Review #19 - War Horse

War Horse release date Friday 13^th January 2012. Cine-Addicts review of film is on Tuesday 7^th August 2012. Thats right it’s up to date and current as I could get it! Enjoy the belated review and sorry for the delay.

An introduction to the film to get your mind through potentially one of the most artistic films at beginning of 2012 in my opinion. As the title suggests the film involves a horse whom finds itself in a war, but this is not the story over and done with. From the outset the locations really bring you into the time of World War 1England. With the countryside of England being cottages, market towns and fields you are quickly thrown into the life of farm boy Albert, Jeremy Arvine, who is trying to help save the farm and house from taken. This is where the Horse comes in... Young Albert takes it on board to train what was labelled an untradeable horse which quickly stirs emotions when he succeeds however as World War 1 comes around Joey, the horse, is taken to serve in the army as a War Horse. However this is not the story of the war, the story is within how Albert manages to find his way to Joey during the war after being separated for so long.

 The shots themselves prove artistic for every angle they were taken with colours in mind from the deepest reds to the rolling greens to create a theatrical feel and to accompany Joey on his journey. The film, previously in Book form and stageplay, has managed to give an artificial look to the way the locations feel for the audience this may be due to the lighting and the filters but these only help create the mood throughout.

The emotions go from happy, sad and some slight comedy during it but these are cleverly executed by S. Spielberg, director, to which he used trigger scenes that were created to make your emotions switch drastically. *SPOILER* as an example the scene to which the horse is stuck out in no man’s land and both sides to the army set out to help him get out of a trap. *SPOILER END*

 I can easily say that this film is a family film and S. Spielberg has accomplished exactly what he set out to do and that it is to send you, the viewer, on a rollercoaster of emotions for a couple of hours. However – as much as I have used this before – this film was great in the cinema but I think a family outing there would be better films to see so save your money and wait for release date on DVD and buy or rent this movie and watch on a lazy Sunday Afternoon.
 For a film which moved me and the others in the cinema viewing I can give this a 4* Rating. 

Review #18 - Fast Girls

Let me begin by saying this film is very much what you got in the trailers; Shania Andrews (Lenora Crichlow) is a talented runner but when she joins a squad of other skilled athletes she finds herself clashing with Lisa Temple (Lily James) who has the support of her competitive father with his money and influence. As you will see from the trailers the girls fight, make some mistakes on the track, have some laughs and ultimately put aside their different backgrounds to combine their talent and work together. There really are no surprises in this film but that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad one.

       I felt like the audience was kind of thrown into the film at the beginning without much explanation or back-story to build up a likeable character we can relate to but that actually turned out to be ok. By revealing more about the character slowly, by having her normal life happening around her rather than making a point of side plots to do with family etc., it felt like the audience wasn’t being treated as an idiot. The audience knows that there are going to be stereotypes surrounding this character due to her race and economic background, but they also know that the film isn’t trying to make a moral point on these issues but is merely using these stereotypes to aid character development.

      Other than feeling a little ‘thrown in at the deep end’ to begin with, the pace of the film was fine. In fact it was quite tight with every scene being vital to the storyline, which was why the scenes of the girl’s night out was a bit of a relief. The part in which they run down the road, high heels in one hand and glittery purses in the other, laughing as the men chasing them quickly run out of steam was probably my favourite part of the movie as it was one of the only times I felt any sort of thrill. It was nice to see something that didn’t wholly revolve around sports and was there to inject a little comedy into the film.

     The only other time I felt any kind of strong emotion towards this film is when *SPOILER* Trix Warren (Lorraine Burroughs) sustains a serious injury during her race for the gold medal resulting in the end of her sports career. This was a very clever side plot as it was subtly woven into the story in such a way that because you hadn’t paid too much attention to it before, it kept you guessing and I found that I didn’t know whether she was going to win or lose. A problem with having given so much away of the main storyline was that it made the film predictable; I knew that the girls were going to win in the end and so that final race didn’t have the tension that it perhaps should have. A big part of sports is being on the edge of your seat, your heart hammering as you wait with eager anticipation for the elation of winning or the disappointment of losing but here I knew the outcome and so felt no anticipation whatsoever.

    However both Joey and I did both enjoy the running scenes. Even though the races were predictable, I found they weren’t boring me because of the way they were filmed with 45-degree angles capturing the runner’s legs and the conventional use of slow motion. It wasn't anything radically different but it looked good and kept the audience entertained. I also liked the use of shots from the presses point of view, especially in the final scene and of course the final shot of the girls carrying the British flag links up nicely to similar scenes we will soon be watching of the Olympics.

        Overall there was nothing really special about this film. It was well made and entertaining, and perhaps a good way to wet your appetite for the Olympics but nothing more than your average sports movie (Joey likened it to Goal!) We would rate it 3* as it was well filmed, had a simple yet compelling storyline and interesting three dimensional characters however it was lacking in emotional involvement. For this film to be really great the audience needed to want the team to win so that we experienced the same elation when they succeed, but as we were expecting a win, this was not able to happen. I would recommend you see this film but as Joey suggests, watch it on sky movies or rent it one night when you feel like something good but simple. 

Review #17 - Dark Shadows

         Dark Shadows was a film I went to expecting it to be brilliant and not be able to find a single flaw in it, unfortunately there were a few things that caught my attention though so I thought I’d get them out the way and end the review on a positive note. We see early on that a key component of Barnibus Collins’ character is a lesson his father taught him early on about the importance of family yet I felt that the film focussed more on the problems surrounding the family business than the family’s dysfunctional relationships. With a mother and daughter constantly fighting, a young boy striving for his father’s attention and misunderstood by the rest of the family except a new and mysterious governess there was a lot of broken relationships to be fixed. I thought that Barnibus would be restoring the family as well as their wealth, and although he does help them in many ways, I felt that this side of things was not explored as thoroughly as it could have been. But then again with a curse, a business falling to ruins and Barnibus’ complicated love life, the plot was so full to the brim that it is no surprise that some aspects fell to the way side!

     Another unsatisfactory part of the film was the ending. Without giving too much away I hope, there were aspects that kind of felt thrown in at the last minute and didn't seem to serve a majorly important purpose. Also I felt that nothing had really been accomplished by the end, the Collins ended up in pretty much the same situation as they started in, if not worse! Generally the final scenes did not seem as well constructed as the rest of the film and I found myself waiting behind at the credits hoping some other funny scene would appear revealing what happens next, but alas no scene came. My only other minor complaint is that many of the best scenes were used in the trailer but then again that is a common occurrence these days.

   Ok on to the good things! Firstly any fans of Johnny Depp will love his brilliant performance. His love of strange and eccentric characters shines through and I loved every minute he was on screen! I particularly liked his archaic twist on modern phrases, wish I could remember some of my favourites to share with you but I’ll let you listen out for them yourselves. All the actors were great and I especially liked the husky voiced witch, Eva Green, she played the part perfectly.

   It was a really funny film and I thought the way jolly 70’s music was juxtaposed with some of the scenes was excellent and made them all the more amusing! This film was a bit of a disappointment, it could have been so much more but that doesn’t take away the fact that it is an entertaining film. It does have several criticisms but overall I enjoyed watching this film and would do so again, perhaps my only recommendation for this film is to lower your expectations and not to judge it solely on the reputation of it’s director.

Review #16 - The Lucky One

   The Lucky One is a sweet, feel good film. Logan (Zac Efron), a marine who after finding a picture of a beautiful woman while in Iraq, avoids several disasters while others weren't so lucky. Believing the photo to be a good luck charm on his return from the war he sets out to find the woman and thank her for the photo that provided his safety and return a treasured token that she had sent for a loved one. However when he meets Beth (Taylor Schilling) he is unable to find the words to explain and instead starts working for her and her Grandmother at their dog kennel. Inevitably the two begin to fall in love, healing each others scars and finally finding happiness with each other.
    The romantic dawn and dusk lighting used almost constantly throughout the film, envelopes it in a rosy haze. At times it seems a little over done but also quite accurately sets the tone for the film. All the characters, particularly Beth and Logan are extremely likeable and right from the beginning you find yourself rooting for them all to find happiness. I liked that the obstacle keeping them apart was not a deceased war hero husband or even a current love interest but a controlling ex. Keith Clayton (Jay R. Ferguson-the ex) is a well rounded character with enough flaws that the audience dislikes him but also occasionally showing a more compassionate side making him more interesting and three dimensional. There was also some good acting from Riley Thomas Stewart as Beth's son Ben, who at ten years old has already appeared in 11 titles!

    Joey, thought the romantic scenes dragged out a bit but was interested in the story; He described it as a film he might have on in the background while doing something else or one to watch with friends. I would describe it as a nice chill out film to watch on a weekend. It's a DVD I might pick up cheap in a sale. It's an enjoyable film to watch but I wouldn't insist you run out to the cinema straight away. The plot was engaging and it was a sweet storyline about fate, love and finding peace within yourself. Simple but lovely - a 3* Film.

Review #15 - The Grey (2011)

First of all a huge sorry for the delay in the review – other commitments and laziness took over.

 To jump right into the review The Grey is a film for any fan of Liam Neeson. The hype of Neeson kicking some wolf ass was too much to handle and the internet was flooded with Neeson related articles, posts and tweets.
 Neeson’s acting in The Grey left him to be this man who needed help and as an audience the power of his acting grabs you and throws you into feeling sorry for him and hoping he survives the horrendous situation.
 In particular the monologues through the film with Neeson worked really well showing that even the strongest of men, leaders, have the moments they need reassurance and support. As an example *spoiler* there is a scene towards the end of the film where he questions his beliefs and calls for God to help him but it is quickly turned around with Neeson realising this isn’t going to work and so ends the monologue with “fuck  it, I’ll do it myself”. *end spoiler* Even in the most action packed films humour can lighten up the mood and not one person would of ignored that bit of comedy.

 Another key part which stood out to both me and Jess was the transitions between Neeson and his dreams. When he would sleep and rest he had dreams – as people do – however the way he came out of these dream states were fantastic. As an example *spoiler* when the plane crashes Neeson was in a dream state and as the plane crashed so did the dream with his wife, who was laying by him, being pulled away at force which opens the next scene of disaster. *end spoiler*.

However where Neeson was the leading role in the film and the hype revolved around him many of the support roles and other actors did really well at building the tension and situations with Neeson. The actors all fell into their roles perfectly allowing them to really show the madness and questionability in the situation they were in. Credit to them for their roles – check imdb for who played the characters.

A note for the cinema experience that combined with the film itself is the fact that the sheer volume and feel to the room was perfect. During the plane crash scene the sound was LOUD it felt as it you were part of the crash and that would be a fraction of the sound they would hear. Really pulling you into the story right when the situation turns bad. As an added bonus the film is set in the snowy wastes of Canada the cineworld room was cold, which in a normal film would of been bad but this gave the film that frosted coating that it deserved.

Both myself and Jess could not come to any bad points about this film but if you managed to form a different opinion then comment below and tell us what you thought!

Over all I would rate this a 5* film and would recommended it to any Neeson fans.

Review #14 - Avenger's Assemble

  Take one eccentric billionaire, a God from another world, drop in a recently defrosted super soldier, mix with a volatile rage monster and drop in a couple of master spies and you’ve got the greatest super hero team the world has ever seen. You’ve got The Avengers.

    I had been looking forward to this film for a long time so, like many others, I had a lot of expectations riding on the Avengers Assemble, and I was not disappointed. Having Joss Whedon as the director and writer of this film, I believe, is key to its success. The classic Joss Whedon wit he injected into the script had the whole cinema in fits of laughter. He manages to bring this team together without making any of the hero’s the main focus, giving each character their chance in the spotlight.

     I thought the way that the characters were brought together, some being enlisted, others like Thor choosing to join forces was more interesting and engaging than if everyone had come together mutually. Their differences were an integral part of the plot and made the team stronger in the end. Yet from the beginning Whedon hints at how the heroes will come together later on, the fight on the plane pairs the hero’s up with those that are equally matched e.g. the hulk has the strength of a god and would crush any of the human opponents so takes on Thor. Iron man in his suit is equivalent to a super strong human – Captain America and the two assassins share a similar skill set. And what could be better from a superhero movie than watching the characters flex their muscles and give us a taste of their destructive powers even if it is on each other?  

        The audience is also given a taste of Loki’s power too when he taunts the Avengers out into the open. Now personally I don’t think Loki is a particularly terrifying villain. He is ruthless and his obsession with power and anarchy is typical of any villain but underneath he is simply a petulant child still snivelling about living his life in his brother’s shadow. He strikes me as the kind of weak character who craves power but wouldn’t know what to do with it if he did actually grasp it. However saying this he does look rather impressive when he strolls down the sweeping staircase and swiftly grabs his victim throwing him easily down on a plinth like a sacrificial lamb and mutilating him. All this is given a menacing tone with the accompanying music that builds and changes in tone as Loki enters the room, giving it an almost operatic theme. Loki may not always appear as the most formidable enemy but he is a good stepping stone for the Avenger’s to test themselves before moving on to bigger and better enemies as is hinted at the end of the film after the credits. A short scene, cleverly placed after the credits so that some of the audience will see but some won’t, reveals a new enemy and promises a sequel to the Avenger’s Assemble.

    The only other part of this film I questioned was the Hulk’s ability to control his temper. In the beginning it seems that he has better control over changing into his other half, although no one else seems convinced of his control. Then suddenly he loses it and seems completely unstoppable, even knocking Black Widow to one side like a bug. Yet when it comes to the climactic final fight Dr Banner seems to be able to choose when he changes and remain controlled only lashing out (mostly) at Loki’s evil army. My only speculation is that Dr Banner has more control when he chooses to change than when he changes without will. I thought it was interesting how Dr Banner bonds with Stark showing that the characters join up not just over similar physical and fighting abilities but also mental ones.

   Another interesting character development was watching Captain America; throughout the film he came off as being a little out of sorts. The mix of him being behind the times and mixing with characters who held much stronger powers than his own, some that Stark points out were genetic rather than manufactured as Captain America’s powers were, makes him a little underwhelming. However his chance to shine comes during the final battle when he reveals himself as a strong leader, taking charge and really living up to his name just when the Avenger’s (and police) need instruction the most. His development throughout the film made him an interesting character to follow.

    Other than the many comical scenes that I believe have a huge part in making this film such a success, there were a few others worth looking out for. For example when Black Widow is interrogating Loki whose reflection appears next to her looking warped and evil. It was a subtle but highly effective technique. Similarly when the Avenger’s and Dr Fury get into a massive argument, squabbling amongst each other and far from the awesome team they will become, the camera slowly turns to show how upside down the situation has gone from what Dr Fury hoped for from the Avenger’s initiative. All the while Loki’s sceptre is kept in the foreground, framing the scene and reminding the audience that this is all part of Loki’s plan. Joey picked up how the scenes linked together such as (SPOILER ALERT) after Phil’s death, even though he doesn’t know it, Thor stops himself from calling his hammer to him and instead reaches down to grasp it, a humbling and respectful gesture. I also particularly liked the seamless movement from character to character during the final battle, showing how the team has finally come together to work as one force against evil.

      Over all this film is amazing! Definitely worth seeing and both Joey and I agreed that it made us want to buy/re-watch all the connecting Marvel movies. It was funny, action packed and evolved; it definitely reached expectations, perhaps even surpassed them. I would rate the Avenger’s Assemble a 4.5 stars and eagerly await a sequel. If you haven’t seen it yet there’s still time! Get to your cinema quick! And if you have seen it, trust me it’s even better second time round! 

Review # 13 - Safe House

Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. That is all.

Okay maybe not just the two of them but it certainly highlights that Ryan Reynolds can play more serious roles than the boyfriend in some chick flick or comedy and continues to show that Denzel Washington still has the ability to make great movies even at his age – who knew a hair cut half way through the movie can make him look so much younger!

Without going into to much detail about specific scenes throughout the film I can easily say anyone going to watch to see camera movements and actually study the film – for a piece of coursework? – will notice that during fight scenes the use of slight slow motion during some parts not only extend the scene make the fights seem believable, this and the use of the audio throughout too. With both of these and then a fair bit of attention to the camera angles during the scenes really create the real feel and keeps you gripped.

Another point that made the film good was that during several of the scenes when Frost (D.Washington) would be talking to his associates he would ask them to do several things and at the time of him saying what he wants done it will change to the associate actually doing it putting the voices over the scenes. This means you have seen every little detail and not missed anything.
 One part of the film which I picked up on but didn’t think much of till the end was in fact – SPOILER – that Frost (D.Washington) had been given wine from all the people he trusted at the beginning of each of their meetings and during his last scene his last words are the name of the wine and the taste when speaking to Matt Weston (R. Reynolds). A gesture of friendship and courtesy is to offer a drink – simple but meaningful. Clearly drinking wine is better than being shot at by people.

The tension built through the film with the slow conversation and the amount of time between each scene allowed you to feel on edge as you’re not sure what is going to happen next. Throughout a few scenes giving deaths that come out of nowhere makes you rethink what’s happening and who is to be trusted unlike some films that are too predictable to watch.
With this said the film was long and for those who get lost easily will find themselves going round in circles with what is happening therefore may feel it’s a long film with a lot of gun fire.

One of the last scenes was, what I thought supported the caption for the film, – “Nobody is Safe” – a screen of white with blurred people walking around hiding the identity of the people suggesting that anyone can be reached no matter what position in life. 

Director Daniel Espinosa  seems to have studied a few police films and put the best parts together to create a film with a great cast – for some this might not be their choice of a good film due to the fact they have seen too many similar films ie. Fight scenes, tension, fight scene, romance, twist, fight scene. End. It’s all there but I will have to say I enjoyed the film with a good cast, good camera work and few detailed parts not many people will pick up on. Overall I rate 4 Stars.