Action Moses; Exodus: Gods and Kings.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

The story of Moses is a well known story and has been told many times in many different ways, including animation; Cedil B. Demille himself adapted the story twice. The latest interpretation of the story comes from master filmmaker Ridley Scott and stars Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, John Turturro, Sigourney Weaver, Aaron Paul and Ben Mendelsohn. Now this is a story that most people know so I won't give a synopsis and will get right into my review.

Exodus: Gods and Kings attempts to tell the story of two brothers; raised together but ultimately drawn apart by lineage and by faith. Ridley Scott is no stranger to sword and sandal epics with Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven (the director's cuts is a masterpiece) under his belt so a story like Moses' felt like a no-brainer. A even though Ridley Scott tackles the film with as much visual grandeur as expected Exodus plays it rather safe by being very by the numbers though it does bring up some rather interesting ideas that could have been explored further.

With a strong cast and technical expertise the film lives and dies with its screenplay and that is where we find its problems. No matter how grand a scope Ridley Scott paints the film with it all doesn't matter if the film doesn't have compelling characters or a compelling story. The script barely gives any depth to the characters and is more focused on getting from A to B without really getting into why. We don't really get to know the Israelites or their plight and though Moses is a reluctant leader he isn't are fully formed as the Moses from the bible. If anything we get to know more about Rhamses mindset though he is still written rather thinly.

With all book adaptations we must talk about the faithfulness to the source material; Exodus in no way deviates from the source to the extent that Darren Aronofsky's Noah did but that are several major changes that actually weaken the film. In the source we get to know the various Israelite characters with much more depth though Rhamses is even more thinly written; this weakens the the stakes of film and why we should be invested. Of course not all of these changes are negatives; the drama between Moses and Rhames is rather interesting but not nearly explored deep enough and Ridley Scott's depiction of the plagues via natural causes was also very interesting and you felt every fly, every frog and boil.

Unfortunately it is a rather dull affair for a epic film and contains rather disjointed pacing. But it does contain striking cinematography, a lovely score and strong performances from a cast who do their best with the little they are given. Ridley Scott handles the action well though the reasoning behind some of it is rather contrived but the film manages to be rather decent even with its thin script and tonal inconsistencies. A very well made film but an averagely thrilling experience that lacks the ambition that would have made it more worthwhile.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Why Can't People Just Talk? Men, Women & Children.

Watch my youtube review HERE!!!

No matter what, no matter when, no matter who there has always been a lack of clear communication between people; whether married, family, dating or just friends. Based on the Chad Kultgen of the same name, Jason Reitman's latest film examines the secret pains and desires of a group of people in a wholesome American town and how even though the world is more connected through technology everyone is still as lonely as before. The film stars an all star ensemble which includes Jennifer Garner, Adam Sandler, Judy Greer, Dean Norris, Rosemarie DeWitt Ansel Elgort, Kaitlyn Dever, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Crocicchia, Travis Tope and the voice of Emma Thompson.

Now Jason Reitman is well known for his witty yet honest view of the world but since Labor Day his wit has changed to earnestness and most critics have seen this as a misstep. I on the other hand enjoyed Labor Day immensely even with all its flaws and though Men, Women & Children finds itself being just as earnest I found myself connecting with it too. Most critics have viewed this film as an attack on technology but I think that is the completely wrong way to view this film; its really about the emotional struggle of many people, struggles we can all relate to on some kind of level.

This is helped by an absolutely fantastic cast and though the film is an ensemble piece Ansel Elgort and Kaitlyn Dever are the stand outs of the film. Adam Sandler also gives his first real performance since Funny People (or Hotel Transylvania if you count animation). With Reitman's strong gift for working with actors he's able create incredibly strong and honest emotions which ring true no matter how earnest or how contrived the situations are. The film is beautifully shot and has a great score/soundtrack but that's a given with Reitman's eye for compositions and ear for music.

Where the film does falter is in its script co-written by Reitman and Erin Cressida Wilson. Though Reitman is able to create honest emotions through his actors the situations to create these moments are taken to the extreme in order to prove the point of the film but it often comes off as contrived  especially because they have to connect the large cast of characters (though not to the extent of Babel or 21 Grams). These contrivances will definitely rub people the wrong way and if you look at the critical response it already has.

But in the end I still really liked Men, Women & Children; though it definitely has its flaws to me an strong emotional experience is more important than flawless film (mostly because I don't believe there's such a thing). Jason Reitman's latest my be overly earnest and rather contrived but there's a real honesty to the emotions it displays and the performances the actors give. Add to that Reitman's strong handle of visuals and music and you have a film that is very emotionally affecting even though it is rather flawed.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Jake Gyllenhaal Doesn't Teleport: Nightcrawler.

Watch my youtube review HERE!!!

The world is full of sociopaths; some go unnoticed, other repress their tendencies and a handful fulfil their urges. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, one of these sociopaths and has his mind set on fulfilling his hearts desires. Nightcrawler is the directorial début of Dan Gilroy brother of Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton), Dan Gilroy also wrote the screnplay while his brother co-produced. The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo (Dan Gilroy's wife), Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton.

The film follows Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) an unemployed petty thief who discovers the darker side of  TV News; Lou Bloom decides to join the business by filming crash and crime footage and does whatever it takes not matter how unethical it may be. Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a powerhouse performance and goes to great lengths just like his character. Apparently Gyllenhaal also learnt the entire script off by heart in order to deal with the responsibility of co-producing the film as well.
Rene Russo and Riz Ahmed (who is British believe it or not) also give strong performances.

What really makes the film is Gilroy's fantastic script which is full of brains, thrills, black comedy and underlying terror. Gilroy's script crafts a fascinating character and story rich in ideas and compelling drama while also managing to get under your skin to the point of creeping you the hell out. It's also a great look at tabloid journalism (the TV version of it) and how it really is there to either fill us the viewer with fear or feed our repressed sociopathic tendencies. The film touches at satire but never goes all the way with it which I think is a bit of a missed opportunity but doesn't weaken the film at all.

Gilroy directs well for his first feature and keeps the film escalating until the end but I feel that his lack of experience stops the film from fully reaching its potential. There's a disconnect between the film and the audience that stopped me from being fully immersed in the film and it's not just because of the sociopathic character at its core. I believe that if the film was more stylised it could have gotten around that and drawn the audience in even more.

The film still is very strong but I felt it could pushed things further and a more seasoned director would have had the courage to do that. Robert Elswit's fantastic cinematography helps a little but the score counters that by feeling rather out of place though I feel that may have been the point. But in the end this is really just nitpicking in an otherwise great film that is bound to start conversations and create the need to shower after spending two hours with such a shady character.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

So Not Tina? Mr. Turner.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

The main problem with biopics is that in order to be a film they have to convert the events of a life into a plot which can often make for a contrived watch. Mike Leigh manages to avoid this and crafts a rather unique and engaging portrait on the later years of an artist's life. Mr. Turner is of  course about the rather eccentric and famous romantic landscape painter J. M. W. Turner starring Timothy Spall in the title role. The rest of the main cast includes Dorothy Atkinson, Paul Jesson and Marion Bailey.

Mike Leigh directs the film with a light touch letting the character slowly come through to the viewer rather than  forcing him upon us. There's no semblance of a plot in Mike Leigh's script, instead we just get vignettes of the artist's life with no clear through line or message but that is the intention. There's no need for narrative push, contrived drama or the journey of a tortured artist, Mike Leigh just wants to embrace art and life in all its beauty even in its insignificant moments.

Timothy Spall is absolutely perfect in the role and rightly won best actor at Cannes earlier this year. Though the script doesn't explain the character to us you get a sense of who he is though Spall's performance and its a delightfully warm one though the artist himself is rather distant. Also the fact the Spall spent almost two years learning how to paint for the film creates even more of a truth in the performance.

The stand out achievement of the film though is its gorgeous cinematography from Dick Pope. He captures truly breathtaking compositions that could rival Turner's paintings. All caught digitally on the Arri Alexa though it fooled me into believing it was shot on film (which believe me is a hard thing to do). The score is also beautiful but also haunting with a beautiful string section and though the film is two and a half hours long I was constantly engaged and never bored.

Mr. Turner is a lovely film but also a very slow one so it won't be for everyone. There are no grand revelations or thrilling drama but just a man whose art spoke more words than he did; capturing the beauty in the world around us whether is be a simple countryside, steam boat or storm. With gorgeous visuals and a great performance there's a lot to love in the film even though it did not blow me away.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Batch Is Back: The Imitation Game.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

There are many untold stories in our past; some have just never been heard while other just weren't allowed to be heard. During war time there were many secrets and it took decades for them to become known with some being forgotten and others only just recently being declassified; the Imitation Game is one of these stories. Directed by Morten Tyldum and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Mark Strong and Charles Dance. The film depicts the life of mathematician Alan Turing as he tries to break the Nazi code Enigma while also dealing with his homosexuality which was considered a crime at the time.

First things first; Cumberbatch's performance is fantastic and bound to get awards buzz. He takes both the very mechanical and the emotional sides of Turing and blends them fantastically, creating a very layered character. Knightley's performance is also good especially her finally scene which she acts with incredible power. It's also very good the see Matthew Goode and Mark Strong who are both incredibly underrated actors who deserve more recognition. The rest of the cast is good and play their parts well.

This film is very much a crowd pleaser and will cater to many different audiences. Because of this it doesn't really dig into the ideas and themes of the film as much as it could have but it is still a really good film that will create conversation. Above all though it is very entertaining, being both funny and thrilling. The film is surprisingly humorous and I found myself laughing countless times but it also doesn't stray away from the harsh realities of the time and alienation of a genius that is very present in Turing. In the end it is a very poignant story but I won't go into it any further so that you can enjoy the film when it officially comes to cinemas.

The film is well shot, scored, edited and written though there are a series of flashbacks that didn't really come together for me, The film also worships Turing a little too much in my opinion though of course he did a great thing for his country and the rest of the world. But in the end The Imitation Game is a very strong and thoroughly engaging film. I may not have been blown away by it but I enjoyed it immensely and the cast was quite stand out.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know you thoughts in the comments below.

Not One Jay Was Mocked: Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

The Hunger Games franchise has taken the world by storm and for good reason; first off the source material was incredibly popular, secondly it was filling in the gap between adults and children that is often forgotten and lastly because they're rather intelligent blockbusters. I'm have not read the source material (though I have done some research) and don't really consider myself a fan but I can appreciate it when a movie does more than what's expected or asked of it and this franchise has done that.

Directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, the late Philip Seymore Hoffman (he will be missed), Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin and the lovely Natalie Dormer. After being rescued from the Quarter Quell Katniss (Lawrence) struggles with PTSD and guilt while also reluctantly becoming the symbol for the rebellion and fearing what has become of Peeta. What follows is a battle of propaganda as both sides begin to build up to an explosion of violence.

Mockingjay part one changes the formula of the first two films by not having a Hunger Games and though its good that it didn't become repetitive it's unfortunately weakened by have the book split into two films. Though there is definitely a lot to cover in the book it's the second half which is the meatiest and this being based on the first half stretches the story too thin while also making the movie longer than it needed to be. Running at two hours this film could have easily been cut to improve pacing, focus and story while also removing various unnecessary scenes and sub-plots. But even though its not as dynamic as it could be there is still enough to make it a good watch.

The cast is as solid as always and was well constructed from the inception of the franchise. The added additions of Julianne Moore and Natalie Dormer further boosts its talented cast. Unfortunately Liam Hemsworth remains as uncharismatic as always and weakens the strong ensemble. The film is well shot though it finds itself between the shakycam of the first film and the much improved camera work of Catching Fire. James Newton Howard's score is also good but a bit too intrusive and manipulative but that's also the fault of the script which thinks exposition is much more important than showing us the story and the reasons for our feelings.

But Mockingjay part 1 is a solid entry to the solid franchise which still doesn't impress me but still manages to be an engaging and entertaining watch. The world of the film is an interesting and compelling one and the actors do well to keep you invested. Unfortunately the social commentary and satire is lessened and the themes can't dig deep enough given the films rating because of the target audience. One day I would love to see an adult rated version of the story (yes I've seen Battle Royale but they're commenting on different things). Mockingjay is well made and contains enough blockbuster thrills while also being thoughtful to make it worth a watch and though it's not great it still is rather good.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Tom Hardy Hugs A Puppy: The Drop.

I've still got a few reviews to catch up with but I won't be writing reviews for John Wick or Kill the Messenger.

You can watch my John Wick youtube review HERE!!!

And my Kill the Messenger youtube review HERE!!!

You can watch my youtube review of The Drop HERE!!!

As of late crime thrillers have been more focused on action than characters and actual crime (unless it's a foreign film or from Scorsese). The Drop sets itself apart by being sparse in violence and strong in character even if the characters are hiding behind misguiding layers. This film is based on a short story from Dennis Lehane who also wrote the script and is directed by Michael R. Roskam who did the much praised Bullhead. The cast includes Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, the late James Gandolfini (R.I.P.), John Ortiz, Matthias Schoenaerts (Bullhead) Ann Dowd, an adorable Pitbull Puppy and James Frecheville (Animal Kingdom).

The Drop follows the socially awkward Bob Saginowski (Hardy), a bartender at a drop bar where gangsters leave their money for safe keeping. After being robbed and finding a injured Pitbull pup he must deal with what the two events bring to his doorstep as he tries to live a low-key life. Tom Hardy nails the Brooklyn accent and the role which is hidden under layers of secrets and quite awkwardness. The rest of the cast is solid and James Gondolfini reminds us how much he will be missed by film lovers.

What sets The Drop apart from other films of the genre is that it is entirely character focused with quiet pacing and only purposeful action. You get a strong sense of the world and the people that populate it which strengthens what could have been another generic thriller. Though it doesn't have much to say regarding society and the effects of violence it is a good watch and a strong film. Nicely photographed and lit with good music and strong atmosphere this is a thoughtfully made film.

If you're looking for shoot-outs, drugs and explosion you won't find it in this film but that's a good thing. These days criminals keep it low key making every neighbourhood possibly sinister and it's this atmosphere that this film captures well along with its characters who may not be what they seem. Quiet and thoughtful, The Drop was rather refreshing in an over saturated and exaggerated genre.

Rich White People Problems: This Is Where I Leave You

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

What's more generic than a glossy well off white family? A glossy well off white family that doesn't get along and thinks that their not so problematic problems are the biggest problems in the world. This film is directed by Shawn Levy  and stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Connie Britton, Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant, Ben Schwartz, Kathryn Hahn and Dax Shepard. After the death of their father a family comes together to sit shiva upon his will's request...even though they're not Jewish.

Shawn Levy has made one movie that I can say that I really enjoy (Date Night); the rest of his filmography is harmless but obvious with no real wit. He thinks something would be funny and assumes the rest of the world will agree, I disagree. Fortunately the cast is wonderful, every actor charming and charismatic, unfortunately the script is rather trite. These actors do the best with what they have and make a rather bland film competent, especially Adam Driver who I never cease to enjoy. Without this cast I would have hated this movie but luckily this film did have it's cast.

The film has glossy cinematography and a decent soundtrack; Shawn Levy at least knows how to put a movie together. But the film has no soul, no drive, it almost feels like a product for the masses that has no substance but is shiny enough to enjoy. The problems the characters have are not real problems except for Jason Bateman's character and for that reason you just can't really get behind most of what goes on in the movie. Also the fact that it throws a penis jokes at you every minute makes it rather grating at times.

I honestly didn't outright hate this movie but I also didn't care about it at all. There are also several moments that I don't agree with morally and its contrivances are rather annoying. The cast makes it a leisurely watch but there's nothing there to compel me to watch it again.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Travelling with Simon Pegg: Hector and the Search for Happiness

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

This is going to be a short review.

I like Simon Pegg, I really do. He's a great actor, a better comic and probably an even better person and that can do a lot to make a movie work. This film is directed by Peter Chelsom with Rosamund Pike, Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, Stellan Skarsgard and Jean Reno filling out the rest of the main cast. The film follows Hector (Pegg) a psychiatrist who is stuck in a rut and feels he can no longer help his patients, because of this decides to go on trip to find ways to make people (including himself) happy again.

Hector and the Search for Happiness is a very harmless film, it's not great but it's not bad either. It's not something you'd go out of your way to see but if you did end up watching it it wouldn't be a waste of your time. It's schmaltzy, well intentioned, entertaining at times and contrived at others but there's nothing really to get from this film. It didn't have me grinning side to side, it didn't tell me how to be happy and it didn't give me anything to take away from it...

And that's alright. This movie doesn't have any grand intentions, it's just trying to be a nice time watching a movie. It's well made with a charming cast and sometimes that's enough it make it a decent film. It's not great but in no way bad it just is and that's enough. The reason this review is short is because I just don't really have that much to say and that's alright.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

So it's not Furry?: Fury

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

War is Hell. Whether you've been in one or not you know this to be a fact. It's full of hate, anger despair and desperation with loss on both sides which includes soldiers and civilians. David Ayer's Fury presents war on a visceral level and brings that hell to life on the screen though it doesn't really explore any ideas beyond that. The film follows a five man tank crew as the allies make their last push into Nazi Germany with the cast consisting of Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal and Jason Isaacs.

Now Fury really has no defined narrative, we're just basically following a tank crew on their wartime adventures and it's a really compelling watch. The cast is charismatic, the events that unfold engaging and the action sequences thrilling. The film is beautifully captured with gorgeous anamorphic cinematography and a haunting score to back it up. This is a really well made film with every element coming together well.

Where this film falters is an underwritten supporting cast and lack of social commentary. Most war films depict the terrors of the past but they also have something to apply to the present day and the average citizen not just soldier. All Fury really digs into is that war is hell and you've got to become a demon to survive it. That's all good but I was expecting a little more bite from Ayer's screenplay. But in the end that isn't that big of an issue because everything else is so strong.

The battles scenes are brutal and violent; this film does for tanks what Saving Private Ryan did for the Normandy Landings. The cast give great performances even with the little some of them are given and at the centre of the film is great chemistry between Logan Lerman and Brad Pitt. David Ayer's directorial hand is steady and certain with confident pacing and good editing. Though it may not go beyond its simple statement it doesn't really matter as this is a quality and thrilling film.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Scariest Movie of the Year: Whiplash

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

There are many forms of art in the world; creative, physical and even philosophical. True artists make their art form their life and that can take a massive toll on it. Whiplash takes this insane passion an artist has and presents it on a very visceral level and boy is it frightening. Damien Chazelle has crafted a brilliant directorial debut that manages to be ten times as thrilling as any of the blockbusters that have come out this year with less then a thirtieth of the budget.

The film follows Andrew Neyman (Teller), an aspiring drummer with social problems as he works under the tutelage of the frightening Jazz maestro Terence Fletcher at one of America's finest music schools. Whiplash won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year and has been showered with much critical praise ever since and rightly so. With two outstanding performances from it's leads Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, taught directing and fantastic writing from Damien Chazelle this is one of the best films of the year.

J.K. Simmons' Terence Fletcher is a unrelenting force of nature and a true horror unlike any other in this year of films (I'm yet to see Foxcatcher which might challenge this) and it's how hard he pushes and how far his drives Teller's Andrew Neyman that shake you to your core. This film affects you on a very visceral level which turns the drama into a thriller and then pushes it further into horror and the most horrifying aspect of it is that even though the narrative it is presenting is fiction what it is depicting is very much truth.

Art has driven many into madness and I know I myself would be willing to go to extremes for my own art. In this sense Whiplash is one of the most honest depictions of an artist's soul and it is both terrifying and absolutely wonderful. Capture with stylish cinematography that's a mixture of realism and expressionism and with wonderful music which is a requirement for any music movie. Finally anchored by two phenomenal and raw performances and directing that you would find from the confidence of a master expect this time it's from a young filmmaker who is very much a talent to keep an eye on.

5 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

It's not a good year to be married: Force Majeure

I'm still catching up with many of my written review but here's another one now off the list.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

Marriage, the magical union between two people that seems to be under attack as of late. Gone Girl dealt the first blow and now Force Majeure has come with the second and it's a knock out. Directed by Ruben Ostlund, the Swedish film stars Johannes Kuhnke as Tomas and Lisa Loven Kongsli as Ebba, a married couple with children whose relationship comes under intense strain after a close call with an avalanche. What started the strain was that Tomas ran off with his phone leaving Ebba facing the avalanche alone with their kids.

Now this is a venomous film as the questions it raises do not only infect the characters on screen but also the audience and husbands in particular will not enjoy having the answer them. Did Tomas runaway because he doesn't care about his family? Was it just the flight reaction instead fight? Was he subconsciously going with the intention of coming back and digging them out? Whatever the reason (most likely flight) it doesn't matter because it has already created doubt which is one of the most dangerous things for a relationship.

Ruben Ostlund directs this film with confidence and a steady hand also admitting taking notes from Kubick's The Shining and though Force Majeure isn't a horror movie I find it far more frightening. It is honestly one of the most frightening films of the year and makes your stomach churn in many different ways;  a scene involving a bus and a hill will definitely have you clinging to your seat. His actors give fantastic performances though the script can be rather heavy-handed at times and the wife becomes a bit one note to the point where we no longer sympathise with her, in fact she almost becomes the villain.

The cinematography is quite gorgeous with fantastic compositions and the use of static long takes is absolutely brilliant and gives no chance of escape from the overwhelming feelings the film brings. The use of music or lack thereof is also fantastic but the true brilliance is the simplicity of the idea behind the film and just how venomous it is (insert inception joke here). If you're in a relationship be warned that seeing this film will bring up questions between you and your partner that you may not want to answer but it is a fantastic film and watching it may be worth the uncomfortable conversation afterwards.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me known your thoughts in the comments below.

An Intergalactic Marvel: Interstellar

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

Interstellar like every film isn't perfect, in fact I don't believe there is such thing as a perfect film (sorry Kubrick fans). Now Christopher Nolan is a very acclaimed blockbuster director and I myself am a big fan of his work but The Dark Knight Rises showed that there can be some missteps. On a scripting level Interstellar has many flaws but when it comes to every other aspect it is able to overcome those flaws and then some.

The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Wes Bentley, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn and Mackenzie Foy. It follows Cooper (McConaughey) who leads a team of astronauts on one last mission to find a habitable planet for humanity after the earth begins grow too hostile to live on any longer; the cost of the mission is leaving his family behind, most likely forever.

Interstellar is bound to be polarizing and it all comes down to whether you embrace the film with all it's flaws or if you refuse to. I personally found it to be captivating and one of the best cinema going experiences I've had all year. This is truly a film that has to be seen on the big screen and the biggest one you can find. This film is very much the love child of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Gravity and I found it even better.

Hoyte Van Hoytema's cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and what stands out even more than the spectacular IMAX sequences are the small human moments that he's able to capture. Han Zimmer's score is beautifully majestic and unlike anything he has done. Nolan's direction is top notch as always and the cast give great performances especially Jessica Chastain who is one of the few actors today able to embody their characters with incredible humanity. McConaughey continues to deliver stellar work and it's really the actors that help make this film work.

But as stated above where this film falters is in the script. Originally developed as a project for Steven Speilberg (it shows) by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan would eventually rewrite his brother's draft and make it grander in scale but also more emotionally sterile; very much in the vein of a Kubrick or Soderbergh film. Unfortunately Nolan doesn't have a great handle on dialogue either but the human core of the film is enough to carry the overly ambitious concept and ideas.

With Interstellar you get a fantastic cinema experience with ambition and ideas but it doesn't always come together or make logical sense. But...I didn't care. I immensely enjoyed this film and accepted it for all its flaws because its flaws made it seem even more human; humanity is extremely flawed yet there's still something amazing about us and the same can be said about Interstellar. It's incredibly flawed but still nothing short of incredible.

5 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Nice day for a stroll: A Walk Among the Tombstones

Sorry that's there has been quite delay with reviews but I've been rather busy on a film shoot the past couple of weeks. I should be doing a Blog post on my role in the coming weeks. I am up to date with my video reviews which you can see on my youtube channel HERE!!!

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

A Walk Among the Tombstones is based on the Lawrence Block novel of the same name and adapted for the screen by Scott Frank who first dabbled with directing with the fantastic Neo-noir The Lookout. The film stars Liam Neeson with the rest of the cast being filled out by Dan Stevens who seems to be continuing to do different work from Downton Abbey, Boyd Holbrook who is starting to make a name for himself with this film and Gone Girl, Whitney Able, ex US X-factor finalist Brian Bradley, Sebastian Roche and David Harbour who was also in The Equalizer which I'll mention shortly.

Like most Liam Neeson thrillers there may be some similarities and comparisons to Taken and with Tombstones there will also be comparisons the The Equalizer though out of the three I think Tombstones is superior. Neeson plays Matthew Scudder, an unlicensed investigator and ex-cop who investigates the disappearances and murders of several women. Scudder is rather similar to Neeson's Taken character except this is one of Neeson's best performances in quite a while; he is haunting, focused, heartbreaking and broken.

Though the plot is generic for the genre the execution is what separates this film fill from its peers as it feels more like a thriller from the 80's or 90's rather than one from the 2000's (in a good way). The atmosphere and tone is very bleak and it is very graphic at times though it's true horror resides in the implications off-screen that are left to our own twisted imaginations. This film puts its characters through the wringer and drives their humanity to the edge. It is a very dour experience and not the fun action you'd expect from a Liam Neeson thriller.

In fact it is a rather slow film and will test the patience of more action driver audiences; this is not a bad thing but it's not always engaging. It's mostly well written though it does contain some rather annoying dialogue and an underdeveloped villain but the good thing is it manages to feel different from the everyday thriller. It has very inventive cinematography regarding compositions and lenses along with good music too. It may not be perfect but there's enough to recommend seeing this and hoping for a franchise with this character.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Studio Ghibli's latest: The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

Studio Ghibli is one of the most creative, ambitious and consistent movie studios today filled with wonderful and artful storytellers. The studio was founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and Takahata directed the film I'm reviewing today. The Tale of Princess Kaguya is the latest from Studio Ghibli and based on the ffolk-taleThe Tale of the Bamboo Cutter which is considered Japan's oldest narrative and done in the visual style of Japanese water colours.

The film follows Princess Kaguya who is sent to earth from the moon to be found by a bamboo cutter in the countryside. Like bamboo she grows at a rapid pace and after her earthly father finds gold he decides to raise her as a noble. Princess Kaguya destined to be royalty but born of nature struggles with the demands of society as she tries to stay true to herself. Radiantly beautiful she is presented with many suitors but not wanting forced love she gives them impossible tasks that they are to complete.

The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a beautiful film that feels no need to go by modern film structure nor modern animation. The film is told in a combination of vignettes and slightly conventional plot with gorgeous hand drawn animation that is wonderfully engrossing and unfortunately rather alien these days. If anything can and should be said about this film is that it is a piece of visual art. The colour and strokes of the images create gorgeous moving images and Takahata having played around with his visual style before in his previous films Only Yesterday and My Neighbors the Yamadas continues to do so here. The music is also artful and I love the Japanese instrumentation.

The story itself is beautiful but also doesn't reach its full potential; it has many fantastic ideas but unfortunately not all of them are brought to fruition. This is Ghibli's longest film and there are a few moments that could have been trimmed but overall it isn't much of an issue as you enjoy your time in the world of this film as it contains many great moments of honesty, haunting drama, social commentary and enjoyable humour. Unfortunately all of this in undone by the films finale.

The way the film ends has to be one of the most frustrating movie endings I have ever seen. Everything up to that point was a near masterpiece, a thing of beauty and soul but then it is all thrown away by an ending that goes against everything this film was about. It's a betrayal that feels so false that it stirred up uneasy laughter by people in the cinema. It was a slap in the face that I can't forgive and don't think I'll ever get past even though it's staying true to the tale it is based on. The film is still good but what was once beautiful is now tarnished in a way that cannot be undone.

Like I said the film is a visual piece of art with lovely music. The voice cast (I watched the Japanese version not the English dubbed) was wonderful and their characters endearing. The story is ambitious, old fashioned, beautiful and rich with ideas, commentary and relevant themes. This film is 95% beautiful...and the ending just ruins it. I will never get past what a betrayal the ending is and though it is true to the folk-tale it didn't have to be; The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a film not a folk-tale and it has the right to stand on it's own. With that said it is a beautiful film with an unfortunate ending but still beautiful nonetheless.

4 out of 5 stars. It would have been 4 1/2 if not for the ending.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

So it's not a Dredd sequel?: The Judge

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

The Judge is the first film from production company Team Downey which was founded by Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey (It feels wrong not putting Jr. at the end). This film is directed by David Dobkin who takes his first stab at drama after a career full of comedy films. The film features a cast which includes Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Billy Bob Thornton, Dax Shepard and David Krumholtz.

The film is about a father (Duvall) and a son (Downey Jr.) who must overcome their estranged relationship as the son represents his father in court regarding the death of a criminal the father put in jail twenty years ago and possibly killed upon his release. What follows is a movie full ofs all the courtroom drama and estranged family clichés we've seen before, a lot of unnecessary characters and sub-plots but still an overall decent movie.

Like I said there is too much going on in this movie; this wouldn't be a problem if we actually cared about what was going on but a lot of it is just manipulative smaltz which I really have not time for. It doesn't help that all this makes the movie  two hours and twenty minutes long when it really should have been an hour and forty minutes. There is so much that could have been cut out of this movie especially on a scripting level but it's here to stay so I'll move on.

The cast is pretty solid though they're not really given much to do. Vera Farmiga is as lovely as always but doesn't get enough screen time, while Dax Shepard does a good job but his character is completely pointless and has no need to even be in the film. The film is well made with good cinematography, though I'm not really a fan of the lighting. The music is nice and overall the film is just that, nice.

But nice doesn't always get you places. The film just never really feels true to me, everything is done to manipulate you, whether it's the music, the back story or the dialogue. The film is nothing new, we've seen it before and it's not done well enough to compel me to watch it again. This is not at all a bad film but it's kind of bland and rather forgettable. I'm not at all bothered that I watched it but I don't think I'll be likely to watch it ever again.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Dracula: Untold...Shouldn't have been told.

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

Dracula is a classic character from a classic property; of course that means it's time for Hollywood to ruin said character. Now the vampire genre hasn't been in the place for the past few years as there was this little thing called Twilight that made the genre lose the respect it once had. Dracula: Untold is not only an attempt to bring back the horror and action roots of vampire movies but is also the first in the series of remakes bringing back Universal's classic monsters. Unfortunately that's all it is, an attempt and not a successful attempt either.

Dracula:Untold is the feature début of Gary Shore and stars Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon and Dominic Cooper. This iteration of the iconic character goes to it's historical root of the character being based on Vlad the Impaler. Of course other than the name and impaling the rest of the film is in a fantasy world. Dracula: Untold takes this classic character and mythology and creates a film meant for the Lord of the Rings and Superhero generation but unfortunately it is not nearly as exciting or engaging.

The script of this film is an utter failure and I would advise any would be writers to look to this film for what not to do. Though it tells the beginning middle and end of a story it makes no attempt to make this story compelling, these characters more than two dimensional or even a reason for this film to be made. Add to that laughable dialogue and a large number of your usual clichés and you've got yourself a waste of time. This film is by the numbers if the numbers equal zero because that is the amount of possible reasons for this film to be made.

The actors sleepwalk through their roles but it's hard to blame them when they're given material this weak. Sarah Gadon is at least as gorgeous as ever though that isn't enough of a reason to watch this movie. The action is rather bland and incomprehensible, partly the fault of the M(PG13+) rating and the rest of the blame on poor staging, editing and lame CGI. The art direction is also quite campy and the music too forced. This film is truly the product of a studio with no real heart in the production and if you'd excuse the pun it is an example of a truly soulless movie.

With that said I didn't out right hate this movie like I did transformers. This film at least had the decency not to be self indulgent and at a swift ninety minutes it was over and I was free to forget all about it (once this review is published of course). This film is bad and with no redeeming features; to make things worse this was shot on film and what a waste of film it is. This is what happens when a studio is entirely in control of a movies; it becomes a soulless enterprise that is just a waste of my time.

1 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Channing Tatum's Scared of Dolls: Annabelle

I did something special for my youtube review so check it out HERE!!!

When The Conjuring came out last year it was very much a revelation for the horror genra; though not original it was still a breath of fresh air, artfully made, surprisingly up lifting, actually portrayed Christianity very well and was honestly just a great movie which something the genre continues to lack. So when I heard that the same team (though not director) would be making a spin-off via Annabelle I was indeed intrigued; it also helped that the trailer was pretty good too. This time around though it is directed by the Director of Photography of The Conjuring John R. Leonetti and stars Annabelle (not kidding) Wallis, Ward Horton, Alfre Woodard, Tony Amendola, Kerry O'Malley and Eric Ladin.

Unlike the The Conjuring the plot of Annabelle is not based on one of the Warren's case files, it's more of a fictional prequel to the case file which was briefly featured at the start of The Conjuring. The film follows a young couple who are soon to be parents. They recently moved next door to a nice older couple who they attend church with, unfortunately the older couple's daughter ran away with a cult and returned to kill her parents and attempt to bring forth a demon who possesses a doll in the possession (see what I did there) of the young couple.

What follows is a film that has its moments but is ultimately rather redundant and also rather silly. Being a Director of Photography on previous projects, John R. Leonetti knows how to construct a stunning composition and believe me there are many in this film; the digital cinematography isn't jarring for the period piece. But a movie doesn't just have to look good it also has to tell a compelling story as well; unfortunately it doesn't.

The script is where Annabelle really falls short (don't know if that counts as a doll pun) as it is tells us a story we've seen before and better and also manages to be rather bland and at times laughable rather than frightening. Like I said the film has its moment but it's hard to make a doll really scary, in fact most of the scares come from other forces related to the doll but not the doll itself. Though I do commend the fact that film took more inspiration from Rosemary's Baby than other possession movies unfortunately it all ends up falling flat as none of the characters are that compelling and drawn rather thing.

What we have with Annabelle is a forgettable horror movie that has gotten exposure because of the film that came before it, then again isn't that the point of franchise films. There are some solid scares (particularly one involving a sight from an elevator) but there are also lazy jump scares and also some laughable ones. The film is competently made and well shot but then again you'd have to be something truly terrible to not be but in the end it doesn't matter if you don't have a good story to tell. Annabelle isn't necessarily a terrible film but it is a bad one and not one I'll be remembering at all.

2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Fincher's Bleakest Yet: Gone Girl

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

David Fincher is one of the most revered filmmakers of our time and I'm not just saying that because he is one of my biggest influences. Tarantino actually sent out a email to many well known filmmakers and asked them who the ten most important filmmakers of our time were and only two names appeared on everyone's lists; those names were Richard Linklater and David Fincher.

Gone Girl is David Fincher's latest film, based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name (side note: the novelist also wrote the screenplay). Now the novel was quite a hit in 2012 and 2013 and it also being Fincher's next film made it quite anticipated for many film fans and myself. It follows Nick (Ben Affleck) who come home on his fifth wedding anniversary to find his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) missing. This missing persons case soon turns into a murder with Nick being the prime suspect. It also stars Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris.

When I left the cinema after seeing Gone Girl I left feeling four things; rather mixed, very unsettled, confused and rather pleased. Though somewhat similar to the films Fincher has done before Gone Girl is kind of a different animal. For the first thirty or so minutes of the film it didn't feel like something Fincher had made; the dialogue felt different, the pacing felt different, the atmosphere felt different...it just all felt different. But then once it got to a certain story beat it was pure Fincher and I was sucked in...and then it changed. It continued to go back and forth between the Fincher that I knew and the Fincher that I didn't and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn't always a good thing either.

Like all of Fincher films Gone Girl is technically perfect. Jeff Cronenweth's cinematography is as stunning as ever; his collaborations with Fincher have to be some of the best use of digital photography. The score from Trent Reznor and Atticuss Ross really adds to the experience as well. The actors all do great work (including Tyler Perry) with Carrie Coon being the stand out for me as Nick's twin sister Margo. There was never any doubt that this wouldn't be the case, if you watch any of his work you'd find this to be true so we're left with the script to find the films faults.

Now I haven't read the novel though reliable sources (and wikipedia) have told me that the film stays very true to it. The script isn't necessarily bad but the story is far from perfect though I do love (and loath) where it goes. The script goes into the dark recesses of marriage and the way it can make two people come undone; it may start with love but sometimes it grows into loathing. This is truly David Fincher's bleakest film and it will leave you feeling frightened and exhausted and I really loved how it ended; true Fincher fashion.

But the road to get there was rather bumpy and contained some very illogical and rather frustrating plot points that really would never happen but do so that the audience don't know whether Nick killed Amy or didn't. If the writer wasn't worried about the ambiguity a ridiculous plot point wouldn't have happened but then again it would have ended up being a completely different story. The script also contains some very cheese and almost laughable moments which you can tell come from the pulpiness of the novel and is cause for some very jarring tonal shifts. But some times the laughs are okay, especially regarding the satirical look at the way the media and the attention seeker react to these situation.

Gone is far from Fincher's best film but it's still pretty damn great. Technically immaculate, thematically ambitious for a mainstream film (then again it is Fincher), slightly flawed but overall quite thrilling and haunting. Gone Girl definitely isn't a film for everyone's tastes and is bound to be rather polarising but it will be a major discussion point for the coming days and you will very much be out of the loop if you don't get to see it. Me personally, I find it to be pretty great but not close to Fincher's best but even lower tier Fincher is better than most.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Haven't I Seen This Before: The Equalizer.

Watch my youtbe review HERE!!!

Denzel Washington is considered one of the finest actors of our time; he is able to go from Oscar nominated roles to popcorn fare like the many action movies he has done in the past. You can easily compare his action roles to that of Liam Neeson's; both men have become big action stars in their later years. This Denzel Washington action flick is directed by Antoine Fuqua who actually got Denzel his Academy Award for 'Training Day' but also made last year's 'Olympus Has Fallen' which I thought was quite terrible. The cast also includes Chloe Grace Moretz, Marton Csokas, David Habour, Haley Bennett, Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman.

The Equalizer is based on the Edward Woodward TV show from the 80's though this acts more as an origin story than an adaptation of any episodes. The film follows Robert McCall (Washington) who befriends a young prostitute (Moretz). After she is beaten into a coma he decides to take the law into his own hands and take down the Russian Mob. Now if you think this sounds familiar you wouldn't be wrong. This film seems extremely similar to several films Washington has done before along with films Liam Neeson has done too, making it very generic and unoriginal.

Now this doesn't mean it's a bad film, in fact it's pretty decent and really well made. The cinematography and score is good and the actors are all pretty solid. The action is pretty thrilling but unfortunately the film takes itself too seriously to make it entertaining, in fact it's rather dark. This is a film I'm sure general audiences are going to enjoy but unfortunately for me it's not one I can say I did. I don't think it's a bad film but it's not that great either.

The film has quite a few problems. First off it doesn't really make Robert a character; he is OCD, used to work for the government and helps people...that's all you find out about who he is, oh and he had a wife once. Of course this isn't a character drama but it would have help when it comes to caring about what happens in the film. The film is also over-long; it has too many sub-plots which kind of work for the finale of the film but they add to many endings to the film to wrap up each story. But the biggest crime is the unoriginality of the film.

Unfortunately we've seen this type of movie over thirty times before this decade alone and it's getting rather grating. The film does nothing to differentiate itself from films like Man On Fire, Taken and Safe House nor is it masterful enough be like Taxi Driver. But in the end it's still a pretty decent flick and though I'm likely to forget about it in the coming weeks if you like well made action  flicks I'm sure you'll have a good time with this one.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Run Forrest, Run: Maze Runner

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

Maze Runner is the latest YA adaptation to be churned out of Hollywood this time from the novel of the same name by James Dashner (yes, his last name has 'dash' in it). The film was directed by visual effects artist Wes Bell who has directed several short films before including the animated short 'Ruin.' The film stars a very young cast including Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Aml Ameen, Ki Hong Lee, Blake Cooper and the one veteran in the lovely Patricia Clarkson.

Since Twilight (possibly even Harry Potter) YA adaptations have been in high demand though met by groans by those not part of the book fan base especially since most are aimed at young females. The Hunger Games really set the fire alight setting a newer trend with post-apocalyptic/dystopian settings followed by such films as The Host, Divergent, The Giver and more. Though Maze Runner can also be included in this latest trend it definitely manages to be it's own movie for the most part, especially since this one is made for the boys.

The cast is really solid with good performances though quite a few of the characters are clichés. I'm quite sure that many of these young actors have a future ahead of them especially Dylan O'Brien who will probably do quite well with the young ladies. Unfortunately as the only female in the group Kaya Scodelario isn't given that much to do except be a plot device especially because she's enters so late in the game. Along with that you have a film that is really well shot and scored; the music is extremely effective and at times beautiful while also being quite terrifying.

What really makes the film work though is the director; Wes Ball does a fantastic job and really raises the film beyond its failings. What he does is create a tension that gets tighter and tighter with every passing minute leaving you with very little time to breath. The film is also very quickly paced adding to the suspense. Unfortunately the script weighs his work down with many plot holes, illogical decisions and an ending that almost brings the film down to a screaming halt and tries too hard to set up the sequel that it doesn't really let the film finish on it's own terms.

Maze Runner is a very well made film that hits most of the right beats that blockbusters do these days. Unfortunately it is not daring enough to be unique though it does set itself apart enough not to be stale. I believe Wes Ball has quite a future ahead of him but unfortunately it seems he must finish off the Maze Runner franchise before he can move on to something different and hopefully new. Maze Runner definitely entertains and that's really all most people can ask for but I really hope we get something significantly different sometime soon.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

What A Pity; Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

                                                Note: This is a prop not a real gun

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

The first Sin City came out nine years ago back in 2005; based on Frank Miller's graphic novel it was quite a hit, gaining a large following and a sequel was highly anticipated. That sequel unfortunately would remain in development for far too long for fans who almost lost hope that it would get made. It stars a pretty awesome cast with Josh Brolin, Mickey Rouke, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Jamie King, Jaime Chung, Ray Liotta, Juno Temple, Christopher Lloyd and Jeremy Piven. Now Sin City: A Dame to Kill For came out in the US last month but has only come to Australia in September.

Now both Sin City movies have been made with style over substance but the style of the first one was so fresh at the time that is was pretty damn awesome. What they did was literally bring a comic to life and it was exciting. Unfortunately the sequel is a little (more like a lot) too late and has lost the energy and excitement that the first film brought. Not necessarily a bad film but I did find it pretty dull and not always engaging. The structure also weakened the film as the did the overuse of musical score and expositional voice-over.

Now they film does have it's bright spots, most notably Joseph Gordon-Levitt's storyline and a fantastically unhinged Eva Green who still remains one of the most underrated actress in the business. The rest of the cast is solid but the stories are what stop this film from gaining any traction. The style unfortunately isn't as fresh though there are several gleefully violent moments and the pacing doesn't help either.

It's hard to say if the film would have worked better if it was released closer to the first movie than now and I guess we'll never really know. Well made with a good cast but the film just doesn't come together, very much like it's unconnected story-lines. It's not a bad film but just rather dull and meh. For the follow-up of what was a very exciting film this one was rather boring and stale, though still good to look at.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

White People Problems: Wish I Was Here.

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

Zach Braff made quite a splash with his début feature 'Garden State,' showing promise as a director. Little did people know it would take him ten years until he made his next film and he would do it with the help of his fans. If this is your first time on the internet or if you missed a certain period of time, Zach Braff used the crowd-sourcing website Kickstarter to fund his film. Now people attacked him because of his celebrity, asking 'Why does he need our money?' Braff's reasoning was to make the film without studio interference so that it could completely be his own vision...and there are both positives and negatives to this.

The Bloom family find themselves in trouble financially once Aiden's (Braff) father gets cancer and can no longer help them out. Aiden is a struggling actor with his wife acting as the bread winner. Before their problems their kids were attending a private Jewish school being raised in their grandfather's religion. Aiden's brother has always felt like a disappointment to his father especially because he has the IQ of a genius but not the drive of one and after the death of their mother drifted away. Aiden must try to reconcile his brother and father, choose between his dream and family's stability, strengthen his relationship with his children and show his wife the he still loves her while essentially going through a mid-life crisis.

Wish I Was Here stars Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Josh Gad, Mandy Patinkin, Joey King and Pierce Gagnon as a struggling family unit with Ashley Greene, Jim Parsons, Donald Faison and heap of Scrubs guests stars in small roles.

First things first, with his sophomore effort Braff is really showing his strength as director, unfortunately he also shows his weakness as a writer. With a script co-written by Braff and his brother Adam they create a rather heartfelt film with nice touches of humour and drama that unfortunately only slightly cover the self-indulgent and trite shallowness of the film which thinks it's a lot more revelatory than it really is. Now the good news is that this doesn't stop the film from being pleasant and enjoyable and the actors really help sell the film. There and many great performances in this film, particularly Kate Hudson who give her best performance since Almost Famous.

The film is really well made with some of the best cinematography of the year with the help of Kickstarter which allowed Braff to shoot on anamorphic film to great results. The soundtrack is great as well just like Garden State's was making this film very pleasant viewing, unfortunately is just isn't essential viewing. Braff doesn't really do anything he didn't already say in Garden State, in fact this time around he does it with a cynical mean-spiritedness which doesn't have as much charm. It's nice, heartfelt, enjoyable but also very slight and rather shallow. I would love to see Zach Braff use his skill with actors and new found visual style on something that wasn't written by him because I really think he has potential as a director.

3 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Laika has done it again: The Boxtrolls

Watch my youtube review HERE!

Laika is making films like nobody else and I'm not just talking about the fact that they're one of the only studios making stop motion animated films. Laika pushes beyond what a kid's film should be and provides substance and thought provoking commentary. Directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stachhi with a voice cast the includes Sir Ben Kingsley, Elle Fanning, Jared Harris, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Toni Collette, Tracy Morgan and Isaac Hempstead-Wright.

The film follows Eggs (Hempstead-Wright), a young boy who was raised by Boxtrolls in the city of Cheesebridge. Unfortunately due to a misunderstanding the Boxtrolls are perceived as monsters and are hunted by an exterminator named Archibald Snatcher (Kingsley) who was promised to become a higher class citizen if he caught and killed every last Boxtroll. With the help of Winnie (Fanning) the daughter of the Mayor, Eggs must rescue his stolen family and show the world that they are not monsters but just misunderstood.

Now before you're turned off by a rather generic plot let me tell you that this film is new, inventive and fresh. Not just visually but also thematically as it touches on subjects like the class system, neglectful parents and the holocaust (yes, I just said that). Though it may not be intentional the way the Boxtrolls are hunted and dealt with has many parallels with the Jewish people during world war two. Laika has never shied away from darker themes and has always been bridging the gap between a children's film and something more adult but with The Boxtrolls comes their most accessible film as it is much more playful and lighter in tone even though it still contains moments that will frighten children.

The film is absolutely stunning. The animation is superbly fluid, the cinematography and production design is gorgeous with a dense image in every frame; I just want to pause the film and look at everything that is happening in the environment. The voice cast is very good with Ben Kingsley and Elle Fanning being the stand outs. Unfortunately the film does falter with a rather uneven script, mostly due to the fact that the film is lighter in tone to it's predecessors. Most of the characters are reduced to stereotypes but the the mains are generally well fleshed out and I quite enjoyed the fact that the bad guys thought they were the good guys.

The Boxtrolls is flawed but it's also inventive, original, fun, funny, wonderful to look at and has many fantastic moments of honesty and emotion. Not as good as Coraline or Paranorman but I can definitely say it's better than most of the movies I've seen so far this year, live action included. I really enjoyed The Boxtrolls and am eager to revisit it especially the behind the scenes on the Blu-ray. Get out there and support Laika, they're doing things nobody else is and the film industry is better for it.

Teenage Not My Ninja Turtles.

                                               If you can't tell, the photo is a turtle neck.

Watch my youtube review HERE!

Once again we have another Hollywood blockbuster based on a comic book series. Of course this series is the loveable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which spawned two great TV series and three campy but slightly endearing  movies in the 90's. This film is directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Michael Bay...yes, that Michael Bay... It stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner with Alan Ritchson, Johnny Knoxville, Jeremy Howard and Noel Fisher voicing the Turtles and Tony Shalhoub as Splinter.

The plot follows April O'Neil a she tries to uncover the workings of the foot clan and comes upon the Ninja Turtles. Together they must stop the Shredder from gassing the city (a la Amazing Spiderman) and trying to take their blood (a la Amazing Spiderman 2) for mutagen. With this film comes an over produced and badly written product that is bound the sell toys but fails to engage the viewer and make them care about anything that happens on screen. Sure it's slick to look at and the action scenes can be fun but it's hard to care about a movie that is bland and uninteresting; especially when it has terribly written dialogue.

Now the actors actually try. They try their hardest with the material they were given but unfortunately what they're give is badly written with underdeveloped characters. Megan Fox actually isn't terrible, it's just the lines she is given to say that are bad. The voice work for the turtles is actually pretty good too and Raphael actually has a bit of a character arc but once again what they're given to say is laughable and not in a good way.

Michael Bay's influence on Jonathan Liebesman can really be seen in the visual style of this film. You have all the dolly moves, lens flares and canted angles only really being different by having a cooler colour palate. There are so many movies mimicking this style these days that it's no longer exciting and even though it's slick I find it rather bland. The set pieces also get over-long at times as well as incomprehensible, making what was exciting no longer engaging. When you take into account humour that doesn't hit there isn't really much that is entertaining in this film and it's supposed to be a blockbuster.

What the new Ninja Turtles film does is only take what's on the surface of the franchise and it expects that too be enough. The truth is that there is more to the Ninja Turtles than the fact that they like pizza, know Ninjutsu and are teenagers but this movie and the filmmakers involved don't seem recognise that. The film seems like it's only made to be brand and because of that it forgets about the characters and in the process it becomes a rather forgettable film. Gone are the characters we loved and in their place are rather grotesque shells (pun not intended, but kind of intended as well) with nothing beneath the surface, just like the toys I'm sure it will sell.

2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Bloody Fun: What We Do in the Shadows

Watch my youtube review HERE!!!

What We Do in the Shadows is directed by Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords) and Taika Waititi (Boy). The directors also star in the film alongside Jonathon Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stu Rutherford and Ben Fransham, with a small (and hilarious) role from Rhys Darby. What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary that follows a group of vampires residing in New Zealand in anticipation of the undead event of the year.

What you get is one of the better comedies or the year and a damn good horror comedy that manages to set itself apart from movies like Shaun of the Dead, Slither and Zombieland. With its mockumentary execution What We Do in the Shadows is able to make fun of the genre but embrace the characters, throwing plot to the side but exhibiting great satire and also a lot of heart. This is guided but good direction and also by the fact that the film is played straight and not like the characters are in on the joke (though the actors are of course).

Though relatively unknown the cast is fantastic. Being both campy and heartfelt in an array of insane situations and hitting almost every comedic beat. The script contains great dialogue, fantastic gags and also several moving moments regarding the mortality of themselves and loved ones. I also love the use of the vampire artwork throughout history used to both terrify and create laughs. The film is also well paced, breezing by with the very lean running time of  86 minutes.

Though it is enjoyable it isn't perfect. The lack of plot leaves a bit to be desired, causing it to meander at times when some of the vignettes are rather weak. It is very amusing but not incredibly laugh out loud funny but in the end still fun. The cinematography isn't that special mainly because it is going for the generic documentary look but the practical and visual effects of the film are really good and add to the comedy of the film.

Very enjoyable, fun but also dark and heartfelt at times. What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy to check out.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts below.

Mediocre in the...I mean: Magic in the Moonlight.

Watch youtube review HERE!!!

Woody Allen has been consistently churning out movies his entire career, in fact he has been releasing at least one film a year since 2005 (he released two films that year). Now quantity doesn't always mean quality even for a prolific filmmaker like Woody Allen who has made several less-than-stellar works especially this century. Magic in the Moonlight is his latest film; starring Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Marcia Gay Harden, Hamish Linklater, Simon McBurney, Jackie Weaver and Eileen Atkins.

Magic in the Moonlight follows Stanley (Firth), an illusionist who goes to the French Riviera to prove that Sophie (Stone), a young clairvoyant and mystic is a fraud. Now the son of wealthy family (Linklater) has grown smitten with Sophie and intends to marry her but Stanley won't let this happen, especially if she does turn out to be a con artist. Of course being a Woody Allen film Stanley and Sophie wind up falling for each other though several things get in the way, mostly themselves.

Emma Stone is quite fantastic as Sophie and is able to bring her usual charm and a thirst for the wonders of life to her character. Colin Firth is also good but his character is very much a jerk who is closed off to of life, so much so that he finds the moon and stars more menacing than beautiful. The rest of the cast is solid though don't have much to do except Simon McBurney who gets a bit more to play with as a friend and trickster.

The film is also very well made, with the production design and locations being beautifully captured by Darius Khondji's beautiful anamorphic cinematography. It actually happens to be the fourth Woody Allen film to be shot on the anamorphic format. It really is a gorgeous looking film and captures the time period quite eloquently. But it's not the filmmaking that let's this movie down but the script...

Woody Allen is a very prolific screenwriter with 16 Oscar nominations for original screenplay with three wins. It is rather disappointing when he makes a rather subpar film and even more so when the screenplay is to blame. Magic in the Moonlight suffers from being  a rather small idea stretched out into the length of a feature film not helped by almost every romantic cliché in book. The dialogue also suffers from too much exposition which is odd since Woody Allen is usually a master of dialogue.

What we have with Magic in the Moonlight is a rather mediocre Woody Allen film. It's not terrible but it's not good either; it has many enjoyable moments and a good cast but is also rather dull, predictable and forgettable. If you still want to see it don't let me stop you, it is very watchable but I just didn't find it enjoyable. If anything it's more if a home video rental than a film to see in cinemas.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

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Time Travel Gets Emotional: Predestination

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Predestination is the latest from Australian filmmakers Michael and Peter Spierig (twins believe it or not) adapted from the short story 'All You Zombies.' The cast is led by Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook with support from Noah Taylor. Having previously directed the genre films Undead and Daybreakers, the Spierig brothers have a change of pace with the time travel film Predestination. It follows the Bartender (Hawke) as he recruits John (Snook) to be a temporal agent and stop the fizzle bomber who kills thousands in the past.

The synopsis above is just the framework of film as it is much more focused on other things than the plot. In fact what Predestination is is a rather moving character piece about a person society has thrown aside; it just happens that this time travel plot is happening as well. That is where this film excels, creating a complex character and making their story emotionally moving. This is anchored by a fantastic performance by Sarah Snook who excels as both her male and female variations. Ethan Hawke is great as always and if you haven't seen Boyhood yet make sure you do.

The film is also very well made. The cinematography from Ben Nott is really good and I especially like the Film Noir styling with the sterile sci-fi production design. The score from Peter Spierig is also really good and not once do you think about the fact that this New York set film was shot in Australia. The script is well constructed and mostly well written but it does have a few problems.

After the first ten or so minutes the film comes to a screaming halt as we're met with a forty minute exposition dump that really slow downs the film. This is full of constant voice-over and flashbacks that actually could have stood on their own. Unfortunately this really brings down the film. Along with that you have an incredibly large plot hole with logic questioning the very existence of the story being told. This is a case where suspension of belief is a must otherwise logic will get in the way of a rather cool and original story.

Though logically flawed the Spierig brothers have constructed a very cathartic experience with very strong performances from the two leads. Predestination is a very original film and you're not likely to see another one like is this year or next. It's well made and engaging though it does have a few scripting problems but if you're looking for something different and want to support Australian cinema be sure to check it out.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

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The Greater Good (Hot Fuzz quote): Felony

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Felony is the latest film from the Australian film collective 'Blue-Tongue Films.' It's directed by Matthew Saville and written by Joel Edgerton who also produced and stars in the film. Along with Edgerton you have Jai Courtney, Tom Wilkinson and Melissa George to round out the main cast.
The film follows Detective Malcolm Toohey (Edgerton) who accidentally hits a kid on a late night drive but tries to cover it up with the help of Detective Carl Summers (Wilkinson) so he can crackdown on an Asian drug ring in Sydney. The ambitious Detective Jim Melic (Courtney) doesn't think the pieces match up and after connecting with the mother of the child begins to search for the truth of what happened.

Felony is police drama focused on ethical dilemmas and the internal conflict they create in those involved. In this case it's a well meaning police officer who's makes the mistake of driving under the influence and accidentally clips a child in the process, putting them into a coma and giving them brain damage. Edgerton's script is rather fantastic in the way it conflicts you, you're sorry for the kids family but you also don't want Edgerton's character to get caught either. It's also well plotted, with good dialogue and drama. This is all anchored by strong performances from Joel Edgerton, Jai Courtney, Melissa George and most of all Tom Wilkinson who is fantastic though his character is a rather cliché one.

Of course you can't have a film without a director and Matthew Saville does a very good job; I look forward to seeing more films from him. Unfortunately because it is a police drama it does feel a bit TVish (I know that isn't a real word) as does the cinematography which is still good but just doesn't feel cinematic. The film is well made and has a good score but it really is the script and the performances that bring it all together.

Like most films Felony isn't perfect. There are several missteps it takes that though forgiveable weaken the film and the fact that most of them happen in the third act is a bit disappointing. In the end it is able to overcome these missteps but it could have been a much better film without them. Also, I think this film would have benefited from more ambiguity; when he does clip the child that way it is executed made me think that it was possible that the kid might have fainted and hit his car rather than the other way around. I think if it was uncertain it could have created more conflict and drama to play with and further increase the ethical dilemma.

The Blue-Tongue film collective is one of the few organisations that is giving a unique voice to the Australian film industry. It's a group of ambitious filmmakers making use of the limited resources they have to tell unique stories with strong voices. Matthew Saville is a fine addition to this group and I look forward to seeing him tackle something much more cinematic though his does have a very good film in Felony.

4 out of 5 stars.

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