FILM REVIEWS: BASTILLE DAY/FRIEND REQUEST/JANE GOT A GUN

Bastille Day

Last week, Criminal had Americans romping around London, all guns blazing. This week, it's the turn of the Parisians in Bastille Day. Richard Madden stars as an American pickpocket who is falsely accused of setting off a bomb in Paris and is tracked down by an expat CIA officer, played by Idris Elba. Soon working together to uncover the real culprits, Madden and Elba rampage through Paris in this fairly enjoyable throwaway film.

It says something that given Paris' recent tragedies, Bastille Day is light enough in touch not to get a little too close to the bone. The film has moments of violence and grit, but knows how to balance those with humour, ultimately aiming for the old-fashioned James Bond demographic rather than the overtly aggressive Insert Name Here Has Fallen franchise. It's not exactly an authentic view of Paris, with our leads as Americans (on top of that, both played by English actors) and this doesn't really pull any new tricks for an action movie but it knows what it needs to do and its functionality, it confidently ticks the boxes. Perhaps in a parallel universe there's a gritty French street-crime/action movie named Bastille Day starring Omar Sy and it would probably be much better, but if this Idris' audition tape for a future as James Bond, he's played it well. Charlotte Le Bon also features. (This Week's Hot Ticket)

Friend Request

About a year ago now, the world was given Unfriended (2015), a horror movie in the found footage tradition using the world of social media as its backdrop. Sure, it was gimmicky but the film's fairly decent execution did mean it was better than expectations had been pushed to believe. Friend Request is forever doomed to live in that shadow of temporarily raised expectations.

The film is from the viewpoint of Laura, who befriends a stranger named Malinda. Malinda seems a little unusual and when she's stood up for a party, she commits suicide and before long more deaths seem to follow with the videos of her victims demises being uploaded Laura's account. Aside from a couple of promising animated sequences, Friend Request is a profoundly flat film. Even by the horror genre's notoriously low standards for character development (and I say this even as a horror movie fan) the gaggle of teen leads are bland and devoid of personality, leaving you longing for the dear departed John Hughes whilst the film's "antagonist" is actually more relatable to a significant chunk of the audience.

Horror movies can often get away with being inconsequential. They're mostly meant to be devoured as a bit of a laugh and a cheap thrill, especially horror on the mainstream but tacking onto a Facebook gimmick (and this is about as close as you can get to using Facebook without lawyers being called in) really calls into question if this film will be relevant in a few years. Of course, with its one-trick-pony approach to jump scares, horror's answer to a fart joke, banal writing and completely careless approach to production, this film will probably lose relevance the moment your eyes leave the screen.

Jane Got A Gun

One of a large number of films whose screenplays have been plucked out of development hell, Jane Got A Gun has had a troublesome production history, with its original director dripping out after the first day of filming. Ordinarily, such a notoriously troubled shoot makes for a bad film and whilst calling Jane Got A Gun a travesty is overstepping the mark, the problems are clear.

Natalie Portman stars as Jane, a woman living on the Old West frontier who is driven to protect herself when a former acquaintance (played by Ewan McGregor) comes to right where he feels he has been wronged. You get a feeling that Jane Got A Gun is trying to claim a radical position. A guns blazing Western with a female lead but it's far from anything new and such a film almost feels more like a Western at home in the revisionist days of the 1960's. Heck, even the title lends itself to a Jane Fonda vehicle of some sort and with premise being drained of its potential power, you're left with an unremarkable effort. Its haphazard production leaves the entire film feeling un-cohesive even with its fairly straight-forward plot and the sepia-tinted cinematography, whilst a nice idea, becomes a little bit of a strain on the eyes.

If you like Westerns, Jane Got A Gun is not going to offend your tastes. The atmosphere that comes with the genre and the sweeping desert vistas are still there and Natalie Portman actually puts in a game performance but this production ultimately suffers from a lack of certainty on whether it wants to be a female-lead barnstormer or something more traditional. That, and the film's unfortunate run of bad luck, has created something a little less than the sum of its parts and really just okay when it could've been great. Also features Joel Edgerton.

FILM REVIEWS (CRIMINAL/EYE IN THE SKY/THE JUNGLE BOOK)

Criminal

In this sci-fi action movie, Kevin Costner stars as a psychotic prisoner, implanted with the memories of Bill Pope, a deceased agent (played by Ryan Reynolds) in order to track down the anarchist responsible for Pope's death. A film that thematically owes a pretty heavy debt to Robocop (1987), Criminal lacks that film's wit or intelligence and instead is a ham-fisted and inept lumbering beast with far more muscles than brains. The film has an unusual London setting; unusual given the entirely non-English main characters, including those clearly written as English and a sense of dialogue so tin-eared that it becomes rather funny, especially the very British responses to Costner's meathead antics (favourites include a kebab shop owner being dissuaded from hitting Costner with a hammer and causing a "kerfuffle" and another passer-by's stunned question "Who punches someone in a patisserie?")

Not quite smart enough to be aware of its own stupidity, Criminal just comes off as a hack job only occasionally lightened by its own amusing stupidity with a somewhat unengaged cast and an all-too-emotional performance from Gary Oldman. Criminal? Yes it is. Also features Gal Gadot, Tommy Lee Jones and Alice Eve.

Eye In The Sky

Tensions run high in this political war thriller where the possibility stop a potential terrorist attack bring its own ethical complications. Drone warfare has long been an intense topic for discussion and controversy, both from the damage it causes and the issues surrounding the impersonal detachment involved in using drones. As the director of the 2013 film adaptation of Ender's Game, Gavin Hood is a smart choice to direct, but rather than play his hand towards the "war being like a video game" viewpoint that is often associated with drones, here a more fraught representation is presented with a strong supporting performance by Aaron Paul, whose scenes amount to the best parts of the film, though Helen Mirren is also excellent as a determined military officer, who is arguably the film's lead.

What could be seen as a modern equivalent to the likes of Fail-Safe (1964) or even Dr. Strangelove (1964), Eye In The Sky really serves more as a conversation starter than as a full-blown exploration of the War On Terror, but it's that same spirit to engage people and have them thinking that should be encouraged and the fact that the film is as effective as it is, is just icing on the cake. Also features Bakkad Abdi, Iain Glen and the late, great Alan Rickman in his last onscreen role.

The Jungle Book

Released in 1967, Walt Disney's animated version of The Jungle Book proved to be one of Disney's most enduring animated features and whilst it had its occasional flaws (notoriously having Beatle-esque vultures singing barbershop because Walt didn't believe the Fab Four's legacy would last), the film's charm and effervescent sense of fun made it a classic. Jon Favreau's attempt at doing a "live-action" (actually more like photo-realistic CG with a live action lead) remake may seem like a folly, but it's easily the best of the recent glut of Disney remakes and may in fact surpass its animated ancestor.

Bringing the darker tone Rudyard Kipling's source material, this Jungle Book stars Neel Sethi as wolf-raised man-cub Mowgli on a quest to leave the jungle and find the man village to save himself and his adoptive family from the wrath of the tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba). Whilst being lovingly faithful to the '67 version, this film's attempt at carving out a new niche opens up the world and provides some great new dimensions to the Jungle Book world, bringing a new sense of majesty alongside a well-chosen cast. Who would make a better Baloo then Bill Murray? Or breathe new life into the sinister snake Kaa than Favreau mainstay Scarlett Johannson? And who doesn't want Christopher Walken to play a giant ape (and, yes, there was such an animal as a Gigantopithecus. Amazing, right?) and whilst Elba's authoritative take on Khan is distinctly different to the sophisticated charm of George Sanders' performance in the animated film, it's a valid interpretation.

Beautifully realised, humbly reverent to its antecedent but also brash and daring enough to go somewhere new, this live action Jungle Book might be a bit too intense for the youngest of children, but its ability to do something admirably new whilst homaging the old is exactly what these new Disney remakes should be doing. Cast also features Ben Kingsley, Lupita N'yongo and Giancarlo Esposito. (This Week's Hot Ticket)

FILM REVIEWS (HARDCORE HENRY/THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY/MIDNIGHT SPECIAL)

Hardcore Henry

One of the most novel action movies in recent memory, this adrenalie-and-blood-soaked Russian action thriller that puts the audience in the driver's seat as "Henry"; a man who wakes from a coma with no voice or memory and new cybernetic limbs who is on a quest to find information on his identity.

The plot is pretty basic (Robocop (1987) without the clever satire would be the best explanation) but the film makes no pretension to being anything but a pseudo-experiment in virtual reality. How much you will get out of the film will hinge in how much you can chime with the protagonist's actions. If you can switch your mind off and just enjoy blood and thrills, it's not without charms but the film's rather unnerving issues with women and gay people definitely leave a sour taste in the mouth. The film might also have one of the worst action movie villain to date, looking less like a Bond supervillain and more like a z-grade Dutch house DJ and Tim Roth is rather wasted in a minor role. Still, Sharlto Copley is on occasion entertaining, especially in a completely unexpected standout sequence that will forever tinge your appreciation for the Great American Songbook. Worthwhile for the curious, otherwise just stay at home and play Goldeneye for the N64. It's not that much different.

The Man Who Knew Infinity

Dev Patel stars in this biopic centred on Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan and his work at Cambridge in the shadow of the First World War. Supposedly ten years in the making, The Man Who Knew Infinity may have gotten its green-light off of the recent success of The Theory Of Everything (2014) given its similar backdrops and tone as well as the film doesn't seem quite as polished as it wants to be. That isn't to say that the film isn't enjoyable. Dev Patel plays off of his innate earnest qualities as Ramanujan whilst Jeremy Irons is his enjoyable foil in fellow Cambridge mathematician G.H. Hardy and the film does go some way to convey Ramanujan's fascination and love of numbers even as the film ticks off of all of the expected tropes for this kind of story. Ultimately, the film itself feels a little too ramshackle and a slightly more polished presentation would probably have done it wonders, but it's fine enough stuff with Toby Jones also making a good supporting part and Stephen Fry turns up for a couple of minutes being his always-charming self.

Midnight Special

Having previously given us Mud, Jeff Nicholls brings the same gritty aesthetic of the American south to this Close Encounters-tinged science fiction film about a young boy with strange powers that become of interest to the US government. Whilst elements of the concept are nothing new (aside from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977), there are strong parallels to E.T. (1982), Starman (1984) and Looper (2012)) the film pulls them into interesting directions but never fully explains them or provide a satisfying resolution to them. Michael Shannon gives a very good performance alongside the film's child star Jaeden Lieberher, but the promising premise is ultimately spread too thin. Also includes Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Shepard. (This Week's Hot Ticket)

FILM REVIEWS: EDDIE THE EAGLE/HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR/RAN

Eddie The Eagle

Falling somewhere between Cool Runnings (1996) and Billy Elliot (2000), Eddie The Eagle stars Taron Edgerton as Michael "Eddie The Eagle" Edwards; a most unlikely contender for the ski jump at the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary. If you're looking for the no-holds-barred definitive account of Edwards' story, you may want to look elsewhere. Eddie The Eagle is a pretty sweeping fictionalisation of Edwards' story, taking the tale of an admittedly unusual British athlete's training for The Games and turning it into a pure underdog story complete with an equally fictitious washed-up former jumper played by Hugh Jackman who becomes Edwards' mentor.

His third feature film, director Dexter Fletcher (probably best known for his acting roles in shows like Press Gang) seems to be carving his own niche as a feel-good, light filmmaker off the back of the undoubtedly eccentric but equally charming Proclaimers musical Sunshine On Leith (2013) and that has issues and assets. The film is undoubtedly fluffy. As fluffy as a rabbit sitting on a giant marshmallow. There's a slickness to the production that definitely edges a little too close to cheesiness and a broad happy-go-lucky silliness that also teeters towards the worst elements of Richard Curtis' work (Tim McInnerny, an actor who I'm rather fond of, is saddled with a somewhat exaggerated snobbish Olympics official) but it's to the credit of the cast and crew that for all its artifice, Eddie The Eagle is still a great film.

You'll watch it knowing that the film is going for your heartstrings and funny bones and will push the limits of tasteful film-making to do it, but like its protagonist, the film somehow pulls this off. The writing is just constructed well enough to go for those beats that respond with an audience. It should be seen as cynically manipulative but instead, it's charming and moving. Somehow, Eddie The Eagle is a film that seems to try too hard to be liked, but rather bizarrely does deserve to be liked, if not loved. Also in the cast are Keith Allen, Richard Benson, Jim Broadbent and Christopher Walken. (Pick Of The Week)

The Huntsman: Winter’s War

Christopher Hemsworth is back in this sequel to Snow White And The Huntsman (2013). Here, we get a little bit more detail on Hemsworth’s backstory and a love with fellow Huntsman (Huntswoman?) Sara, played by Jessica Chastain, separated by the frosty Queen Freya, sister to Charlize Theron’s wicked Queen Revanna and played by Emily Blunt. Whilst the original film tempted with a darker, grittier take on the Snow White tale but ultimately fell short of delivering the goods, Winter’s War delivers much of the same, though re-tooled to appeal to fans of both Frozen (2013) and Game Of Thrones.

The key issue is one of dissonance. A film that desires for tougher meat but never really breaks from the safe fairy tale conventions and a cast that equally seem at odds with how to deliver it. Hemsworth and Chastain do have a little chemistry and could, in a unified film, make their partnership work but their earthier performances are somewhat undermined by the flamboyant set-dressing and even more flamboyant Charlize Theron and Emily Blunt who are too theatrical to truly take seriously. Nick Frost and Rob Brydon are perhaps the best thing in this film as a pair of trolls along for the journey (similar can be said for Alexandra Roach and Sheridan Smith as their female counterparts, though their parts never really get fleshed out to their full potential).

If The Huntsman: Winter’s War knew what direction to take, it could work. Gritty action-fantasy, Princess Bride (1987) influenced parody or just a shameless fairy tale, each could work in their own way but, as is often the case, the film tries to please too many people and probably won’t please enough. Maybe in time, this franchise will find its feet. Also, listen out for Liam Neeson as the narrator and a small supporting role from Ralph Ineson.

Ran

Currently being rereleased following a new 4K remaster, Akira Kurosawa's 1985 epic Ran is widely regarded as the Japanese auteur's last truly great film. Taking its cue from William Shakespeare's King Lear, Ran stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an ageing warlord who proposes to divide his land between his three sons, only for deception and manipulation to lead to war and madness. Whilst Lear is partially the ur text for Ran, the film is fed through Japanese conventions of the Jidaigeki genre (stories set in Japan's feudal period, usually concerned with Lords, samurai and the like) and the country's theatrical tradition of kabuki and noh giving the performances, especially Nakadai and co-star Mieko Harada as a scheming mistress to one of Hidetora's sons. Though Kurosawa was starting to go blind during production, the film is stunningly presented with colourful motifs and sweeping vistas alongside one of cinema's greatest battle scenes and a strong running thread of nihilism.

It's a long film and can be somewhat imposing to people unfamiliar with Japan's history and culture, but it's still a work well deserving of its reverent reputation.

FILM REVIEWS: 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE/THE BOY/HIGH RISE/MARGUERITE/ZOOTROPOLIS

10 Cloverfield Lane

A pseudo-sequel to JJ Abrams' found footage monster movie Cloverfield (2007), 10 Cloverfield Lane stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as a woman who, following a car accident, finds herself enclosed in a bunker by a survivalist played by John Goodman; but is his report of an apocalyptic event legitimate or is she his prisoner?

Obviously the film owes a debt to Misery (1990), perhaps more so than Cloverfield (the original screenplay wasn't written as a sequel) and the stripped-down thriller aspect to the film provides some genuine tension and frights that push the film's 12a rating to the absolute limit. Always one to give a solid performance, John Goodman conveys an intriguing character even if the nuances feel a little under-explored, but a show-stopping finale is the film's true highlight.

The Boy

The Boy is an English-set American horror film and boy does it show. Lauren Cohan stars as an American who has come to England and given the job of taking care of a young boy named Brahms whilst his parents are away. The thing is, Brahms appears to be nothing more than a doll...at least until spooky things start happening.

The Boy is something of a hokey horror film. With its gothic mansion, very English characters and ghost story conventions, The Boy really seems to be pushing itself towards the classic works of Hammer but the film's attempts at reconciling this with the "jump scare" heavy ideas of more contemporary fare rob the film of a certain atmosphere amidst a slightly cheesy premise and some ham-fisted attempts at British idioms in the screenplay (has "off his pickle" EVER been used as a euphemism for being drunk?). A final act plot twist gives the film a certain sense of life, even if it's in a strange way, but The Boy is nothing particularly special or particularly good.

High Rise

J.G Ballard's science-fiction literary classic comes to the big screen, courtesy of director Ben Wheatley and actor Tom Hiddleston, who stars as Lainge; a new addition to a futuristic tower block with its own built-in social hierarchy. With the decadent wealthy on the building's upper-floors and the disenfranchised working class down below, dissent sets in and a complete breakdown in order soon follows.

Taking the book's 70's origins as a starting-point, High Rise tips its hat decidedly to Clockwork Orange (1971) even down to the film's poster; set against the period-specific backdrop (eagle-eyed viewers may even notice that the film's time period is explicitly spelt out), High Rise is a film that makes a point of off-setting glamour with grime whilst Hiddleston's mannered doctor provides a middle-class-styled equilibrium, especially against the cool reserve of Jeremy Irons as the high rise's architect and the raw macho energy of Luke Evans as a proletariat documentary filmmaker.

When all is said and done, High Rise feels like a genre film. Stylish and sharp with a simple premise and the occasional boot to the gut in between knowing chuckles. Wheatley's cardinal sin is to take film too seriously, making a film slightly too arch and slightly too long. However, the film still manages to work fairly well on its sharp technique and lumbering menace. Also in the cast are Sienna Miller, Elisabeth Moss, Keeley Hawes, James Purefoy, Dan Renton Skinner and Reece Shearsmith.

Marguerite

A French-language film based around the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, Catherine Frot plays the Margueritte of the title, an opera-loving French aristocrat convinced of her own prodigious talent for singing despite being completely incapable of it.

The tale of the loveable enthusiast with delusions of grandeur is a popular one in numerous disciplines, from the poet William McGonnagal to film director Ed Wood. Margueritte captures the endearing nature of the story beautifully, courtesy of Catherine Frot's compassionate performance. It's easy to laugh at the character, but her clear love for opera and her gentle nature make you root for her all the same and defend her against the rather callous taunting of the public. Taking the story of Jenkins, a figure in 30's New York and setting against post-Great War France does work rather well in presenting the story against a new historical backdrop (at one part of the film, Marguerite's performances are used in a Dadaist art piece) but the plot falters slightly in providing a younger female lead whose appearances seem rather perfunctory as Marguerite is a perfectly suitable main character.

The story if Florence Foster Jenkins is set to get another film release later this year in a more true-to-life depiction starring Meryl Streep. It will have some competition to beat this rather sweet comic-drama and considering we're talking about a film with Meryl Streep, that says something for how well this film works. (Pick Of The Week)

Zootropolis

Known as Zootopia in the United States, Zootropolis is the latest offering from Disney and stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps, a rabbit police officer in Zootropolis, a land populated entirely by anthropomorphic, talking animals. Idealistic and out to prove herself, Judy goes on the trail to find a missing otter and enlists the help of a law-breaking fox (voiced by Jason Bateman) to do it.

On its colourful surface, Zootropolis had advertised itself as a cutesy comedy with talking animals cracking wise (thus fulfilling Disney's back-and-forth between more "traditional" work and modern sci-fi-inflected films that has been going on since Tangled (2010)). The film itself is somewhat more daring, keeping most of Disney's wholesome reputation intact but not afraid to push the envelope a little, starting with faked bloodshed mere seconds into the film. The charming performances still make the film endearing, as do the constant stream of gags which are few on belly laughs, but still keep interest.

As a Disney film that pretty blatantly is about the wrongs of prejudice and assumptions, Zootropolis is worth commending, even if some of the humour resting on animal stereotypes offsets the central message. Like most of Disney's recent fare, you'd be hard-pressed to see a future classic in Zootropolis, but it's still a rather enjoyable effort all the same. With the voices of Idris Elba, Alan Tudyk, J.K. Simmons, Catherine O'Hara, Tommy Chong, Tommy "Tiny" Lister and Shakira.

FILM REVIEWS: HAIL CAESAR!/LONDON HAS FALLEN/THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR/TRUTH

Hail, Caesar!

The latest from brothers Ethan and Joel Coen is a fictional tale focusing on real-life studio "fixer" Eddie Mannix, here played by Josh Brolin. Mannix resolves issues for Capitol Pictures and finds himself at his wit's end when Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) the star of his upcoming biblical epic, Hail, Caesar!, is kidnapped.

Coming from cinema's duel masters of the shaggy dog story, Hail, Caesar is less of a conventional linear film and more a pastiche of 50's Hollywood strung together by a slightly noir-ish plot as thin as gossamer. Though this could be argued as a pseudo-sequel to the brothers' 1991 film Barton Fink (which also is based around the work of the fictional Capitol Pictures), Hail Caesar! is closer to The Big Lebowski (1998) with its screwball caper plot. It might also stand as one of their gentlest pictures but is lovably easy-going as opposed to boring.

What truly makes the film work is its ensemble cast. Josh Brolin is a gruff but morally-decent Mannix and grounds the picture whilst his co-stars take on various parodies of post-war movie stars. Clooney is effectively Kirk Douglas and Charton Heston, Scarlett Johannson is brilliantly cast as a Esther Williams-esque musical starlet, Channing Tatum shows off his dance skills imitating Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, relative unknown Verónica Osorio is a charming Carmen Miranda type and perhaps the best performance of the film belongs to Alden Ehrenreich as a slightly dim but good-natured singing cowboy in the vein Roy Rogers; his scenes with Osorio being particularly sweet and endearing.

The film has been polarising and is not exactly recommended for casual viewers given the Coen brothers' propensity towards eschewing standard Hollywood movie structure or plot and the film's heavy reliance on parodying classic cinema relies on the audience having an active interest in the material parodied but if you're a Coen brothers fan, a cinephile, or just want a light-hearted laugh, it's definitely worth seeking out. Also features Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill, Robert Picardo, Christopher Lambert, Clancy Brown, Wayne Knight, Dolph Lundgren and Michael Gambon. (Pick Of The Week)

London Has Fallen

After saving the White House from North Korean terrorists in Olympus Has Fallen (2014) everyone's favourite shouty Scotsman (after Billy Connolly) Gerard Butler must now save London from yet more terrorists (this time of a vaguely Islamic nature) in London Has Fallen. Whilst the Fallen franchise does owe something of a debt to Die Hard, with this instalment taking a cue from Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) London also subscribes to an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it philosophy" which means the problems of the first film very much are problems with the second.

Specifically, the film has an intensely unsettling atmosphere of confrontation that felt rather uneasy in the first film and throws itself further into an ugly sense of xenophobia thanks to rather one-dimensional antagonists and some very off-colour dialogue (such as "go back to headf***istan"). Oozing with machismo and about as subtle as being hit with a sack of hammers, London Has Fallen is just a few steps down from a film so ostentatious and jingoistic as to be funny. However, those couple of steps short reveal what is deep down a film that will leave a very bad taste in the mouth. Aaron Eckhart, Angela Bassett and Morgan Freeman also reprise their roles from the first film.

The Other Side Of The Door

The Walking Dead's Sarah Wayne Callies stars in this British-Indian horror film about a grieving mother who learns that she can reach her deceased son in an abandoned temple in India. However, when she opens the door itself, something not quite her son enters her life. The Other Side Of The Door is a perfectly enjoyable but far from memorable horror film that attempts at something slightly more refined than the standard mainstream horror fare. In turn, the film grasps at atmosphere over gore (of which there is little) but still falls slightly prey to the old trap of jump-scares.

Horror die-hards will probably not be won over by this film entirely. The film does provide an exptic setting over a well-trodden story with the clearest comparison being with the Stephen King story Pet Sematery (and its 1989 film adaptation) and with something of resemblance to the classic mystery Don't Look Now (1973). The film certainly looks great and there's an acorn of a fascinating story but cops out a little too much on some of the negative tropes we've come to expect and falls short of producing a horror film to stand out from the crowd.

Truth

With Spotlight (2015) getting the nod for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, you have to feel a little bad for Truth, the next hard-hitting-journalism movie to follow in the award winner’s wake. It inevitably falls a little flat but for all its flaws, it comes with some assets. Cate Blanchett stars as journalist and 60 Minutes producer Mary Mapes who leads an exposé into the Vietnam War record of then-President George Bush in the run up to the 2004 election, with Mary and her team running into accusations of bias, using forged evidence and slander.

When you have an actress the caliber of Cate Blanchett and a co-star in Robert Redford as legendary news anchor and 60 Minutes host Dan Rather, you’re obviously going to get some great performances and Truth does not hold back on that, especially in the film’s inevitable need to filibuster but against Spotlight’s lean and tense style, Truth comes off as relatively bloated, convoluted and overlong.

The film also wears its political convictions somewhat on its sleeve that can unnerve viewers that don’t agree with the convictions set forwards, ultimately creating a film that challenges and provokes in both good and bad ways.  As mentioned above, the acting is very strong, particularly Redford who is understated yet brilliant as Dan Rather whilst the supporting cast also do great work, especially Topher Grace. A good film that perhaps with some reigning in could’ve been great. Also features Dennis Quaid and Stacy Keach.

FILM REVIEWS: CONCUSSION/DEADPOOL/JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS/PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES/ZOOLANDER 2

Concussion

Controversially overlooked for the awards season and definitely produced to appeal to those in the Academy, Concussion stars Will Smith as Nigerian pathologist Dr. Bennett Omalu who challenged the National Football Association over the role American football played in causing concussion and subsequent mental breakdowns and suicides of their players. Despite the rather powerful subject matter and the dogged attitude that Smith’s Omalu undertakes in this film, what we get with Concussion is a film that never truly shocks or outrages but does produce a film that leaves an impression largely through the performances of its strong cast.

Will Smith, after starting as a wacky comedic lead and then moving into moody sci-fi hero adds another string to his bow as a likable idealist but also willing to show fiery conviction and righteous indignation thanks to Smith’s confident turn. Al Brooks is charmingly wonderful as always, playing Smith’s supporting superior and whilst there is a definitely underused elements of personal conflict in the role, Alec Baldwin is noteworthy a former NFL physician also championing Omalu as is Gugu Mbatha Raw as Smith’s endearing wife. True, Concussion is the sort of thing you might see on any given weekday as a made-for-TV movie, but it is definitely a step (or two) above the usual quality of that fare. Daring? Perhaps not but definitely interesting and very watchable.

Deadpool

One of the most anticipated films of recent months, Deadpool stars Ryan Reynolds as the titular X-Men-associated antihero who came to be following a secretive cancer treatment left him an agonised victim of torture at the hands of villain Francis Freeman (Ed Skrien) and now looking for revenge.

Marvel haven’t been shy about selling their comedic wares to adult audiences, but Deadpool is easily the most mature (and, accordingly, immature) that the studio has gotten to date. Fans have been clamouring over this movie and undoubtedly those who love Deadpool will find little to take fault with here. A wise-cracking, possibly psychotic and definitely dangerous anti-hero that Reynolds is clearly enjoying. On a personal level, the sadistic side of Deadpool does cross the line from darkly-humorous to genuinely disturbing a few too many times and more laughs were had at the slightly less audacious Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) and Ant-Man (2015) but the cast are a hoot, in particular Leslie Uggams as ‘pool’s blind but feisty roommate and Brianna Hildebrand as Deadpool’s stroppy teenage sidekick. As is usually the case, the fans demanded and Marvel, to their credit, have listened. Also features Moneca Baccarain, Gina Carano, TJ Miller, Stefan Kapičić and the near-obligatory Stan Lee cameo.

Jem And The Holograms

Having opened to a poor critical reception and bombing in American cinemas, it’s now the turn for the UK to get this live-action film adaptation of the cult 80’s cartoon show about a group of young female pop stars, Jem. Aubrey Peeples stars as Jerrica Benton who becomes an overnight pop sensation with the stagename, Jem. Along with her bandmate sisters, Jerrica becomes a phenomenon but is also on a quest to find a secret message left by her late father (Barnaby Carter).

Jem may seem like an odd thing to revive but picking the film apart, there is a certain logic. Adapted from a Hasbro property (Hasbro not being shy when it comes to movie cash-ins), Jem And The Holograms does attempt to modernise its image with a definite influence from TV shows such as Hannah Montana (both franchises deal with a pop star alter-ego) and iCarly (the gimmick of incorporating internet video content) but has trouble reconciling the new “web sensation” angle with the desire to make the film a tribute piece to the original material. The film definitely wants to evoke 80’s nostalgia, right down to casting Molly Ringwald (yes, Molly Ringwald) as well as the very outlandish elements from the TV series, but putting up clearly real videos of people talking about their appreciation for (the original) Jem next to a beatboxing robot and a completely nonsensical treasure hunt leaves the film a disheveled mess.

It’s not the complete disaster some have touted it as but there is some sense of the filmmakers knowing that this is never going to be a classic which does make the film for all of its flaws oddly endearing even if the whole thing hangs together rather badly. Not a film to rush out and see except for Juliette Lewis completely chewing up the scenery as the band’s primadonna manager.

Pride And Prejudice And Zombies

The latest addition to the zom-rom-com film craze is this adaptation of Seth Graeme-Smith’s zombified reworking of Jane Austen’s classic, Pride & Prejudice. Lily James stars as Elizabeth Bennett,a young debutante who has been trained to fight against the zombie hordes that ravage England in the early-nineteenth century whilst also having a will they won’t they entanglement with the dour Colonel Darcy played by Sam Riley. Despite, or perhaps because, of the incongruity of the zombies against Austen’s prose, PPZ is a novel and interesting approach to a subgenre now so prolific it teeters towards saturation. The comedy is most definitely the film’s finest asset with a game cast who get the tone perfectly, especially Sally Phillips as the Bennett family matriarch.

The romantic angle, whilst interesting, does drag the film down a little. He isn’t terrible in the role of Darcy, but Sam Riley’s morose and po-faced portrayal does mean that the film’s lively energy is sapped a little by his more sobering presence that is also hampered by the romance that especially wears the film down in its final stretch, making what could’ve been a brilliant little piece of flesh-munching entertainment is slightly laboured but not without some definite charm and verve. Other notables amongst the supporting cast include Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Suki Waterhouse and Matt Smith alongside Game Of Thrones actors Charles Dance and Lena Heady.  

Zoolander 2

Ben Stiller directs, produces, writes and of course, stars in this sequel to 2001’s cult comedy Zoolander as empty-headed supermodel Derek Zoolander re-emerging from seclusion (self-imposed after the disastrous fate of his Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Who Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too) alongside rival-turned-ally Hansel (Owen Wilson) and finding themselves investigating a conspiracy behind the killing of world-famous pop stars.

The original Zoolander was a zany, fast-paced and all-around entertaining romp but in the fifteen years since that film, it’s clear that Ben Stiller seems to have forgotten what exactly made his film work. Instead, for more than one-hundred minutes we are given a rambling plot with little concern for fleshing out the cast of supporting characters who are short-changed for a parade of overly-indulgent (yes, overly-indulgent for a Zoolander film) celebrity appearances (of which, weirdly the best is from astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson). Given we now live in the world of selfies and a culture of vanity and even narcissism, there would seem to be a rich mine of comedy to explore but Zoolander 2 just potters around complacently and lacking the energy that made the first film so special. 

FILM REVIEWS (CAPTURE THE FLAG/DIRTY GRANDPA/SPOTLIGHT/13 HOURS/THE 33/YOUTH)

Capture The Flag

We’re used to animated films coming from continental Europe to be rather poor. Cheesily written, perhaps owing to poor translation, badly animated due to diminished budgets and at their worst, almost unwatchable. Capture The Flag is hardly up there with the best of Pixar, but it is of a higher standing than most of the animated fare getting pushed from the smaller studios into cinemas. The story of a young boy, his astronaut grandfather and a girl heading off to the moon, Capture The Flag features some bright animation, entertaining characters and some surprisingly original and interesting twists and turns along moments of beauty. Some of the characterisations are still a little broad, including the film’s antagonist who seems unrealistically hammy even for a cartoon character, but Capture The Flag still has moments that definitely make it worthwhile for curious kids.

Dirty Grandpa

Robert De Niro and Zac Efron star in this tasteless low-brow comedy in which Efron’s recently-widowed grandfather shows his grandson how to have a good time at Spring Break.  If the film has one saving grace it is that Robert De Niro clearly is trying hard for a film that’s really not worth that effort. What we have is a film of crass and offensive material given to an audience for whom they seem to have the lowest amount of expectations when it comes to appreciating this film. Whilst the film does try and offer up a message to get behind (seemingly reaching for the idea that life should be fun and people should do what makes them happy) it gets confused in the asinine behaviour of De Niro’s grandpa and whilst Efron’s Rob Lowe-esque stuffed-shirt grandson is often in the wrong, you can’t help but think that sometimes he has a point. As far as the film’s female characters go, Zoe Deutsch’s character as Efron’s potential love interest is bland other than simply being a hippie and Julianne Hough’s role as Efron’s demanding fiancée feels almost misogynistic in its negativity whilst Aubrey Plaza occasionally gets some decent moments as a raunchy college student but other moments her character is given are just off-putting.

In the tidal wave of bad press this film has been given, I don’t agree with the calls for Robert De Niro to retire. Instead, Bobby, call up Martin Scorsese and see if he has anything good for you because these current roles aren’t doing your career any good no matter how hard you try.

Spotlight

One of the big contenders for the Oscars this year, Spotlight focuses on the story of a group of Boston Globe reporters who in 2001 broke the story of massive-scale historical instances of child molestation in the Catholic Church. Much like Room (2015), Spotlight is definitely one of the more stripped-back Oscar films of the year but its focus on actors and story pays dividends. The screenplay by director Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer is fraught with both a powerful message and a sense of the extent of such abuse whilst never losing focus or becoming too convoluted whilst a brilliant ensemble cast makes the film ever-engaging, especially with the likes of Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Stanley Tucci always being signs of a great lineup and Mark Ruffalo giving a standout performance as well. Spotlight is definitely a powerful film and not one to be treaded into lightly, but it is still a film that deserves to be seen and to be recognised. Also features John Slattery and Liev Schriber.  (pick of the week)

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi

Arriving with somewhat less fanfare than one might expect from a Michael Bay picture, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi is at once both a somewhat refreshing departure from Bay’s norm and a sad re-acquaintance with his familiar flaws. An account of the attack by Libyan rebels on the US embassy in Benghazi and a nearby secret CIA base, 13 Hours shows Michael Bay attempting to be a more mature film-maker. His almost trademark reduction of women to a series of leering shots with a camera has been mostly nullified and he reaches towards drama in portraying the soldiers’ plight. Alas, Bay’s hideous relationship with editing rears its ugly head with the chaotic cutting making even the simple plot hard to follow, especially as all of our leads lack much in the way of distinguishing personalities or appearance beyond bushy and rugged, including a distert inctly cast-against-type John Krasinski who does at least prove that this film isn’t all that ill of a fit for him.

Made to appeal to a particularly gung-ho and militaristic set, the film does, in typical Bay fashion, forego character development for explosions and Bay at least does showcase that he is a master of that form even if the lack of character given to our antagonists beyond Libyan rebels who want to attack Americans means that there’s a distinctly sour taste of xenophobia running through much of the film. There are more hateful films than 13 Hours and Bay is trying to be taken seriously, but he still has some way to go if he’s looking to claim credibility.

The 33

Everyone who was aware of the 2010 efforts to liberate thirty-three men trapped deep in a mine in the Chilean desert was probably equally aware that somewhere down the line, a film based on the events was inevitable. Well, the film has finally arrived. The 33 is a distinctly televisual and choppy affair from Warner Brothers with there is some definite charm and warmth in there. Given the film concerns the fates of thirty-three men, the film would probably have been served best to focus on the characters and it largely fails in that, deciding instead to focus on only a few. Central to this Antonio Banderas and the fact that it is Banderas being his magnificently charismatic self as always giving his all, and the story of the men makes it easy for you to truly invest in the characters even if what backstories we are given seem somewhat hackneyed and laboured whilst the international casting is something of a mixed bag. As mentioned, Spanish Antonio Banderas is likable but I doubt he passes the muster as Chilean. French actress Juliette Binoche is convincing but much less so Irish actor Gabriel Byrne whose role as the sobering voice of reality against idealistic young politician Rodrigo Santoro is fairly unneccesary.

At its heart, The 33 is disposable. A fairly undemanding watch of an event we all knew was going to get the big screen treatment. It  doesn’t subvert expectations or add an original perspective, it’s just a get-what-you-pay-for account of a well-publicised event in recent history. You’ll go in to see it, you’ll probably get something out of it, you’ll leave the cinema and your life will not be changed one bit.

Youth

Whilst his film The Great Beauty (2013) won over many people, I felt slightly cold to director Paolo Sorrentino. For all of his extraordinary eye for great visuals and a feel for beauty matched by few of his contemporaries, his ponderous ways and artsy pretence seemed to grate with me. Whilst they are still present in Youth, Sorrentino has thankfully managed to present a more palatable film that’s still distinctly his own.

Michael Caine plays an elderly composer staying in a luxurious but eccentric hotel (which, in combination with The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The Lobster (2015) is almost become a genre all its own) mulling over whether he should conduct some of his compositions for a royal performance. The plot is of secondary importance to the character interaction and with some steady hands in the cast, there are some decent results. Harvey Keitel is likable as Caine’s film director friend of many years and Paul Dano puts in a commendable effort as a gifted but frustrated actor. On female roles the film is less successful, especially with Rachel Weiz as Caine’s daughter/manager whose emotional outbursts come off as irritating, which is more of an issue of the writing. In smaller roles, Paloma Faith makes for a rather pointless celebrity casting choice but Jane Fonda knocks it out of the park in a cameo appearance late in the film. Straddling somewhere between engaging and navel-gazing, Youth is perhaps a little too artsy for its own good, but there is some quality material beneath the stylised exterior.

FILM REVIEWS: IP MAN 3/THE REVENANT/ROOM

Ip Man 3

The third instalment in a series focusing on Chinese Wing Chung grandmaster Ip Man (probably best known in the west for being mentor to Bruce Lee). As with the previous films, Ip Man is played by living Hong Kong legend Donnie Yen who is tasked with protecting the local community from a gang of martial arts practicing thugs whilst also facing a new hungry rival. The film is much in the spirit of the preceding two Ip Man films with Yen. Martial arts sequences are unsurprisingly regular and impressive whilst the performances are extremely broad, especially with boxing icon Mike Tyson playing the leader of the thugs. The film was packaged with 3D, but for no real justification, especially as it only becomes noticeable towards the film’s end. Fans of the previous Ip Man films will probably be satisfied as this is really more of the same. For newcomers, expect something entertaining but not a guaranteed winner. ***

The Revenant

Perennial Oscar nominee Leonardo DiCaprio has come to the awards a few times now being heavily favoured and coming up short of the Best Actor Oscar. Could this finally be Leo’s year? Well, it’s certainly the case that other competitors for the prize are definitely going to have to work hard to deservedly surpass him. One man’s tale through the American wilderness, Revenant follows fur trapper Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) as he is left for dead along the trail, on his trek back to civilisation. Director Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu brings with him the same panoramic tracking shots that served him so well in Birdman (2014) that help give the film tremendous atmosphere, with the rugged landscape of America’s frozen north equally showing the rugged visage of the usually-famously-babyfaced DiCaprio. In addition, there are memorable supporting roles, particularly Tom Hardy as the film’s racist redneck antagonist and Domnhall Gleeson as the young but principled leader of the trapping expedition as well as a stunning score by soundtrack veteran and Japanese music icon Ryuichi Sakamoto. It is a truly rare thing to spot an instant classic; those things usually require the posterity of history. However, in the case of Revenant, I truly think we have one of the best films of the twenty-first century. ***** (pick of the week)

Room

 Another one of the films featured heavily in the Oscars this year, Room is an adaptation of the Lisa Donoghue novel about a woman (Brie Larson) and her son (Jacob Tremblay) adjusting to the world after years (in the son’s case, an entire life) confined as prisoners in a small shed known as “Room”. Donoghue also adapted the screenplay herself and the film wisely chooses to focus on the psychological and emotional aspects of imprisonment after release, giving an original but rich twist on such a tale. Even more so, the film wonderfully showcases some great performances from across the cast. Special mention should go to Larson and especially to young Jacob Tremblay, truly an actor to watch for in the future; an emotionally-charged but very rewarding watch. ****

FILM REVIEWS: THE DANISH GIRL/JOY

The Danish Girl

After a very tumultuous 2015 for Eddie Redmayne that included an Oscar for The Theory Of Everything and an already famously goofy performance in the equally-banal Jupiter Ascending, he has reunited with Les Misérables  (2013) director Tom Hooper to play the lead in this film about Danish artist and transgender pioneer Lily Elbe. Whilst I will admit to not being Redmayne’s biggest fan in the past, here he delivers a truly heartfelt performance that cannot help but inspire immense empathy from all but the most stony of hearts. Redmayne is not alone in the film’s accolades as praise should equally be given to his co-star Alicia Vikander for her usually graceful work and Tom Hooper’s elegant and sumptuous director’s eye. There has been some criticism of how the film deals with the reality of Lily Elbe’s life and I sympathise, especially since I think the alterations (which come from a novel based on her story) are no more interesting or serve the story better than the reality, but it’s a light scuff on an otherwise beautiful film. With Matthias Schoenaerts, Ben Whishaw and Amber Heard. ****

Joy

Whilst Silver Linings Playbook (2012) provided a much-needed shot in the arm for director David O. Russell’s career and brought together an already-established duo in Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (with Robert De Niro forming a triumvirate), Russell’s recent work has been essentially at the same level; fundamentally decent and enjoyable, but never truly reaching that next level. So it is with Joy, a film based loosely on the life inventor and businesswoman Joy Mangano played here by Jennifer Lawrence. Mangano’s background seems a rather novel premise for a biopic as it deviates from the traditional Hollywood idea of the subject of these movies and there is definitely something to be said for Mangano’s story. The film presents her story with humour and intrigue, largely off of the back of its strong supporting cast and resilient attitude to not get bogged-down in melodrama or sorrow. That does however cost the film some weight and whilst you will probably enjoy the film for its duration, it will not be one you will reacquaint yourself with over and over again. 

My Top 10 Films Of 2015

Top 10 Films Of 2015

10. Still Alice

Definitely one the year’s stand-out films in terms of acting performances, Still Alice features stellar work from the brilliant Julianne Moore as woman struggling through early-onset Alzheimer’s. As amazing as Moore’s performance is however, credit must also be given to her strong supporting cast, especially Alec Baldwin in this compassionate and engaging drama.

9. Love & Mercy/Straight Outta Compton

A bit of a cheat, but I thought I’d group these two films together. Both dramas based on musical groups and featuring Paul Giamatti, both are also wonderfully-structured and acted dramas that represent their respective musical genres (Beach Boys’ surf and experimental/baroque-pop alongside NWA’s pioneering gangsta rap) in a very strong light whilst also providing the audience with a lot of dramatic meat alongside the music. Worth recommending for a double-bill whether you’re a music-lover or not.

8. Brooklyn
Something of a sleeper in its release, Brooklyn has still managed to find a receptive audience and the attention it deserves. The wonderfully talented Saoirse Ronan stars as a young Irish girl in 1950’s New York and the film wisely follows both her lead and the skills of the various supporting players, in particular Julie Walters in one of the year’s best lighter roles.


 7. Mad Max: Fury Road
Many years in the making, George Miller’s saga about “Mad” Max Rockatansky, one lone man against the post-apocalyptic wilderness, came to a new instalment in Fury Road, a film that only matches the classic Road Warrior (1981) in terms of excitement in the four-part series. Rather than revisiting Mel Gibson’s performance, Tom Hardy brings his own distinct presence to Max as does the rather unlikely casting of Nicholas Hoult as Nux who feels a perfectly natural addition to the franchise. Of course the show still manages to be stolen by Charlize Theron as heroine Furiosa, a character strong enough to helm a franchise all her own against the wonderful and kinetic energy that Fury Road brings to the table. Welcome back, Max. We missed you.

6. Bridge Of Spies
One of the most recent films to be in this Top 10, Bridge Of Spies is what happens when you pair Steven Spielberg, the Coen brothers, Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance. Is there any wonder as to why this Cold War drama turned out as well as it did? Whilst it may not be as spectacular as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977) or Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981), Spies is Spielberg in comfortable, but not complacent, territory with Tom Hanks giving the film a Jimmy Stewart/Henry Fonda idealism and compassion that holds the film alongside Mark Rylance’s wry humanity and humour. If it’s not one of Spielberg’s best films, that only stands as testament to how great a film-maker he truly is.


5. Star Wars - Episode VII: The Force Awakens

One of the most-highly anticipated films of all time but also one of the most tentatively-approached given the mixed (at best) opinions on the prequels to George Lucas’ cinema-changing space opera saga. To the relief of millions of fans the world over, this new instalment has been well-received. Director J.J Abrams invigorates the franchise with new life whilst also staying very true to the tone, excitement and even humour that was in Star Wars at its very best. John Boyega and Daisy Ridley also make strong performances as the leads early in their careers. The fanboy in me wants to rate this higher on the list, but objectively there were better films. Still, that should tell you all you need to know. Having already grossed over a billion dollars, Force Awakens deserves every penny of its success.

4. Inside Out

There’s a reason why everyone loves Pixar. Innovators that they are in animation, they are also a studio that understands films for younger audiences can (and should) be as intelligent and insightful as cinema made for adults; a philosophy shared only by their idols/associates at Studio Ghibli and (usually) their bosses at Disney. Inside Out is a wonderfully profound and smart but still lovable film that manages to take large concepts surround the mind and the self and producing something that works wonderfully with an intelligence that will even be a bit heavy for parents in the audience (Seriously, who understands the section on abstract thought?) but it’s this depth that will make it a film to return to for many years to come. A film of both mind and soul.

3. Selma
Last year’s release of Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom was partially prepped to becoming a titan, tinged with the tragic timing of coinciding with Nelson Mandela’s passing but was quickly forgotten amidst faintly positive reviews. Selma harks back to an earlier tale of civil rights with a leader long such passed but with a raw power mixed with sincerity that is clear right from the opening blast that took the lives of young African-American children in Birmingham, Alabama. Although three of the film’s most prominent cast members are British (David Oyelowo, Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson), the authenticity in intention rings true. This is a film that for all the gloss still has a strength in its message and is all the more important because of it.

2. The Martian

Last year we got Interstellar, a science-fiction blockbuster that combined grandeur with scientific-plausibility to provide something truly impressive. Now, we have The Martian a film that somehow managed to up the ante. A marvellous comeback for Ridley Scott, The Martian does a rare but wonderful thing, takin heavy science and making it relatable both in pacing and demonstration as well as the brilliantly charming and human performances, especially from Matt Damon who sometimes has to carry the film single-handedly along the terrain of the rocky red planet. The film also deserves kudos for its brilliant pop/disco soundtrack with the beautiful sequence set to David Bowie’s Starman and rarely has more appropriate music been used to score closing credits.

1. The Walk

Perhaps an unusual choice for my Film Of The Year, as it did do well critically but never got massive recognition. I hold The Walk as being one of my favourite Robert Zemeckis films and a wonderful tribute to his own work as well as that of tightrope-walker, Philip Petit. Playing Petit, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is charming and charismatic whilst the story is well-paced and humorous. When it comes to the film’s centrepiece, the titular walk, the film was sold on suspense and tension. I don’t think that was Zemeckis’ intention. Instead, it is whimsical and beautiful. Zemeckis has always been a director of spectacle and with The Walk, he accomplishes it in spades. Cinema is a medium for magic and The Walk exemplifies that same magic.