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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Stunning, action packed and yet intelligent
A fantastic sequel to an already great reboot. The people behind these films have really done well to put new life into a dated series, while still holding high regard for their predecessors. Where the first film concentrates on the evolution of the apes and remained very intimate in tone, albeit building to something bigger by the end, 'Dawn..' takes an entirely different approach with an action packed but still very intelligent blockbuster. The effects are absolutely fantastic. There is a subtlety to the apes that works a treat. Not overdoing the human characteristics so as to become cartoon-like or cheesy, but also showing the significant changes in their behaviour as they gradually become more human. This is especially well done in Caesar and Koba. The visuals elsewhere are equally stunning with a demolished San Francisco done perfectly with a mix of CGI and effective set design. The first sequence, concerning a hunt in the woods is instantly riveting and you can't help at marvel at the fluidity of the action. This is also evident in some later sequences as the inevitable war breaks out (well..we all know how its gonna end). The human cast do well in their various roles with nothing too taxing expected of them. Slightly more significant roles from Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke are performed with conviction and you can genuinely get behind either of their goals (whichever one you may choose). Maximum praise should be given to Andy Serkis once again. His understanding and grasp of motion capture, and his ability to give such incredible performances, while in the guise of all manner of creatures, continues to impress and astound. He is able to give such raw emotional depth to Caesar as a character that he is almost human. Which I suppose is the point. On the other hand, his total immersion into the animal side of Caesar, with his movement and body language, reminds you that you are still watching a chimp. The line is balanced perfectly and Serkis is fully in command. His performance is believable and completely committed. Credit is also due to Toby Kebbell as the man behind Koba. I really enjoyed the entire experience of watching this film. It was dark and tense in parts, touching at times and the action was visceral and exciting. There are some beautiful shots throughout with real world effects and CGI so seamless that at times, you cannot actually tell them apart. Can't wait to see where they take this franchise...
Red State (2011)
Interesting and well delivered
An interesting film and a nice change of pace from Kevin Smith. While there are definitely some genuine comic moments, they are few and far between. Instead there is a mix of genres that somehow seems to work. The film is at first a horror/thriller and totally drew me in. It is dark, frantic and tense. It soon moulds into a siege film, a bit of decent gun play with a little escape excitement thrown in. The film does get a little confused in its delivery but not in its message. In this world, there are ridiculous reasons which people use to condone evil actions (particularly within religion), and the extent to which they follow these beliefs into actions of violence and terrorism continues to astound me. Kevin Smith does well to endue hatred for the Cooper 'family' early on in the film and Michael Parks, as the head of this group of nutters, is charismatic and passionate, even if it is absolute nonsense that he is preaching. There are loads of recognisable faces in this, taken from pools of talent from both film and TV (Breaking Bad, True Blood). John Goodman is probably the most known of these and does a believable turn as the federal agent charged with taking the Coopers down. It's important to note that the government are not the good guys here either. They have their share of dark decisions and idiotic actions. I did enjoy this film....but this level of fanaticism in the name of God is guaranteed to make me angry and so I inevitably found this fairly uncomfortable watching.
Easy A (2010)
Sharp and Funny
Great movie. Emma Stone as Olive is a likable character, full of sass, attitude and a sharp sense of humour. This makes her very easy to route for as the main protagonist. I really couldn't imagine anyone but Stone in the role....plus those beautiful eyes are just too hard not to fall for. Anyway.... The film is a modern take on The Scarlet Letter (with several references to early versions of the story throughout - just in case you missed the point) and brings the ideas of said story into the modern era, placing it slap bang in the middle of a high school, the perfect place to explore it's promiscuous tone. The film dabbles in themes from its '80s high school' predecessors and even throws in some neat satirical homages to boot. As Olive herself says: "...no, no, John Hughes did not direct my life..." and Will Gluck skirts around the clichés just enough to make Easy A unique amongst it's peers. I really enjoyed this film. Good writing, clever dialogue, solid cast and some genuinely funny moments. Also worth a mention are some wonderful turns from Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as Olive's parents. The whole family unit works a treat..and you can completely believe that they have brought up this sharply intelligent, independent girl.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
Emotional and intense
Fantastic film. Brilliant addition to the series even as part 1 of 2. Mockingjay has dispensed with the killing games of the 1st two instalments in favour of war, political power plays and the beginnings of a rebellion. There is also an underlying theme highlighting the power of the media and it's influence in such matters. This one is intense and really packs an emotional punch - aided by some excellent direction and some great acting from the lead players. It is sad to have the knowledge that we have now lost a talent like P.S. Hoffman - his Plutarch is a wonderful exercise in subtlety and intellectual prowess. An interesting match against the power of the capital, with it's abundant troop numbers and heavy firepower. He is a gifted strategist and the one who seems to really know what is going on. Jennifer Lawrence is excellent once again as Katniss. It is clearer now (than in the 1st two films) why she had been picked for this as she really makes you believe the up and downs of this difficult journey, and you are with her for every step. Some of the heart wrenching scenes/speeches (one early one in particular) may have fallen flat in the hands of another actress. I found myself completely engrossed for the entirety of this film, not wanting to take my eyes off the screen for any of it. As I said previously, this is heavy on the emotion and it rarely lets up. Even with little knowledge of the intricacies of the back story and history of Panem, you are wholeheartedly behind the rebellion and you so fervently despise the man behind the suffering. Sutherland hasn't had much screen time in any of these films but credit to him to still make you loathe the Snow character and his relaxed attitude to the genocide of entire cities of people. It's a pity that this film had to be split in 2. It's annoying to have to wait so long for a conclusion. I am deducting a star purely because it feels unfinished. However, considering this is based on fiction for young adults...it still hits hard and will stay with me for a while.
Bait (2012)
Much better than you expect
I just had to give this film a go after reading the ridiculous synopsis. However, it was not as bad as I expected. It is full of character clichés and obvious plot developments but it's still actually quite watchable. The acting is OK, no mind blowing performances here. A couple of known faces turn up in form of Julian McMahon (Fantastic 4) and Alex Russel (Chronicle) but the rest of the cast are relatively unknown other than the fact that everyone seems to have been in Home and Away at some point. The film moves at a steady pace and does have some tense scenes and some wonderfully gruesome deaths...but mostly this is just B movie tat without the sense of humour that usually comes with that genre. The films also loses points for some truly shocking CGI when it comes to the tsunami and indeed the sharks. Still...I watched till the end.
Magic Mike (2012)
More than just strippers..
Surprisingly good story considering its content. While this is blatantly a vehicle to show of Tatum's dancing skills and also one obviously geared to bring legions of female fans for each respective Hollywood stud and the removal of their clothes, it is still an interesting film worthy of staying till the end credits. It is well acted by all concerned - there is an almost ad-lib quality to some of the dialogue, frantic exchanges often overlapping each other, lending an aspect of realism to the whole piece.
It's not going to win any Oscars, but it certainly surprised me with how engaging it actually was. A film not be taken at face value...
Cuban Fury (2014)
Full of heart
A nice little film that is chock full of heart (or of course 'El Corazón') Nick frost has a geeky charm that means you really can't help but like him whatever he's in. He does well to carry this film as the central character and is helped along by a strong supporting cast. Everyone nails their respective roles, particularly Chris O'Dowd who really is a loathsome creep throughout. It seems weird to see Frost without Pegg as they are so interlinked in our minds (but there is a lovely redeeming shot to make us all feel at ease once again). The dancing and music is fantastic and massive credit to Nick Frost for his skills on the dance floor. My favourite scene by far is a fantastic satirical dance off between frost and O'Dowd to 'win the girl'. This is just brilliant and these two pull it of perfectly. Fun film, good acting, plenty of feel good vibes.
Bolt (2008)
A surprising treat
I enjoyed this slice of Disney fun. No songs which makes a nice change (although Disney do great music). Travolta does well..it seems he is a better actor behind a microphone than in front of a screen. The beginning of the film is cleverly done and hooks you instantly. Although the rest of the movie does not keep this pace and excitement, it is still a great buddy movie with lovable characters and a decent journey to follow. Bolt definitely shows off some significant leaps in animation with some nice effects on the animals and the environment. Not at Pixar's level of course, but still with a CG sheen that now defines the later Disney films. I particularly loved the pigeons throughout...the characteristics are spot on, as are the little nuances used in the animation. Brilliant.