Movie Reviews 2010: Up In The Air

(Anna Kendrick forgot about the rules regarding hand baggage allowance)

Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick & Melanie Lynskey

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Screenplay by: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner

Plot:

Ryan Bingham (Clooney), a frequent flyer and corporate downsizer is living high flying lifestyle just fine until a new work colleague and a new love interest come into the fold.

Verdict:

George Clooney can do no wrong it seems, consistent, funny, utterly charming, always picks the right roles to play and the right Directors to work with and that is certainly the case once again here, with Up In The Air. However something else sticks out here; the realness to Clooney's performance making it, perhaps his best pick to date, no wonder he only needed to briskly read Reitman's script before jumping onboard.

With that said, the woman who have an affect on Clooney's Bingham as the film progresses are also great, especially Anna Kendrick as a sharp new recruit with bright ideas for the future of Bingham's business. There relationship is a perfect odd-couple scenario as they are forced to work together.

Seemingly continuing where he left off with Juno, Reitman just gets better and better, crafting his best film out of the three he's directed so far. The script is his sharpest yet with Reitman's interesting decision to use real people who lost their jobs in the economical downfall for some of the 'firing' scenes, adding a bigger emotional punch to proceedings and the huge relevance that comes with it.

And just when you get comfortable and think you understand what the film is about and where it is heading, Reitman has a couple of tricks up his sleeve as the film winds down neatly to a perfect ending for a brilliantly made motion picture that feels beautifully old fashioned.

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Movie Reviews 2010: It's Complicated

(This is how complicated love can be)

Cast: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin & John Krasinski

Directed by: Nancy Meyers

Screenplay by: Nancy Meyers

Plot:

After being divorced for nearly a decade, Jane (Streep) and Jake (Baldwin) reignite their relationship despite Jake being re-married and Jane recently meeting nice guy, Adam (Martin).

Verdict:

Director Nancy Meyers latest, It's Complicated, is rather simple actually because it treads all the same paths a standard rom-com treads. So yes you have seen it all before and yes you will know how it's all going to work out.

However the journey is a fun one thanks to a great cast. With the brilliant hit show 30 Rock, Baldwin has established himself as a hilarious comic actor and here is on top form, turning a potentially slimy character into a riotous, likable one. Streep of course is as reliable and likable as ever whilst Steve Martin gives a nicely restrained performance; it's a case of three old pros making sure we keep watching. But then it's relatively newcomer John Krasinski who ends up stealing all there thunder with a perfect showcase of comedic timing.

There are moments of forced gags, some cheesy dialogue and awkward dramatic acting along the way but some genuine big laughs do emerge including Streep and Martin smoking pot and Krasinski's reaction when he discovers the affair going on. So if nothing else, see it for the performances.

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Movie Reviews 2010: Alice In Wonderland

(The biggest grin in the world)

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Michael Sheen, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry & Matt Lucas

Directed by: Tim Burton

Screenplay by: Linda Woolverton

Plot:

19 year-old Alice returns to the magical place from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and discovers her true destiny; to end the terrible reign of the Red Queen.

Verdict:

If you are looking for a bang on faithful adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass, this is not where you will find it. On paper, Burton and Carroll is a tasty looking partnership but this re-imagining is pure Burton.

When Alice ventures down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, the twisted and fantastical world Alice finds herself in, is straight from the imaginative mind of Burton; especially the eerie floating heads river that Alice must cross at one point in the film.

Because of this approach, the story is very thing and the plot moves along without any real purpose, we basically jump from one scene to the next without any major plot or character developments. Alice's journey is very straightforward and happens so fast you will barely noticed she has even taken it. However Mia Wasikowska is convincing enough in her transformation from sweet and innocent lost girl to Jabberwocky slayer.

The game cast including a host of British character actors are mostly great with some standout vocal work from the likes of Michael Sheen and Stephen Fry (perfectly cast as the Cheshire Cat). Anne Hathaway is sadly wasted though with very little screen time. Johnny Depp, once again on eccentric duty for Burton, nails The Mad Hatter with ease, entirely defining the 'Mad' in his name. To Depp's credit, he manages to add some emotional weight to the character as well; but the Futterwack! dance is just, wrong.

Alice In Wonderland also the marks the first film in the wake of Avatar, to seamlessly combine live action and animation, which is fitting seeing as it has amazingly beaten Avatar's record for the highest grossing opening weekend in North America; but if it goes on to beat Avatar's overall box-office takings then ill happily do the Futterwack! myself.

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Movie Reviews 2010: Green Zone

(Jason Isaacs reports the finding of Jason Bourne)

Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Jason Isaacs, Brendan Gleeson & Amy Ryan

Directed by: Paul Greengrass

Screenplay by: Brian Helgeland

Plot:

Sergeant Miller (Damon) is posted to Iraq to assist in justifying the war by finding Weapons Of Mass Destruction. After several failed attempts at finding any kind of evidence of the weapons, Miller starts to ask tricky questions and before he knows it, his own people are out to get him.

Verdict:

Director Paul Greengrass is now a seasoned pro at delivering an action blockbuster that is as exciting as it is intelligent. Sticking with his Bourne leading man, Matt Damon, Greengrass delves into the Iraq war. More specifically, the murky issue of Weapons Of Mass Destruction.

Damon's Sergeant Roy Miller sure resembles Jason Bourne but how could he not, he's as tough and able and keeps asking questions, of course though this time he is asking the question we were all asking after the invasion; where are they?

After last years, The Hurt Locker did some proper cinematic justice to the men fighting for their country in the Iraq conflict, Green Zone emerges as the first picture to successfully use the war as a template for an exciting and enthralling action blockbuster with plenty of substance too.

The political subtext is just that, with Greengrass making sure the political side of things are kept in the background and keeping the intense action in the foreground allowing the pace to never let up. Because of this a couple of characters are wasted along the way, sadly including The Wire's Amy Ryan as a determined journalist. Jason Isaacs however more than makes up for his limited screen time enjoying every second of his villainous role.

There are no easy answers here including the climax that offers no real closure to proceedings but of course in reality the war in Iraq is far from over.

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Movie Reviews 2010: The Road

(Man reads to Boy)

Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron & Robert Duvall

Directed by: John Hillcoat

Screenplay by: Joe Penhall

Plot:

Based on the critically acclaimed novel of the same name, The Road follows a Man and his Boy as they desperately try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.

Verdict:

End of the world disaster flicks tend to either build up nicely until a happy or inconceivable ending goes and spoils it, or they just spend the entire runtime reducing cities to a pulp via lots and lots of CGI (stand up Roland Emmerich). The Road however is having none of it. Sticking very faithfully to the Cormac McCarthy Pulitzer winning novel of the same title, Director John Hillcoat's film is a harsh, chilling and compelling vision of the future. It's harsh on the eyes with the burnt landscapes and cruel to the ears with abrupt dialogue; Man says to Boy "They committed suicide" after coming across some hanging bodies, the Boy asks "Why?" The Man replies "You know why" without a moments hesitation.

Depressing indeed but the central relationship of Man and Boy - we are never told their names - desperately trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, convinces enough to make us care for them and their journey as they seek to reach the coast. To further add to the downbeat tone, other survivors have turned to cannibalism and the Man, played sombrely by Mortensen, is slowly dying.

Undeniably The Road is a far more comfortable read because you can put the book down when ever you feel the need to. On screen though in a dark cinema with no breaks in between the harshness unfolding in front of your eyes, it is not an easy watch. But stick with it because what unfolds is a refreshing take on the genre that actually sticks to its guns all the way to the end credits.

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Movie Reviews 2010: Iron Man 2

(This is the part where the male side of the audience start to pay attention)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson & Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Screenplay by: Justin Theroux

Plot:

Tony Stark is enjoying life as Iron Man until a Russian inventor threatens to destroy his image. Meanwhile, the U.S Military also want Stark too hand over his technology for the Iron Man suit so it can be turned into a weapon for Military use.

Verdict:

It's nice to see, Director Jon Favreau stick to his guns in this second outing for Iron Man. Great, interesting casting, characters actually allowed screen time to you know 'live and breathe' and not just one pointless action sequence after another. Yep that was what made 2008's Iron Man so damn enjoyable and the same can be said for this sequel that does manage to live up to it's predecessor.

Another reason Iron Man proved to be such a winner was the fact it was so effortlessly fun. Downey Jr. had most of the lines of course (and yes he is just as funny and charismatic here) but this time out, nearly everyone else enjoy a fair share too, especially Rockwell and Cheadle whom after somewhat controversially replacing Terrance Howard from the first outing, does a very solid, professional job, never undermining what Howard did before and at the same time making the character his own especially once he becomes War Machine. One slight mishap this time round though is Favreau's decision to extend his cameo appearance into a full-on supporting character; sure he has a lot of fun with it but in a couple of scenes it's just, well, too full-on.

It isn't all about the fun however with some darker terrain covered, in particular the revelation that Stark's suit is actually slowly killing him. Also, the main villain of the piece, Rourke's Ivan Vanko is a character hellbent on revenge. Rourke revels in the role, continuing his recent comeback success story with another interesting turn. Sticking with the villains, the gamble was taken to include two bad guys this time around with Rockwell's weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer along for the ride too. Thankfully the gamble pays off with the duo given equal screen time. Like Rourke, Rockwell is very good too, making his Stark wannabe every bit the smarmy weasel that he really is. Scarlett also makes her mark on the movie as the very sexy, very athletic Natalie Rushman, especially when dispatching Hammer's henchmen wearing a figure-hugging cat-suit.

So their is a lot of talking but that doesn't mean the action scenes are in anyway affected. In fact they are just easier to appreciate because of it. The Monaco Grand Prix set-piece where Vanko tears up motor-racing cars like they were toy cars is a blistering sequence that is equally matched by the climatic battle scene where Iron Man and War Machine take on an army of combat ready droids created by Vanko and Hammer. A gloriously, explosive finale that is only let down slightly by the massive iron suit that Vanko embodies for the scene; basically a repetition from the first film's climax.

Iron Man 2 wins you over in the end with it's sheer enthusiasm for the character and indeed it's supporting characters, just like the first outing did. Marvel's next two outings, Thor and Captain America, will do well to follow in these foot steps.

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Movie Reviews 2010: The Lovely Bones

(After talking to plants in The Happening, Wahlberg is now reduced to talking to a candle)

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci & Rose Mclver

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Screenplay by: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens

Plot:

Susie Salmon was just 14 years-old when she was murdered. On her way to Heaven, she is stuck in the 'in-between' where she observes her family and friends carry on with their lives without her. Based on the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold

Verdict:

With no expansive battle scenes or massive T-Rex's in sight, Peter Jackson's latest film finds the Director taking a breather of sorts, making a much more intimate, smaller scaled picture. The Lovely Bones though does share one comparison with, The Lord Of The Rings because it is also based upon a book. Also despite the smaller scale, Jackson still gets to flex his visual muscles, using some stunning CGI to create a beautiful looking 'in-between' that our central character, Susie Salmon (murdered when she was just 14 years-old) is trapped in on her way to Heaven.

Despite one big sub-plot and a couple of graphic scenes from the book being ignored here on screen, The Lovely Bones is by and large a very faithful adaptation with some spot-on casting. In particular, an unrecognisable, meticulous Stanley Tucci as the ultra-creepy Mr. Harvey and Susan Sarandon as crazy grandma Lynn providing some comic-relief amidst the drama. Also, the younger generation impress too, with Saoirse Ronan and Rose Mclver both equally good as Susie and Lindsey Salmon respectively, giving mature performances beyond their years. Last but certainly not least, Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz are also strong as Susie's grieving parents, despite their crumbling relationship not being given as much attention as in the novel.

Visually stunning and imaginative, The Lovely Bones may well be, some of the the strongest scenes actually emerge without any visual involvement. Lindsey's brave piece of detective work inside Mr. Harvey's house where the tension is knocked up to unbearable levels being a major standout in the movie. The Lovely Bones manages to be emotionally involving without ever being sentimental and simply is a poignant tale of life after death.

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Movie Reviews 2010: I Love You Phillip Morris

(McGregor is completley star struck by Carrey's hair cut)

Cast: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann & Rodrigo Santoro

Directed by: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa

Screenplay by: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa

Plot:

Carrey plays Steven Russell, a happily married family man whom after a serious car crash realises he is gay and starts to live life to the fullest by becoming a conman. After being sent to prison, Steven meets and falls in love with sweet inmate Phillip Morris.

Verdict:

We all know by now that Jim Carrey is just as assured playing a more serious part as he is playing his trademark goofy roles. I Love You Phillip Morris - which wowed critics at last year's Sundance Film Festival - presents Carrey with that dream role every great actor lands eventually. Playing straight, church going police officer turned homosexual conman Steven Russell, Carrey gets to combine all of his slapstick brilliance with his more emotionally convincing acting skills. His performance feels genuine and honest throughout. Unsurprisingly, Carrey has once again been completely overlooked by the Academy, which is a great shame.

Ewan McGregor is perfectly fine too as the title's Phillip Morris, sweet, innocent and convincing enough when required but on the whole, this is certainly the Jim Carrey show. Importantly though, their characters relationship never feels forced, it is a genuinely touching connection they share.

Coming from the writers of the brilliant Bad Santa, this is a black comedy of the blackest kind with plenty of foul language - used to absolute perfection in one particular scene where a prison inmate hurls abuse at the prison guards - and of course, some riotous anal gags. But it's not just the gags that Phillip Morris nails. This is a film that like Steven Russell himself, manages to lie, cheat and rebel right to the very end where our emotions are suddenly put into overdrive; with the rug - as they famously say - being completely pulled from under our feet. Amazingly based on a true story, I Love You Phillip Morris will easily be remembered as one of the sharpest comedies this year.

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