MarcusJ13 Reviews

Dumb and Dumber To (2014)

Tired but only lazy at times.

[4/10 · 24 December 2014]

Note: It's not really a spoiler but mentions the end credits, inserting this just in case.

It has been 20 years since the original Dumb and Dumber and it a mere minutes into this film it becomes clear that the spirit of the original has long gone. As soon as ''Boom Shack-A-Lak'' entered the scene I had a slight feeling of optimism that was soon dashed. I have not posted a review in a long while but I felt compelled to write one for this film as it left me asking questions like ''did they even watch the original?'' In ''Dumb and Dumber To'' we have a film that sees the original and cranks up the gags. In this film we see Harry and Lloyd going to track down Harry's daughter in search of a new kidney. There are other parts to the plot that involve criminals and the like that I can't really remember too well even though I saw it yesterday as I write. We get the obligatory road trip section of the film with a passenger in tow as Harry and Lloyd also attempt to deliver an important package to Harry's daughter at a conference. One of the good things about the last film was that even in the form of the criminal characters we found ourselves identifying with them as Harry and Lloyd did their dumb antics.

There were times when due to Daniels and Carrey's chemistry they were genuinely having fun at the expense of the other actors. In this we tired gags that fall flat long before the execution. It is true that the characters were silly all along but they were altogether as the title says ''dumb.'' It seems the Farrelly's are making the gags massively silly at all times to grab our attention. That style of humour doesn't work for the best here as rather than embracing the comedy (I do anyway) we feel tired by the constant almost jabbing at the viewer. There were a few moments that made me crack a smile but that clearly wasn't the intention of the film. We also get a sub plot about Lloyd developing a crush on Harry's daughter which feels forced and predictable, we see it coming from a mile off even if you hadn't seen the trailer. The supporting characters are barely worth a mention, they don't feel particularly real and don't bounce off our protagonists very well at all. I will say Jeff Daniels does better than Carrey, maybe it's because we've seen the Carrey shtick but he comes off as a bit more naturally funny and he was the one that made me think the film could be saved. Ultimately the film serves as a nostalgia trip for those who liked and loved the first film where we receive the callbacks we didn't ask for but didn't completely resent receiving. It did make me just want to watch the original. In summary though this is a film that if made should have been made around 15 years ago not when the actors are in their fifties and 20 years after the original, the end credits with clips from the original film feels like rubbing salt in the wound. The jokes ultimately work hard but don't deliver, it is a shame because I can tell the Farrellys really put some effort into this film. The biggest problem it had though is that it makes the original film's humour look subtle by comparison. Considering that film, some of it's jokes and the fact that it was a gross-out comedy starring Jim Carrey called ''Dumb and Dumber'' that is truly saying something.

The Expendables 2 (2012)

More of the same

[6/10 · 18 September 2012]

The Expendables 2 is a film that knows what is required of it but its problems lie not with being bad per Se but with how it has been written. It starts out playing it completely straight and to be fair it pulls it off slightly. It is fun to watch and at the same time tries to somewhat build a story even if its in a very ridiculous sense. The team go for what should be an easy paycheck but get more than they bargained for when one of their team dies. All of the cast are back save for Jet Li who despite what the marketing says is used to only a very small degree. Apart from this though Sylvester Stallone does at least attempt to enhance the film into having an ensemble cast save for the climax. All of them do what is expected but in my view Dolph Lundgren steals the show with a humorous performance. There is a shed load of action which is a great deal of fun and does triumph at times. To the film's credit it does not attempt to shy away from what it was always meant to be and delivers an enormous amount of action and of course one liners, etc. The problems with the film though lie in the fact that it can't decide whether or not it wants to be satirical, with some especially cringe worthy but amusing lines being used to this effect. It is almost like it is deciding it wants to take a heavy handed satirical touch late on in the film. It it however quite a lot of fun and is worth a watch, you will absolutely know what you are in for though when you see the film.

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

Not a lot to tell

[6/10 · 5 September 2012]

The Bourne Legacy can't seem to decide what it wants to be and once you sort of gather what it wants to be you are quite underwhelmed. Set in the aftermath of Jason Bourne's story, the film picks up with a new agent Aaron Cross who's like Jason Bourne only he's not. The film consists of the usual people looking at large screens, using headsets trying to decipher what's going on while attempting to get the bottom of the Aaron Cross character. At least that is what I gathered from the film. There wasn't really much else to really take into account. Cross, a member of another agency (not Treadstone) requires pills all the time and needs help from Dr Martha Shearing to obtain. Meanwhile there are the computer screens as mentioned. The film's key problem is that it spends a great deal of time on exposition and pseudo attempts to explain what on Earth is going on. The trouble is that it fails. All of the flaws in the film are attributed to writing as I came out thinking 'okay then' and not much else. The acting is at least very good and Renner in particularly tries to bring something to a role that not many probably wanted. That is the film really it didn't really have much of a story to tell which is why it is of course left quite open ended, I say open ended. It is more like the film had stopped and then the obligatory cue Moby. All in all The Bourne Legacy is not bad and would probably be good for a rental as the action is very good and well shot. It just has little else to offer.

Ted (2012)

Supremely funny if over dependent on pop culture gags

[7/10 · 21 August 2012]

Ted is a film that if you didn't know it was headed by Seth MacFarlane, you would after about five minutes if that. The premise about a Teddy Bear growing up and living with a man is one that has been utilised very well. It does not hide from the fact that it is a very silly premise and does in fact celebrate it. Where the film has its weakness is where the humour is almost too synonymous with MacFarlane. A deluge of 80's nostalgia and pop culture gags reach the forefront of the film. If you do not like this sort of humour where there are references galore, some of which are a little too in your face and out of place. It depends on the patience you have for these pop culture gags. In Family Guy they can be prone to becoming severely out of place and too random to be funny. In Ted though they are, at least for MacFarlane kept in moderation. The leads in Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis do very well and seem completely natural in parts that would be difficult to play otherwise. Wahlberg especially stands out and gets just as funny as Ted himself. Ted (voiced by MacFarlane) is of course the stand out character, his only flaw is possibly that his behaviour is too predictable at times, regardless he is very funny and does actually provide many laugh out loud moments. Plot wise it takes very predictable turns but its just a fun comedy and I anyway at least got over the fact relatively quickly. The film is funny, its key weakness is just that the humour is effectively very concentrated.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

A fitting finale.

[7/10 · 31 July 2012]

The Dark Knight Rises was probably the most hyped film of the summer but my oh my did it deliver. After The Dark Knight it seemed clear that this film tried to make epic in every way and for the most part it succeeds. The film starts as a huge downer with Batman out of the game and an impending attack on Gotham unbeknown to the people of the city, being in peace time supposedly. At a massive 164 minutes the film was always going to be a slow burner but it did very well in its first act. New characters Bane and Selina Kyle are introduced brilliantly and instantly at that. Bane works brilliantly as a villain, becoming intimidating as soon as he appeared on screen. This carried on throughout the film and we saw a genuine villain that is capable of physically challenging Batman in a way that we have not seen in the series before. Much has been said of Bane's voice being difficult to understand but personally I didn't find any trouble. Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle gave a memorable performance, they did not succumb to the 'thief with a heart of gold' and turned out to be more ruthless than I expected her to be. If the film has a flaw, its that it lags slightly in the second act where we are in some parts waiting for the climax. This is made up however in the fact that the action scenes are brilliantly shot with many fight scenes being well shot as well. Past films in the series, specifically Batman Begins made the fight scenes in particular difficult to decipher what is going on. This film practically eradicates that and it becomes clear from the scenes with Batman and Bane this was intended. Elsewhere performances were strong from the likes of Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and managed to convey the emotion when they needed to. Overall the film was a very fitting finale to a fantastic series which for want of a better phrase redefined the Batman character.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Familiar and contrasting at the same time

[6/10 · 23 July 2012]

The Amazing-Spider Man is clearly a film that wants to bring the character back to roots completely. The problem here is that the story is very familiar given how recent Sam Raimi's films were and bar a couple of characters being replaced with new ones this one feels very familiar still. The difference here is a sort of pseudo realistic approach for the character. It was never going to be a case of Spider- Man being completely realistic as he is a man bitten by a radioactive spider and given superpowers while the villain is a man who's literally turned into a giant lizard. The partly realistic approach comes from the fact that there are explanations made for the suit and the webs are not organic and are now made mechanically by Peter Parker himself. Small details in the origin remain the same such as Uncle Ben, but the film does feel fresh. We do not actually see Spider-Man until a long while into the film and while this is not an unusual tactic for superhero films it simply felt like this may have been better suited to a TV series format as it paved the way for a massive change in shift once the villain storyline in particular got going. Action wise, the film looks amazing. There is great weight to the action scenes and there does feel like tension. All the actors did a good job with a special mention for Andrew Garfield in the title role. He managed to bring back the wit of Spider-Man in a very good way and I felt as if he delivered it well. At least I didn't find him annoying in the way he could have been. All in all the film is enjoyable, it does not blow you away however with more action it could have done. But it provided sterling entertainment and actually made the effort to tell a story without over indulging.

Killer Joe (2011)

Run of the mill but often compelling

[7/10 · 16 July 2012]

I've heard 'Killer Joe' be referred to as a black comedy in some circles and it is a statement I disagree with. The film starts out at an extremely bleak tone, the premise represents dysfunction at its very worst. It is not in a sitcom sense by all means, this is a family very willing to resort to killing to get insurance money. The intriguing aspect is the fact that 'Killer Joe' is a police officer as well. While Matthew McConaughey is not known for his more intimidating roles he certainly carries it well here. While it seemed to take a great deal of time for the character to become fully intimidating he after that time passed he stole the show and you really believed that this was a dangerous man, a man who works for law enforcement no less. The rest of the family were very well cast and totally believable in the roles. They were pathetic when they needed to be and endearing (albeit very rarely) when they needed to be. The flaws may be that some scenes were very abrupt and could have done with more explanation or simple character development. In earlier parts of the film it felt as though some scenes were just served as having the characters be there with the audience fill in the blanks surrounding their personalities and attributes. The key aspect here is the very fact that the audience will not be oblivious and be able to establish these characters quickly. In a different film it would have perhaps taken a different approach and planted more exposition. It was perhaps a strength then for this film in particular. All in all it is a decent film, too dark for a black comedy and only really comedic for a certain kind of humour, a very niche kind in this respect.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

It comes and goes

[7/10 · 9 July 2012]

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a film that appears to either be just a title joke or a joke trailer. It is difficult to envisage a film really coming out of this. The film does bring an origin to the Vampire hunting and doesn't attempt to dump the viewer straight into the action. However the film's run time means it struggles and makes it very sloppy. We get an origin but it is again a very sloppy one. It's nothing that you didn't see coming and fails to blow you away at any point. The film simply doesn't offer anything refreshing but it is fairly enjoyable bringing plenty of action throughout. The action starts out very well but then descends into what many action films become. A particular action scene involving a stampede of horses feels like it has no weight to it. It would look spectacular in an animated film but the CGI hasn't progressed enough where a large group of animals can look realistic in an action film. It looked like a flurry of images. The film does succeed in being engaging with the final action scene making up for any loss of weight in the previous action sequences. Acting wise it is just satisfactory where the performances are decent enough. I never really quite feel the pain that Lincoln is going through surrounding his mourning but its probably because we have this sort of thing many times before. Overall the film is a decent action yarn but does not really bring anything new but does entertain for the most part.

Casa de mi Padre (2012)

Amusing yet never reaches hilarious heights.

[6/10 · 28 June 2012]

Casa de mi Padre is a film that looks fairly promising but never one that can compete with Will Ferrell's best. The premise is that the Alvarez brothers find themselves embroiled in a war against Mexico's premier drug lord. Acknowledging the fact that it is a comedy running at around 85 minutes it is never going to be definitive for comedy but on the surface could have provided some great laughs. In essence it doesn't, there are times where it does get funny. The majority of the film is just trying to fish for the humour. It seems as if the film sometimes try to have semi-subtle humour but at other times goes for all out gags. The similarity here is that it only brings mild chuckles at the very most. There are aspects similar to for example Anchorman in some of the more violent jokes but never quite feel as funny. Ferrell himself is funny and you always knew he was going to be the star. The film simply struggles to demonstrate hilarity in any way its trying. The film does get better as it progresses, and this is where is more action and the gags are put on the more bizarre level. The film is not bad by any means but it is just something that doesn't blow you away with hilarity. Looking at its themes it is a send up and if you look at it as a send up then it is quite good. There are moments that are a terrific parody but never really get funny enough to become memorable.

Prometheus (I) (2012)

Very familiar yet scary in places.

[6/10 · 22 June 2012]

Prometheus is just a loose prequel of the Alien and that is how I took it, the format is nothing original and if you've seen Sci-Fi about discovery usually involving an expedition it will be very familiar. The characters work pretty much how you'd all expect them to. The plot basically involves a team who discover a clue to the origin of mankind and follow it up to a faraway planet. Like I say if you've seen these kinds of films before you will simply know what to expect from them. The token freak out character who backs out as soon as he sees something unusual but has been in the mission for a long time prior. The heroine, the corporate (borderline in this case) villain and so on. They are adept in their performances but never blow away, going into this film familiar with the Alien series, you are just waiting for some of the more horrific elements to kick in. When they do kick in they are genuinely horrifying and shows that Ridley Scott really knows how to direct it properly especially with the way it is shot. The film is in general shot very well and feels like very much an epic. There are many scenes shot in the dark so the film will work best in 2D as it will supplement the feeling of claustrophobia. Michael Fassbender was the stand out performance in what was very Hal '2001' like but still fairly unique. In a plethora of stock characters he was the one who stood out and made his role his. The decision to make cast Guy Pearce as Weyland was interesting but strange, an older actor may have brought more credibility to the character as knowing who Guy Pearce is has just made it a little odd in this way. Overall Prometheus is decent but one that just becomes too stock with too noticeable plot holes.

Men in Black³ (2012)

A worthy sequel

[7/10 · 14 June 2012]

The Men in Black series was surprisingly brought back with this film, it is at least a decent sequel and one that outperforms the second film in every sense. The film at least tries to change direction with Josh Brolin taking the role as Agent Jay's Partner. Tommy Lee Jones role in the Men in Black 2 seemed very tired and unnecessary for the character, in this it was worthwhile that Lee Jones took a back foot. Will Smith of course plays Jay and expect the exact same performance as before. He does at least find himself in a new environment as the film does bring at least some originality in taking it to a new time period where Jay goes back in time to save Young Agent K from murder. Josh Brolin does a brilliant job in the role of Young K as he actually delivers a fantastic Tommy Lee Jones impression. It does seem that it is about as close to what a Young K would be like and turned out to be great casting. There are not a huge amount of laughs in the film and it seems to be played more as an action with 'Boris the Animal' working as the best villain in the series since Edgar, although he is no where near as funny. The action is played out quite well and the effects never look too fake. While trying to avoid spoilers the film plays out how you would expect. I will say that Smith and Brolin made a good pairing and a good alternative the to the Lee Jones and Smith partnership. All in all a decent entry into the series and one that at least partially makes up for the mess of Men in Black 2.

The Dictator (2012)

Very funny in both silly and satirical sense

[8/10 · 6 June 2012]

The Dictator is a film slightly different from Sacha Baron Cohen's previous work but it does take advantage of its scripted nature. Baron Cohen plays Admiral General Aladeen who travels to New York to speak to the United Nations. While not knowing his brother and rightful heir to Wadiya has other plans. Straight away there are jokes that come thick and fast. These jokes open with the silly, this was a move I preferred as a satirical outlook right away would be detrimental to what is supposed to be a fun film. Baron Cohen does very well in the role and seems more naturally funny than he was as the character of Bruno. In non mockumentary mode though the laughs do not come as thick and fast but when they do it is very hysterical. Anna Faris does brilliantly in the role of Health food shop owner and Aladeen's only form of support while he is a fish out of water. The key strength of the film is probably its ability to have Aladeen able to be funny with any other character on screen. The satirical aspect is not as in your face as it could have been and it does make for as equal opportunity as you can get in terms of targets. Some may feel there is an agenda being played at plenty of times within the film but it doesn't feel preachy and just tends to take a swipe rather than bombard its targets. All in all the film succeeds at what it needs to do providing both the zaniness required to add to the satire.

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Intense and adrenaline pumping

[8/10 · 27 May 2012]

The Raid is a film set out by Gareth Evans to be a seriously intense film of a SWAT team taking out criminals in a apartment block. It sets this out and it duly delivers, the close shots of the team even as they just travel in latches onto this and we can see the narrow margins that bestow them. The film does very well on a small budget and takes a lot of practical effects and delivers them well. The start of the film consists of mostly shoot out between the team and the thugs. The sheer noise and intensity of the stand off made it more realistic. When watching big budget films usually put in larger setting I for one never really believe that they are firing but in this film I completely believed it and without trying to sound too cliché about it I really believed I was in the room with them. It continues this way most of the film with the hand to hand combat scenes thankfully not shot in shaky cam. The dialogue is much to be expected and doesn't stand out as anything special but the acting is decent throughout and there aren't really any cheesy death scenes or over the top emotional moments. It works in a video game sense with many fights leading up to the final boss if you will. It is certainly not for the faint hearted and is just about as gritty as a martial arts film can get. There are no real scenes consisting of a beat down and the the recipient simply crawling off screen. You see the details in some graphic detail and this may put some people off straight away. All in all, do check out The Raid, it is a chilling film at times and the action is brilliantly done on such a small budget.

American Reunion (2012)

A fun film mostly for the fans

[7/10 · 21 May 2012]

It's been a long time since the American Pie series hit screens but gladly it was at least not a complete rehash. The film is mostly a nostalgia trip for the characters and once again attempts an ensemble but focuses mostly on Jim and Michelle as they are the ones with the stale marriage at the moment. The film is quite brisk in length so it is more or less why it struggles to truly be an ensemble. Of course at some point we get the cameo reel of minor characters as seen in the previous films. Regardless if you are familiar with the series you will appreciate this. There are still the crass jokes that have become the staple and you know pretty much straight away how the jokes will probably progress but I found them funny. If you are not familiar with the films then it will look like a case a simply rinse and repeat. Some however will enjoy the delivery of the jokes. They appeal to a certain sense of humour and you are going to know whether you want to see this film or not straight away just by seeing some of the previews. Maybe it was expected but Jim's dad truly stole the show seeing him trying to fit in with parties and join the likes of Jim in their escapades. Stifler was very much a character enjoyed more in moderation than previous films. Thankfully he never got to annoying and always maintained his humour.

Overall there isn't too much else to say about the film, it has a mixture of cringe and laugh out loud moments still making for a decent nostalgia ride.

The Avengers (2012)

Everything you could have wanted

[9/10 · 8 May 2012]

The Avengers was a film with so much hype it was of course difficult to see it really living up to expectations. The film absolutely does and then some, wasting little time with exposition we meet all the characters fairly quickly making for an impressive feat in that the film ran at over two hours. If you have seen at least some of the films starring these characters you will be more than aware of them, but even if you haven't it is not difficult to pick up on the characters that have had their own films. In the case of The Hulk it really doesn't matter. So newcomers are welcome but some familiarity with Thor may be of preference although personally I didn't have it. In terms of the development it seemed as though there was an inevitability that some would get the upper hand. Namely Iron Man, Captain America and Thor with some coming for the Hulk. The likes of Black Widow and Hawkeye having less but still getting enough to get by, even if Black Widow's felt a little like it was produced in short bursts.

Even early in the film I felt like Iron Man was stealing the show, this felt like a strength as egos can become rife in the characters if they are not written properly. Luckily we didn't have to endure poorly written blanket egos on screen. The Hulk was probably the character that stole the show throughout the entire film at least outside of the villain Loki. The Hulk was approached in a humorous manner devoid of complete seriousness from Eric Bana's and semi seriousness from Edward Norton's. The character is played in some way for comedic effect and once the Hulk is on screen he has the largest presence out of all of characters and Mark Ruffalo played it brilliantly knowing exactly what he was there for. Back to Loki, where he worked as a strong villain never quite making for a hammy comic book villain tailored for a family audience or the dark interpretation that has become typically associated with Christopher Nolan's Batman films. In terms of action it was excellent, earlier parts of the film were lacking light at all so it may be worth missing 3D. However the action later in the film worked brilliantly in 3D, especially for a post conversion. For some viewers it may bring back memories of Transformers: Dark of The Moon but at no point was it a cluster of images. The Avengers works as a film not requiring multiple things happening on screen and unlike the Transformers films the action always stayed exciting and left you wanting more. It also utilises humour in a brilliant way using it fairly frequently without reaching gag territory. All in all it is a very fun film and should you not like superhero films (because if you do you don't need me to tell you to see it)then you should just see it as it works as just a fun and sometimes epic summer blockbuster.

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

A somewhat horror but overall semi-satirical

[7/10 · 27 April 2012]

The Cabin in the Woods is a difficult film to review with regards to spoilers but I'll give it a shot trying to encapsulate what I think the film-makers are trying to put across. The Cabin in the Woods is clearly a satire from the outset, in 2012, bar remakes, reboots and the like horror tends to always attempt a new turn and while watching this film I found it most welcoming. The semi-satirical aspect comes as I saw it as a film that seemed to celebrate (or make fun of) the stock characters that make up the horror films that you would consider this a part of and for the most part it is decent at doing so. The characters in this film don't seem nearly as annoying as they tend to be in these films. Maybe that is just my perception but it seemed to be a deliberate act on the part of the film-makers.

The film does manage to produce some genuine scares though mostly in earlier parts of the film. A positive is that the film does get more interesting as it progresses. None of the actors tended to stand out and just seemed to do just enough to make for a decent cast. Without trying to go into too much detail, it does provide plenty of aspects that would please horror fans and does seem to be a celebration of the genre without being too meta. I will say it is not for the faint hearted and if you don't like films which try to be many things in a short amount of time this may not be the film for you. Again without moving into spoiler territory that is where I believe the film has its flaws where it does try to do too much. Overall it is a decent film and if you like horror with some satire thrown in then you should give it a go.

21 Jump Street (2012)

Hilarious albeit in all the ways you've seen before.

[8/10 · 27 March 2012]

Looking at 21 Jump Street simply from it's promotional material it appeared to be just the typical cliché undercover cop comedy that we've seen before. Having watched it, is it? Well yes but it stands out for celebrating it for what it is and not insulting the audience. We have our two leads the good looking one and the typical nerd like fat one. They knew each other in school and couldn't stand each other, now they are friends as adults. Again not unusual in the slightest but the film succeeds in constantly throwing jokes that you don't really have too much time to notice the clichés. They go undercover the infiltrate a new drug craze in a school and inevitably they end up succumbing to the drugs at some point as well as enjoying themselves a little too much. There is of course the meta humour involved with mentions of 'an old program brought back from the 80's,' didn't get too much of a laugh in my particular screening but made me chuckle. And let's face it by the time you've sat down to watch you've only yourself to blame for not knowing what's in store. The film has decent performances from our two leads but in my opinion the stand out was Channing Tatum who just seemed to be more naturally funny in the role. However Jonah Hill's actions did bring more laughs at times. There is plenty of action and you more or less need to pay attention as there almost seems to fit in more jokes at these points to go along with the fast paced sequences. Other characters were decent and it was funny to see our leads attempt to fit in with the changed high school personalities from their days. This was where Channing Tatum particularly stood out. All in all it comes down to many things you see coming but learn to have fun with it enjoy the silliness and you may enjoy. It has beaten recent attempts at buddy cop comedies hands down.

Project X (2012)

Does what is says on the tin

[6/10 · 22 March 2012]

Project X is a straight up comedy about some traditional losers trying to throw a party to celebrate a birthday and of course boost their status. It's 2012 so the notion of teenage parties has been around for a while of course and what the film makers have aimed to do is just try and make a fun film and they succeeded for the most part. There are of course the clichés about our main character wanting to get close to a girl he's had a long term crush on. The fat friend, the well meaning but ultimately reckless friend chiefly responsible for the whole incident and of course the protagonist and teen who's parents have left him for the weekend desperate to keep things under control. They are all here and if you can't handle that then this film won't be for you and that's fine. It does know that, above all it's requirement from it's audience are laughs and there are plenty of them. All of which stem from lets face what we've seen before. As the party progresses it was fun to see just how far the party was going to go even if it did feel a little tired at times it is still enjoyable. The lesson is to expect the expected when viewing this film because then as the chaos ensues you may end up enjoying it. It is not perfect by all means and the writing can despite my compliments get lazy in terms of humour. Overall though it's worth a rental if you just want a few cheap laughs and let's face it that's what the film makers were going for.

The Artist (I) (2011)

Different and brilliant

[9/10 · 29 February 2012]

The Artist came as a film that I had pretty neutral expectations going into, despite it's positive reception I still wondered simply from a personal point of view how it could sustain itself. I was pleased with how it played out. It plays out in quite a quick fashion and certainly isn't slowly paced, this was perhaps recognised by the film makers as a silent film perhaps may be bemoaned if its pacing wasn't up to scratch. When I say this I mean once I knew the plot I was surprised as to how quickly the pace got going. This was a genius move as it made for a film which didn't lag. In this we see George Valentin wonder if the arrival of talking films will cause his downfall. There is a great sense of his attitudes and as the film continues we really feel for him, while at the same time becoming immersed in Peppy Miller's story. We of course see much of hers in the form of montages which I didn't mind as despite the overall brisk running time she along with our other lead was developed, at the same time enjoying seeing her rise to fame. The two leads were a joy to watch, from Valentin's point of view we see his willing ignorance to the threat of 'talkies' without the aid of audible dialogue we see him kidding himself and the inevitable decline. On the other hand it could be said it made for a predictable outcome, once you know the plot you know how much is going to play out. However the film had a great amount of heart and was brilliantly acted without despite predictability wasn't too clichéd, hammy or melodramatic. I always think once the audience is routing for the characters the film makers are at least somewhat succeeding and it was more than the case here. Personally I thought they would fill it with a larger cast but was pleased when it was kept to a premium as well as the run time. It made the pacing stronger and kept my great interest in the story itself. To summarise it is a treat, something different and well worth watching for if nothing else great performances.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

Formulaic fun

[7/10 · 3 January 2012]

So we get another Mission Impossible film and by this point I have pretty neutral expectations. The series has been on a see saw trend with a brilliant first film, a dire second film and a decent third. By that logic this one would return to the dire or dire like nature of the second. It doesn't. 'Ghost Protocol' certainly makes for a fast paced film that knows by now that too much exposition outside of 'your mission if you choose to accept it' is not going to down too well with an audience hungry for action and already familiar with the concept. It starts at a decent pace making for interesting viewing as we see Ethan in prison. From there on in action en sews and you don't need me to tell you too much about it.

If you have seen any of these films before you'll get the gist straight away. It does make for a decent introduction and gives us our lead character Ethan once again well played by Tom Cruise. Of course it is not where the main plot takes place but rather kicks in at the Kremlin where it really starts to go down and Ethan and his team must clear the IMF's name after a bombing. When I say formulaic it kicks in at the beginning but nonetheless it is very fun. From here on in the action is well shot and to be fair there is plenty of tension. Performances wise they do a decent job, this time with four leads only really Paula Patton who was weak in some areas but to be fair made up for it in others. Jeremy Renner being a good newcomer to the series and Simon Pegg of course providing the comic relief. He was very annoying in parts, probably due to the fact he has a much bigger role this time round. You can more or less guess what is going to happen at various points but it is still a good action film. It is some of the best in the series and didn't feel too over the top. It certainly looked like they had learnt their lesson after the second film. To summarise it is decent, although by now it knows what sort of film goer will see it and provides a good enough ride for those who already know what they're getting into.

The Rum Diary (2011)

A decent if somewhat easily forgotten film

[7/10 · 20 November 2011]

Without knowing anything about the back story I could go into this film with a completely open mind. The film had Johnny Depp in a role he again did well in as the journalist who sees a powerful man's plan to make the ultimate resort on an island. He is certainly believable as an every man in this sense. Most of the times it is difficult to really envisage him as this sort of character but he does it fairly well here. I however thought that Aaron Eckhart was better cast where in the rest of the characters we see who portrays more than the characters themselves. Amber Heard was well Amber Heard and she never managed to really develop a chemistry with any characters and really didn't make the role her own. Pacing wise it felt like some scenes were longer than they should have been and possibly could have focused elsewhere. There were some great laughs mostly involving Depp and Michael Rispoli as Sala most notably the driving scenes in the beginning of the film. It is not always comedic and does manage to balance the comedy with the seriousness even though it doesn't always feel like authentic seriousness. The film follows a formula I cannot speak for the novel but this film just feels like it comes and goes without too much of an impact. I wish I could talk more about it but it is just that. It comes and goes and that is about it.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

A new idea that eventually got plagued by old concepts

[7/10 · 28 August 2011]

I thought it was interesting that someone decided that these two could mix and thought done properly could end up becoming a modern day classic. While this film builds a great deal of tension in the beginning with our protagonist and wanted man Jake (Daniel Craig) showing himself to be ruthless cowboy unafraid of taking any action he pleases. He has also lost his memory unaware of any crimes he has committed. Something in which I am glad they did as I was afraid that they would make him out to be too much of a law abiding cowboy with a slight dark side. We know what he is and we are supposed to root for him but there is a large villainous side to him. I am glad they took this approach. Anyway while at the start they took this approach I was expecting a fairly dark film. Although later on there are pockets of humour inserted in. I minded this at first but as the film progressed I realised it was a good thing it didn't take itself too seriously. Craig does do well in the role and the rest of the characters do play off him quite well. When the aliens do arrive while the action scenes were fairly standard the effects were brilliant and didn't look like plain Computer Generated Images. Due to this the action scenes looked very good on screen. Harrison Ford was the most memorable character in my opinion though with a performance only he can give really stealing the show in many scenes.

Olivia Wilde was okay I just wish they'd written her character better then we might have had a more dynamic female lead, something which this film was sorely missing. The inevitable romance between her and Jake played out as standard but fortunately didn't drag the story down. Going back to effects the aliens themselves looked brilliant and quite unique managing to look genuinely scary bringing some frightening moments. Not to mention being looking very realistic. The reason I say old concepts about this film is because it plays out just how you would expect it too. Maybe I was expecting too much but it needed something more in order to make it memorable and be a little less predictable. On paper it looked like it could be really dynamic and deliver as it turns out it failed to. On the other hand it is enjoyable despite sliding between slightly light hearted and taking itself seriously.

Thankfully though the film is entertaining with some fantastic action scenes and suspense. If you are looking for a decent film to enjoy without being too up itself give this a try.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

A solid superhero film

[8/10 · 2 August 2011]

Captain America is not the best known superhero but from the look of the previews this looked promising. A superhero in the Second World War can work brilliantly if done properly but can fail if many aspects aren't done properly. The film delivered an interesting look, there was a obviously a great amount of effort gone into making the film look authentic. Altogether it did a good job of conveying the look. Chris Evans was fairly well cast in the role. The scenes prior to transformation were not too overdone event though it took a little while to see Captain America in his full pomp.

I do think the writing could have done a better job giving the eventual Captain America Steve more of a personality. Even though characters can easily be mild mannered he didn't feel like enough of a man to be conveyed as much of a tortured character longing to serve his country. He much improved once he transformed and it didn't feel too abrupt like it easily could have done. Tommy Lee Jones despite in a not being in a lead role did well and had plenty of moments that stopped it becoming a melodrama. Hayley Atwell was fairly mediocre and seemed to play the token woman gearing up for the inevitable romance. Hugo Weaving did a decent job with what he was given but maybe it was more to do with the character and the fact that it was difficult for him to come across as genuinely menacing. Action wise it was very good but towards the end they tended to be shot in fairly dim conditions which wasn't great, this was perhaps an attempt to add grit to the film so I can't really condemn it as many big budget films look too clean. Apart from this it was very exciting throughout and even though it was intended for wide audiences the action is good enough and doesn't look like its been trimmed in any way to get a more family friendly rating. The pacing was good and we saw just enough of Captain America to get a sense of the character as well as the back story. I would have been worried if the film was only about an hour and a half because then we would have seen a rushed effort which dished out the action at every opportunity. We really got a plot line which felt compelling and was kept at a premium. All in all it was quite a solid entry into the genre and one of the better Marvel adaptations, better than some but not spectacular.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Dark the Moon, the mediocre one

[6/10 · 30 June 2011]

The Transformers series started out quite strong but I knew as I watched that film that any attempt to make a 'bigger' film would end up with a clunky mess. Thus we had 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' which was a terrible in parts, overly complicated and had a dull climax. For these reasons I had pretty neutral expectations going into this film where I expected action by the bucket load but more hoped to gain enjoyment from it this time. The film starts out with our human protagonist Sam played once again by Shia LaBeouf with shoehorned girlfriend Carly played by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The reason why I say shoehorned is because there is no introduction, they are just a couple. Of course I realise the absence of Megan Fox but after all Mikaela went through with Sam you'd think something pretty big would end that relationship. Anyway we've got two and a half hours to fill, Sam has to find a job and the Autobots must face off against the Decepticons again. The first act of this film very much feels like filler until the action comes rather than set up and that is where we get most of the 'humour' which falls flat around 60% of the time. I'm not going to get too wound up as if the film got treated completely seriously this time round it would make for a cringe inducing experience. By now though it was more of a slight distraction. Performances wise LaBeouf does a fairly good job with what he's given. Quite a good actor in all honesty and wasn't nearly as annoying as he has the potential to be. Carly, our new female lead is not very good and doesn't provide an improvement on Megan Fox. Maybe its the fault of the script but she was just uninteresting and obviously only really served as eye candy.

Other characters like Simmons returned to inject little to no decent comic relief. Gladly John Turturro is a good enough actor to be in the role and not be bogged down by what he's in. Special effects wise it is mostly more of the same, the action set pieces are better set up and are superior to second film. In truth at times it was spectacular to see especially towards the end before becoming very familiar the more it progressed. This had more to do with the film's run time which again well over two hours, you do have to brace yourself for it as certainly I felt it towards the end of the film. The Transformers looked as good as they ever did and if it is one thing the film gets right is that they did look very real. The Decepticons seemed to have more of a presence this time round as there appeared to more effort put into them as antagonists. They were satisfactory but never came across as particularly menacing as they wouldn't the third film in. The film more works out as a middle ground but could never capture why the first was the best. It is superior to Revenge of the Fallen but the final action climax did very much remind me of when I was bored in the cinema two years ago.

Overall though this is the mediocre edition to the series, its enjoyable on its own merits but not on a general film level. If you want to see this and enjoyed the series so far you'll probably enjoy this one. It is just simply a half decent Transformers film and an average action film.

Attack the Block (2011)

Better than expected

[8/10 · 17 June 2011]

I was quite looking forward to this film but had neutral expectations as to how good I thought it was going to be. The premise is simple really, a gang of youths find their local area invaded by aliens and must do their up most to protect themselves as well as help a lady they previously attempted to rob. The film starts out fairly quickly paced. There isn't really much time wasted with expository dialogue or what would be slang in this case.

The reason for this being the film comes at a fairly brisk running time of an hour and a half which serves it well not becoming boring for one moment. Acting wise, near enough everyone does a good job, the characters played off each other very well and we got a decent idea of their prior relationships without dumping explanations. This is touted as a comedy but I found the humour to be based around the events more which meant it didn't become vital to the enjoyment of the film. The serious moments seem to outnumber the humorous ones especially as the film progresses. The lead character of Moses does very well in particular and showed his potential for playing dramatic roles in the future. A quick mention for Nick Frost, where he was amusing at times but it was refreshing to see him play a supporting role where he was utilised very well and made for a much better performance. At many points the film did get quite scary and the aliens were genuinely terrifying with a sense of mystery about them. It went to show that huge budgets were not required to make them scary and make the attacks any less believable. In fact they look better than some of monsters mainstream Hollywood films have had to offer honestly which is a testament to all those involved in the creation of them.

In summary do check this film out as it makes for a dynamic horror comedy that does not overdo certain elements in an attempt to appeal to an audience that might not be attainable.