Man of Steel: Review

A re-telling of the origins of Superman, many believed Man of Steel would do for Superman what Batman Begins did for Batman, that is, create a much more mature and realistic depiction of a well-known superhero. The trailers built huge amounts of hype, with simply the mention of Christopher Nolan drawing interest. But did the film live up to all this, and is it truly as good as Nolan's Batman trilogy? 

The film isn't actually directed by Christopher Nolan, but rather Zack Snyder, responsible for movies such as 300 and Watchmen. It would be foolish to go into the cinema hoping to see The Dark Knight but with Superman, as that isn't what Man of Steel is. Yes, Nolan's unique style is noticeable, but this is far more Snyder's film. 

British actor Henry Cavill plays Clark Kent, and is very good at his role, as we pick up from when he himself is unsure of what he truly is, and Cavill presents Kent's confusion and intrigue very well. An interesting point about the film is that the main protagonist is only once referred to as 'Superman', and usually gets called Kal-El, his real name. I've never been an avid reader of comic books, so I probably couldn't appreciate several nods and references as much as some, but there are certainly things to enjoy regardless of whether you have a complete grasp on the Superman universe. 

Clark Kent (Henry Cavill)

The villain General Zod (Michael Shannon) is a very entertaining antagonist to watch, and we are introduced to him very early on in the film. I may even say that he was under-used, as any scene featuring him stood out as memorable and his on-screen presence was very intimidating. 

My main gripe with the movie is that some of the hugely enjoyable action sequences went on for a very long time, almost past being fun to watch. This isn't to say they became bad, but I sometimes would have preferred more character development similar to that in the Batman movies. 

Verdict
Man of Steel is a film well worth seeing, but I don't really believe it is worthy of being compared to Christopher Nolan's comic-book masterpieces. It runs for almost 3 hours, so certain segments may drag on a little, but overall I think that if you have the chance to see it you definitely should, especially if you are a fan of superhero movies.    8/10

"You just have to decide what kind of man you 

want to grow up to be, Clark. Whoever that man is, 

he's going to change the world." 

Fast & Furious 6: Review

I'm going to start by apologising for negatively slating Fast & Furious 6 in a previous post. Although usually by a sixth instalment a movie series is simply repeating previous scenarios solely for money, somehow the producers of the car-action series have found a comfortable blend of action, racing and humour, with something to appeal to everybody. The plot this time plays out as Hobbs (played by Dwayne 'arms-bigger-than-trees' Johnson) assembles the old crew, led by O'Conner (Paul Walker) and Toretto (Vin Diesel), in an attempt to stop a new collection of racer criminals fronted by a man known as Shaw (Luke Evans).

The film opens with a nostalgic title sequence for fans of the series, showing clips from the previous sequels. It then quickly gets in to insane action scenes, and doesn't slow down until the credits roll. It's important to know that if you're a huge fan of movies which stick to the laws of physics, maybe Fast & Furious 6 won't be your cup of tea. There are a ridiculous number of times when things occur which are completely impossible, but as long as you can switch off and appreciate the film for what it is, it becomes very enjoyable. For example, Dwayne Johnson leaps from one vehicle to another with ease, as if both were completely stationary. And I don't mean something reasonably believable like in James Bond, I mean a jump such as from an aircraft carrier while it is moving to a Jeep driving along the run-way many metres below. 

Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson)

The acting is surprisingly enjoyable for an action movie, even more so if you're familiar with the characters from the other films in the series. Vin Diesel plays Dominic Toretto very well, being deadly serious but also fairly comical at certain parts, along with Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris as Roman and Tej, respectively. The soundtrack is also highly appropriate, whilst although it isn't memorable, it compliments the high-octane action very well. 

Verdict
Overall, Fast & Furious 6 is either a very enjoyable and action-packed film, or a laughable mess, depending on whether or not you can sit back and just watch an action movie for the sake of an action movie. I personally really liked Fast 6, as I felt it was the perfect 'popcorn movie', but I'll understand if anybody were to disagree.    8/10

"You've got the best crew in the world standing

in front of you, give them a reason to stay."

50/50: Review

Based upon the true story of writer Will Reiser, 50/50 is about young healthy Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who learns that he has a maligament tumour in his spine, and the survival rate for his particular illness is that of the title: 50/50. Despite this rather serious plot, the film is actually a dramatic comedy, with many laughable scenes mixed in amongst more serious and emotional ones. 

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

One of my favourite things about 50/50 is that it instantly transitions from comedy to an intensely emotional movie, never mocking such a serious illness, but at the same time, making light of it and highlighting the things that aren't all that bad. It may not be wise for those whom have gone through similar experiences to watch the film if it is likely to bring back dreadful memories, but I was surprised at how well it handles such a devastating topic. 

Seth Rogen plays Adam's best friend Kyle, and his character is not entirely different to that of many of Seth Rogen films: a lovable stoner. He uses his friend's illness to pick up girls and smoke medicinal marijuana, but he never becomes dislikeable, rather the opposite, as it's clear from the beginning how much he cares about Adam's current state, using humour to help him see the positives in his life.

The problem that sticks out most for me with 50/50 is that it could have been longer. Only running for 90 minutes, you don't get to see enough of certain characters before they are no longer a part of the story, which although may be a metaphor to show how short life truly is when you have an illness like this and so you must live every day to the fullest, I would have preferred a much longer film with a lot more character development. The final scene is also quite abrupt, but I'm personally a huge fan of it, just several people whom I have seen it with were surprised at how soon the film concluded. 

Verdict
50/50 is an enjoyable and incredibly emotional film which will make you laugh as much as it'll make you cry. Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt make a great duo which I'd like to see a lot more of, and there was nobody who pulled the movie down from an acting point of view. The music compliments the tone very well, being as uplifting as it is depressing. Released back in November 2011, I would highly recommend buying or renting 50/50, as it really is far better than I had expected.     8.5/10

"You can't change your situation, the only thing

you can change is how you choose to deal with it."

Taxi Driver: Review

It's difficult to write a brief synopsis of Taxi Driver, because the plot isn't immediately apparent. In it's most basic form, Taxi Driver is about Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a lonely taxi driver who is sick of living in such a run-down area of New York, and most of all sick of all the 'filth' that comes with living in such a place. The catalyst in his attempt at changing things is when he meets a very young girl named Iris (Jodie Foster), who is an embodiment of everything wrong with the world from his point of view; an innocent child brutalized by society. 

Taxi Driver immediately sets up a rather seedy and depressing tone, which continues for the entirety of the movie. A 30-year-old De Niro plays the unstable character of Travis to an incredibly convincing degree, along with his purposefully monotonous narration. I am personally rather enthralled by films which have a strong consistent narration, such as Clockwork Orange or Fight Club, and so Taxi Driver already has a recommendation from me solely because of this. 

Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro)

The movie isn't perfect though. There are times when it doesn't seem much is happening to progress the story, never to a boring standard such as in Scarface, but still noteworthy nonetheless. Also, not all cast members are as 'stand-out' as Robert De Niro, but nobody specifically brings the movie down.

Verdict
Taxi Driver is regarded as a classic movie by many, and I would have to say I believe it deserves this status. Although not engrossing from beginning to end, it does manage to deliver a rather gritty perspective on living in the city, something which many other films have attempted to do, but not to such a successful degree. I don't think you have to rush out and buy it now in order to watch it, but it is certainly worth checking out Taxi Driver at some point, even if solely for De Niro's famous "You talkin' to me?" monologue. 7.5/10

"All my life needed was a sense of

someplace to go."

Wreck-It Ralph: Review

Released in the UK back in February, Wreck-It Ralph is a story about videogame villain Ralph (John C. Reilly), who wants nothing more than to be accepted by his fellow game characters as a 'good guy', even though he is by definition a 'bad guy'. To do this, he goes on an adventure to obtain a medal to prove himself, and along the way he meets many other videogame characters such as Venelope (voiced by comedienne Sarah Silverman) and the power-crazy King Candy (Alan Tudyk).

If it sounds slightly child-friendly, it's because it is. Like the Disney/Pixar favourite Toy Story however, this doesn't mean there isn't many moments which can be appreciated by everybody. Wreck-It Ralph contains many references to numerous retro games, some more subtle than others. From Pacman to Sonic, if you're even remotely a fan of games or even slightly knowledgeable of popular brands, there's something for everybody. 

John C. Reilly (whom is most know from Step Brothers) is simply the perfect actor for Ralph. Even sharing a similar appearance, I can't imagine any other male actor voicing the role, creating a character almost as memorable as Sully from Monsters Inc. or Woody from Toy Story. As he's an anti-hero, it makes it an even more enjoyable film to watch, as his character evolves hugely over the course of the movie. 

Ralph (John C. Reilly)

My main issue with Wreck-It Ralph however, is that there are times when it really does seem too appropriate for very young children. Other Disney/Pixar classics provided consistent entertainment for people of any age, even those focusing on child-like topics, but there are times during the movie where it feels vaguely awkward to watch, with a lot of overly-happy characters and colourful landscapes. Saying this though, many of the areas in the film are incredibly vivid, a true testament to how far animation has come since Disney pioneered popular drawn entertainment many years ago.

Verdict
Wreck-It Ralph is a very enjoyable animation movie which offers lots for children and adults alike. There are some genuinely funny and touching scenes, and overall it's just a very feel-good movie. Sure, at times the plot becomes a little too 'child-friendly', but maybe that is me being cynical. I'd definitely recommend watching the film, especially if you're aware of retro games.     8/10

"I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's

not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me."

Snatch: Review

Directed in 2000 by Guy Ritchie; responsible for such films as Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Sherlock Holmes, Snatch brings together several gangster stories which all generally revolve around Turkish (Jason Statham) and his partner Tommy (Stephen Graham), as they try not to be killed by notorious gangster 'Brick Top' (Alan Ford)  by helping him set up a fixed fight. 

As this is a British gangster film, many of the main characters have unique and slightly comedic names, such as 'Franky Four Fingers' (Benecio Del Toro). This immediately sets up the tone for the film: a mixture of a classic gangster story with many comedic and eccentric characters. It's a very successful blend which allows for genuinely hilarious one-liners along with reasonably intimidating antagonists, which all comes together for a very enjoyable movie. 

Now, I don't want to over-hype the film, but I would go as far to say that Snatch is almost a 'British Pulp Fiction'. What I mean by that is the numerous stories of gangsters and businessmen all inter-twine in some sort of way, but not to the stylised extent of Tarantino's classic. It's simply a comparison I'm making so those who have seen Pulp Fiction can roughly gauge what they are in for, so don't expect the same ingenious dialogue, although Snatch does feature many humorous insults accompanied by huge amounts of swearing. 

I think the highlight of the movie personally is the colourful characters, specifically Mickey O'Neil, played by the incredibly talented and versatile Brad Pitt. Mickey is a proud bare-knuckle fighting gypsy who fits perfectly into the world Guy Ritchie has created, being barely understandable due to his strong gypsy accent, and a central role for the comic relief. This isn't to say that his character doesn't have a few serious scenes however, as  arguably the most emotion moment in the entire movie is due to an incident involving the O'Niel's. 

Turkish & Mickey O'Neil (Jason Statham/Brad Pitt)

Verdict
Snatch is an enjoyable British gangster movie which never takes itself too seriously. The soundtrack fits very well, and the wide range of actors accompany the story perfectly. It won't win any Oscars for cinematography, but it is certainly a fun movie which you should watch none-the-less.    8/10

"In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary...come again?"

The Purge: Review

Crime is at an all time low in America of 1%. The economy is booming, and everywhere has become a much safer place to live. But one night every year, for twelve continuous hours, all crime is legal, and no emergency services are permitted to intervene. The Purge had one of the most unique premises for a film I have heard in a long time, and the trailer alone got many excited to see if the rest of the film could live up to such an interesting concept. 

The story revolves around a family whom choose not to take part in the annual purging, but rather hold down in their fortress of a house. When a man screams for help however, the youngest boy in the family attempts to help him by letting him in their home, soon to find out he was the target for a professional group of murderers who give the family a choice: give them their man or they will all die. Most of the family are forgettable, but the Father played by Ethan Hawke (who features in movies like Sinister) is a particularly enjoyable character to watch. 

"Polite Stranger" (Rhys Wakefield)

It's an important thing to know that if you don't like child actors, then the Son in the family will probably annoy you as much as he did me. The trailer alone led me to hate his character, as he consistently makes stupid decisions which place the whole family in danger. There's few actors in the film that stand out as incredible, but the leader of the intimidating group of assailants (Rhys Wakefield) seems vaguely like Heath Ledger's Joker, which is always a positive. 

The real question is though: was the film as good as the concept? Honestly, I'd have to say no, as there were times where it relied on stereotypical jump-scares to keep you on your toes, but it's definitely not a bad movie. The first half which sets the scene and builds tension was incredibly enjoyable, and some fight scenes were intense, but towards the end The Purge became slightly predictable, especially with the deaths of certain characters.

Verdict
The Purge is an incredibly unique concept for a film, but one which is not consistently as engrossing as it seemed. It's still well worth seeing if you're a fan of the horror/thriller genre, as there are some incredibly tense moments, but stereotypical clichés and mediocre acting bring it back from being a must-watch.       7.5/10

"Just remember all the good the purge does..."

American History X: Review

American History X follows the change in attitude of a neo-nazi skinhead white supremacist who desperately wants his younger brother to follow a better path than he did, worried that without proper guidance his brother will end up in prison precisely like he did after an incident in which two black rivals got murdered. It's a pretty unique story which at times is incredibly thought-provoking, raising ideas about racism and violence. 

Ed Norton plays older Brother Derek Vinyard, and plays his role to an amazingly believable standard. Never before have I seen a film where intolerant white supremacists are the main characters, but their ideology is not idolized or favoured. The film does an amazing job of showing the gritty realism of racial prejudice, not just of whites on blacks, but of many different ethnicities against eachother. 

Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton)

American History X is laid out rather interestingly, with lengthy colourless scenes mixed in with those in chronological order. These detail exactly how the protagonists reached the point they are at, adding huge layers of depth to their current mindset. It's not a method completely unseen, but works particularly well in the movie, keeping the flow and showing a colossal contradiction in the main character of Derek from his younger self to his new outlook on life. 

The only problem with American History X is that the frankly emotional ending becomes predictable about half an hour before it happens. This isn't as much of a sin as some films, where their conclusion is apparent simply from a trailer, but it's still a shame. I don't know how else the movie could have ended though, as without spoiling anything, the way everything comes together is so appropriate it would be selfish to wish it any other way.

Verdict

American History X is a relatively uncensored view of a specific mindset still present today. It is violent, disturbing and controversial, but pulls off the goal it set out to achieve very well. Intolerance and violence simply results in more intolerance and violence, there's no other way around it. It's a touching story about a man trying to stop somebody he loves making the same mistakes he did, and a film which everybody should watch and allow themselves to think over for a while afterwards.   8/10

"It just got me more lost and I'm just tired of

being pissed off, Danny."