stephenhinton Reviews

Little Fockers (2010)

It really is that bad....!

[1/10 · 28 December 2010]

So the third film in the hugely successful franchise as been thrust upon on us, but it is far from a welcome addition to the family.

The main reason is it's just devoid of any originality whatsoever and is just complete recycling job of excellent first two outings and one where you can only use the father-son-in-law 'interrogation' theme for so long before it wears incredibly thin. Even the title 'Little Fockers' would have been a good indicator that the main objective and jokes would have centred around the kids but the truth is they have very little screen time in the film.

When screen legends of Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel and Dustin Hoffman received the script they must have been thinking "not much to do here, except just pickup an easy pay cheque".

The film also introduces a new character in the way of Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba) all I can say it's the most annoying character forced upon us since Jar Jar Binks in the 'Phantom Menace'

The only plus point to come out of the film is during it' end credits where there is a hilarious re-mix video. Apologies if this review sounds over the top but this film really is that bad and is the reason why I am giving my first ever 1* rating

Inception (2010)

A compelling Nolan masterpiece, where the dream is very much real....

[10/10 · 28 July 2010]

There a very few film directors in this world that are allowed to pitch a complex and completely original concept to a studio and walk away with a budget to the tune of $200 million and make it, that said your name is Christopher Nolan and your last movie was The Dark Knight that did break all box office receipts, so exception granted.

With Inception Nolan invites you into the world of the dream to explore alternate realities where the rules don't exist and this all sounds intriguing for a film that is essentially at it's core is a perfect classic heist story.

The story sees Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) who is an extractor paid by sinister corporations who makes a questionable living by stealing the innermost ideas of powerful tycoons. He does so by infiltrating their dreams with the help of a team of operatives and a mysterious dream-sharing device. But then, as if fate had decided after a failed attempt at extracting information from one business executive Saito (Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai), he is offered a job by the very same man. This time, however, must plant a new idea 'Inception' in the competitor's mind of Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy, Batman Begins), rather than extract it.

Nolan has ensemble a stellar cast to play out this story but it DiCaprio who gives an astonishing almost flawless like performance and his best since Blood Diamond to steal the show and surely it is finally time for that first Oscar to be awarded. He is backed up by his right hand man, the Organiser Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer), Forger (Tom Hardy,RocknRolla) who gives a humorous performance. Marion Cotillard (Public Enemies) gives the film its emotional weight playing Cobb's wife Mal, Ellen Page (Ariadne) finally manages to step out from under the Juno stereotype, playing the Architect who is suspicious of Cobb's motives. Then there are the Nolan regulars Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe and Michael Caine, all of whom are vastly underused but nevertheless are still a pleasure to watch.

The visual effects in 'Inception' are nothing short of breathless and are of the original kind that haven't been since like the Matrix, where you have exploding buildings, folding cities to zero-gravity suspended bodies. If that's not enough, there is also one sequence reminiscent of a James Bond movie with the team members decked out in matching winter gear and skis, fighting their way across a snowy landscape, whilst all the time these effects are beating to a pulsating Hans Zimmer score.

Nolan really as outshone himself here since creating that near perfect movie of The Dark Knight two years ago, Inception is a bold, inventive and complex piece of film at heart and one that will take multiple viewings to fully appreciate beauty and genius from different perspectives that was much needed like The Usual Suspects and to flush out any flaws, if any. We know Christopher Nolan has signed on for Batman 3, but can he really top this…5*****

Cemetery Junction (2010)

A delightful warming British tale.....

[8/10 · 15 April 2010]

'Cemetery Junction' is Gervais's second attempt at directing a major film, and in my book a far better offering than first with 'Invention of Lying'

This is a simple coming of age British tale that takes place in 1970's Reading and centres on three best friends who are desperate to escape the confines of being in the working town forever.

What Gervais does well here that he takes time and with great effect to develop each characters story. We have the story of Freddie Taylor (Cooke) for whom the story largely centres around, who is out of the 'trio' who wants to make a change to his life the most. Up next we have Bruce Pearson (Hughes) and is estranged relationship and his father. Lastly we have Snork (Jack Doolan) who is brilliant in this, but I was let down by his story as they didn't explore his background at all!

To sum up I left the cinema with a warm feeling after being entertained by this delightful film that is full of good jokes and with a kick-ass soundtrack to boot.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

An entertaining sequel on a grander scale....

[6/10 · 2 June 2009]

So here we are again with another sequel made to cash in on the 2006 surprise hit - but is it worthy of a new adventure? I am a little divided on this front and by that I mean the first film was a fresh idea and this one just seems like take a hit 'movie' and give it a larger budget which you can clearly see in this film but do not come up with any new and exciting plot.

That's not to say it was a bad film because it is not and was very much entertaining with lots of new characters and funny moments with Amelia Earhart , Kahmunrah, The Thinker, Abe Lincoln , Al Capone, General Custer and a host of others. To me Amy Adams is perfect in this movie as a cute and sassy Earhart and is fast becoming a brilliant actress. Also Hank Azaria playing the part of Kahmunrah will have you laughing on many occasions and I think it is these two who carry the movie. Stiller is good as usual but does not do anything amazing new and I certainly was disappointed with Owen Wilson as Jedediah who was brilliant in the first adventure but was really left not wanting to do much in this one.

The special effects good especially the scenes with the pictures on the wall which are new and inventive. All in all I would say go and see the film and it will keep you entertained but do not really expect anything new

Angels & Demons (2009)

An entertaining film...just not the great one it could have been

[5/10 · 20 May 2009]

First and foremost Angels & Demons has lots missing from the book where pages upon pages seem to have been left on the script floor and for good reason otherwise it would have stretched into a 4 hour movie! And soon becomes apparent this where director Ron Howard seems to have changed tactics from the first offering of the Dan Brown franchise in that the Da Vinci code left you constantly confused at times as this doesn't and he serves up an action paced average thriller. The story centres around Harvard Symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks) who is summoned by the Vatican (after the sudden death of the pope) to solve a new threat involving a small problem of anti-matter which gets stolen from the infamous CERN by an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati who along the way have kidnapped four cardinals.

Teaming up with Langdon to play this cat and mouse game is CERN scientist Vittoria Vetra (Zurer) who thought would have been a bit of a love interest for Langdon...but no thankfully Howard doesn't allow for this.

The other main character in the film is Irish speaking Patrick Mckenna played by Ewan McGregor who appears as the villain from a long way off but McGregor does giving a convincing performance in this role.

So as Langdon and Vetra rush from cathedral to cathedral solving the puzzles in the eight hour time-frame before the anti-matter explodes wiping out the entire city and it is here that Ron Howard gives the film its best bits with stunning sets of Rome and it is quite easily to see that this is where most of the budget as been spent.

There are two problems with the end of the film which appear very unbelievable as you will see for yourself if you choose to watch it.

I think Ron Howard sold stick to make first rate films such as Apollo Thirteen and Frost\Nixon and next time leave the Dan Brown novels at home because it is to clear to see it hasn't worked with the first two outings.

To summarise then if you want be entertained for two and a bit hours by an average thriller then please go and watch A&D but don't expect the book version and remember as with all great novels....they do not always make great films.

Coraline (2009)

Terrifying and Beautiul....an instant magical classic

[10/10 · 11 May 2009]

Having just watched Coraline it is with out doubt a magical film.

The story centres around Neil Gaiman's beautiful story telling of 'Coraline Jone's' a feisty, very grown up 11 year old girl imaginably voiced by Dakota Fanning who has just moved to new town and house along with her parents voiced by Terr Hatcher and John Hodgman who seem to have no time for there daughter their busy stressed out life's.

So it is here that Coraline sets about exploring the new house which appears sometimes creepy at times and discovers a secret door which upon opening takes our heroine into another parallel world. This new world seems exciting, magical and full of vibrant colour unlike the drained out real one she is used to...and this new world seems perfect...or it would seem? It is here that Henry Selick jaw dropping and exquisite stop motion animation takes place and in my book this even better than The Nightmare Before Christmas - and one that's gives Pixar a run for their money. The arch of an eyebrow perfectly expressing a character's attitude, the shine on the icing of a cake making it look edible and this will shine Oscar time next year.

As we are entering the year of 3-D films (and I cannot wait to see what Avatar as to offer) I recommend you seek out a cinema that is showing it in this as this adds another magical dimension to the film.

Yes as some reviews might say on here the film may appear a little scary at times for children...but does it? Because as children we all know when we were younger we used the dream about that other magical world...and this film is also not just for children.