Can I take back these two hours of my life? Taken 3.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

The first Taken was a small film that became a big hit. At the time it was considered fresh, especially when you consider that Liam Neeson was known for being a dramatic actor and not an action hero at the time. The film also played with one of societies biggest fears considering the state of the world for the past decade. Now this may make it sound like the first Taken was an important film...it is not. Unlike many people I know I didn't find the film be to that great. It was entertaining to an extent but rather mindless though it's far from the brainless films we tend to get in our blockbusters lately. But considering the small size of the budget, how popular it became and how much it influenced the current trend of action films today it of course got two sequels.

Tak3en...or Taken 3 is second sequel to the rather unexpected franchise and is directed by Taken 2 helmer Olivier Megaton (yes, that is his real last name). Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills along with Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen; new additions include Forest Whitaker and Dougray Scott. Now I actually never watched the second Taken film all the way through, I found it to be rather bad and was reviewing at the time so I felt no need to finish it. The good thing is you don't need to see the second film in order to watch the third instalment though I wouldn't recommend watching this film either anyway.

The latest Taken film follow Brian Mills (Neeson) on the run after being  framed for the murder of his ex-wife (think The Fugitive but if it wasn't any good). Whitaker play the detective on his tale while they both have to deal with the Russian Mafia as well. While the first film wasn't smart it wasn't completely brainless. This film however is completely mindless; full of constant stupidity and an incredibly generic script. The film is so derivative of the films that have come before that even with its constant need to add plot twist after plot twist fails to surprise. But, considering several if the films I had to endure last year this films wasn't as painful as it could have been.

What is painful though is Olivier Magaton's direction; specifically his visual style. It is as if he got every possible coverage in the world and decided to use it all. The film is so edited to the extreme that there is rarely a shot that lasts a second, even in scenes where characters are just sitting down and talking. This makes for some of the most incoherent and overproduced visual storytelling I have seen in a long time...and I had to sit through Michael Bay's latest Transformers film. Fortunately Taken 3 isn't too long though it still could have been a bit shorter.

As far as the acting goes the cast does the best they can do with a hackneyed script like this and manage to bring enough credibility their characters. As generic and bad as the films is it is far from absolutely terrible though I will definitely say that it is in no way good. Taken really should have just been one solid film and not a franchise that has gone severely down hill. Like I said there's much better films of the same type out there (The Fugitive) and this one is not really worth your time.

2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

A Rather Grimm Fairytale:Into the Woods.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

Disney of course has been adapting fairy tales to the big screen since its inception so of course they would end up adapting a musical that threads several of them together. Into the Woods is based on the very famous Broadway musical of the same name from Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. With it being a musical who better than Rob Marshall (Chicago) to direct it with a cast the includes Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, James Corden, Chris Pine and a very small role from Johnny Depp.

The film follows various characters who must travel through the forest to achieve various goals. There's Jack and the beanstalk, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and a Baker and his Wife who want to have a child (that's a fairytale right?). Being a Disney production the film was of course made to appeal to families and because of that the adaptation has lightened some of the darker and more adult aspects of the film (there's less death and infidelity) but both Sondheim and Lapine have been involved in the changes.

Unfortunately I feel these changes hinder the film. By toning the film down to be more family friendly the film loses a fair bit of its emotional impact. All deaths happen off screen, themes are touched on but rarely fully delved into and the tone becomes very inconsistent when you go from fun adventure to near apocalypse. This also affects the pacing which was already troubling given the films length and rather jumbled plot. Threading all these fairy tales together does make the story a bit of a mess but that in no way hinders how enjoyable it can be.

Lets get to what I'm sure you want to hear; the music is fantastic. The whole cast knock the songs out of the park and it makes for a very entertaining watch (especially the song Agony). Kendrick is starting to create a niche of singing movies for herself as she has another musical coming out this year. Blunt and Corden have great chemistry as the baker and his wife which helps create comedic banter between the pair. Meryl Streep has been in talks for awards but as good as she is I don't really see it; she's just as good as the rest of the cast so I don't really see why she's being singled out as the best. Lastly Johnny Depp is really only in two scenes of the film but his performance is solid for his lack of screen time.

Dion Beebe shot the film and it is quite beautiful to look at with nice lighting, a contrast of muted and bright colours, great use of fog and dynamic camera movement. When you consider the budget of the film the production value is quite fantastic considering the size of the film. It looks just as big and expansive as your Hollywood blockbuster but for half the cost or less. The art direction and visual effects blend really well and create a fully realised world. Overall it is a really well made piece of entertaining spectacle with cautionary morals and if you're a fan of musicals you're going to have a whole lot of fun!

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Eternal Sunshine of an Australian Mind: The Infinite Man.

Check out my youtube review HERE!!!

I saw The Infinite Man at a festival in early December  but have only now found time to review it. It also happens that it is out on DVD in Australia today so it seems like pretty good timing.

The Romantic Comedy genre is a a dying breed but Australian writer director Hugh Sullivan breathes life into the genre by adding a science fiction element. With only three cast members in Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall and Alex Dimitriades and two locations this film takes the little that it has and does so much more with it. The film follows Dean (McConville) as he tries to create the perfect weekend with his girlfriend Lana (Marshall)...over and over again, failing each time. This film is one part Primer, one part Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and another part 500 Days of Summer.

First things first, this lives and dies with its script and boy is it an absolutely fantastic one. Hugh Sullivan fills his script with smarts, heart, humour and total honesty; crystal clear observation with plenty of laughs but also poignancy and the flow between the different tones is so smooth. Being a time travel film it definitely has a complicated plot which is bound to have some logical plot holes but it is in no way convoluted and in no way brings any attention to its flaws. The film is one of the funniest, most honest, sweetest and poignant films on relationships that I've seen though it just misses out on being as good as Her or Eternal Sunshine.

Now the cast had a tough job to pull off, having to play multiple versions of themselves with complication camera work but they not only pull off the technical aspects of their job but also create relatable and dimensional character that create both humour and hard truths. McConville's pedantic character could have come off as frustrating and annoying in the wrong hands (think Sheldon Cooper) but he plays it just right with Marshall as great support. Dimitriades has a rather one dimensional character but the way he plays it is so fun it isn't that much of an issue, especially since it isn't really about him anyway.

Considering how small the production was the production value is fantastic. With energetic and very precise cinematography along with flawless effects to get multiple version of a character into the same shot. The production design for the time travel device is great along with the very simple costumes. The music is both whimsical and tragically effecting adding to an already great film. Most of all this film is just a whole lot of fun and one of the most enjoyable films I saw in 2014. Though it may not always be as perceptive as it thinks it is it is still just a whole lot of whimsical fun.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Run Forrest, Run: '71.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

I've been meaning to find the time to write this review for some time but have been rather busy. I saw this film in November but since the film doesn't have a theatrical release date until some time in 2015 it wasn't a priority but I've finally found the time to write it.

'71 is the directorial debut from Yann Demange, written by Scottish playwright Gregory Burke and boy is it a knock-out. It has screened at many festivals and has been added to Sundance's line up for this year. It stars up and comer Jack O'Connell who had one heck of a year in 2014 with Starred Up and Unbroken as well. Set in Northern Ireland during 'The Troubles' '71 follows a young British soldier who is separated from his troop and must survive the night while being hunted by the Provisional IRA.

Now the conflict between the Irish and British has always been something that has intrigued me but also constantly confused me. I'd try and research the subject but there was just so much that happened that I can barely ever scratch the surface. With that being said this film doesn't take any sides and instead gives us a very objective look at the situation as the soldier we follow has no political motivations or ties. The troop is a group of young soldiers who thought they would be fighting faraway overseas but were instead sent to Ireland to help keep things under control.

This film is mainly just a survival thriller about one man who must to do all he can to survive the night though the film is definitely filled with a lot of subtext regarding 'the troubles' but it is mostly under the surface. As a survival chase thriller it is superb; full of nail-biting tension, a fantastic performance from O'Connell, great handheld 16mm cinematography with great editing and it all comes together brilliantly.The film really embodies the hate and confusion of the environment at the time and it does it really well without being heavy-handed.

If there is anything negative I can say is that I don't really connect with it on an emotional level; it's a rather cold film and our lead rarely utters a word so you don't really know that much about him. There is a relationship with his son which is enough to root for his survival almost like the first Raid film. But in the end it is a really well made film that is fantastically thrilling and contains some of the best handheld action I've ever seen; it has a realistic energy and urgency that you don't see authentically enough.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

An Actor's Movie About Acting: Birdman.

You can watch youtube review HERE!!! Ps - I filmed it as a one take.

Unfortunately for the past few weeks I haven't had enough time to do written reviews as I've been busy with editing several videos on top of my usual video reviews and also family due to the holiday season. I do plan to catch up with several reviews but will either skip or write less for films I don't really feel the need to talk about. But I thought I'd start the year with the film I saw on New Year's Eve...Birdman.

Birdman is the latest film from Mexican Auteur Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu who previously made the dramatic downers Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel and Biutiful. This time around he brings a dramatic comedy set in the world of Theatre vs Hollywood and the pursuit of art. The film sports a fantastic cast with Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan and the very underrated Andrea Riseborough. From a fantastically meta screenplay that is laugh out loud but also filled with soul and depth.

Keaton's Riggan is washed up ageing actor who played the titular superhero Birdman in several films twenty years ago (exactly how long ago Keaton played Batman). Riggan is now directing and starring in a play he adapted from a Raymond Carver short story on Broadway and the film takes place over three previews and the first performance where it will be reviewed by the incredibly spiteful critic Tabitha Dickinson. Riggan is doing all of this so he can leave behind a legacy that can be respected rather than tight bird-shaped latex.

This film is about art, particularly acting and the actors are absolutely fantastic. Michael Keaton gives his best performance with Norton being a great foil/partner in crime playing a similar character to himself. The rest of the cast is strong and I really hope we get more Andrea Riseborough in our films. Now their performances are both loud and subtle, fusing stage and film acting into a very balanced combination. These performances all derived from a brilliantly meta, hilarious and poignant script and aided by Emmanuel Lubezki's gorgeous cinematography which I shall now discuss.

Lubezki is a master of movement, lighting and composition. He's a frequent collaborator of Inarritu's Mexican brother-in-film Alfonso Cuaron who he'd work with to create long unbroken takes or at least the illusion of them and Terrence Malick who he'd create beautifully spiritually images with. Birdman is an extension of the former with touches of the latter; made to look as if the film was shot in one long take (with the exception of cuts at the start and end). This adds an infectious energy to the film while also aiding the performances with their theatre influence and adding a spot of fun if you're film fan as you'll be looking for where it most likely cut (not at all taking away from the experience of the film).

This film is an absolutely blast while also being artistically genius and the best superhero movie of 2014 (I really want a real Birdman movie). The score is also quite fantastic being mostly comprised of just improvised drumming. What makes this film even more special is that it's a unique and original work that actually got green-lit in a world seemingly only hungry for comic book and franchise films. The fact that it looks like is cost four times more than its budget is just a testament to the craft of all the people involved. This is a film that makes me just want to go out and make a film and that is one of the best compliments I can give.

5 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.