August: Osage County is a difficult film to sum up, it follows a disfunctional family from Osage County Oklahoma, after the Father dies, the relatives gather for the funeral, and their relationships are tested to breaking point.
This is a very difficult film to follow, I found it difficult to penetrate the surface, there are so many characters all with their own individual problems, that there is almost to much going on. Violet, played by Meryl Steep is so over the top initially that it almost becomes a bit of a Characerture, I found it very hard to get into.
The plot such as it is, is basically one argument after another and very little in the way of narrative story, in the rests between arguments, all they do is complain about how hot it is.
On the plus side, I can appreciate why Streep and Julia Roberts have been nominated for Oscars, these are difficult characters to play, and they play them very well, but good performances alone are not enough, and this film is let down badly by the screenplay 4/10
Friday 31 January 2014
Tuesday 28 January 2014
Grudge Match
Grudge Match stars Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Nero as two aging boxers, who beat each other once, but the decider got cancelled after Razor (Stallone) quit boxing. 30 years later and the "Grudge Match" is finally arranged.
I must admit that I didn't think this film would be any good, the concept of Rocky vs Raging Bull might be interesting, bit given the age of the actors involved this falls firmly in the "Geriaction" category.
I was, however, pleasantly surprised, there is a lot more in the film than just the boxing match, however a lot of the jokes fall flat, and the best laughs in the film come from an 8 year old boy, who has far better comedy timing than the adult actors.
It's a little bit clunky, and unlikely to find a large audience, but despite being on the surface a film about two OAP's in a boxing match, it has more depth than that, and in the end is halfway decent 7/10
I must admit that I didn't think this film would be any good, the concept of Rocky vs Raging Bull might be interesting, bit given the age of the actors involved this falls firmly in the "Geriaction" category.
I was, however, pleasantly surprised, there is a lot more in the film than just the boxing match, however a lot of the jokes fall flat, and the best laughs in the film come from an 8 year old boy, who has far better comedy timing than the adult actors.
It's a little bit clunky, and unlikely to find a large audience, but despite being on the surface a film about two OAP's in a boxing match, it has more depth than that, and in the end is halfway decent 7/10
Saturday 25 January 2014
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Shadow Recruit is an origin story of CIA analyst Jack Ryan, based on the character created by Tom Clancy. This is the first Jack Ryan film not to be based on a Clancy novel.
Chris Pine becomes the 4th person to play Ryan on Film, following on from Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October) Harrison Ford (Patriot Games/Clear & Present Danger) and Ben Affleck (The Sum of all Fears)
Despite this being an prequal/Origin film, it is a very modern setting, taking place in 2013 Wall Street.
The main leads do a decent job, Pine is up there with the best of the previous Jack Ryan incarnations, Knightly does a good job as his Girlfriend and Kevin Costner is superb as his CIA boss.
This is a decent film, you know what to expect from this type of movie and it doesn't disappoint in that regard, however it follows a fairly predictable and safe format, there is very little here that hasn't been done before and with nothing to surprising. I was perhaps, hoping for something a bit more risky, new and refreshing. 8/10
Chris Pine becomes the 4th person to play Ryan on Film, following on from Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October) Harrison Ford (Patriot Games/Clear & Present Danger) and Ben Affleck (The Sum of all Fears)
Despite this being an prequal/Origin film, it is a very modern setting, taking place in 2013 Wall Street.
The main leads do a decent job, Pine is up there with the best of the previous Jack Ryan incarnations, Knightly does a good job as his Girlfriend and Kevin Costner is superb as his CIA boss.
This is a decent film, you know what to expect from this type of movie and it doesn't disappoint in that regard, however it follows a fairly predictable and safe format, there is very little here that hasn't been done before and with nothing to surprising. I was perhaps, hoping for something a bit more risky, new and refreshing. 8/10
Monday 20 January 2014
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf Of Wall Street stars Leonardo Di Caprio as Jordan Belfort, an out of control Wall Street stockbroker. It tells a story of endless parties, sex and drug addiction.
Going into this film I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did, at 3 hours long I thought it might feel like a long slog, but actually I was so engaged in the film that I didn't notice the time, and this felt an awful lot shorter than lots of films that run for 30 minutes less than it. That is down in no small part to the performance of Leonardo Di Caprio who is superb, and Jonah hill, of whom I have not been a massive fan in the past, Is also brilliant.
This is not a film for everybody, there is a lot of nudity, sex, cocaine use and strong language, however all of this is necessary in order to effectively show just how out of control things got, despite it's 3 hour run time I was never bored, definitely worth a watch 9/10
Going into this film I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did, at 3 hours long I thought it might feel like a long slog, but actually I was so engaged in the film that I didn't notice the time, and this felt an awful lot shorter than lots of films that run for 30 minutes less than it. That is down in no small part to the performance of Leonardo Di Caprio who is superb, and Jonah hill, of whom I have not been a massive fan in the past, Is also brilliant.
This is not a film for everybody, there is a lot of nudity, sex, cocaine use and strong language, however all of this is necessary in order to effectively show just how out of control things got, despite it's 3 hour run time I was never bored, definitely worth a watch 9/10
Saturday 18 January 2014
The Railway Man
The Railway Man tells the true story of Eric Lomax, a second world war POW who was captured by the Japanese following the allied surrender at Singapore and put to work on the Burma railway. It stars Colin Firth as the older Eric Lomax in the 1989's and Jeremy Irvine as the younger Lomax in WWII, alongside Nicole Kidman as Eric's wife Patti.
Prior to watching this film, I was unfamiliar with the Eric Lomax story, I have picked up bits listening to some of the discussion around this film, so kind of knew where it was heading, but this story really surprised me. In a similar way to 12 years a slave, this tells a true story that involves the mistreatment of one group of human beings by another, as such there are a couple of scenes that are difficult viewing, especially the waterboarding scene.
You might expect Colin Firth to steal this film, however his performance is somewhat understated, Jeremy Irvine plays the younger Lomax extremely well, but for me the stand out performance in this film is from Nicole Kidman, who plays it perfectly with steely determination in her eyes as she battles her Husbands demons.
For me this had almost as much impact as 12 years and perhaps rightly so, it may not be troubling the oscars, but I found this to be a difficult tale well told. If you have seen 12 years a slave and are wondering what to see next, you could do a lot worse than to add this is your would like to see list. 9.5/10
Prior to watching this film, I was unfamiliar with the Eric Lomax story, I have picked up bits listening to some of the discussion around this film, so kind of knew where it was heading, but this story really surprised me. In a similar way to 12 years a slave, this tells a true story that involves the mistreatment of one group of human beings by another, as such there are a couple of scenes that are difficult viewing, especially the waterboarding scene.
You might expect Colin Firth to steal this film, however his performance is somewhat understated, Jeremy Irvine plays the younger Lomax extremely well, but for me the stand out performance in this film is from Nicole Kidman, who plays it perfectly with steely determination in her eyes as she battles her Husbands demons.
For me this had almost as much impact as 12 years and perhaps rightly so, it may not be troubling the oscars, but I found this to be a difficult tale well told. If you have seen 12 years a slave and are wondering what to see next, you could do a lot worse than to add this is your would like to see list. 9.5/10
Last Vegas
Last Vegas stars Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Nero and Kevin Klein as 4 friends, who now approaching 70 head to Vegas for a bachelor party.
This is quite a fun film, the 4 main stars are clearly relaxing and taking it easy, and as such it is fairly unremarkable, the jokes are hit and miss, but the film was ruined slightly by the fact that many of the best jokes are in the trailer.
If you want something fun and lighthearted, that won't make you think to much, rather than the emotionally draining 12 Years Slave, then this is worth a watch 8/10
This is quite a fun film, the 4 main stars are clearly relaxing and taking it easy, and as such it is fairly unremarkable, the jokes are hit and miss, but the film was ruined slightly by the fact that many of the best jokes are in the trailer.
If you want something fun and lighthearted, that won't make you think to much, rather than the emotionally draining 12 Years Slave, then this is worth a watch 8/10
Sunday 12 January 2014
Delivery Man
Delivery Man stars Vince Vaughn as David Wozniak, a delivery driver for his families meat business, who 20 years earlier donated sperm to a fertility clinic, and now discovers that he is the father of 533 children, a large number of whom now want to know who he is.
This is quite a heartwarming film, with plenty to say about fatherhood, however it is ostensibly supposed to be a comedy, whilst it is quite a fun film, the laughs are very much lacking. For me it failed the basic 6 laugh test. It is not a bad film, I didn't come out wanted my 100 minutes back, but I'm just not sure it is quite what the film-maker set out to achieve.
Fun and heartwarming, with something to say in a world where a lot of fathers are absent, it works on that level. Worth seeing if the brutal reality of 12 years a slave doesn't fit your mood. You may leave with a smile, just don't expect to many laughs along the way 7/10
This is quite a heartwarming film, with plenty to say about fatherhood, however it is ostensibly supposed to be a comedy, whilst it is quite a fun film, the laughs are very much lacking. For me it failed the basic 6 laugh test. It is not a bad film, I didn't come out wanted my 100 minutes back, but I'm just not sure it is quite what the film-maker set out to achieve.
Fun and heartwarming, with something to say in a world where a lot of fathers are absent, it works on that level. Worth seeing if the brutal reality of 12 years a slave doesn't fit your mood. You may leave with a smile, just don't expect to many laughs along the way 7/10
Wednesday 8 January 2014
12 Years A Slave
12 Years A Slave tells the true story of Soloman Northup, a Black Free Man in 1840's New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery.
It deals with some very difficult themes, and as such this is not an easy watch, it contains some fairly graphic scenes of slaves being beaten and tortured. Regular readers of my blog will know I don't like gratuitous violence and blood, but in this film it is a part of the reality of life as a slave, and as such it is entirely justified, and the film would be lacking something without it.
I think Steve McQueen has done an excellent job here, although for me the film did drag a little, as the storyline seems to plod along at quite a pedestrian pace. I was also a little confused by the choice of opening scene before the titles, sometimes films start with the end, then explain how we got to that point, this film seems to have picked a random scene from about halfway through.
My real issue with this film is the advertising, the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch and Paul Giamatti barely feature for more than about 10 minutes each, yet they were the names on the posters and trailers, even Alfie Woddard who is on the screen for a total of about 2 minutes got a mention in the trailer, yet there are non star names who feature a whole lot more who barely get a mention. I appreciate that it is star names that sell a film, but it just seemed to be out of perspective.
This is an excellent film, with a wonderful lead performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and has quite rightly been nominated for several Golden Globes and Baftas, and no doubt will feature heavily in the Oscar Nominations in what is going to be a very competitive year 9/10
It deals with some very difficult themes, and as such this is not an easy watch, it contains some fairly graphic scenes of slaves being beaten and tortured. Regular readers of my blog will know I don't like gratuitous violence and blood, but in this film it is a part of the reality of life as a slave, and as such it is entirely justified, and the film would be lacking something without it.
I think Steve McQueen has done an excellent job here, although for me the film did drag a little, as the storyline seems to plod along at quite a pedestrian pace. I was also a little confused by the choice of opening scene before the titles, sometimes films start with the end, then explain how we got to that point, this film seems to have picked a random scene from about halfway through.
My real issue with this film is the advertising, the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch and Paul Giamatti barely feature for more than about 10 minutes each, yet they were the names on the posters and trailers, even Alfie Woddard who is on the screen for a total of about 2 minutes got a mention in the trailer, yet there are non star names who feature a whole lot more who barely get a mention. I appreciate that it is star names that sell a film, but it just seemed to be out of perspective.
This is an excellent film, with a wonderful lead performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and has quite rightly been nominated for several Golden Globes and Baftas, and no doubt will feature heavily in the Oscar Nominations in what is going to be a very competitive year 9/10
Friday 3 January 2014
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
I tried to judge this solely on its artistic merit rather than letting the death of Mandela affect my judgement of the film. .
Idris Elba puts in a fine performance, his South African accent is very good, however this film is not without flaws. Idris Elba looks as much like Mandela as Naomi Watts looks like Diana. That said it is not such a huge issue in this film, as once I got over the lack of likeness I did go with it, which is a testament to the film.
If anything this film tries to do to much, covering over 50 years in a little under 2 and a half hours means it does move quickly and doesn't have time to linger on any particular event.
It would be very easy to make this film and try and make it fit the modern Statesman view of Nelson Mandela. I like the fact that it does not shy away from his early life and the terrorism for which he was responsible. Showing the Man warts and all.
This film stands as a great obituary to the former South African President. 8/10
Idris Elba puts in a fine performance, his South African accent is very good, however this film is not without flaws. Idris Elba looks as much like Mandela as Naomi Watts looks like Diana. That said it is not such a huge issue in this film, as once I got over the lack of likeness I did go with it, which is a testament to the film.
If anything this film tries to do to much, covering over 50 years in a little under 2 and a half hours means it does move quickly and doesn't have time to linger on any particular event.
It would be very easy to make this film and try and make it fit the modern Statesman view of Nelson Mandela. I like the fact that it does not shy away from his early life and the terrorism for which he was responsible. Showing the Man warts and all.
This film stands as a great obituary to the former South African President. 8/10
Thursday 2 January 2014
American Hustle
The last time David O'Russell directed Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence was the Brilliant Silver Linings Playbook, one of the best films of 2012. So I went into American Hustle with high hopes. Unfortunately my expectations were not met.
The basic idea behind this film, is that everybody deceives someone in order to survive, even if that is only themselves. The film follows a very elaborate series of cons and seems to lose its way. The story plods very slowly, and the over two hours felt more like four, by the two thirds mark I was getting desperate for the film to end, which is a shame, as the final half hour is probably the best of the film, but by that point I had lost all interest.
The characters although they have plenty of depth, have nothing likeable about them, which means I didn't really care what happened to them, and have no emotional involvement with them whatsoever. It's on a par with The counsellor, one of the worst films of 2013 where I couldn't care less about what happens to the lead characters.
That said the acting performances are pretty decent, especially from Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner, but quality acting alone does not make make a good film.
A disappointing start to the year 4/10
The basic idea behind this film, is that everybody deceives someone in order to survive, even if that is only themselves. The film follows a very elaborate series of cons and seems to lose its way. The story plods very slowly, and the over two hours felt more like four, by the two thirds mark I was getting desperate for the film to end, which is a shame, as the final half hour is probably the best of the film, but by that point I had lost all interest.
The characters although they have plenty of depth, have nothing likeable about them, which means I didn't really care what happened to them, and have no emotional involvement with them whatsoever. It's on a par with The counsellor, one of the worst films of 2013 where I couldn't care less about what happens to the lead characters.
That said the acting performances are pretty decent, especially from Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner, but quality acting alone does not make make a good film.
A disappointing start to the year 4/10
Wednesday 1 January 2014
47 Ronin
47 Ronin is based on a true story/legend set in ancient Japan. A Ronin is a Samurai who has no master, When the master is betrayed 47 of his Samuarai set about avenging his death.
The basic storyline of this film in an interesting one, and not a story I have particularly come across before, however the problem with this movie is the amount of explanation needed in order to understand the cultural relevance of various things, there are long sequences in this film where the narrative arc loses momentum in order to explain something. This means the film is a bit of a slog to sit through, whilst the action sequences and fight scenes are very well choreographed and shot, there is not enough to hold the interest between them, so you end up switching off. 5/10
The basic storyline of this film in an interesting one, and not a story I have particularly come across before, however the problem with this movie is the amount of explanation needed in order to understand the cultural relevance of various things, there are long sequences in this film where the narrative arc loses momentum in order to explain something. This means the film is a bit of a slog to sit through, whilst the action sequences and fight scenes are very well choreographed and shot, there is not enough to hold the interest between them, so you end up switching off. 5/10
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