Film Review - The Smurfs

I was a big fan of the Smurfs as a child and the prospect of a movie should have been an exciting prospect. However, the decision to set it in New York actually put me off. I wanted to see Smurfland (for some reason now referred to as Smurf Village). Fortunately, we do get a brief glimpse of this world, and I was pleased to see Gargamel and Azriel in tow as well.
Unfortunately, a lot of the mythology is buried in amongst the raucous chaos that ensues. Rather than stick to a story, they throw stuff at the screen in the hope that you're distracted enough to notice that nothing's actually happening.
That said, I can't say I wasn't entertained. The cast were very good, the visual effects were decent enough, and the post-modern self-referencing was kept to a tolerable minimum.

Films of the Year 2011

It's New Year's Eve, so time to revisit 2011's best films. I've been hearing good things about a few I haven't seen yet, so they may appear here at a later date. But, as things stand, these are my ten favourite films released (for the first time) in UK cinemas in 2011.

10. The Skin I Live In.
Pedro Almódovar's seriously f***ed-up film is intriguingly twisted. And features one almighty f***ed up twist. I was completely gripped.

9. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.
A late entry (with potential to move up the list after repeat viewings), I didn't see this until 2012, but Brad Bird's live action debut turns the action and tension up to 11. In the process, it also manages to wring out the best performances for years from Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg.

8. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Smart, cool, touching, unpredictable, funny, loved it.

7. The King's Speech.
Okay, so it's old news now but still a great film. I saw it the once, and was pleasantly surprised. I then somehow ended up taking a friend to see it. And then another... And it never disappointed.

6. X Men: First Class.
A great restart to the franchise, with a first class cast, and first class set pieces.

5. Senna.
Who'd've guessed an all-archive documentary about a Formula 1 racing driver would have made my top 5 films of the year? An intriguing, emotional and informative ride.

4. Tangled.
It's Rapunzel. It's what we all call it and it's what it is. But, more importantly, it's Disney back on form. At last. Combining the old-fashioned Disney animation singalongs with modern, fast-paced CGI and a post-modern feminist heroine, this has everything that Disney movies have lacked without Pixar. Who, for the first time in a decade, are absent from this list.

3. Perfect Sense.
Not very often, a film comes along that just speaks to you on an emotional level, sucks you in and leaves you devastated. For me in 2011, this was that film. I waited until the very last screening to see it, and have been gagging to see it again ever since.

2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Nobody saw this one coming. After the lacklustre reboot from Tim Burton ten years ago, this franchise seemed dead in the water, and nobody seemed to miss it. But when you have the SFX team behind Avatar and mo-cap legend Andy Serkis on board, something special is sure to happen, even in the hands of a near novice director. It has its flaws, in particular the human characters, but makes the implausible plausible and has you cheering the apes along.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two.
I have no objectivity when it comes to Harry Potter. I adore JK Rowling's universe and characters too much to allow the many faults in the films to over-ride the sheer pleasure I get out of them. Of course the books are better, and there were some especially infuriating changes here. But it's the end of an era, and the film of 2011 I returned to see again and again and again. And will continue to see again and again and again.

Film Review - The Green Hornet (2011)

A superhero with no superpowers still needs a gimmick. This one decides to pretend to be a gangland villain, although it has to be said his sidekick Kato pretty much does all the work.
Getting Seth Roegen on board as a superhero was an unusual choice, let alone as a screenwriter- although his schlubby appearance certainly works better as a smokescreen alter-ego than the more suave Bruce Wayne.
Unfortunately, the film can't decide whether it's an action blockbuster, indie film or comedy. As a result it falls somewhere in the middle, never achieving any, and Oscar winner Christoph Waltz is wasted as the somewhat nondescript villain.
At times it's difficult to see visionary director Michel Gondry is at work here- obviously he was a latecomer to the movie's production- but when he does throw in his trademark visual flair, the film is impressive, even if it does, rather confusingly, imply Kato has some kind of superpower himself.
Speaking of Kato, Jay Chou is clearly not 100% comfortable in his first English-speaking role, but more than makes up for his problematic pronunciation with a superb physicality that sells his performance.

Film Review - Another Earth

One of the most powerful questions a piece of fiction can ask is, "What if...?" No matter how happy or unhappy we are with our lives, we all have those moments of weakness or fantasy when we wonder where our lives could have ended up, given different circumstances.
In Another Earth, our protagonist is driving when she hears the news that a second Earth, identical to ours, has suddenly appeared in the sky. In her distraction, she crashes into another car, killing a man's wife and child. On this other Earth, has the same thing happened? If not, which other path as her life taken?
This is one of those low-budget indie films that takes a high-concept blockbuster-potential idea and instead of giving us bangs and whistles, gives us a little glimpse into the human psyche. It's not as pretentious as it sounds, but is, by necessity, a bit ponderous. But that's no bad thing.
Brit Marling makes for a hugely sympathetic lead, balancing the character's sadness and regret with the right amount of positivity so that she isn't an unbearable moper, yet still carrying the weight of guilt.
The film plays itself out with a surprisingly decent level of believability, given the fantastical premise. Although I must admit the cliff-hanging ending did have me utter an expletive.

Film Review - The Tree Of Life

Blimey. Where to begin?
The Tree of Life reminded me of doing A Levels again. Remember those short stories where, at face value, nothing happens? But then when you delve deeper there's so much profundity you wind up cross-eyed? It's a film version of one of those. But much, much longer.
It's a real conundrum of a film- as fascinating as it is tedious, as beautiful as it is brutal, as warm as it is cold, as familiar as it is alien, as simple as it is complex... You get the idea. I could literally write an entire essay on every scene.
In a nutshell, it is absolutely stunning to look at. And whilst Jessica Chastain makes it three phenomenal performances in one year, I can't help but applaud Brad Pitt's impressively different performance. Gone is the charming, gurning buffoon or smug Mr Smooth. Here we have a man who is regretful and tender, as well as aggressive and bullying.
Which reminds me of further themes involving family, memory, doing the wrong things for the right reasons, god vs nature, love vs discipline...
It won't be everybody's cup of tea, but if you're in the right mood (feeling sorry for myself on my sick bed certainly helped me) then you might discover something amazing in amongst the (intended) chaos.

Film Review - Moneyball

Debating whether sport is a science or an art (when it's clearly a bit of both), this film effectively asks us to side with (and root for) the bean-counters, rather than the sport lovers. As someone who couldn't care less either way, I was happy to play along. It's certainly interesting to see mathematical theory playing out in the real world, even if Philip Seymour Hoffman initially throws some human error in there to sabotage the results. The film zips along nicely, and the leads do a decent, if overly-familiar job with their roles. I'm not quite understanding the Oscar buzz, but it's certainly an entertaining watch.

Film Review - Pom Wonderful presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

What begins as a film about product placement funded by product placement quickly becomes a film about advertising in general. Whilst never being anything less than entertaining and occasionally informative, I can't say I've come away feeling as though I've actually learned much. But Spurlock has a knack for making his documentaries accessible without being patronising, and does a great job of balancing objectivity with sponsor demands. It's a peek behind the curtain of what keeps Hollywood afloat, but just a peek.

Film Review - Rango

A post-modern animated Western aimed squarely at adults, but not necessarily unsuitable for children. It's gorgeous to look at and Rango makes for an amusingly incompetent lead, but it was all a bit raucous and slapdash.

Film Review - Beginners

A quirky piece that infuses a humour in the direction that is absent from the story itself. I can't deny that it was successfully moving, but there was something alienating about it that didn't quite work for me.

Film Review - Midnight In Paris

Woody Allen has always been more miss than hit for me, and whilst I can't say it blew me away, there was something seductively infectious about this film.
Owen Wilson plays things with such charisma and passion for Paris- the city, its history, art, culture, literature- that despite having no interest in the same things, I believed in his character completely.
Rachel McAdams makes the most of a pretty thankless role, and Michael Sheen steals his scenes as the slimy "pedantic" Paul. Both are odious enough to drive Wilson into the arms of Marion Cotillard, who has the required amount of allure to be a convincing distraction from Wilson's humdrum life.
It all flies by pretty quickly, and it makes its point quite nicely, but for all its highbrow intentions, it's ultimately a bit of throwaway fluff. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Film Review - Take Shelter

Many a time I've watched a film and found myself hoping some kind of devastating apocalyptic scenario is forthcoming. Usually, it's some generic blockbuster where characters are absent and people are no more than disaster fodder. So it's somewhat confusing when you find yourself wishing such a thing on characters you've come to care about.
Michael Shannon is phenomenal in this tale of a man plagued by dreams of devastation and betrayal. Convinced these are visions of a forthcoming storm, he keeps it to himself, but puts his wife and child at great risk, in order to protect them. But as certain as he is that this storm is coming, he is also aware that there is a history of mental illness in his family, and secretly pursues that option also. No mean feat for some blue-collar hick in Smalltown USA. Of course, it is said that one of the signs of sanity is that you are aware you may be insane...
The film is nicely paced, and the cast are superb, Jessica Chastain in particular- her second superb performance of the year, as in The Help. In the hands of a different director, this would be a special effects extravaganza, with every dream being some increasingly awesome set-piece. However, writer/director Jeff Nichols has taken the wiser route of showing the first few- and they are impressive- then leaving the rest to our imaginations. Instead, we see his tossing and turning, increasing anxiety and paranoia, and credit must be given for keeping the character sympathetic when he could have just as easily been written off as a fool.
If I had a criticism, it's only that the very beginning was a little slow, and despite feeling completely invested in the story, I didn't find myself welling up at any time. However, I did find myself thinking that this is one of those films that would be make-or-break, depending on its ending. For me, they got it spot-on.

Film Review - Drive

It's the beginning of Awards Season, so I thought it was time to finally catch up on some acclaimed films from 2011 that I'd missed. Following terrific turns this year in both Crazy Stupid Love and The Ides Of March, I thought I'd start with this Ryan Gosling vehicle. No pun intended.
Having heard a mixture of reviews, words like "brutal" and "slow" rarely fit well together, so my curiosity has been piqued for some time. Truthfully, how anybody could be bored by this is a mystery to me. Yes, it has its share of contemplative moments, but very few, very brief and somewhat essential for the development of the relationship between Gosling's character and his neighbour, played with an emotional intensity by Carey Mulligan.
Not that things take a while to get going, either. The opening scene is exhilarating, and is one of several visceral action sequences. It's once Christina Hendricks appears that the film moves into full throttle as Gosling's ordered life is turned upside down and he decides to risk everything to protect Mulligan and her son. From hereon, the violence is unflinching and, indeed, brutal- though mostly off-screen. Just.
Gosling makes for an unusual action hero- wiry, rather than bulky; youthful, rather than rugged; but you never find yourself questioning his capabilities. His character is something of an enigma- at times, downright antisocial; other times, playfully charming; mostly, emotionless and impassive. And it takes a deft hand to switch between these modes convincingly, and Gosling achieves it with aplomb.
A special shout-out to director Nicolas Winding Refn, too, who clearly has a fondness for 80s movies, with his use of synth pop and neon pink script font. A man after my own heart...

Film Review - The Thing (2011)

I am a big fan of John Carpenter's 1982 version of The Thing. It's one of a handful of horror films (Aliens, Poltergeist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, the first two versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers) that have formed the foundation of what I look for in a good horror film. And, unlike a lot of film fans, remakes do not bother me in the slightest, as long as they do the job.
Of course, 1982's The Thing is in itself a remake- although similarities with the black & white original are minimal at best, so it's the 1982 John Carpenter version that will be hereon referred to as the original, especially since this 2011 version isn't a remake anyway, but a prequel to that specific film. Set in 1982, the film ends where the original begins. Well, sort of. Over the end credits we get glimpses of the bridge between the two stories- but it does leave one or two particularly large open ends.
Importantly, no previous knowledge is required in watching this film, although if you do have prior knowledge, then you have a clearer picture of where this is going, and how much hope there is for the characters involved. For me, this was an effective device, as it meant anybody could be disposable at any time, and by any means, but with the possibility of survival for anyone, also. As a result, there were some genuine heart-in-mouth moments, but also the occasional eye roll.
The original is a master class in paranoia. This achieves that, but in a slightly different, but no less effective way. The original features some phenomenal physical effects. This uses a combination of physical effects and CGI, but it has to be said that the CGI has a tendency to remove credibility, rather than add to the scares. It's fair to say the plot follows an almost identical path to the original, with specifics tweaked here and there. However, they've managed to justify this film's existence by throwing in a few new ideas, re-imagining some of the genuinely creepy moments, and expanding the mythology regarding the "thing" itself. Although this latter part is only partially successful, as it doesn't really add anything worthwhile to the story.
So fans of the 1982 film needn't worry- their beloved film has not been abused in any way. But truth be told, given the choice, next time I'm in the mood to watch "The Thing", I'm more likely to stick to the John Carpenter version than rewatch this one.

Film Review - A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas

I am a newcomer to this duo's franchise (bar their original Van Wilder appearance), and coming in on part three of a trilogy isn't often a wise move. Fortunately, as I suspected, it wasn't a problem here.
In fact, the duo are separated as the movie begins, so as they rediscover their friendship, so too do the new audience. But there are other references that clearly have bigger pay-offs for the faithful, but nothing I found alienating or overly knowing. Speaking of which, the cameo from "NPH" is legen... wait for it... dary! [Well, actually, as cameos go, it's pretty run-of-the mill, but I saw the opportunity and took it...]
John Cho is a particular revelation as Harold, displaying an outstanding understanding of comedy. Kal Penn is given the less demanding role, but it's also the less sympathetic, and subsequently the one with the most growth.
Yes, I did say growth. Despite its ludicrous plotting, the film does have its contemplative moments too. But with the emphasis more on "moment" than the "contemplative". The film tips the balance in the favour of humour, and it does keep things moving.
As for the film's humour, it gets as base as you can possibly get- from toilet humour, to racial stereotypes, to babies on drugs. But there's something inherently likeable about the duo that makes it all forgivably amusing, rather than shocking or offensive. However, we are talking more of guilty sniggers than out-loud belly laughs.
If any film was going to get the 3D thing right... perhaps surprisingly, it was this. But even then, it only partially succeeds, taking absolute glee in mocking the 3D trend, they throw everything they can think of at the screen. Literally. Snow, dust, glass shards, cocaine, eggs, fingers, canes... Some work, but some have no impact at all.
I am delighted to see someone finally re-acknowledging that 3D is a gimmick; no more, no less. [See my Immortals review... Ask and you shall receive!]

Film Review - New Year's Eve

It's the end of the year, 'tis the season for Oscar-bait, and critics are sharpening their pencils. Best and Worst of 2011 lists are being compiled, and, for many critics, this rather timely piece has arrived just in time for inclusion on the latter. Critics have rarely been more unified in their disgust at this latest offering from Gary Marshall. The truth of the matter is this; it doesn't deserve a place on either list.
I have to be honest, I'm not understanding why there's so much hatred out there for this film. Yes, it has its faults. I rolled my eyes (more than) once or twice. Yes, it's very American-centric (I'm afraid nobody outside of the US cares about the Times Square glitterball. Or beyond the East coast, for that matter). Yes, it celebrates youthful beauty. Yes, for a film that covers many stories, it's completely hetero-centric. And yes, it's emotionally manipulative.
But it is what it is, no more no less. It's basically a rehash of the similar Valentine's Day and Love Actually, and falls somewhere between the two, in terms of quality. In other words, it's pretty much what you expect it to be. At a push, I can understand a sniffy critic, being forced to watch something they consider beneath them, would find it all rather underwhelming. Originality is not the film's strength, but neither is it its selling point. So if you make the choice to see it, but hate it... seriously, what were you expecting?
In a year where utterly hateful crap like Hanna and Kill List get critical acclaim, I'm more than happy to stand up for a silly, even forgettable rom-com. I, like many people, am rather fond of silly rom-coms (despite being very very happily single), and make no apologies for it.

Film Review - Arthur Christmas

I had no interest in seeing this. Until I heard the word "Aardman". And, as usual, they haven't let me down.
Raucous fun, with as much humour for adults as for the children.

Film Review - The Ides of March

A tense, smart political drama full of intrigue, double-crossing and great performances.

Film Review - Anonymous

Roland Emmerich does Shakespeare! Well, sort of.
This is something of a curiosity, as it requires a certain knowledge of the era in question... The less you know, the more confused you'll be, yet the more familiar you are, the more infuriated you're likely to be.
Either way, it's unforgivably tedious. Rafe Spall's unusual, OTT turn as Shakespeare lights up the screen... But that's about it.

Film Review - Immortals (in 3D)

John Hurt. A post-Wrestler Mickey Rourke. The new Superman. The amazing characters from Greek legends. Lots of beautiful people wearing very little. In the wake of 300's success, what could possibly go wrong?
Quite a lot, as it happens.
Forgetting a decent story is a good start. Searching for a magic bow is exactly as exciting as it sounds.
Mythological stalwarts such as Apollo, Poseiden, Ares and Heracles are wasted as they're left loitering in the clouds like bored teenagers- many of whom aren't even given the courtesy of being named aloud.
By the time any action kicks in, any possibilities of feeling invested in its outcome have long evaporated, and you're pretty much left to ooh aah at the visuals and mentally tune out during the incessantly dull talky bits. Of which there are many, and none are of any actual significance.
Visually impressive, but unforgivably boring.
Speaking of insignificance, the 3D adds nothing. A few times I lifted my glasses and there was barely any difference. Until film-makers accept it's a gimmick and make the most of it, it's unfair to charge extra for it.

Film Review - My Week With Marilyn

If I had spent a week with Marilyn Monroe, chances are I would have written a book about it too, even if it was as uneventful as this. Why someone would then read that book and go, "this would make a great movie" is a mystery to me. Well, almost. The answer is rather obvious; Oscar.
Michelle Williams certainly has Marilyn Monroe's voice, mannerisms and physicality down pat, but I was always aware that I was watching a performance. The film goes to great lengths to get across the fact that there's a huge difference between off-screen Marilyn and on-screen Marilyn, but Williams's performance does little to address that, other than spending most of the film being a bit morose and insecure- but she still retains the on-screen vocal inflections and mannerisms.
The rest of the cast do little more to improve matters, with Dominic Cooper popping up every now and again to tell someone off, Kenneth Branagh's indistinguishable-accented-turn as Laurence Olivier (he wishes), Carson from Downton Abbey (for that is now the actor's name) as a gruff, skeptical barman, and, most amusingly, Zoë Wannamaker as the most stereotypical Jewish New Yoiker imaginable (sic).
Fortunately, the only exception is the titular "me", Eddie Redmayne. He plays things with a thoroughly convincing wide-eyed enthusiasm, clearly as amazed by her interest in him as we (and everybody else) are.
That is not to say there is nothing interesting here. The pace is sedate, rather than overly slow, and mostly maintains a pleasant tone, only hinting at the darker sides of Marilyn's troubled life. But by the time it's over, you can't help but feel you haven't really learned anything.

Film Review - Hugo (in 3D)

This is something of a difficult film to review, because it's a difficult film to dislike. However, I also found it rather difficult to enjoy.

A clear love letter to good old-fashioned cinema, the film has a sincerity that draws you in and makes you root for it. But then you notice a bit of slapstick isn't quite as funny as it should be. And then one of the child actors fails to properly deliver a line, or facial expression. And then Ben Kingsley fails to portray any sense of believably his first scene. And his next. And his next. And then the slight background sub-plot appears to be going nowhere. And Chloë Grace Moretz's English accent is rather good, though is causing her to speak a little too slowly. And you then notice that the whole thing is going terribly slowly. And that Ben Kingsley really is just plain dreadful. And that your goodwill for the film has been stretched to snapping point, until you have to give in and admit that you're trying to enjoy yourself, rather than actually doing so.

But as it's a film with a decent, yet un-preachy moral, and it has no mean-spiritedness, I can't bring myself to rant. I'm not angry. Just disappointed.

And finally, the 3D. Is it necessary? Has renowned director Martin Scorsese finally found the way to use 3D in a way that makes it as essential as colour, as opposed to a gimmick? Well, no. Things open impressively- the camera flies through the sky, through the convincingly blinding snowstorm, onto a railway platform, between trains and around the waiting passengers, before flying through the mechanics of the station clock- its cogs, corridors and balconies... And that's about it. With a few underwhelming exceptions (dog barks at screen, the odd scenery pole juts out a bit), I'm just left wondering for what privilege I've had to pay an extra £2.50.