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.

Let me know your thoughts below.

Time Travel Gets Emotional: Predestination

Watch my youtube review HERE!

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.

Let me know your thoughts below.

The Greater Good (Hot Fuzz quote): Felony

Watch my youtube review HERE!

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.

Let me know your thoughts below.