guiltron Reviews

Rango (2011)

A beautifully ugly tale

[8/10 · 13 April 2011]

Rango is the first fully computer animated film from the special effects production company, Industrial Light and Magic. They enter an arena occupied by two well known heavy weights, Pixar and Dreamworks. Fair to say, ILM definitely have a hit on their hands. Director, Gore Verbinksi has made some very successful films (Mousehunt, The Ring, all the Pirates Of The Caribbean films) and this is his first foray into animation. Rango is a pretty different type of kids film. Firstly, a lot of the images and violence would probably scare the daylights out of kids under ten, and a lot of the film references and themes would go unnoticed by the young. A lot of work has gone into creating characters that look incredibly real. Each mole and hair is carefully detailed and gives the film a unique texture. The overall design is beautifully ugly. It creates an amazingly detailed desert world where everything is incredibly dry and dirty, and it captures it all in a stylish and creative way. On top of having some of the greatest animation around it also boasts a great voice cast. Johnny Depp's charm and quirkiness comes through in voicing Rango and Isla Fisher throws her Aussie accent away for an American Cowgirl voice to create her character, (Rango's love interest) Bean. Alfred Molina, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy and Timothy Olyphant also add their voice talents. Those that are familiar with/like westerns will be overloaded with the amount of film references. On occasion, it even comes across as slightly smug and annoying with the amount of 'look-how-smart-we-are' moments there are. Also, the story is not really original and it doesn't really carry the emotional weight that Pixar films do. Still, this fun and smart animated western has a hell of a lot going for it.

I Am Number Four (2011)

Mindless fun to be had...but not that great...

[6/10 · 13 April 2011]

I Am Number 4 is Hollywood's latest start to a new franchise. It is based on a novel by Pittacus Lore (a pseudonym for James Frey and Jobie Hughe), who has another six books planned. The story surrounds John (Number 4), an alien teenager who struggles to keep his true identity secret whilst living on earth. Problems arise when alien enemies begin to kill his kind, beginning with 1, 2 and 3. The film, like the book, is specifically catered to young adults. Clichés abound in this mildly entertaining sci-fi thriller. All characters are right out of every teen film you've ever seen. The bully jocks, the pretty yet quiet love interest, the nerdy kid, and the overly protective father figure are all there to keep young audiences feeling right at home. Alex Pettyfer (Stormbreaker and the upcoming Beastly) definitely has the looks that will have the ladies swooning but his acting still requires some fine tuning. He doesn't bring enough charisma or emotional range to his character. Timothy Olyphant (Hitman, The Crazies, Deadwood) solidly plays John protective father figure but doesn't really have much to do. Dianna Agron (Glee) does a good job playing the love interest and Australia's Teresa Palmer (2:37, The Sorceror's Apprentice) over acts her tough as nails heroine, Number 6. Apart from the formulaic treatment, the film's story unfolds unrealistically and many things go unexplained. The main love story develops overnight, his power's are never really explained, and the 'bad guys' are bad - why? Of course, the fact that they plan on making more of these films means they'll (hopefully) have some explanations ready, but that doesn't make any of it less frustrating. The climax by far has the best parts of the film. The action is exciting and the special effects are quite impressive. The film would have been better with more action and less teen melodrama. Less picky people will probably enjoy this film. It works as simple entertainment and there is some mindless fun to be had.

Devil (2010)

Step one of Shyamalans redemption

[8/10 · 13 December 2010]

M. Night Shyamalan used to be considered one of the great Hollywood directors after he smashed box-office records and impressed critics with films like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Now, it will take some time for Shyamalan to redeem himself for cinematic crimes like The Happening and The Last Air Bender. This is the first film made for Shyamalan's 'The Night Chronicles', a venture with Media Rights Capital to create a financing and production partnership that will release films based on his stories. This means that other directors and writers can take a stab at creating decent films out of Shyamalans' ideas. John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine) takes the reigns in this supernatural thriller. The plot surrounds a group of people that get trapped in an elevator, unaware that the devil could very well be among them. The film squeezes every bit of tension for all its worth. It creates a bunch of dubious characters to keep up the 'who-dunnit' aspect and it uses the simple locations very well. The mostly unknown actors do a decent job with some of the silly dialogue and the plot unfolds at a great pace. It's also refreshing to see a horror film with a Christian message under the surface. This isn't high-brow stuff at all, but it is a very entertaining and suspenseful thriller that keeps up the surprises and twists going till its satisfying conclusion.

Due Date (2010)

Amusing yet unsurprising

[6/10 · 13 December 2010]

Fresh off his massive world-wide smash, The Hangover, director Todd Phillips comes out with Due Date. Plotwise, this is a typical "odd couple" style of comedy which only works when both the main characters are interesting and, of course, funny. Thankfully, both Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis do a great job. Downey plays a father to be that is pushed into hitching a ride with a troubled idiot played by Galifianakis. What follows is a cross-country road trip with as many crazy scenarios as you can fit in an hour and a half. Offensive and cruel jokes abound in this funny comedy but it still carries some heart. The humor is definitely not up to the calibre of The Hangover but it still has some great laugh-out-loud moments. Galifianakis is what really makes this film what it is. He creates a classic character that is infuriating, pathetic, and stupid yet he also manages to make him likable and understandable - no easy feat. The dialogue is quick and witty and the guest stars make welcome appearances. The film itself is not going to go down as a classic but it is an amusing, although unsurprising, comedy.

Machete (2010)

Humor and violence - Grindhouse style

[7/10 · 13 December 2010]

Machete is Robert Rodriguez's film based on his mock trailer made for the double grindhouse release of Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof and his own Planet Terror. B-Grade superstar Danny Trejo stars as the title character. Those that have seen the mock trailer, or the grindhouse films, know the style of yester-year that Machete is representing. Cheap, nasty, and funny is the order of the day for this kind of film. Rodriguez clearly knows his genre and audience. He goes all out with this over-the-top action flick. The story is, of course, ridiculous. Machete is betrayed by some "above the law" dudes and has to get revenge by slicing and dicing whoever gets in his way. The film does what it says on the cover. Don't go in expecting a glimmer of subtlety or characterization. Go in expecting action, titties, action, blood, titties, oh and action. This would be all well and good except for some slight problems. The unashamedly preachy messages against the Mexican/United States border does get a bit tiring, as does the repetitive nature of the violence (after some interesting action set- pieces they all become similar, except towards the end). Also, this kind of film needs to be much snappier and shorter. It's around twenty minutes too long so that the humor and overall style tends to drag on a bit. Machete holds it's tongue permanently in cheek and Danny Trejo milks every scene as much as he possibly can. Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and Lindsay Lohan all make for good eye candy and there are some very funny moments. All in all, this exercise in grindhouse excess should keep the fans of this style very happy, even if it can slightly bore others.

Skyline (2010)

Underdeveloped and unsatisfying.

[4/10 · 13 December 2010]

Skyline is the first film to be released from the wave of extra- terrestrial films on their way. Hopefully, the rest are better than this. Those that have seen the trailer expect to see a thrilling, apocalyptic, epic alien invasion film to rival films like Independence Day and War Of The Worlds. Whilst Skyline is heavily influenced by those films, it comes across as a mediocre attempt at making an alien blockbuster. The paper thin plot revolves around a rapper who's invited a bunch of friends over to his penthouse suite for a party. They all get drunk and wake up to find the world under attack by aliens and spend the rest of the film in the penthouse screaming and looking confused. That's it. Feeble attempts are made to give all the unlikeable characters some kind of depth but all you get are annoying American stereotypes, meaning you don't care what happens to them. The script is terrible and the rent-a-cast seem to act like the guys from Neighbours. Is there anything good at all you ask? Kind of. The film is directed by Colin Strause and Greg Strause, two brothers that have worked as visual effects designers and supervisors on some very big films (Avatar, 2012, 300). So, its no surprise to see that the action and special effects mostly warrant a viewing. There are some great monster sequences and some unique creature designs that are genuinely exciting if not scrutinized. Overall, the film isn't a good one. It's a mash up of ideas and visuals that doesn't gel well with their underdeveloped script. Most people won't be left feeling satisfied, especially after the truly ridiculous final act.

The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009)

Not as good as it should be.

[4/10 · 20 October 2010]

The Girl Who Played Fire is the second Swedish film based on the wildly successful Millennium trilogy of novels. The first film was an intriguing and suspenseful adult thriller. It contained a great deal of depth and was intricately written to portray troubled characters who go on the search for a missing woman. Unfortunately, the second part barely resembles what made the first film great. The simple and underdeveloped plot revolves around Mikael Blomkvist's investigation into a sex- trafficking ring and Lisbeth's past coming back to haunt her. Neither plot strands ever really add up to much and, whilst the acting is still great by the two leads, the two main characters really don't have much of a dramatic arc to warrant a film. It's a shame more wasn't made of the sex-trafficking plot instead of going around raising questions then answering them without any major revelations being released. Also, the film wraps up in abrupt and far-fetched ending that infuriates instead of leaving you wanting more. Fingers crossed the third and final film, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest, concludes the trilogy in style.

Buried (2010)

Suspenseful and exciting!

[9/10 · 20 October 2010]

A man wakes up to find himself locked in a buried coffin with nothing but a cell phone, lighter and a flask of alcohol. That's the simple premise for this unique thriller. Ryan Reynolds brings his acting talents to a role that breaks from his usual comedic style. The film's 95 minute running time is completely dependent on Reynolds and he delivers a completely believable and realistic performance.

On top of Reynolds' performance this Spanish/Australian production boasts amazing direction by Spanish director, Rodrigo Cortes and a thrilling musical score by Victor Reyes. The simplicity of the plot allows the filmmakers to truly get creative. Having an entire film with only one character in a coffin using what seems to be natural lighting? Not a problem. The script even manages to have a lot to say (it's set in Iraq) whilst continuously raising the tension levels to the point of it nearly being unbearable.

Buried is a suspenseful and exciting thriller that forces the viewer to feel claustrophobic at every opportunity. This isn't just a movie, it's an exhausting experience that leaves you breathless.

What Doesn't Kill You (2008)

Heartfelt and Tough in equal doses

[9/10 · 22 January 2010]

This powerful true story is brought to life with great directing and the amazing acting of both Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke. Everything in this film screams "real". Realism is the key as the film captures the story of two men trying to live their life with the 'cards they've been dealt'.

Brian's life is not uncommon. There are countless men (and women) that have grown up not knowing any way of getting by in life without living a life of hustling and grinding.

This film captured me from the get go. Showing realism in its characters and making you understand their actions even if you can't condone them. The fact that it's all a true story simply enhances the impact of the story.

Undead (2003)

A good cheap thrill ride

[7/10 · 15 February 2005]

This film, made for around $1 million(Australian)is an excellent example of how to make a good cheap movie. The humor is quick and witty with many laugh out loud moments. And if your worried about the effects-don't. The film looks great with some truly memorable gory scenes(the scene where a zombie's lower half walks on its own is great). The problems i found where in the acting. Because of the low budget most of the Aussie actors aren't fully professional and at times it shows.Also, the plot starts out great but towards the end it becomes to complicated and over the top. Still, this is a good, fun film that should entertain lovers of both comedy and horror.

The Mission (1986)

Bring it back!!

[9/10 · 17 August 2002]

This is without a doubt the best film I have ever seen! This film took me to a place and time that I have never seen before in a mainstream film. Never before have i become so emotionally involved in a film. The characters portrayed in this movie are characters with strength, courage and determination. The excellent cinematography taken of the breathtaking jungles of South America along with the beautiful music by Ennio Moricone makes this film a masterpiece.

Since I'm only 14, dramas aren't exactly my cup of tea so i was very reluctant to see this film. But for many years of my parents talking about how great this film was i finally decided to see it. I looked at the awards won by this film and was very disappointed that it only won Best Cinematography at the Oscars. Talk about underrated!! I told my friends about this film and absolutely none of them had even heard of it. This movie deserves to be re-released in cinemas so that the present generation may enjoy this incredible movie on the big screen.

This film deserves nothing less than 10/10.