Film Review - We Need To Talk About Kevin

As previously stated, I am not a fan of art house cinema, and this certainly falls into that category. The story is told in an almost random chronology, and relies heavily on long periods where nothing happens. However, it is one of those films that plants a knot of unease in the pit of your stomach that slowly builds until the credits roll. Major plaudits must be given to the cast, in particular the children who play Kevin- cold, chilling and completely believable, even as a baby. Ezra Miller, who plays teenage Kevin, is also a revelation- articulate, seething, calculating, proud- you never believe for one second that he isn't a complete psychopath. The sense of dread builds until the climactic revelation of Kevin's devastating actions- all the while, managing to keep gore off-screen. It won't be for everyone, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. Or, more accurately, cowering at the back of it.

Film Review - The Help

I was determined not to allow this film to manipulate my white liberal guilt. Result? The Help 1, me 0. To its credit, this film isn't quite what I expected it to be, as it's as much a film about class as it is race. On the negative side, it does have its fair share of stereotypes, clichés and one-dimensional characters, and some of the sub-plots are not pursued as much as I'd have liked... But, frankly, these are all afterthoughts as they didn't bother me at the time. Come Oscar time, this should be quite easily mentioned, in particular the acting categories; though to be quite honest it's near impossible to single one out as the entire cast are superb. I was utterly compelled and emotionally invested throughout, laughing and crying all the way.

Film Review - What's Your Number?

If you're going to have a lead character in a romcom, it's pretty essential that she's either relatable, likeable, or, at the very least, someone you can root for. Unfortunately, Anna Farris presents us with a character that displays levels of superficial selfishness previously only reserved for Carrie Bradshaw. As a result, her plight to reconnect with previous boyfriends becomes one where you can't help but side with the exes. Even Chris Evans's womanising neighbour is far too good for her, as at least he knows he's a cad, and displays several positive traits. All that aside, I can't deny that I chuckled. Out loud. A lot. Quite a lot, in fact.

Film Review - Warrior

I am in no way, shape, or form a fan of sport. Any sport. I have a particular aversion to the violence of the likes of wrestling or boxing. And yet, once in a while, a sporting movie comes along that manages to get itself under my skin. Last year's Oscar winning The Fighter was better than I expected, but is unlikely to ever grace my BluRay shelf. However, when you put these two films together, one is clearly superior. And it's not The Fighter. In 1999, Gwyneth Paltrow won an Oscar for her portrayal of a cross-dressing woman. In 2000, Hilary Swank won an Oscar for HER portrayal of a cross-dressing woman, one that frankly made Gwyneth's look positively laughable. Well, this year Christian Bale won an Oscar for his OTT performance as an off-the-rails has-been boxer. Here, both Tom Hardy and Joel "Uncle Owen" Edgerton have shown his performance up for the cartoon it was. And I haven't even mentioned Nick Nolte yet. Having becoming something of a public joke in recent years, his performance here is a revelation. Despite being relatively uneventful, repetitive, and even predictable, it also manages to be heartfelt, intense, and utterly compelling.

Film Review - Footloose (2011)

The original '80s Footloose was more of a guilty pleasure than a cinematic classic, remembered far more for its soundtrack than the film itself. In the intervening years it has become a full-blown stage musical, and rumour had it that this was to be a film version of that. Several cast changes later, it was not to be, and we are hereby presented with a more straightforward remake instead. The dancing has been updated to a more modern crunk/street dance vibe and, quite frankly, loses some charm in the process. The ever-so-slightly ludicrous plot is given some attempts at weight and credibility, as we are shown the accident and emotional fall-out that causes the infamous dancing ban. Dennis Quaid's performance goes a long way in this respect, especially with what could be a villainous role. (The less said about Andie MacDowell, the better.) But the biggest problem lies with the two leads. Kenny Wormald does a decent job as lead Ren, although he just doesn't have Kevin Bacon's charisma or screen presence. But it's Julianne Hough who has the toughest job making wannabe-slutty-rebel Ariel even the slightest bit sympathetic, and I'm still not convinced she succeeded. I couldn't help but feel that Ren's pursuit of her is wholly hormonal, rather than anything to do with his intuitive insight into buried traits of her personality. On the plus side, the ludicrous tractor scene has been replaced with something with a more genuine sense of peril, even if we have to lose Bonnie Tyler's dulcet tones in the process. And a special mention must go to up-and-comer Miles Teller, heartbreaking in Rabbit Hole, here flexing his comedic and dancing muscles to equally impressive form.

Film Review - The Three Musketeers

Imagine Pirates of the Caribbean, minus Johnny Depp, directed by the guy who does the Resident Evil movies. That's this movie, in a nutshell. Many critics have been sniffy about it, as they are with the Pirates franchise. I, however, found it all rather fun. Yes, the titular trio are woefully under-developed as characters, and even under-used as precocious prick D'Artagnan takes centre stage. And of course, it's full of implausibility and anachronisms. But, quite frankly, I was having too much fun to care. And you get a Take That song over the end credits. Sorted.

Film Review - Johnny English Reborn

Eight years ago, Rowan Atkinson gave us a full-length movie based around his previously-unnamed inept spy character from a series of Barclaycard ads. The result was far from spectacular. The jokes were mostly lame, the plot was irrelevant, and it was pretty much forgotten as soon as it finished. Well, he's back, just without Natalie Imbruglia. Other than that, the result is virtually identical, and definitely as underwhelming. At least it doesn't have John Malkovich. Both we and Rowan Atkinson deserve much better.

Film review - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011)

Guillermo Del Toro's stamp is all over this from the outset, immediately reminding me of both Pan's Labyrinth and The Orphanage. Unfortunately, these comparisons aren't favourable, and don't last long as the tone is very uneven; too scary for a younger audience, and yet too sanitised to appeal to anyone else. Bailee Madison is the star of the show, and does an excellent job. But the film ultimately lets itself down with sub-par monsters (slightly scarier versions of Harry Potter's Cornish pixies) and a ridiculous ending.

Film Review - Perfect Sense

A fascinating premise, beautifully delivered. Completely compelling from the outset, the relationship between Ewan McGregor and Eva Green is the core of the story, rather than crowbarred in. Giving their characters the respective careers of chef and medical scientist keeps klunky exposition at a minimum.

The direction is thoughtful, contrasting frantic montages with slow, contemplative moments, and the ending is the perfect combination of happy and sad.

It's a shame that it's been such a box-office non-entity, as this film deserves to be every bit a classic as the similar Children of Men, if not more so.

Film Review - Melancholia

At times, I really hate arthouse cinema. Pretentious, meandering, self-involved... But occasionally beautiful, thought-provoking, and emotional. This was all of the above and more.
The second of two "parts" was definitely the better; featuring the far more involving hysteria from Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and far less moping from Justine (Kirsten Dunst). We know the ending, but can't help get caught up in Claire's misplaced hope; and yet appreciate Justine's sense of calm in her "knowledge" of what is actually going to happen.
Impressive, but extremely boring for large periods.

(c) SRW 2011. All opinions are mine. If you like what you read, all the better; if not, other opinions are available.

Film Review - Red State

Kevin Smith is back! Easily his best film for a decade, Red State demonstrate a real ballsiness and confidence like we've never seen from him before. His directorial style has picked up a few new tricks, and they're used surprisingly effectively, reminding me at times of Tarantino at his best, Inglourious Basterds in particular. He rackets up the tension, the action, the claustrophobia with a deftness he's never shown before.

However, it's not all great news. Things begin to get a bit tedious and repetitive in the second half, thanks to shoot-out after shoot-out after tedious bloody shoot-out, followed by a sudden Coen-brothers-style interruption where we're told the story's ending, rather than see it for ourselves. Comparisons to Burn After Reading may be considered a compliment to some, but not to me.

But we are talking minor niggles here. If Kevin Smith hadn't shot himself in the foot by recently pissing off both film critics and distributors, this might have been his best shot at Oscar glory. The screenplay is one of his best- considered and intelligent, with his trademark base humour down a necessary, effective minimum. But the cast are flawless. Melissa "fucking" Leo outdoes her Oscar-winning turn in The Fighter by a long shot, Michael Parks is terrifyingly sincere and John Goodman grounds things superbly. Even the bit players get so show off some highly convincing acting chops.

Genuinely unpredictable, but nowhere near as unpalatable as you might expect.

(c) SRW 2011. All opinions are mine. If you like what you read, all the better; if not, other opinions are available.

Film Review - The Debt

I must admit I started this with an air of trepidation, having recently been burned by a spy film (Tinker, Tailor, bored already...) and as the film begins with approximately three timelines running at once, I began to fear the worst.

Fortunately, it was not to be. The opening was merely one of those Inception/Matrix head-f*** beginnings that makes sense only at the end. And by this time I'd spent a good hour or so holding my breath with suspense, cross-legged, afraid to miss anything during a loo break. The loose ends are nicely tied (but not too neatly), and I left the cinema one satisfied punter.

On the negative side, I do wish I'd seen the original (Israeli?) film upon which this is based, as the performances here are, at best, mixed. Yes, Helen Mirren is a national treasure and Sam Worthington does an adorable furrowed brow like nobody else. But those accents... I think Dame Helen was supposed to be Russian (she failed), but Sam's was downright indistinguishable, no doubt more so when he was speaking German.


(c) SRW 2011. All opinions are mine. If you like what you read, all the better; if not, other opinions are available.

Film Review - Abduction

When Alfred Hitchcock made North By Northwest, it was basically an excuse for the various exciting set-pieces to appear in one film, and the plot was incidental. Somehow, it worked. That template has been used by Hollywood ever since, ad infinitum, with varying degrees of success (Mr. Bond, I'm looking at you in particular).

Abduction is one example when it doesn't work. It's basically an excuse to get Taylor Lautner to fight, run/ jump/ slide around, fire guns, and snog; shirt optional. All of which he does rather well.

But the story supposedly tying it all together puts the "guff" into "MacGuffin". Ten seconds into the action and I wanted every immature irresponsible "character" on-screen to get some kind of hideous comeuppance. Unfortunately, that fate was destined to be mine.

Okay, so the action scenes are well-done, and Sigourney Weaver & Jason Isaacs are welcome on my cinema screen any time. Lautner does an adequate job with what he's been given, but it's far from the new Bourne. But at least it's not as bad as the similarly-premised Hanna.


(c) SRW 2011. All opinions are mine. If you like what you read, all the better; if not, other opinions are available.