With the technology of modern day cinema presenting the perfect opportunity to create Comic Book movies that aren't completely cheesy and visually awful, it's almost hard to keep up with the high number of releases. We've certainly come a long way from BAM! and POW!, and now the genre is actually quite highly respected. That's not to say it's going to be a guaranteed home run every time - see Green Lantern, for example - but more often than not these days we are given a decent few hours of entertainment with every superhero. Whether it be Christopher Nolan's Batman series, or the soon-to-be-rebooted Spider-Man, there's a world full of familiar faces that are known in popular culture and appeal not only to 'geeks' but to anyone who enjoys an exciting action-packed film. Even the more modern pieces like Kick Ass are managing to find their own success amongst the well established brands.
With regular success comes a higher ambition, and Marvel Studios are at the head of pushing the comic genre to new heights. Back in 2008, they released Iron Man (starring Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow) to critical acclaim. This was the initial step to building up a group of popular characters to form The Avengers to release in 2012. Over the last few years we've seen Captain America, an Iron Man sequel (featuring Scarlett Johansson), and this particular release - Thor.
Thrown around as an idea for many years, Thor finally got rolling after its predecessors such as X-Men started to build a more solid reputation for adaptations. Fresh off an appearance in the Star Trek reboot, Chris Hemsworth was cast as the title character by director Kenneth Branagh. Combined with Anthony Hopkins (as Thor's father), Branagh's presence gave Thor an authenticity that ANY movie would be lucky to have, let alone a comic book movie. Tom Hiddleston, well versed in theatre and numerous TV shows, benefitted from a previous link to Branagh to obtain his role as the brother Loki (although he originally auditioned for the part of Thor!). Having Natalie Portman in the cast was a stroke of genius, fresh off an Oscar win for Best Actress for Black Swan. Filling out the supporting cast with recognisable names such as Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba and Rene Russo made the movie one of the most star-studded comic book adaptations in history.
Thor itself has always been a steady and recognisable performer for Marvel, even if it was never viewed on the level of some of the other stories. It has a passionate fanbase, making it a key point to stick well to the source material and do it well. Fans of the comic book will know the characters well - not only Thor and his family, but Heimdall (who guards the bridge from Asgard to Earth) and the Warriors Three (Thor's closest supporters), as well as Laufey and the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. The tone of the movie is both dramatic and comedic in a perfect balance. The idea of a Norse God on Earth is, of course, ludicrous and treated as such when he is initially banished from his home. Yet this works very well in context, with Portman playing off Hemsworth fantastically as the human Jane Foster curious about what lies beyond the stars. The script does well to tell an origin story without getting too in depth, keeping the audience interested with action set-pieces mixed in amongst some strong drama and funny moments. It's a credit to the writers and also Branagh that they manage to do so much in a single film.
The visuals of Asgard (the realm of Odin and his sons) are stunning, showing a real classic style yet somewhat futuristic and magical at the same time. Anything that happens off Earth has an epic feel to it, with a Godly undertone that is delivered with Hopkins' every word. His speeches can be felt inside and there's just something so genuine about his performance that many other films miss. It is as if he performs on stage, yet is surrounded by the stars and the sky. The Australian Hemsworth does well with an accent, giving Thor a grandeur befitting of a Norse God, and alongside Loki create a Cain And Abel-esque relationship that plays out across time and Space. Everyone across the board plays their character well, and creates a believable world that we want to see more of.
The aforementioned visuals translate very well to the home Blu-ray release. It's not quite as epic as it was on the big screen, but all the details in Asgard and on the various costumes are clear to see, and the effort is very rewarding to our eyes. It both looks and feels like a comic book movie like it should, as the artistic detail on the page is done justice on screen. The sound is as loud as one would expect from Asgard, and from Hopkins in particular. Some of his shouting will have your room shaking! Thor is both an aural and visual experience that perhaps even outdoes its source material for epicness. There is a 3D release available but I'm not convinced it adds much more. It certainly doesn't take anything away by watching it in 2D. As for the special features, I recommend listening to the fascinating commentary by Kenneth Branagh, but all the other bog-standard trailers etc are worth a look too.
Bringing it back to The Avengers, there's a scene with a less-familiar but equally important member (without spoiling it), and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) appears again as he did in the Iron Man movies. In a post-credits cameo, Samuel L.Jackson (in one of his numerous Marvel appearances) appears as Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the man trusted with bringing the various parts of The Avengers together. And don't forget to look out for Stan Lee as usual! The important thing is that, while there is a link to The Avengers, we are never made to feel like Thor exists simply to set up a future film. It stands alone very well, and could quite easily exist as a self-contained story. This is something that Iron Man 2 didn't do quite as well as it should have, and probably why it wasn't as well received as the original.
Thor is by far the best film in this set of Avengers movies, and quite close to the best comic book adaptation I've seen - alongside Nolan's Batman series, and X-Men First Class. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
A God-like release.
In a time where Woody and Buzz have taken over from the classic Disney characters in kids' hearts, it's truly heartwarming to see an old favourite return to recapture their hearts. Winnie The Pooh is the 51st animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and definitely a movie worthy of the 'classic' tag. Pooh has stayed at the forefront of Disney for many years now, with his own television show, and rides in their various theme parks, so he was never a forgotten character. After the success of The Princess and the Frog returning to the traditional 2D animation, and Tangled carrying on Disney's new found form, Winnie The Pooh seems a safe yet very welcome choice to move forward with.
Based on the timeless books by A. A. Milne, Winnie The Pooh adapts a number of the stories into a 69 minute movie. Jim Cummings takes the voice roles of Pooh and Tigger, which he has been doing for over 20 years now, giving the character a familiarity and warmth that very few others could replicate. The stories are naturally funny, with the characters' friendships being key as always. Any Disney animated classic has to have genuine relationships at the heart, and Pooh & friends have managed to educate children in how to treat each other well for many years now. It's certainly not a unique or imaginative movie by any means; it's just exactly what you would want from a Winnie The Pooh Disney movie.
The soundtrack is led by a number of songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, as well as Zooey Deschanel. All songs are terribly memorable and will stick in your heads for days. Don't be surprised if you find yourself humming the Pooh theme at random moments! The songs range from heartwarming to hilarious, and you can't help but smile through them. In fact, the movie as a whole is one that has the audience grinning from ear to ear. It's silly, it's genuine, and more than anything it has an innocence that is lacking in so much of cinema in recent times.
Considering the absolute dedication and effort that Disney put into their home releases, I must express my disappointment in Winnie The Pooh only getting a DVD release in the UK. A Blu-ray release is happening in the United States, and I've been a huge fan of their restoration efforts on older Classics, so I was looking forward to a Pooh Blu-ray but it was not to be. I cannot fault the DVD picture quality as it's as good as you would expect, yet in 2011 it certainly wouldn't be my preferred option if I was presented with one.
The Special Features are quite thin on the ground, but I would imagine the film to be enough for children to sit through without then having another disc full of features. There's a number of Deleted Scenes which are all reasonable, a couple of Original Intros by Eeyore and Tigger, and a Bonus Short - The Ballad of Nessie - amongst other things. It's a little disappointing for adults who may be used to collecting Disney home releases and are familiar with the exceptional details they CAN put into their documentaries, but as these are usually reserved for re-releases of original Classics, this is no surprise.
If you like your animation to be nostalgic and easy going, then you can't go wrong with Winnie The Pooh. The source material is appropriate for all ages, whether it be parents showing their children for the first time, or adults just wanting to reclaim their youth for a short while, everyone can enjoy the movie. As CCO of Disney Animation John Lasseter put it best, Disney have created a film that transcends generations. It's a true rarity and one to be treasured.
A timeless classic returns for a new generation.
I must admit that I completely avoided the first four movies in the Fast And The Furious franchise. They looked far too car-focused for me, someone who only has a casual interest in cars that extends to watching Top Gear and that's about it. So when I read that The Rock would be starring in the new sequel, Fast Five, my interest piqued. I was curious to see how the franchise was moving forward, supposedly to a more action-based genre, and the pairing of Vin Diesel and The Rock seemed too good to ignore. While not exactly Oscar-worthy performances, Diesel had been good in Pitch Black and xXx numerous years ago, and The Rock has been carving a name for himself in the industry with a range of roles from Faster to Get Smart. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson may have returned to his wrestling roots this year, but it certainly wasn't because his acting career was flailing. If anything, it has gone from strength to strength.
The good news about Fast Five is that it works on a number of different levels. It clearly has nods to previous series, as the storyline brings together a lot of the characters from previous movies, but even if you're a first time viewer you will quickly understand who is who. It's a very fine line to tread but one that Chris Morgan, the writer who also worked on the 3rd and 4th movies, manages to go along very well. It works well as a continuation of a larger storyline, but arguably also as a reboot of the franchise, throwing it open to a whole new audience.
You're thrown straight into the action - Diesel's character Dom is being transported to prison, and his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and friend Brian (Paul Walker) turn up quickly to get him out. What follows is a high energy, adrenaline filled 2 hours of speedy chases, explosions, gun fire and a number of character twists and turns. Set in the beautiful Rio de Janeiro, Dom's gang do what they do best - steal cars - but something goes wrong, and they get blamed for the deaths of a number of DEA agents. This leads to The Rock's character, DSS agent Luke Hobbs, arriving to capture the guys. The storyline is about as complex as you would want an action movie to be - the lines are blurred between 'good guys' and 'bad guys,' especially when you consider the main characters to be criminals that you actually support. Dwayne Johnson brings a humanity to Hobbs that fits well with the situation, not a simple brainless agent in the system but a man who understands what people are forced to do in certain situations. Elsa Pataky as Elena Neves, a local Rio police officer, is integral to linking Dom's group to Hobbs and pushes the story along well to where it needs to end up.
There is just enough emotion and personal development to push Fast Five a step above your run-of-the-mill action movie. The relationship between Mia and Brian gives the set pieces an extra dimension, and makes you want to invest time in them. Diesel and Johnson deliver exceptional performances as the main action men, and there's a great chemistry between them. The locations, visuals and sounds are as good as anything you'll see in the cinema or at home this year, and considering this is the 5th movie in a franchise it has kicked into a higher gear (excuse the pun). Some have complained about the length, but it was over before I knew it, and I would have quite happily sat through more.
In terms of the Blu-ray release, it's certainly one of the best looking and sounding releases of 2011. The colours are bright and warm in Rio during the day, highlighting the beautiful scenery and letting you see the detail all around. You can hear every trigger press, every bullet fired, and the cars make you feel like you're right in that passenger seat. With a $125,000,000 budget, you can certainly see where the money went, as they stepped up on all levels - more action, more speed, and bigger and better locations. With a worldwide Box Office revenue of over $600,000,000 they seem to have made the right decisions!
Triple Play gives you Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Release so you can watch this movie anywhere you want. A couple of commentaries and small making-ofs come as standard, alongside Deleted Scenes which make no real difference to the movie. The Gag Reel manages to show how well the cast get along, and how easy it is for them to portray genuine relationships on-screen. Dom, Brian and Hobbs all get their own short featurettes showing their characters in a bit more detail, and Director Justin Lin gets a chance to talk about his vision for the movie. There's a little something for everyone, but I don't feel it's the sort of release where many people are dying to know every little detail about behind-the-scenes. As with the majority of action movies, you don't want to be thinking too much.
I would certainly recommend this release to anyone who loves a good action movie. I actually prefer Fast Five to other recent ones such as The Expendables, and feel it delivers far above what anyone would expect. It has certainly encouraged me to go back and watch the previous movies, and the great news is that there will be a sixth!
(Oh, and for dedicated fans of the franchise, make sure you watch after the credits!)
The best action in 2011.
You have Aussie writing and directing team James Wan and Leigh Whannell to blame for the 21st century incarnation of the "torture porn" genre. They created the now hugely successful Saw franchise, continuing past the first one to write and produce at different stages. However, they have since put out some interesting horrors and thrillers, including the underrated Death Sentence and the creepy Dead Silence. Their latest effort is the bold Insidious, a film which for at least the first hour is genuinely frightening, but ultimately descends into ambitious yet silly theatrics.
A family (headed by Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson) move into a new home, hoping to start a new life. But before long they start to notice weird things going on and it becomes clear that evil spirits are at work, and unlucky for them they appear to be targeting one of their sons.
As I mentioned, for a solid hour Insidious is very scary indeed. It prays on the fears that most people have - that something is lurking somewhere in your house, in the shadows, in spare rooms and cupboards, waiting to "get you." Wan knows how to conjure a good scare, from expert uses of loud noises (or lack thereof) and haunting and bizarre imagery to eerie suggestions that something is there in the corner of the room even though we can't see it. One sequence involving a creature apparently on the ceiling above the troubled son's bed, in which we only hear the description of it rather than seeing it for ourselves, is deeply unsettling. For the most part the film is set in a huge house, old and creaky in a way that only a movie house can be, which references the haunted house movies of the past, such as The Amityville Horror, An American Haunting and House on Haunted Hill. And yet Insidious is entirely its own entity, carving out a unique identity for itself among the very populated horror genre.
It's just unfortunate, then, that after its great first hour that the film turns silly and ludicrous. Although the negative effect of this lessens upon rewatches, the last half hour doesn't carry on the momentum or the scares that the first hour had. That's not to say there aren't things to love about the last act - there is a great sense of originality and creativity on display - but it's unfortunate writer Leigh Whannell felt the need to go so wildly over-the-top, even though his boldness as a screenwriter must be commended. It's better to take a risk and fail than play it safe and boring.
So while the last third of the film may be a bit too ambitious and crazy for its own good, Insidious is still well worth a look for that first hour of terror. A great display of originality amidst a sea of mediocre horror, its creepy yet slick look only making it stand out even more. Wan and Whannell continue to prove themselves as interesting filmmakers with neat ideas.
To accompany the film on DVD is a solid but unexceptional selection of special features. Along with the usual theatrical trailer (which does a good job of giving you a feel for the film without giving that much away) we have three featurettes, "Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar," "On Set With Insidious" and "Insidious Entities." 'Horror 101' looks at the history of horror films, with the filmmakers talking about how they influence what they've done with Insidious. 'On Set With Insidious' is your basic behind-the-scenes look at the film. And 'Insidious Entities' looks at the various different evil spirits which pop up throughout the film. The three featurettes are fun to watch after the film but they could have been a bit more lengthy and in-depth for any especially big fans of the film who want to delve a little deeper. A solid package overall though.
Believe it or not, but it's been over a decade since street racing cop and criminal Brian (Paul Walker) and Dom (Vin Diesel) first appeared on our screens in 'The Fast And The Furious'; ten years and four sequels later, their bromance continues unabated in Justin Lin's unashamedly OTT, NOS powered nonsense: 'Fast Five'.
Hailed by many as the best of the series, the movie sees our fugitive heroes pull off an elaborate, pre-credits hijack aboard a moving train only to be double crossed by some ruthless Brazilian Mafioso, and if that wasn't bad enough, they're also up against hard-as-nails hardman with a hard on; federal agent Dwayne Johnson, oh, and Jordana Brewster's pregnant! Yes, this is the 'Magnolia' of 'The Fast and Furious' franchise; forget about the good old quarter mile and tricked out body kits, these American bozos have some serious issues here. Fortunately, the director's a dab hand at this sort of thing and knows to cut away everytime Diesel or Walker attempt anything that could be mistaken for acting. Whenever the group hugs and emotions (primarily conveyed through scowls, grunts and marble mouthed mumbling) get too much, Lin cuts to the action. And there is action aplenty: with some innovative stunts, 'Fast Five' pulls out all the stops in a thrilling finale which involves a giant bank vault safe chained to two cars being pursued at top speed by police through the streets of Rio. And yes, it does look almost as ridiculous as it sounds. With a preposterous, convoluted timeline to rival that of the 'Terminator' franchise, I've come to the conclusion that this is, narratively speaking, the fourth installment; so it's 'The Fast and The Furious', '2 Fast 2 Furious', 'Fast and Furious', 'Fast Five' and lastly, 'Fast And Furious: Tokyo Drift', not that its target audience or indeed the scriptwriters, actually care but someone may; so there you have it.
Fans will like the 'Lethal Weapon 4' style reunion and though it could've been at least half an hour shorter, 'Fast Five' is an entertaining addition to a high octane franchise that's still got some gas in the tank. And be sure to look out for an amusing end credits cameo by returning cast member Eva Mendes, in what could well be the most absurd sequel set up in movie history!
On the surface Paradise Lost claims to be another in the long line of 'gorno' movies which have flooded the genre in the last ten years. The reality is that it doesn't get near the levels of gore or torture required to please fans looking for their thrills in the Hostel tradition. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if a tense and compelling plot is offered in its place. Unfortunately, it isn't. This is not to say Paradise Lost is a bad film, it's not; it's just merely average. One redeeming feature is the acting. Both leads (Josh Duhamel and Melissa George) have gone on to bigger and better things since the film's 2007 release and it is no surprise on the basis of this. They offer a bit more than the usual eye-candy-cannon-fodder served up by this sub-genre and help retain interest until the unsurprising ending. While not doing any favours for the Brazilian tourist board or national stereotyping, it won't give you any sleepless nights.
On Strangers Tides continues Captain Jack Sparrow's journeys, this time he's on a quest for the Fountain of Youth. Though the film has lost some of its past main characters, we are introduced to some new pirates, the most notable of them being Black Beard. These two as well as Barbossa are in a race to reach the Fountain of Youth.
Like all the other Pirate of the Caribbean movies, this is visually impressive and a beautiful movie to watch. As you'd expect from a franchise this big, the sets are huge and are shot in wonderfully lush scenery. The music is very good in this film and fits the scenes well.
But this film is suffering in some areas. Although it isn't awful, the updated plot is missing some key elements, and does come across as a bit lazy or uninspired in some cases. Unfortunately it seems to fall into the same trap as most sequels - a distinct lack of story and the removal of key characters, which when the bar is raised so high from previous instalments, is hard to overcome. It just didn't feel like the complete package, and the entire film seems to be suffering from exhaustion. However, Johnny Depp does shine in his role as Jack Sparrow, and is as funny as usual and is the only thing making this otherwise average film, good.
It's an enjoyable movie to go see and Johnny Depp reprises his role well, but the lack of a good story and the loss of some other key characters make it for me personally not the best of the franchise, but still a good effort.
The show is based on the life of Ted mosby (Josh Radnor), who is telling his children in the year 2030 the story of how he met their Mother. Each episode revolves around Ted who is trying to find his dream girl and settle down. With an excellent cast which work great together, and well scripted stories which are really funny, How i met your mother is an hilarious comedy which is not to be missed.
Legen - wait for it - DARY!
Jake Gyllenhaal is phenomenal in this film, as well as the supporting cast! He plays the part of Captain Colter Stevens Brilliantly, and really adds depth to the character. Also the Direction from Duncan Jones is exceptional, he knows how to film a good sci-fi thriller as he's already proven with 'Moon'. Its been very well scripted and the music adds a great amount of tension to an intriguing storyline. The best way to watch this film is without having much prior knowledge, because it'll keep you in suspense throughout and you'll be able to unravel the story with the lead character. Definitely worth a buy.
Source Code is an Enthralling Rollercoaster of a ride, which you'll want to watch again!
Seldom do you hear someone say to a friend 'Let's go and see that naturalistic low-budget British film that's only showing in a handful of cinemas across the country about a group of whining middle-class holiday-makers who cannot agree to disagree about the many pointless problems in their bourgeois lives.' And even less often would the response be 'Oh yes! I'd love to! I'm always interested to see how posh people work out their problems by painting, walking round the Scilly Isles and generally hating each other.' The understandable response would probably be something more along the lines of 'No. Let's go and see Sucker Punch!!!'
But this is a shame, as the second film from talented British rising star Joanna Hogg (who directed the critically acclaimed Unrelated) is one of the best and most interesting films 2011 has turned up so far. It is so much more than what the trailer, or some of the surrounding publicity of the film, suggests it to be (an upper-middle-class family bickering in a rented holiday-home). Archipelago doesn't have the arrogance to adopt a 'posh people have issues too' agenda, but instead slowly ensnares its audience into the problems of this hard-to-like family without ever assuming we are one of them.
Keeping a distance is key in this meticulously filmed near-masterpiece, and there has never been a more compelling work to support the argument that cinematic absorption can be achieved through extreme detachment. The camera doesn't invite us in. It watches, waits and lets these people slowly dig their own graves. In a way, you could argue it's Big Brother for the Waitrose crowd, but with artistic validity and talent on its side.
Tom Hiddleston probably shines the most of the bunch as the kind, slightly-lost son, Edward. He's in his twenties and doesn't quite know what he should be doing with his life. In a move met with disapproval from his sister Cynthia (Lydia Leonard) and vagueness from his mother (Kate Fahy), he has decided to go to Africa to help AIDS victims and teach about safe sex. But this involves leaving his girlfriend for eleven months, a girlfriend who was barred from attending the family holiday because, as Cynthia icily says, 'she's not really family'. Indeed, Cynthia fails to understand why he wants to go to Africa at all, and feels he should 'just get on with getting a job and working like the rest of us'.
Cynthia's role in the film at first seems to be that of the kind, slightly self-centred sister, but it soon becomes clear she is harbouring some deeper issues. It isn't certain what has caused her to be so bitter so early in life, but she insists on using words as weapons and isn't afraid to voice her resentment at her brother and mother. There is one agonisingly awkward, although subtly funny, scene where the family, their cook and an artist-friend go to a restaurant and Cynthia brings the mood of the outing down to that of a wake. She is an embarrassment, and you cannot help feeling sorry for everyone else round the table.
The father is absent from the picture, but speaks to his adult offspring and his wife on the phone promising to come to the holiday-home as soon as he can. Throughout the film it seems doubtful he will ever turn up, and this is a source of consistent pressure on the three, particularly the mother who whispers down the phone-line to her husband 'I just can't bare it'. You cannot blame him for not wanting to join.
The artist that Cynthia and her mother invite on their outings round the Isles, and back to their home to have further awkward dinners, is played by real-life painter Christopher Baker. He is not a professional actor, and serves to represent the audience as he silently observes the terrible tensions within the family, while still trying to teach the mother to paint.
The other outsider is Amy Lloyd as the family's cook. She makes their tea, clears the table and doesn't seem to mind her work. But Edward feels it is ridiculous to have someone taking their plates away when he could carry them himself. He goes ahead and helps, in an effort to be considerate to the poor woman, but only makes things more awkward: 'what should I do then?' she asks of him, as he does her work for her.
The decision not to use any music in the film works wonders, refusing us any comforting aesthetic barriers between us, as an audience, and the characters onscreen. The feeling of detachment we have from these people works through our appreciation of them as human beings; an integral aspect which would have been lessened if a semi-pretentious string quartet was grinding away on the score in the background. The use of naturalistic cinematography, reliant on natural light, also gives the audience the sense of viewing these people through a glass-less window, similar to that of a stage, but the filming remains calm enough so as not to evoke the feeling of documentary.
Archipelago isn't always a pleasant ordeal, but it is one which should be sought out by anyone who appreciates the complex and subtle power cinema can have on the open-minded. It is not a film for everyone, but I hope those who take a chance on it will be surprised by the extraordinary effect it can render. Joanna Hogg is a director not afraid to play with form and style, and still manages to produce films that give their audiences no shortage of cinematic-meat to chew on. She is to be cherished, encouraged and rewarded for her skill and bravery.
Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 Booker-nominated novel Never Let Me Go is a troubling masterpiece, with the power to haunt the reader long after the last page is turned. This glossy film adaptation, with One Hour Photo director Mark Romanek at the helm, doesn't have the same level of painful profundity of its source material but is still nevertheless an admirable effort.
Set in a dystopian twentieth century England, the first third of the film is set in a picturesque children's boarding school called Hailsham. The children who attend Hailsham are special, and although the reason for this takes the form of a heartbreaking twist in the novel, here it is revealed within the first fifteen minutes. The reason for their existing is cold, clinical and unforgiving. They are not 'real' humans, and are not seen as normal people by society. They are clones, and serve one purpose in life: to donate organs to the ill. They will not reach middle-age, and will have 'completed' their donations when they are still young men and women.
Within this school for the doomed we are introduced to three key students - Kathy, Tommy and Ruth. Kathy is reflective, calm and kind. Tommy is awkward and doesn't fit in with the other boys. Ruth is a bit of a bitch, and when they hit puberty she purposefully starts up a relationship with Tommy because she knows Cathy secretly likes him. When the three of them have grown up, and have moved out of the school into cottage accommodation, she still quietly taunts her would-be-friend with the fact that she is sleeping with Tommy while Cathy is still without any romantic attachment. "The thing is, Tommy just doesn't see you in that way" she whispers to Cathy one night. It is ambiguous whether her words are meant in comfort or spite, but Cathy's reaction to it is devastating, as she sits on her bed with a tear rolling down her face. However, although this may seem like normal-teenage relationship drama, their friendships and sex lives are far more important than humdrum movie-romance. There is a terrible sense of pointlessness about their relationships with each other due to the bleakness of their situation.
The final part of the film is a harrowing experience, and looks at how these 'people' end their lives on a kind of social conveyor belt; never truly becoming part of society, just waiting to donate their next organ or be given notice as to when their donations will begin. Deliberate or not, the images of these thinning, weak and gaunt looking people, who have had their individuality and sense of self ripped away from them, both physically and psychologically, evokes the treatment of the prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. Horrifying, but never gratuitous or sensational, this part of the film is subtle and distressing.
Although the treatment of the subject matter may be commendable, the film is far from a resounding success. As is the case with a number of movies that have three clear acts, the overall impression is of an episodic, fragmented and slightly patchy story rather than the panorama of beauty and emotion that made Ishiguro's novel so magnificent. As a film separate from the text, taken as an entity in its own artistic right, it works better although feels somewhat divorced from the audience in its cold inability to truly make us part of this cruel world we are invited to inhabit for its 100 minute running-time. Maybe that is the point, and we are meant to feel like privileged outsiders who do not have to face the complicated ethics of this strange alternative world. This is all very well, but it doesn't easily ingratiate itself with the viewer, considering how much it asks from them in the last emotionally draining act of the story.
Many critics have noted the clear lack of rebellion present amongst the unfortunate donors. The characters never expect times to change in their favour, and they never seek to change them themselves. The possibility of delaying their plight does arise, and although they desperately wish it to become a reality, there is never a 'fight the system' mentality or a compulsion to flee the life that has been laid out for them. This, for me, is one of the most remarkable aspects of the story, as it presents an interesting look at the acceptance of death, and how these young people try to make sense of their lives in such a short space of time.
The central three, when they are in the stages of young adulthood, are played by some of Britain's best young actors. Carrey Mulligan has been one of my favourite actresses for a long time, and her performance as Cathy is her most mature to date. Keira Knightley, who takes the supporting role as Ruth, is an interesting casting decision, but the gamble pays off, allowing her to deliver an icy but vulnerable turn. British-American actor Andrew Garfield, recently seen in David Fincher's Facebook movie The Social Network, is excellent as Tommy, but unfortunately the role comes across as underwritten and incidental until the final half-hour of the film.
Never Let Me Go is an easy film to be cynical about. It may not go for the cheap emotional manipulation terrible sob-pictures like The Notebook have used to pull in audiences, but it does deal with an emotive and controversial topic and threatens to bring about tears while doing so. Some viewers may revolt against being asked to sit through a film which asks such difficult questions of them. Others may be put off by the lack of suspense, as we are given a taste of how the film will end in a prologue at the start. It may not work entirely, and many will disagree on its merits, but for me the film felt like a brief glimpse at the potential masterpiece it could have been.
The BEST film EVER!!! When i frist wached this flim when i was little i fell in LOVE with it and i LOVE it to this very day and i always will. if your thinking about buying this flim then do it it will be the best thing you ever done because this flim is made for everyone babys older people like i said EVERYONE!! I REALLY HOPE YOU BUY THIS MOVIE XD
Best vampire film I have seen in a long time brilliant story line,well acted, proper vampires,one to watch,rented it and will be buying for my collection do not miss,cannot fault it about to watch it again now.
The Fast & The Furious franchise reaches it's climax with the fifth film of the series.
We begin with sleek black cars pulling alongside the prison truck carrying Dominic Turetto (Vin Diesel) when they attempt a daring prison break on an empty road.
We soon learn that all is not what it seems when our motley crew are in for some surprises from old faces and new ones on the way.
Retreating to Brazil to avoid extradidtion they meet up with Vince for what seems like an easy car sting until we find they have to steal the machines from a moving train. Brian & Mia soon realise the cars are DEA impounded and the wheels of this set up are uncovered.
Making away with one of the stolen cars, gangland boss Reyes wants his property back any way he can. Vin D & Co. assemble a crack team to bring Reyes down so they can retire with his crooked millions.
But it's not only is Reyes' mob on the gangs trail. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson makes a tough law enforcement officer wanting to bring back Vin D for the prison break. Johnson makes an equal against our leadman for fight scenes mano a mano.
10 years after the original street racing movie Fast 5 certainly packs more than a punch with a thrill ride from start to end. It's one wild movie you should see this year.
Stick around after the credits for a teaser true fans will not want to miss.
Thrill ride from start to end
Some wonderful performances and fantastic filming. This will give you a great insight into the weird and wonderful world of Samuel Beckett. Bloomin' expensive though!
A selection of Beckett's plays immortalised on film.
I had only ever heard of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but wasn't sure whether or not to buy it. I saw the review and that you couldn't rate it highly enough, so I ordered it from HMV. It is one of the funniest programmes out there, and I can only recommend everyone who sees this does the same.
Submarine is the first film written and directed by Richard Ayoade, who most will know for his hilarious role as Moss in The I.T. Crowd. However, in his leap from acting to writing and directing Ayoade shows none of his inexperience, delivering a well observed, touching, unique and all round special little film, with terrific performances to boot.
Based on the wonderful book by Joe Dunthorne (which the film perfectly captures the overall tone and feel of, even if it cuts out certain prominent things), Submarine tells the story of Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts), a 15-year-old boy with a unique perspective on life. He sets himself the goal of wooing classmate Jordana Bevan (Yasmin Paige), as well as saving his parents failing marriage, a situation not exactly helped by an ex-lover of his mother's moving in next door.
On the surface Submarine may not seem any different to the tons of other coming-of-age teen dramas. But its in the witty, observant script by Ayoade and the entirely convincing and utterly likable performances from the likes of Roberts, Paige (both newcomers), Sally Hawkins, Noah Taylor (as Oliver's complex parents) and Paddy Considine (as the ridiculous Graham Purvis, the "ninja" ex-lover of Oliver's mother) which help make the film stand out from the crowd.
Submarine also contains one of the best soundtracks of the year, written and performed by lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys, Alex Turner. His five (and a half) songs which play throughout the film are impeccably suited to each scene they accompany. But at the same time it's a soundtrack which can be enjoyed on its own, out of context of the film. Turner should rightfully be nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars next year.
Submarine perfectly captures that awkward, uncertain, quietly rebellious time that everyone goes through. It's a quirky and witty film but not in a way that feels forced or contrived but rather honest and truthful. Comparisons have been drawn to the work of director Wes Anderson and to an certain extent their valid, but only to a point. Submarine is entirely its own breed of idiosyncratic teen "dramedy" and overall one of the best films of the year.
Special features on the DVD are plentiful, from the usual audio commentaries (here with director Richard Ayoade, writer of the source novel Joe Dunthorne and director of photography Erik Wilson) and cast & crew interviews to unique features like "Through the Prism With Graham T. Purvis," the music video to Alex Turner's "Piledriver Waltz" and a very funny special message from executive producer Ben Stiller. Also look out for some retailers who are selling the film along with limited edition art cards.
Very rarely do i like a television adaptation of one of my favourite book series, however i have always liked and enjoyed the interweaving of new plots with plots/characters from the book that have been carried through in a way differently from the books. Season 2 really carries on where season 1 left off, and many questions are answered with new ones being created along the way. By far the best book adaptation in a long time i think and well worth buying, bring on season 3!!!
Amazingly great adaptation
Anyone eager to see Duncan Jones' follow-up to MOON can rest easy - the directors first feature film wasn't a flash in the pan.
Handling a bigger budget, bigger name actors, and crucially, bigger expectations - Jones' latest head-scratcher is a glorious success in about 90% of what it tries to do.
Familiar themes abound - a small cast, enclosed spaces, a script that asks questions of the viewer - and an ending that will please some as much as it disappoints others.
After Sam Rockwell's glorious performance in MOON ('Walking on Sunshine' will always raise a smile now!), Jake Gyllenhaal has some big boots to fill - the pleasant surprise is that he fills those boots well. Having not previously been stretched beyond using his puppy dog eyes or a teenage scowl to get by, Gyllenhaal's performance really has the viewer buying into his situation - a crucial requisite in a film that replays a similar situation over and over.
Michelle Monaghan has little to do and in many ways is along for the same ride as the audience - her confusion, distrust, disbelief but eventual support for Gyllenhaal mirroring the viewers reaction.
It's not perfect, but a big budget film (well, around $32 million) that encourages you to think, encourages you to look closer and encourages you to invest your emotion in the characters, well, that's a keeper in todays industry.
That marmite ending has (wrongly) been the focus of too many reviews - there's no doubt that Jones enjoys a bittersweet finale and maybe this one is bitter too sweet. But hey, when you've paid your money, when you've willingly gone along for the ride - I think most would rather leave the cinema smiling than scowling ...
Groundhog Daze
A sobering antidote to World War II flag-wavers, director Stuart Cooper's stark and unsentimental look at a young man's fateful journey from home to the Western front, is an enduring indictment of the dehumanizing contraption of war and its many silent victims.
Nothing is glorified, as amiable everyman Tom (an excellent Brian Stirner) goes from conscription to basic training to deployment at Normandy on D-Day. A solider at 20, Tom is put through his paces and ambles along, hopelessly naïve and accommodating at first, he soon learns to despise the entire thing. His embittered sentiments are poignantly conveyed in Christopher Hudson's sparse and memorable screenplay: "It's like being part of a machine which gets bigger and bigger whilst we grow smaller and smaller, until there's nothing left".
Hudson even takes a pop at Noel Coward and David Lean's 'This Happy Breed' (1944) "...I thought it was terrific at the time...", says Tom, "...but I can't remember much about it now". Coward & Lean worked together on a few war themed films in the '40s, all of which served as morale boosters intended to promote the myth of unified nationalism and an unquestioning patriotic ethos. One which pandered to the meticulously engineered image of the stoic Englishman carrying on in spite of it all and, crucially, never once stopping to bring his political masters to account or dispute the manner in which life at home was sustained by the blood and treasure of a hundred nations; enslaved and looted at gunpoint by the Empire.
'Overlord' uses a lot of archive and stock footage from the war, now usually that would take an audience out of the film or serve as a shortcut to make up for budgetary constraints. But here, since cinematographer John Alcott ('The Shining', 'Barry Lyndon') matches the film to the newsreel; it actually has the opposite effect and draws you deeper into the narrative. Archive shots of the blitz blend in seamlessly with scenes from the movie; a panjandrum gone haywire, bored troops waiting around in transports and even D-Day footage, though hindered somewhat by an overtly symbolic dream sequence, all work in context.
'Overlord' ends where 'Saving Private Ryan' begins and makes Spielberg's acclaimed opus look somewhat absurd, fetishistically violent, overblown and melodramatic by comparison: 'Overlord' is the simple story of one man's war; tortured missives from a thinking pawn casually sacrificed on the grand chessboard of imperial misadventure: Easily one of the best WWII films ever made and a definite contender for one of the best war films of all time
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