Wait a minute, that's not Kevin Sorbo: Hercules

If you'd like a more visual experience you can watch my youtube review HERE!

With Hercules we get a new film starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson that also happens to be a new film from 'hit and miss' (mostly miss) director Brett Ratner. Believe it or not this movie is based on a graphic novel called 'Hercules: The Thracian Wars' (I didn't know until the end credits) and considering that kind of source material it could have been a really fun and pulpy piece of entertainment. Unfortunately it's a film that finds itself suck between fun pulp and brooding seriousness.

The cast is really solid; along with The Rock you have Ian Mcshane, John Hurt, Rufus Sewell, Peter Mullan and kickass newcomer Ingrid Bolso Berdal. They do a decent job with what they're given unfortunately it is rather bland, cheesy and cliché dialogue with a few emotional moments. The script actually has a few promising ideas in the mix especially with the revisionist take on the titular character but because it's being aimed at as wide an audience as possible those ideas aren't allowed to be focused on or fleshed out.

Now it's been a while since Brett Ratner has made a film but with Hercules he makes a decent action adventure film that should please general audiences and not make critics bang their heads on their computer desks. Now I'm not saying that it's good but it's not bad either. Unfortunately it's a rather average movie that doesn't really set itself apart from films of type that have come before it. Especially considering the source material; it could have been very stylised but instead it's stuck in a family friendly world and isn't able to go beyond the restrictions.

Now the action is pretty good and that's the main reason people will go to see this film;I especially like that it doesn't feel the need to go all shaky-cam. One negative is that blocking feels rather staged at times and the digital photography makes the costumes and sets feel rather fake (I honestly believe that most period films be shot on film). Quite a few lines of dialogue feel a bit too modern and take you out of the film but this isn't really a movie meant to be historical accurate anyway so it's not that big of an issue.

In the end what you get is an average yet decent film with enough going on for it not to be a big waste of time; I would actually recommend checking out on home video though watching it in theatres will be entirely up to your level of interest. Not bad but not that good either and I honestly don't think I'll be remembering it in the weeks to come.

2 1/2 stars out of 5

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Glimmer: My Kickstarter Campaign.

Hi everyone,

First off I'd like to thank you all for reading my blog posts, I really appreciate the interest and support. Today I launched the Kickstarter campaign for my upcoming short film Glimmer.
Kickstarter Campaign Here!
Glimmer is a sci-fi short about a young man named Evan who can't really connect with people because a force field prevents him experiencing any physical contact. I'm really excited to make this film and I hope you can help me make this happen. You can visit my Kickstarter in the link above and if you could share it as well I'd really appreciate it. If you pledge you'll also get a chance to see my latest film 'Soul' which I can't put on youtube yet as I'm trying to get it into festivals.
Soul Trailer Here!

Thanks

Joshua Ochoa

Two Jake Gyllenhaal's are better than one: Enemy

I have been waiting for Enemy to come to Australian cinemas for quite some time now but it never did. I then found out that it came out on home video a week ago causing me to feel rather annoyed as I was really keen to see it. So I went out and bought it even though I hadn't seen it but I have to say I'm glad I did.

Enemy is the new film directed by Denis Villeneuve who also directed Prisoners which came out last year. In fact they were both screen at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and Enemy was actually made first but was only distributed this year. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal doing double duty as two characters along with Sarah Gadon, Melanie Laurent and a small role from Isabella Rossellini. The film follows Adam, a history professor who teaches at a local university. One day Adam watches a movie recommended by a friend and notices that one of the background actors looks exactly like him. He then goes to seek this actor out and what follows is a tense trip full of metaphor, suspense and delves into the subconscious of our main character.

Now this film is not for those of you seeking light entertainment; it is an art house film very much in the vein of Under the Skin where it presents more questions than answers and only gives you pieces of a puzzle which you must then figure out. Like Under the Skin the story is rather simple but the way the film can be interpreted is what makes this a layered film. After watching Enemy I had a basic grasp of what this movie was really about (I'm not talking about plot) but I was left thinking about it quite a bit so I went online to see what other people had theorised and most of them confirmed my thoughts though a lot of them also had completely different readings as well.

Enemy is based on the book 'The Double' by Jose Saramago, not the Dostoyevsky novel that has been adapted by Richard Ayoade which I have also been anticipating but will be coming straight to home video in Australia as well (I'll be sure to cover that one once it's released in September). Because of the way the movie is I also felt the need to read about the book it was based on and though it is mostly the same it's the ending that really sets it apart. In the book it is literally about doubles but with the changed ending of the film it's definitely more psychological. That's really all I want to say about the story as I want to avoid any spoilers so that you can experience this film and gather your thoughts about it as well.

The film is very much a slow burn but I was constantly engaged (and at times confounded) and at 90 minutes it's a brisk watch. The cinematography is great and I loved a lot of the images from this film which give even more to read into. It's tense, taught, full of mystery and I couldn't figure things out straight away which is great. The music is both beautiful and haunting at the same time and it's just an all around fantastically made film. Now I don't think it's a masterpiece and I know that has been rather polarising with audiences but I do think it's pretty great and I think I will probably like it even more when I re-watch it so my score could very well change after I post this review.

4 stars out of 5 stars (the same score I gave Prisoners though I found Enemy more intriguing)

Let me know your thoughts and theories in the comments below but make sure you warn people if you're going to be revealing spoilers.

What I've Done: Not the Linkin Park Song

I've just started Pre-production for my next big(gish) short film and I am about to launch the Kickstarter Campaign that I plan fund the film with. Because of that I thought I'd talk about my filmography so far so you can get an idea of what I can do. Now there are few videos I'm not including here as they don't really show what I can do as a filmmaker or were rather compromised because of things out of my control (and like all pretentious film nerds I consider myself an auteur).

Youtube Channel: JOProductions77
Facebook Page: J.O. Productions
Twitter: JoshOchoa77

When Life Gives You Lemons: Watch Here!
When life gives you lemons is what I consider my first short film. This was the first film I made after I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker and learnt how to really use a camera and other filming equipment. Unfortunately the mixer we were using screwed up our audio which is rather bad but still understandable. I have actually recently recorded some ADR and am considering making a new cut which I also intend to redo the colour grade for (I just have to find the time first).
Ps - This is the first of my Yellow Blood series which will be a group of shorts connected by the fact that they prominently feature something yellow and have blood involved in them.

It Could Happen To You: Watch Here!

'It could happen to you' was actually made for a Film Riot challenge. If you don't know who Film Riot is you really need to check these guys out HERE! I did this with some friends one afternoon after we did some pick ups for the next film on this list. Also, all the audio used was from a Royalty Free sound pack and not recorded on location; I just wanted to see if I could make it work without sound from set.

Just Business: Watch here!
Just Business is a short film I made back in 2012 for my second year of University. The actors are all friends because the original actors I cast dropped out last minute. The script isn't that great because I literally wrote this to be made at my house because I didn't have a car at the time but I really love what I was able to do with it visually and with only $120. Also the push-pull that opens the film is probably the best shot in any of my films.

One More Ben - Rich and Famous: Watch Here!

Ben Karklins is a friend of mine and I enjoy his music; you can check him out here! One day he said, "Grab your camera and let's go to the beach." So we did; we found a spot, he played and I filmed. The current version online doesn't have the updated audio mix I've done but it's still good anyway.



Pacmotion - Black Pac Man: Watch Here!

As you get to know me you will discover (all too well) my love for stop-motion animation. I love it and at one point was planning a five minute stop-motion short (unfortunately it requires a lot of time, money and resources). One day while waiting for a video to render at uni with my camera, I decided to have some fun. Using a chair for a tripod I spent quite a lot of time making this very very short short film.


Mate: Watch Here!

Mate was directed by a good friend of mine; he is actually the lead in Just Business. I was the director of photography and really liked my cinematography on it; I got to use a RED Scarlett which was really great. It's a fun comedy short that makes you chuckle more than laugh out loud but I enjoy it and had fun making it.
Ps- Believe it or not, one of the actors has a broken leg in the fight scene.

Paper Scissors STOP: Watch here!

Having not directed a short for almost a year I began planning to make my biggest film yet. Half the crew I would be using had no experience so I made this short as a filmmaking lesson for them. This is a rather off-beat comedy that riffs off a game we all know; it is also the second entry in the 'Yellow Blood' series. I really like this film and how it turned out.


STDs - Science Talks with Daniel: Watch Here!
Watch Promo!
Hugs not drug is the first episode of a webseries I was planning to make. We were planning to continue and get ideas from viewers but unfortunately they didn't give any suggestions and I couldn't come up with ideas for other episodes; I actually did have one but forgot before I could write it down. Feel free to give suggestions!


Soul: Watch Trailer Here!

Soul is the biggest film I've done so far and I am really proud of it and like how it turned out. With this short I stripped away most of my style to tell a very meaningful story and this is the type of filmmaking I want to do more of. I'm currently trying to get it into festivals so it's not on youtube but you will be able to see it if you pledge to the Kickstarter campaign of my upcoming short film Glimmer.


How They Do Things In Movies: Watch Episode 1 Here!
Bloopers!

'How they do things in movies' is a new webseries I've started making where I riff off common movie tropes and clichés. I've had a lot of fun making these so far and should have the second episode up tomorrow (Friday the 17th of July). I hope you enjoy it and also watch the bloopers. Also feel free to give us some ideas as well.


That is my main filmography so far and I hope you check it out and enjoy. Let me know what you think of the videos and I hope you can help support my new short film Glimmer which I'll be writing a post about on Monday when I launch the Kickstarter campaign. Thank you for reading and watching and keep an eye out!!!

Is it too easy a pun if I call this movie flaccid: Sex Tape

You can watch my youtube review HERE!

Going into this film I really had no expectations about it. I didn't find the trailer that amusing or that bad but I wasn't looking forward to it either, for two reasons:
1) Cameron Diaz; I don't find her funny or attractive and don't think she's that good of an actor.
2) I didn't like director Jake Kasdan's previous film Bad Teacher (also starring Diaz).
But in a way I was still optimistic and hoped that it could surprise me because the concept could be really fun in the right hands...unfortunately this movie wasn't.

It stars Jason Segel, Cameron Diaz, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper and Rob Lowe but unfortunately it wastes them (though they do make it bearable). Sex Tape follows a couple (Diaz and Segel) who must hunt down several ipads they gave away after they accidentally upload a sex tape they made onto their shared cloud. What happens next could have been a frantic and irreverent comedy as they go to many (illogical and pointless) extremes to accomplish their goal but instead of that we get a meandering film that squanders its adult rating by only using it to say several F bombs and fails to deliver any jokes that have an actual punch line.

This movie is meant to be a comedy right? But with every joke or gag it throws at you it does without set up or a delivery that packs a punch. It's like they don't want you to laugh. Unfortunately the cinema I was in had a row of teens behind me and they were constantly laughing at words like erection, sex and jokes that even I consider lame (and believe me when I say that I'm not that cool). The movie itself really doesn't have a plot; sure it has a plot starter but then you spend most of the time at Rob Lowe's house or with stale jokes and really lame gags. Another real problem is the amount of exposition in this film (especially since there isn't that much to explain) and this also weakens the jokes as the characters feel the need to explain them until they're no longer funny...(also Lincoln is only two and a half hours long not three...)

The thing is even though this movie is completely illogical, movies like it can still work; Bad Neighbours is a great example because you really have to suspend your disbelief for the plot but they're able to fill it with a lot of laughs, suspense and heart. Unfortunately this film lacks any real urgency (wouldn't you be running around like crazy to stop people from seeing your sex tape?) and that's what really brings this movie down. It's really lazily paced, causing it to meander and the prime antagonist of the movie (and it's not the incompetence the characters have when it comes to technology) is not set up at all and comes out of nowhere (not in a good way), adding no weight at all to the situation of this film.

With all that said and done, this isn't a terrible movie (it definitely isn't good but it's not terrible). It didn't frustrate me like Transformers or Maleficent but it's biggest crime is making me not feel any strong feelings, good or bad. It's only 90 minutes and goes by quickly, there are no real up or down feelings in your gut as the plot has no real drive (or at least it forgets about it) and it's just really bland, generic and mediocre. By next week I will have probably forgotten about this film and that is probably one of the worst things a movie can be...forgettable. Is that better or worse than being remembered for being bad?

1 1/2 out of 5 stars. Go watch Dawn of the Planet of the Apes if you haven't already...

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Family is not an important thing. It's Everything: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

If you'd like a more visual experience you can watch my youtube review Here!!!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has been in my top 10 anticipated movies of 2014 for quite sometime (Along with movies like Boyhood, Inherent Vice, Godzilla, The Rover, Birdman and more). The reason for my excitement being director Matt Reeves who made the brilliant Let Me In (the american remake of Let the Right One In), the fun yet quease inducing Cloverfield and the wonderful TV show Felicity. I was really excited to see what he would bring to the Apes franchise, especially when it was wonderfully rebooted with Rise of the Planet of the Apes and from the beautifully haunting prologue that start this film I knew that I was in for something really special.

Dawn takes place ten years after Rise and the simian flu that was created in the previous film has killed most of humanity. The film follows Caesar (Andy Serkis) as he leads his family of Apes but faces opposition from Koba (Toby Kebball), an Ape that was used for scientific experimentation and resents humans for the pain they caused him. It also follows the surviving humans of San Francisco lead by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) and Malcolm (Australian actor Jason Clarke) who are trying to get power back to the city by fixing a dam located in the Ape's territory. This film has a strong focus on family with Caesar doing everything in his power to keep his family safe, including his wife Cornelia (Judy Greer) and Malcolm doing all he can to ensure the survival of his girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell) and son Alexander (Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee).

Much like How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Dark Knight and The Empire Strikes Back, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes not only expands on the previous film but exceeds it on both the level of spectacle and depth (though it won't be as revered as the last two). Matt Reeves directs with a delicate touch and the gorgeous cinematography of Michael Seresin never wastes a frame with each shot done with such intention; the framing and use of camera movement is superb and made more engrossing by being shot natively in 3D (not post converted) and definitely worth the extra $$$. This is all aided by a beautiful score from Michael Giacchino with little odes to the 1968 original though at times it does feel like it retreads the themes of Super 8 a bit. The VFX from Weta Digital are superb and so photo-realistic (it's insane how real the apes seem), aided by brilliant motion-capture performances especially from Andy Serkis (of course) who continues to prove that motion-capture deserves it's own awards category.

Dawn feels like a response to the many blockbusters we seem to be getting bombarded with lately; because even though it is being pegged as a blockbuster and contains moments of spectacle, what Matt Reeves did was trick everyone into seeing an epic family drama. The Apes films have always been social commentary with allegories ranging from racism to science vs religion but what the new Apes films have done is make them so much more personal by making the Apes the main focus of the films. Though this does weaken the human characters to an extant the actors playing them are able to fully flesh out the little that seems to be in the script and make them dimensional...except for Carver (Kirk Acevedo) who is very one note; I also would have liked to have seen more of the back story of Gary Oldman's Dreyfus.

Dawn is about two families who a trying to survive and how far they would go to ensure that they do. In that sense it doesn't really have an antagonist (don't get me wrong it's definitely does in Koba) but it's more than just a man vs apes movie. Now this is far from a perfect movie. It definitely has its flaws, most of those stemming from unrealistic science with many appliances untouched for years seeming to work for the plots convenience along with some rather weak dialogue at times in what is an otherwise well written and heartfelt film. An added plus are the spectacular set pieces of the film; Matt Reeves fills the action with excitement, meaning and care without needing to throw the camera around or edit the sequences like a kid who has eaten too much sugar (here's looking at you Michael bay) and it never feels showy or overstays it's welcome (once again...Michael Bay take note).

In the end Matt Reeves makes a blockbuster that redefines the current trend by making the type of film that you could see being made in the 70's or 80's but with the technology of the 21st century. To me this is the best blockbuster so far this year (mostly because it doesn't seem like one) and it is more than just that; this is a powerful and moving family drama and pure cinema and I want to see more studios make films like this. Now this doesn't mean I want all blockbusters to be dark, brooding and serious (I am very much excited to see what fun Guardians of the Galaxy has in store for us) but I want them to be made by people who really care about what they are doing along with their audience and fill their films with a whole lot of heart. This truly a fantastic film and I implore you all to get out there and watch it (and if you bought tickets to see the new Transformers movie I want to spend double the money on this film).

4 1/2 out of 5 Stars

Thanks for reading my review, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Mid-Year Wrap up: My favourite and least favourite movies of the year so far.

Last week on my youtube channel JOProductions77 I did a Mid-Year Wrap Up of the movies I have seen so far this year (53 in cinemas and various on VOD and home video).

You can watch it here: Mid-Year Wrap Up video

But I thought I'd do a quick write up of it for those of you who read my Blog.

Now for my wrap up I'll briefly be talking about my 10 favourite films of the 2014 so far and my 5 least favourite. I will not be including movies that had a 2013 theatrical release but only came to Australia in 2014 e.g. Her, Inside llewyn Davis and 12 Year A Slave.

Here we go:

Favourite movies of the year so far:

1. How to Train Your Dragon 2 - Beautiful both on a visual and storytelling level with excitement, adventure, depth and a whole lot of heart. HTTYD2 also boldly goes to places that animated films tend to avoid and it's all the better for it. 4 1/2 Stars

2. The Lego Movie - Phil Lord and Chris Miller took a very risky project and knocked it out of the park. No film recently has made me feel like a kid again the way this film did and the animation and voice cast are fantastic. 4 1/2 Stars

3. Noah - Polarising to most but as a Christian, film-maker, critic and audience member I loved auteur Darren Aronofsky's ambitious vision. Even though it didn't always come together the theme of redemption was fantastically executed. 4 Stars

4. Under the Skin - Not just a film but an experience unlike any I've had all year. A truly unique film that delves into the good and bad of what makes us human. 4 Stars

Note: My number 3 and 4 are interchangeable.

5. 22 Jump Street - Incredibly fun, witty, ADHD and heartfelt; Phil Lord and Chris Miller have done it again in the same year! 4 Stars

6. Edge of Tomorrow - The surprise of the year for me; I really wasn't expecting much from this film but it completely surprised me with it's smarts, fun and heart. 4 Stars

7. X-men: Days of Future Past - I grew up on X-men comics and this film was everything I wanted from an X-men movie (though I do still want a proper portrayal of Cyclops). 4 Stars

8. The Grand Budapest Hotel - Wes Anderson being his most Wes Andersoney (yes I know it's not a real word). A hilarious film anchored by a fantastic cast and Ralph Fiennes funniest role since In Bruges. 4 Stars

9. The Two Faces of January - No film in recent memory has channelled Alfred Hitchcock the way this film has. It felt like I was watching a lost film from the master of suspense himself. 4 Stars

10. The Raid 2: Berandal - This film may just have some of the greatest action sequences of all time, along with that you have fantastic filmmaking and a pretty thrilling story. 4 Stars

Runners up - Godzilla, Bad Neighbours, Calvary, The Rover, Frank.

Least favourite movies of the year so far:

1. Transformers: Age of Extinction - It's everything I don't aspire to be as a film-maker and some how it still makes money...why oh WHY?!?!? 1 Star (for Stanley Tucci and the VFX artisits)

2. Maleficent - Such a promising film that squandered it all with a terrible script that has no love for any character whose name isn't in the title. 1 1/2 Stars

3. Winter's Tale - This movie is absolutely insane and really has to be seen to believe; it's actually a bad movie I would recommend seeing just as a right of passage. 1 1/2 Stars

4. Pompeii - Paul W.S. Anderson...nuff said. 2 Stars

5. Need For Speed - There's suspension of disbelief and then there's the illogical idiocy that is Need for Speed...good cinematography though. 2 Stars

Runners up - That Awkward Moment, Better Living Through Chemistry, The Monuments Men, 3 Days to kill.

Note: I did not see Blended, The Other Woman, I Frankenstein, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones and films that are yet to reach Australian shores.

Unfortunately I am yet to see film that I would give five stars to but we still have half a year left of 2014 and it's been pretty good year so far!

Please let me know your favourite and least favourite films of the year so far in the comments below.

Let there be light: A Gaffer's role on set

From Tuesday the 24th of June to Friday the 27th I was helping out as a Gaffer on the set of a short film called High Heels. I didn't ask for permission for the images of the people who worked on the film (as I wasn't originally planning this post) so you won't get to see actual shots from the short film but I will let you know when it is completed and released.
 When it comes to movies most people know what a director is, what an actor does and maybe even the role of a cinematographer but if you asked them what a Gaffer does they'd probably ask if you're talking about the type of tape (though that may indeed be where the role got its name from).


The Gaffer is in charge of the lighting of a film. Depending on the size of the crew the Gaffer may have an assistant know as the Best Boy (yes that really is the title) and more underlings called electricians. Gaffers work under the Director of Photography and alongside the Grips to rig up lights for the scenes of the film they're working on; the production I was working was small so I acted as both Gaffer and Grip.


As the gaffer I'm basically in charge of controlling the sun (sorry, just needed to feed the old ego). But in all seriousness we use various lights and light manipulating items to expose a scene, create a mood and realistically depict natural lighting in unnatural environments. For High Heels I worked with the Director of Photography to get the colour temperature and quality of light they were after. High Heels is a comedy with dramatic sensibilities so we went for very natural looking lighting and did our best not to exaggerate anything.

There are many different types of lights used on film sets so I'll talk about the ones I used. Let's start with the big one, the HMI.

The HMI is a rather large and powerful light that is used to imitate daylight. This was used for several living room scenes; I'd set it up outside and shine it through the window. Someone I met who worked on the film 'Mental' said they used these lights when shooting in a forest that was a too dark so they rigged them to trees to light up the location.

Fluorescent lights were the most used on set, mostly because they were a favourite of the DOP. With Fluorescents you're able to switch between daylight and tungsten bulbs (tungsten is the colour of the light bulbs that were used before fluorescents took over house lights); you can also dim them which is very handy. Most of the time we covered them in half grid cloth to soften the light and reduce the intensity.

LED lights are a personal favourite of mine. They're light (depending on size of course), they don't heat up, you can dim them and they can run on batteries. The LEDs I got to use on High Heels could also change colour temperature which was also really handy. LEDs tend to be rather soft so depending what quality of light you want that can be an issue. For High Heels they were mainly used as fill lights or to act as lighting from a TV or computer screen.

The 300 watt Fresnel light was also used on set. We actually had a kit with 650 watt lights and a 1K (1000 watt) but we only ended up using the 350 watt. These light are tungsten and also heat up quite a bit (gloves are a must). I love the quality of light you get from these but they can be rather cumbersome, but the heat does keep you warm in the winter (which is the current season in Australia). Though they are tungsten you can change the colour temperature with coloured gels to make them daylight or various other colours.

There were also practical lamps used on set though we would combine them with other lights for correct exposure as they were not powerful enough.

Being a small shoot this is really just a small taste of what a Gaffer does on set; I may go a bit deeper into basic lighting set ups and colour temperatures in another Blog as there is quite a bit to go into regarding that. I'm also more of a director and camera operator than I am a Gaffer and I'm sure someone who specialised as one would be able to get into more specifics but I still enjoy doing the job. I like lighting and what it can do and it's always fun working on a set; you get experience, make friends and also you get to make a movie which is as fun as it is exhausting but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Forgive My Poor Grammer: Calvary

If you'd like a more visual experience here's my youtube review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEriMpejQaY

Calvary is the new film from John Michael McDonagh who's first film was the very enjoyable and darkly comic The Guard. He shares the same kind of sensibilities of his brother who just happens to be the very talented Martin McDonagh who brought us the wonderful films In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. Though Calvary still retains the black comedy of his previous film this time around it focus more on the drama rather than the irreverent humour. Starring the incredibly underrated Brendan Gleeson, the adorable Kelly Reilly, Chris O'Dowd, Aiden Gillen, Dylan Moran, David Wilmot, M. Emmet Walsh and a small role from Domhnall Gleeson (Brendan Gleeson's son) the cast of this film is quite fantastic.

Calvary starts of with Father James Lavelle (Gleeson) listening to a confession, it just happens that this confession is more of a statement; an unnamed confessor says that he'll kill Father Lavelle by the end of the week and that he should take the time to set his affairs in order. His reasoning being that he was raped by a priest when he was a child and that it would be more of a message to kill an innocent priest than a bad one. what follows is a character piece that follows Father Lavelle as he tries to hold onto his faith and continue to do his job as the world around him begins to fall apart.

Rather than go to the cops Father Lavelle chooses to live his week like every other, helping out the people of the town even though the killer could be anyone of them. His daughter (who was born before he became a priest) comes to visit after a failed suicide attempt, a local slut (who also happens to be married) has been beaten by a boyfriend, a french lady's husband is in a coma, a local rich man's family has left him, a serial killer asks to talk to Father Lavelle along and more. Through out each encounter Father Lavelle treats each person with love and compassion (though at times it is hard) and reflects the ultimate theme of the movie which is forgiveness.

No matter how judgemental, compassionate, unfaithful, loving or righteous a person can be forgiveness is a virtue that has now long been forgotten in the rather cynical world we have now. It is a virtue that is present though out the whole film and one that we really need more of. Though the film is quite bleak that doesn't stop it from being a beautiful film with many touches of humour without being tonally disjointed. Also the whodunnit or in this case who'sgonnadoit of this film is also fantastically handled as it had me guessing that whole time.

This film is beautifully crafted with gorgeous cinematography, a very spiritual score and a fantastically understated performance from Brendan Gleeson who knocks it out of the park. The films ending is inevitable but honest and though the film ends before the last words can be said (don't worry that is not a spoiler of the climax) I honestly believe those last words are words of forgiveness.

4 out of 5 stars

Let me know your thoughts on the film below if you get to see it.

A Song can save your life: Jersey Boys

Yes I know that the title of this review is similar to 'Can A Song Can Save Your Life' which was the previous title of the film 'Begin Again' but the relevance of the title will be made known in my review. So, let's begin.

If you'd like a more visual experience you can watch my youtube review right here - http://youtu.be/wIHe1fMinR8

Jersey Boys is of course a cinematic adaptation of the jukebox musical of the same name about the formation and journey of the musical group The Four Seasons. Though it was originally intended to be directed by Jon Favreau it was cinema icon Clint Eastwood who ended up taking the reins and making the film. Though he is more known for his acting work Eastwood is actually a very prolific director having directed thirty films and winning Oscars for Best director for both Unforgiven and Million Dollar baby. Unfortunately as of late his filmography has been rather lacking, his last great film being Gran Torino and every film since then turning out rather mediocre...unfortunately Jersey Boys is too though that doesn't mean it doesn't have anything going for it.

Starring John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli, Vincent Piazza (of Boardwalk Empire fame) as Tommy Devito, Erich Bergen as Bob Gaudio, Michael Lomenda as Nick Massi, Joey Russo as Joe Pesci (yes the actor) and  Christopher Walken as Gyp DeCarlo. The cast is pretty solid and deliver great vocal work (we'll get to the music a little later) and even though Christopher Walken seems to be sleepwalking in this film he never ceases to be charming. Unfortunately the cast isn't able to stop the film from feeling rather soulless.

Clint Eastwood seems to be in autopilot with this film and as a result the film lacks any passion, fire or soul. Even though the actors are solid there's a lack of life to their performances though you can't say it's their fault. Though the film is based on true events it can't help but feel derivative of fictional films that have come before it (Goodfellas comes to mind and not because of Joe Pesci). This causes a lack of interest in what is actually going on at times and isn't always helped by the breaking of the fourth wall, though I do have to admit there are some great moments of comedy that are much needed.

On the technical side the sound is wonderfully mixed and the film is rather well made though Eastwood's visual aesthetic does not suit this film at all; from the desaturated colour pallet (which is duller than the picture of this review) to the rather observant camera-work and contrasty lighting. The production design adequately brings the 60's to life even though the colour pallet doesn't. But with all that said let's get to what's really important, the music!

Frozen never would have been the pop-culture sensation that it has become without the incredibly catchy songs that helped turn a rather good movie into a massive hit (in this reviewer's opinion it really isn't that great; Monster's University and The Wind Rises were much better along with Disney's previous release Wreck-it Ralph). With Jersey Boys the classic songs of the Four Seasons save the film from mediocrity (almost like in Moulin Rogue! though that film remains a campy mess) and makes it into a rather decent film. The songs fill what is a rather dull film with energy and joy and you can't help but be swept up in them.

The songs save the life of the film and I can't help but wonder how the film would have benefited from Favreau's direction. Jon Favreau definitely has the visual flair that could have brought life to the film and as we've seen from his latest film 'Chef' he may have been able to fill this film with the passion it badly needs; Eastwood hadn't even seen the musical until he got the directing gig. But if good music is enough to make you happy then Jersey Boys might just be enough for you.

3 out of 5 stars

I know Jersey Boy came out in the US two weeks ago but I live Australia and we don't exactly get films at the same time. Let me know you thoughts on the film in the comments.

Transformers 4: Age of my Brain's Extinction...

I actually saw the film on friday but have been really busy on a short film set for the past week and have only now gotten the time to write my review. I'll actually be posting a blog about my role on the set of the short film later this week but let's get on with my review.

If you'd like a more visual experience here is my video review on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmQYBUeM4OU

This is a Michael Bay film and I must say that I am in no way a fan of his work. So, before I tear into him with pent up rage I'd like to take the time to appreciate the hard and underpaid work the visual effects artist of this film did. Now, my review really begins...

Now I actually like the first Transformers film, it wasn't amazing cinema but if was pretty fun and exciting. Unfortunately the films to follow were terrible and Transformers: Age of Extinction is too. Once again it is directed Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger and once again it is a long and boring mess. In what was meant to be a semi-reboot comes a movie that is more of the same except with added Marky Mark and jailbait instead of Shia 'crazy' LaBeouf or fashion models...but in all seriousness this film wastes a cast that on paper would get any film fan excited; Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Titus Welliver, T.J. Miller and young up-and-comer Nicola Peltz (who has done good work on the series Bates Motel).

The film follows Optimus Prime and the gang as they're hunted down by the government and a transformer bounty hunter called Lockdown. Stanley Tucci's character is harvesting Transformium (a name that is just as ridiculous as Avatar's unobtainium) which is what transformers are made and is also in cahoots with Lockdown. Texan inventor Cade (Mr Marky Mark himself) aides Optimus with the help of his daughter and her boyfriend.

Believe me when I say this film is absolutely ridiculous; it's horribly plotted with horrendous dialogue, incoherent (actually more like unintelligible) storytelling and incredibly sloppy editing. The score sounds like a Hans Zimmer copycat mixed with Tron Legacy's Daft Punk score but not awesome and the cinematography is your usual Michael Bay music video style.

With all that said and done I can't deny that Michael Bay knows how to shoot action. The fight scenes are pretty awesome and that is why these movies get made and make money (also because of the toys). Each action scene is crazy and goes all out but this actually causes the awesomeness to fade away making what should be exciting actually rather boring. Also when every action scene is executed like it's the climax of the film this causes the actual climax to be rather anticlimactic.

To me this film is everything I don't aspire to be as a filmmaker; it's bad storytelling with soulless filmmaking and no respect for the audience...and it will make a lot of money... For some reason these films draw in a massive audience and this never ceases to confound me but unfortunately there is nothing I can do about it except tell you that this is a waste of your time and money (and you'll probably see it anyway).

1 out of 5 stars (and also the worst movie I've seen so far this year)

Let me know your thoughts on the film in the comments and thanks for reading my review.