film that won’t last
as long in the memory as it intends to, but it’s still a fairly good film.
27.
The Expendables 2 (Dir. Simon West, USA) (Cert:
15)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason
Statham, Jean-Claude Van Damme
With a military strike force on their way
back from Tibet, their superior, Church (Bruce Willis) informs the strike
force’s leader, Barney Ross (Stallone) that his gang owe him five million
dollars thanks to the destruction of their last mission. With Church giving the
group a new member, Chinese computer expert Maggie Chan (Nan Yu) the strike
force embark towards Russia where the investigation about a crashed military
airplane, leads a race to stop a nuclear attack.
Whilst the first Expendables film, released
in 2010, did somewhat deliver on its marketing of compiling a dream team of
80’s action movie icons, the film (somewhat to its credit) went more for grit,
drama and realism than expected. This film largely forgoes that and instead
delivers the advertised goods without pretension, and becomes a better film for
that. Building on its roster of nostalgia-tastic muscle-bound characters with
the addition of the likes of Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme (and an
expansion on the cameo roles of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis from the
last film). The film’s screenplay is the main fault. Whilst the film was
obviously never intended as a cerebral exercise, the rather haphazard approach
to exposition makes certain plot points difficult to fully comprehend and,
though humorous, some of the visual jokes fall flat from the lack of clarity.
Nan Yu’s addition to an otherwise male-centric group is welcomed, but the
screenplay smacks of sexism in places and never truly resolves that issue. On
the plus side, the film looks very well made (at least as far as set-design
goes) and the allusions to the actors are a welcome touch, referencing Chuck
Norris’ famed “Facts” and the genuine truth that Dolph Lungdren is actually
profoundly intelligent in the matter of chemical engineering. It’s an okay film
and overall it works, it just has issues.
28.
Frankenweenie (Dir. Tim Burton, USA) (Cert: PG)
Starring: Charlie Tahan, Frank Welker,
Atticus Schaffer
Young Victor Frankenstein (Tahan) is told
by a strange local girl (Catherine O’Hara) that something big will happen to
him soon. That big thing happens to be the death of his beloved pet dog, Sparky
(Welker). Inspired by a lesson given the new science teacher (Martin Landau),
Victor brings Sparky back to life, but this secret of science doesn’t stay
secret for long.
After releasing the live-action film Dark
Shadows (2012), Burton quickly delivers this animated film, strangely without
his regular animation side-kick, Henry Selick (given their previous
collaborations in Beetlejuice (1988) and The Nightmare Before Christmas
(1993)). Burton is himself an animator, having begun his career with Disney
(who also produced this film). Like his other films, Burton’s love of classic
horror is abundantly clear in this film which is mostly an homage to James
Whale’s films Frankenstein (1931) and Bride Of Frankenstein (1933) (there’s
even a very subtle use of Bride’s main theme in Danny Elfman’s score when a dog
receives a shock that turns it’s fur into the Bride’s iconic do). Burton’s main
players Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter are absent, although he works
again with Martin Landau (from Ed Wood (1995)) and one of his most recent
regulars, Sir Christopher Lee (in a creative archived use of his Hammer Dracula
role). The film is short and could’ve done with a lot more detail in the story,
but it’s entertaining and endearing, especially the surprisingly
realistic-acting dog Sparky.
29.
Lawless (Dir. Jonathan Hillcoat, USA) (Cert: 18)
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Guy
Pearce
The Bouderant brothers, Jack (LaBeouf),
Forrest (Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke) are well-known in Franklin County,
Virginia for their bootlegging and making moonshine. With crime in the
prohibition-era area running rampant, and the police force seemingly
benefitting, a cop by the name of Charlie Rakes (Pearce) rides into town and
quickly squashes the moonshine operation with an iron fist. But the Bouderant
brothers set to prove they aren’t so easily taken care of.
In a year when there are a number of gangster
and crime films being put on the market, Lawless received perhaps the most
publicity, and not without reason, with two of the film’s cast, Tom Hardy and
Gary Oldman, also playing prominent roles in The Dark Knight Rises that same
year. However, Lawless is, deliberately, a lot less slick and has a murky
rustic quality befitting the Appalachian environment that is this film’s
setting. Based on a true story, adapted into the book “The Wettest County The
World” and then adapted into a screenplay by Nick Cave (also known for singing
with Australian band, The Bad Seeds) somewhere along the way something is lost
in the film. On a strictly dialogue basis, the film is well-written but it
lacks a form or tension and at times just seems like a succession of
inconsequential scenes put together, even though there is clearly narrative in
there. The cast still drives home a good, but not remarkable, performance
though (LaBeouf is trying to shake off his child star past and be taken more
seriously, but it still may take a while for the audience to come around to it)
and Guy Pearce plays a character so dastardly and unlikable it seems hard to
believe that this man really was real. Solid, entertaining, but not exactly the
classic gangster epic it wants so hard to be.
30.
The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists (The
Pirates! Band Of Misfits) (Dirs. Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt, USA/UK) (Cert: U) ***
Starring: Hugh Grant, David Tennant, Martin
Freeman
A ship-full of pirates, captained by the
handily named Pirate Captain (Grant) sail the seven seas with one main
ambition; to claim enough booty to win the prestigious Pirate Of The Year
Award. In an attempted raid, the pirates end up face-to-face with scientist
Charles Darwin (Tennant) who informs them that their “parrot” Polly is in fact
a dodo and that he wishes to exhibit the believed-to-be-extinct bird to the
scientific community.
These days, animated films seem to veer
more towards CGI as a form of animation and whilst this is in itself no bad
thing, it’s companies like Aardman who remind us gleefully that there are
alternatives out there with their plastercine stop-motion animation (even if
Pirates has a smattering of CG). Pirates isn’t the first stop-motion film to be
rendered into 3D (it’s preceded at least by the 3D version of The Nightmare
Before Christmas (1993)) it’s an interesting novelty of itself, though
thankfully it’s not overrun by the 3D craze (which means it’ll probably have
more longevity). The writing is pleasingly amusing with a few laugh-out-loud
moments, though it’s eye on Victorian history is a little hit-and-miss (it’s
set in 1837 but it references Bram Stoker’s Dracula which was written much
later) but with some pleasing twists (In the film, Imelda Staunton’s Queen
Victoria is a member of a dining club that eats rare animals. An obscure
real-life fact is that Darwin was a member of a similar society). The acting is
undemanding though Hugh Grant manages to break free of his stereotypical
mumbling fop and is near unrecognisable and quite charismatic (it’s also noted
that Aardman’s distinct approach to faces has actually succeeded in making
Salma Hayek look unattractive, even if that’s not the intention) Time will have
to tell if it’s up-to-scratch with Wallace And Gromit (1989 - ) or Chicken Run
(2000), and it probably isn’t, but it’s still got a sense of charm and
sometimes succeeds beyond expectations.
31.
Men In Black 3 (2012, Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld,
USA) (Cert: 12)
Starring: Will Smith, Josh
Brolin, Jemaine Clement
Boris (Clement), an alien
criminal, breaks out of a high-security prison on the moon and travels back in
time. Meanwhile, J (Smith) a member of the Men In Black discovers that his
long-time partner, K (Tommy Lee Jones) has actually been dead years because of
Boris killing him by travelling in time. Now, J must set things right by
travelling back in time to take down Boris with the help of a young K (Brolin).
The second sequel two Men In
Black (1997), Men In Black III introduces a time travel element to the series
which adds a good new dimension. Time is a good variant to add as it’s
noticeable how much older people have gotten since the last time on the screen
(Men In Black II in 2002). Tommy Lee Jones is definitely looking too old and so
he’s kept out of the action (but it seems almost certain that there’ll be no
Men In Black 4 as a result.) and Rip Torn’s Z is no longer in (instead replaced
by O, played by Emma Thompson) The main villain, Boris, is played by Jemaine
Clement channelling Tim Curry and is often entertaining. It’s not as
entertaining as the first film, but it’s well put together and is worth
watching.
32.
Jack Reacher (Dir. Chris McQuarrie, USA) (Cert:
12a)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, David
Oyelowo
When a sniper attack leaves six people dead
in Pittsburgh, the accused (Joseph Sikora) asks for assistance from Jack
Reacher (Cruise); an ex-soldier with no real identity or history, who just
travels from place to place righting wrongs. With the help of the accused
sniper’s lawyer (Pike), Jack looks to get to the bottom of what really
happened.
Based on the book series by British writer,
Lee Child, the thing that strikes me about Jack Reacher is that it’s not
particularly well-written in terms of dialogue. The humorous elements of the
script are not particularly funny and the exposition becomes quickly
convoluted. The casting decisions are also a little odd. Whilst much is made of
the famously small dark-haired Tom Cruise playing the tall blonde figure of
Jack Reacher, casting problems are more apparent with archetypal English rose,
Rosamund Pike who, whilst trying hard, doesn’t quite pull of an American
accent. Usually directing, this time acting, Werner Herzog makes a great
villain despite not really “performing” (Herzog just has an absolutely
brilliant speaking voice so he can be captivating without even trying) and the
supporting cast perform ably. However, the film mostly stands out as a visually
astounding piece of work (cinematography by the legendary Caleb Deschanel)
which makes it an entertaining film despite its many very visible flaws.
33.
Yellow (Dir.
Ryan Haysom, Germany) (Cert: TBC)
Starring: Stephen M. Gilbert, Rocco
Menzel, Hester Arden
A man (Gilbert) drives through the
city at night and in the day is menaced by strange phone calls, more than
likely related to a spate of serial killings happening across the city. As the
man starts to piece together the clues, he tries to take down the killer
(Menzel) himself.
An homage to the classic giallo cinema
of the 1970’s, Yellow (the English translation of the word “giallo”), is a
short film that definitely leans on the experimental side of the
horror/thriller subgenre, and that’s saying something. Most of the clichés of
giallo are apparent. A masked killer with a razor, slashings of throats and
lashings of blood with more than a hint of insanity, Yellow probably would’ve
benefitted from being feature-length and more fleshed out (some of the
confusing elements are clearly intentional, other parts that confuse probably
are because of unintentional unfamiliarity) and whilst this may lack the visual
flair of the glory days of Dario Argento (understandably), it’s a nice looking
film all the same.
34.
Rock Of Ages (Dir. Adam Shankman, USA) (Cert:
12)
Starring: Julianne Hough, Diego
Boneta, Tom Cruise
It’s 1987 and Los Angeles, the
music capital of the world, is in the grips of “Hair Metal” fever. Naïve
Southern girl, Sherrie (Hough) makes it to LA to fulfil her dream of being a
singer only to become a waitress at a popular nightclub working alongside another
aspiring singer named Drew (Boneta). But the club is facing hard time
financially, not helped by the campaign by the wife (Catharine Zeta-Jones) of
the local mayor (Bryan Cranston) to shut down the club because of its
celebration of such lewd music. Can big-time rock star Staciee Jaxx (Cruise) be
counted on to save the day?
Adapted from the stage musical of
the same name, Rock Of Ages is a rather hit-and-miss affair of rather
inconsistent quality throughout. The film certainly doesn’t start well with a
saccharine cover of the already fairly soft power ballad Sister Christian by
Night Ranger and each song is guilty in its own way of being over-produced and glossed
to within an inch of its life (considering the source material, that’s
something of an achievement) not to mention the rather uneven balance of
artists that are referenced in these songs (for example, three songs by Def
Leppard and Foreigner, two by Poison yet no Van Halen or KISS…and you can’t
convince me Gene Simmons would’ve turned the opportunity down). However, the
film is aided by a supporting cast of gifted actors, some of whom also turn in
good singing performances (Russell Brand has a much more appealing singing
voice than when he’s mangling a West-Midlands accent). The production itself
looks cheap with knocked-up sets but there’s something in the innocence and
slightly knowing silliness that saves this film from my total wrath. Despite
myself, I ended up enjoying it and am not completely sure why. It’s just
baffling.
35.
Ruby Sparks (, Dirs. Jonathan Dayton, Valerie
Faris, USA) (Cert: 15)
Starring: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Chris
Messina
Calvin Weir-Fields (Dano) wrote a very
popular novel ten years ago and has been struggling for a follow-up ever since.
At the insistence of his psychiatrist (Elliott Gould), Calvin begins to write a
story about a woman who can love someone for who they are and when he
incorporates a woman from his dreams that he calls Ruby Sparks (Kazan) he
regains his inspiration, only for Ruby to suddenly turn up in real life.
Much like how Calvin’s novel is a follow-up
a highly successful first story, Ruby Sparks is the first film in six years
from the directors behind Little Miss Sunshine and so the point of inspiration
is obvious. However, Ruby Sparks isn’t completely worth the wait. There are
films that have used this idea before, but Ruby Sparks takes the film in a more
romantic direction. The character of Ruby is deliberately designed to be a
perfect dream girl and it seems perfectly logical for Calvin to be highly flawed
by comparison; however he does things in this film which draw any real sympathy
away from him. Other than that, the film is competently made and has a really
good score; it’s just a little darker than it should’ve been.
36.
On The Road (Dir. Walter Salles, France/UK/USA/Brazil)
(Cert: 15)
Starring: Sam Riley, Garret Hedlund,
Kristen Stewart
This adaptation of the classic Jack Kerouac
novel follows Sal Paradise (Riley) a young intellectual who spends his time
partying and philosophising with fellow writer Dean Moriarty (Hedlund) and
Moriarty’s young bride Mary-Lou (Stewart). The trio travel across the United
States taking in the culture, the eccentricity and the hedonism.
Kerouac’s seminal slice of Beat literature
has been a favourite of counter-culture enthusiasts since publication but this
adaptation brought courtesy of various independent studios (including Francis
Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope) is the first time the story has been told
through cinema. So, what to make of it? It’s a film that grasps the significance
of the first adaptation of the popular work and takes itself very seriously.
It’s clear that director Walter Salles intended this film to be an all-time
classic, but it just isn’t. There’s much contemplation of human life and on
society, but it drags on without much that can really be taken in. The parts
where characters are actually living these lives of desire are the moment where
the film really catches fire with frenzied, fast-cut jiving through hyperactive
jazz music and enthusiastic orgies. The performances are strong, but the film
drags itself so morosely through chapters you’ll probably forget most of the
film before too long. The stuff that stays in the mind? Well, it’s probably got
good reason to.
37.
Dark Shadows (Dir. Tim Burton, USA) (Cert: 12)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle
Pfeiffer.
In the days of Colonial America, the wealthy
Barnabas Collins (Depp) is cursed by a witch (Green), whose affections he has
spurned. This curse means that Collins is doomed to spend eternity as a
Vampire. After being sealed in the Earth by the locals, Barnabas manages to
regain his freedom in 1972. Settling in with his descendants, he soon comes
across the same witch who now owns a fishing company intent on driving the
Collins family out of their family business.
An adaptation of a popular paranormal soap
opera in the US virtually unknown on these shores when compared to The Addams
Family or The Munsters, Dark Shadows is clearly a labour of love for director
Tim Burton, who brings his distinctive sense of gothic/expressionistic style to
proceedings. Dark Shadows is amusing in places, but doesn’t rank amongst
Burton’s best. Johnny Depp, however, still manages to be on strong form clearly
clowning about as Barnabas, albeit in the same way Depp usually approaches
these types. As for the rest of the cast, Pfeiffer and Green perform ably
although produce nothing special and Chloë Grace-Moretz provides perhaps the
most disturbing role as a Lolita-styled adolescent that seems a
little…discomforting (especially in her opening scenes). Christopher Lee makes
another Burton film appearance almost unrecognisable as an old sea-dog (Burton
clearly being aware that Lee has himself played a vampire who ends up in 1972).
Though Dark Shadows disappoints, it isn’t a complete waste of a film, though it
clearly runs out of things to say or interesting things to do in the last
twenty minutes.
38.
The Possession (Dir. Ole Bornedal, USA) (Cert:
15)
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Natasha Calis, Madison
Davenport
A strange box is given away at a yard sale after it caused
the serious injury of its owner (Anna Hagan). When a young girl named Emily
(Calis), has it bought for her by recently-divorced dad (Morgan), they take it
to their new house. Soon Emily begins to act very strangely and begins to
change. What is the secret of the box?
Produced by Sam Raimi, who brought to the screen not only
the Spiderman trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007) but also the horror classic Evil Dead
trilogy (1981, 1987, 1992) and Drag Me To Hell (2009), The Possession treads
similar territory initially as Drag Me To Hell (bringing with it ancient
traditions and possible occultism unleashed by a curse/physical object), but
slowly changes until in the film’s final third it basically becomes a Jewish
version of The Exorcist (1973). Much of the humour that marked Raimi’s work is
absent here and the film is a much more straight-forward horror story,
well-acted by the cast. The film does fall on the same transition styles
constantly (Frantic soundtrack, cut to black, piano note. Lather, rinse,
repeat.) and isn’t as scary as it tries to be, but it’s still a decent but
unremarkable horror film.
39.
The Amazing Spider-Man (Dir. Marc Webb, USA) (Cert: 12A)
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys
Ifans
Peter Parker (Garfield) is a social outcast
raised by his uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and aunt May (Sally Field). On a quest
to discover the fate of his father (Campbell Scott), Peter learns of Dr. Curt
Connors (Ifans) his father’s lab partner. In an attempt to learn from Connors,
Peter infiltrates the organisation he works for. But when he is bitten by an
experimental spider, Peter gains strange powers and becomes a masked crusader
by the name of Spider-Man.
The Amazing Spider-Man follows ten years on
from the blockbuster Sam Raimi-helmed Spiderman in 2002. However, The Amazing
Spider-Man is no sequel (Raimi’s film did indeed have two sequels of its own).
It re-establishes the mythology of Spiderman on the silver screen, but doesn’t
really revolutionise it or put a new spin on it like Christopher Nolan’s Batman
films. As a result, it’s hard for this film to be “amazing”. It’s competent and
has a great cast behind it (when does Martin Sheen deliver a bad performance?)
even if some parts are a little off-centre (Emma Stone makes a great Gwen Stacy
other than I don’t think she can quite pass for seventeen). Where the film
succeeds is in its characters. Each have their own backstory and psychology and
you build a pretty clear idea of who they are but the actual dialogue is at
times poor (and sometimes just factually wrong) and the film doesn’t really
stick well in the memory. I’ll admit that I’m no fan of superhero films and if
you do like them, this might just be your cup of tea (it certainly isn’t a bad
film) but it really depends on your taste on the genre as to how you respond to
The Amazing Spider-Man.
40.
Total Recall (Dir. Len Wiseman, USA/Canada)
(Cert: 12a)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale,
Jessica Biel
In the future, the Earth is mostly
unpopulated save for two zones. The United Federation Of Britain replacing the
United Kingdom and another (known simply as “The Colony”) replacing Australia.
Douglas Quaid (Farrell) lives in The Colony and commutes to his job as a welder
in the UFB via a process called “The Fall” (a transport that shoots itself
through the Earth’s core.) Having been recommended a company called “Rekall”,
who specialise in having people live their fantasies through their
sub-consciousness. Quaid goes to Rekall, but before he can live out his fantasy
of being a secret agent, a raid takes place and Quaid discovers that he may
have lived a more dangerous past life.
Adapted from Philip K. Dick’s short story,
We Remember It For You Wholesale and drawing more so from the story’s previous
adaptation, also known as Total Recall, from 1990, this 2012 version keeps
faithful to the original Paul Verhoeven film whilst featuring some new
elements. What’s new is the depiction of two separate colonies on a ravaged
Earth (much of the 1990 film takes place on a Mars colony), but the character
names and central conflicts (the existence of Rekall, the war between a
government and a militia.) remain somewhat the same. The film also maintains
elements from Blade Runner (1982) (also a Philip K. Dick adaptation, this time
of Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?) scenes in The Colony borrow heavily
from that film’s look for Los Angeles and the film’s introductory sequence to
The Colony is taken almost shot-for-shot from Blade Runner. The film takes
itself more seriously than its earlier incarnation, sparing it from the older
film’s major error of a seriously over-the-top second half. That being said,
this film’s conclusion is far too long and whilst it was nice for the erstwhile
Mrs. Quaid (originally played by Sharon Stone, played this time by Kate
Beckinsale) has an extended role, the film uses the character a little too
much. Not as strong as its forebear, but not the worst sci-fi blockbuster ever
made, Total Recall is really a judgement call on how much you want to see it,
or Colin Farrell’s continuing struggle with a North American accent.
41.
Midnight’s Children (Dir. Deepa Mehta,
Canada/UK) (Cert: 12a)
Starring: Satya Bhabha, Salman Rushdie,
Siddharth
In the first hour that signified the
independence of India on the 14th of August 1947, hundreds of children were
born in India. Of these children, two are born in the same hospital at the same
time to connected parents; one (Bhabha, Darsheel Saffary) to a pair of poor
parents, the other (Siddharth) to a pair of rich parents. At birth they are switched as part of a
revolutionary gesture, unbeknownst to their parents and live lives on different
ends of society. However, they, along with all the others who were born within
“the first hour” have magical powers, bringing them into conflict.
When it was published in 1981, Midnight’s
Children made Indian-born British writer, Salman Rushdie a household name.
Given its legacy, a film adaptation was near-inevitable, leading Rushdie to
hold a definite grip over this film. He not only wrote the source material, he
narrates the film, served as executive producer and wrote the screenplay. As
such, in the latter case, Midnight’s Children suffers. Its details are drawn-out
and whilst this helps to highlight some gorgeous music and cinematography, it
drags the story in between its rare glimpses of greatness. The film does build
momentum in the second act, buoyed by more efficient writing and great leading
performances, but it’s a case of too little, too late.
42.
Anna Karenina (Dir. Joe Wright, UK/France)
(Cert: 12a)
Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron
Taylor-Johnson
In the closing days of the Russian Empire,
well-to-do socialite, Anna (Knightley) happens to have a chance-encounter with
the Count Vronsky (Taylor-Johnson) and embark on a whirlwind affair with him,
tearing apart her marriage to politician, Alexei Karenin (Law) in the process.
Meanwhile, a farm-labourer (Doomhall Gleeson) whose father used to own the farm
falls in love with a wealthy society girl (Alicia Vikander).
After previously having Keira Knightley star
in such films as Atonement (2007) and Pride And Prejudice (2005), this time
director Joe Wright puts her as the lead in this adaptation of the classic Leo
Tolstoy literary epic. With Joe Wright’s previous work of historical (and very
British) bombast lending some comparisons with Sir David Lean, Anna Karenina
could be seen as Wright’s equivalent to Doctor Zhivago (1965) and some of the
panoramic shots of snow-covered Russian tundra certainly pay credence to this,
however its structure lies mostly on the purely theatrical side (keeping in
mind that playwright Tom Stoppard wrote the screenplay adaption of Karenina) to
a literal degree with the film frequently taking the guise of a stage-play
(although parts play out in the rafters and wings as well). Original and
unique, yes, but also bewildering and more than a little pretentious. One can’t
help but think that if Wright had actually gone the more conventional route
than this film with often beautiful imagery and fine performances would’ve been
much better.
43.
Snow White And The Huntsman Dir. Rupert Sanders,
USA) (Cert: 12)
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth,
Charlize Theron
In this darker take on the classic tale,
Snow White (Stewart) manages to escape from the capitivity of an evil and vain
queen (Theron), who sends a huntsman (Hemsworth) out to kill Snow White.
However, when Snow White helps the Huntsman have change in heart, they decide
to take on the queen.
Snow White & The Huntsman builds on an
interesting idea. It’s no secret that fairy tales, despite being told mainly to
young children, are often very dark and here, we don’t get Walt Disney, rather
a fairly grim (no pun intended) take on the tale with Tolkienian slant. Kristen
Stewart, pale skin, dark hair and sullen expression is a good fit for this
interpretation and delivers a solid performance. However, the film can’t resist
the dark for too long and it’s clear that it’s also trying to play to a softer
audience than it should. What the film needed was less compromise and for it to
actually rest on its convictions as a dark fairy tale; then it would’ve been
interesting. As it is, it’s a little disappointing.
44.
The Lorax (Dirs. Ryan Balda, Chris Renauld, USA)
(Cert: U)
Starring: Zack Efron, Ed Helms, Danny
DeVito
Thneedville is a happy place where everyone
is perfectly contented with their lives, living off the completely inorganic
resources that have been made for them. However, a girl named Audrey (Taylor
Swift) is obsessed with these now-long-gone things known as trees and paints a mural to them on the side
of her house. In an effort to win Audrey’s heart, a young boy named Ted Wiggins
(Efron) goes in search of the Once-ler (Helms) who holds the knowledge about
the trees, so that Ted can get one of his own.
Coming from the team behind the particularly
strong Despicable Me (2010), you could make high expectations for The Lorax,
even though history has been rather chequered with bringing the stories of Dr
Suess to the big screen. Here the rather short nature of the late Dr Suess’ stories
shows rather clearly as the film struggles to get to grips with the story,
turning what should be a small set-up into the main crux of the film and
overblowing many sequences. While the animation is pleasing enough and there
are a few good jokes here and there, the music is mostly forgettable bubblegum
pop (which pretty much completely misses a great chance for ironic
interpretation) and the film ends up being mostly a disappointment.
45.
The Campaign Dir. Jay Roach, USA) (Cert: 15)
Starring: Will Ferrell, Zac Galifianackis,
Sarah Baker
With the Congressional elections for North
Carolina on the horizon, the unopposed election seems to look like a cakewalk
for sitting congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell). That is until two businessmen
brothers (Dan Akyroyd, Jon Lithgow) put forward an opponent in the soft-natured
Marty Hugggins (Galifianackis) and the race is on.
Released in the approach to the 2012
presidential election, The Campaign focuses on the congressional rather than on
the presidential. It would seem that elections would be a good target for
comedy that is unexplored beyond the focus away from the actual process (eg:
Election (1999) or Man Of The Year (2006)) and so it’s rather promising if say,
the story was used to satirise stereotypes of the political left and right.
Perhaps in an effort to play it safe given the real-life political backdrop,
the film doesn’t pick sides (which is good) but instead just becomes a comedy
of childish insults (which is very, very bad). Though Ferrell plays a Democrat
and Huggins a Republican, their actual affiliations are meaningless and are
pushed aside for crude jokes. Both the stars and supporting players such as Dan
Akyroyd and Jon Lithgow are worth more than this rather disappointing film.
