Movie Reviews 2010: Inception

(Leo's audition to be the next Bond was promising)

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy & Cillian Murphy

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Screenplay by: Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan

Plot:

Corporate spy for hire, Dom Cobb who specialises in stealing ideas from peoples dreams, takes one last job in which if he succeeds will be able to return home to his estranged children but if he fails will be trapped forever in an endless dream.

Verdict:

How exactly is Christopher Nolan getting away with this? Inception marks the third time Nolan has released a film mid-summer blockbuster season that doesn't actually play by the same rules other summer flicks abide by. With his Batman franchise already top of the superhero class, Nolan it seems can do no wrong when it comes to smart, engaging, challenging and yes, entertaining blockbusters. Inception is yet another strong example that having to use your brain for a mega bucks blockbuster is no bad thing.

And you will be giving your mind a fine workout to keep up with Inception. From the very first scene we are thrown straight into the complex world Nolan has created here and if you dare miss a beat even this early on you're going to really struggle to catch up later. This could be severely off-putting but just like The Matrix eleven years before it, you become so rooted in this highly original world, your mind doesn't dare wonder elsewhere. The Matrix is naturally a perfect comparison, not just because of the idea of another world beyond our own but also the gravity defying action.

Nolan is no stranger to big action set pieces anymore, after that flipping truck in, The Dark Knight. Here there is an explosive finale atop an Artic mountain that wouldn't be out of place in a 007 flick. However what sets it apart is the sheer insanity of it, with the scene taking place within two other scenes; a zero gravity scramble and a bullet ridden car chase. The fact that the three sequences manage to blend seamlessly and remain logical to the premise is just brilliant.

Inception is more than just exploding buildings and mind-bending physics. Nolan has once again assembled a fine cast and the surprising casting of Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt prove joyous. Page and Gordon-Levitt both bring real personality to their roles, displaying mature performances for this kind of material. Brit Tom Hardy deftly provides humour amongst the complexity and Cillian Murphy (now a Nolan regular) brings the right amount of vulnerability needed and crucial for his character.

More impressive however is Leonardo DiCaprio, who after being apart of the humongous success of Titanic all those years ago, could have just cashed in, picking up easy paychecks. But instead Leo has made terrific choices with his films, and his latest pick is one of his best yet. Inception's very big ideas would be nothing without a convincing lead performance at the heart of it and Leo delivers effortlessly. His emotionally complex performance ensures we believe in his journey and of course, the film itself. So what you have here is a film willing to invest as much into its characters as its action set pieces and a blockbuster that is as challenging as it is entertaining, surely with three such films now to his name, Nolan is just showing off.

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Review Rewind: Hunger (2008)

(Proof that smoking really is bad for your health)

Cast: Michael Fassbender & Liam Cunningham

Directed by: Steve McQueen

Screenplay by: Enda Walsh & Steve McQueen

Plot:

The incredible true story of Irish Republican, Bobby Sands hunger strike that ultimately cost him his life.

Verdict:

Steve McQueen's debut movie, Hunger is mostly told, not through dialogue but with imagery. Using his camera expertly, always keeping it held firmly on a single image like somebody washing the blood off his hands, makes the scene say all it needs to say without any spoken explanation. There is plenty of other striking examples of this throughout.

Despite this brilliant technique, one of the strongest scenes in the picture does emerge through lots of spoken dialogue. A fifteen-minute sequence in which Fassbender's (watch out for this guy over the next few years) Bobby Sands talks to his priest about his plans perfectly captures the essence of this determined character. But again, notice how beautifully the camera captures the scene, especially as Sands relays a childhood memory.

Bold, powerful and uncompromising, winning plenty of awards at film festivals all over the globe, Hunger is an astonishing debut feature film.

DDDD

Review Rewind: Race To Witch Mountain (2009)

(As The Rock prepared to lay the smackdown, the others were blissfully unaware)

Cast: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Annasophia Robb, Carla Gugino, Ciaran Hinds & Alexander Ludwig

Directed by: Andy Fickman

Screenplay by: Matt Lopez & Mark Bomback

Plot:

A Las Vegas cabbie enlists the help of a paranormal expert to help protect two Alien siblings who have arrived on earth and are being hunted by the government.

Verdict:

It would appear that with Race To Witch Mountain, last year's The Game Plan and the forthcoming Tooth Fairy, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has become Disney's new golden boy. In, Race To Witch Mountain, Johnson neatly combines some good comic timing with his action chops to create a likable, unwilling hero. His performance sums up the film, this is a harmless, charming action adventure picture for the whole family to sit back and enjoy.

As you might expect though it's far from perfect. The flaws are obvious. Amongst the action set-pieces there are snippets of unconvincing CGI. You have seen the plot plenty of times before and there are moments of pure cheese.

One of the villains of the piece comes in the form of a game Ciaran Hinds, convincingly smarmy as a shady government agent. Another, of an alien kind, appears to be a nice throwback to the sci-fi films of the 50's. Something the filmmakers have a lot of fun with in general, referencing several sci-fi pictures.

Race To Witch Mountain is thankfully, one of Disney's more convincing adventure movies of late, a much better effort than the likes of National Treasure.

DDD

Movie Reviews 2010: Shrek Forever After

(Don't i know you from somewhere?)

Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy & Antonio Banderas

Directed by: Mike Mitchell

Screenplay by: Josh Klausner & Darren Lemke

Plot:

After making a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, Shrek (Myers) finds himself trapped in an alternate universe where his family and friends no longer recognise him.

Verdict:

What a pleasant surprise this is, the fourth entry in the Shrek franchise not only massively improves on its limp predecessor, Shrek The Third, but also manages to get back on par with parts 1 and 2. Newly on board Director, Mike Mitchell has simply gone back-to-basic and in doing so has rediscovered what made the first two Shrek's sing in the first place.

Most surprisingly, this is the first Shrek picture to present a fresh spin on the story. With Shrek waking up in an alternative universe where his family and friends no longer recognise him, this sequel manages to separate itself from the previous films. The plot also allows Shrek to fall in love with Fiona all over again and therefore give an emotional kick to proceedings. There is real energy and purpose to the film with Shrek forced to race against the clock to complete his goal (something sorely missing last time out).

Perhaps even more importantly, Donkey and Puss In Boots are fully back on song and unlike Shrek The Third, very much included in the story. Donkey takes the biggest share of the laughs but the ingenious decision to turn Puss into an overweight, spoiled pet allows him to steal every scene he's in.

Also, where as Shrek The Third opted to throw in some poorly misjudged new characters, Shrek Forever After instead adds memorable ones. The villain of the piece (no more Prince Charming), Rumpelstiltskin is a weaselly, sneaky delight, voiced superbly by Walt Dohrn who is actually a storyboard artist for DreamWorks. This time out as well, we are not forced to watch endless scenes of fairytale referencing - one of the major downfalls of Shrek The Third - instead there are just the odd clever moments, like one of Rumpelstiltskin's witches melting away in true Wizard Of Oz fashion or Pinocchio's hilarious attempts at gaining a potion to make him a real boy.

Throw in a whole army of Ogre's, a couple of thrilling action set-pieces and some vivid 3D that never feels gimmicky, and you have yourself a truly magical return to form for the lovable Ogre and co. Will next summer's, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides pull off a similar surprise? Here's hoping...

DDDD

Movie Reviews 2010: Predators

(Casting an Arnie lookalike for the latest Predator film wasn't going well)

Cast: Adrian Brody, Alice Braga, Topher Grace, Oleg Taktarov & Laurence Fishburne

Directed by: Nimrod Antal

Screenplay by: Alex Litvak, Michael Finch & Robert Rodriquez

Plot:

A group of elite warriors are parachuted on to an alien planet where they encounter an alien race known as Predators.

Verdict:

Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem was such a horrid mess it should have spelt the end for the Alien and Predator franchises. But two years down the line here we are again with Predators and some time next year, Alien will return as well. Interestingly though, a certain Robert Rodriquez first conceived this latest Predator flick a very long time ago and all though he decided not to direct, he still takes a producing credit.

Predators literally drops us right into the action and doesn't waste any time whatsoever trying to take the franchise in yet another direction - one of the fatal flaws of the A V P pictures - instead there is a real back-to-basics approach adapted here. For starters we are back in the jungle - no ordinary jungle though, the Predators home planet - where the Predators get to do some proper hunting. Also, Director Nimrod Antal handles the action scenes superbly with minimal fuss and minimal CG. It's almost believable that this could have been released all those years ago when Rodriquez first wrote the damn thing.

Still far from perfect though, Predators has plenty of problems. The plot is never given a moments thought and the ending suggests more films could follow. The characters are given similar treatment with no one standing out as either interesting or memorable. Topher Grace is a perfect example of poor casting and Laurence Fishburne's cameo as a sole survivor is just a bad excuse for filling screen time. Everyone else is just easy prey for the Predators, a bunch of walking cliches. Adrian Brody however fairs a bit better, beefing up considerably for the role, he is a convincing enough lead, playing well against type.

The most enjoyable aspect of Predators is the countless nods to the original film; hardcore fans of Predator will have a great time ticking off every one as they appear. The original Predator itself, check. The original score playing throughout, check. Jesse Ventura's giant gatling gun, check, and very neatly we now get to see a blade-versus-blade showdown between a Predator and a human, something that happened off screen in the 1987 film. And to round things off nicely, allowing you to leave with a smile on your face, a brilliant song choice that plays over the end credits.

DDD

Review Rewind: Shrek The Third (2007)

(Well it still beats going to the dentist right?)

Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas & Justin Timberlake

Directed by: Chris Miller & Raman Hui

Screenplay by: Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman, Chris Miller & Aron Warner

Plot:

Shrek Goes on a quest to find Arthur, the rightful heir to the king's throne of Far Far Away, after refusing to take the throne himself.

Verdict:

There is a pivotal moment in Shrek The Third that perfectly sums up the disappointment of Shrek's latest adventure. After a magic spell goes slightly wrong, Puss In Boots and Donkey end up switching bodies and... nothing funny actually happens. A potentially ingenious gag that doesn't even muster a snigger let alone a decent laugh. Instead it just feels lazy and desperate; a feeling that more than once pops into your head during the course of Shrek The Third.

It's a great shame that when you have two hilarious and likable characters like Donkey and Puss In Boots - who both stole the show in parts 1 and 2 respectively - and you leave them on the sidelines in favour of, pop culture and fairy tale referencing. In fact there is so much of that going on here, it doesn't feel clever anymore, it just becomes irritating.

Frustratingly there are moments of genuine brilliance here. The opening scenes are snappy, playful and funny, gently reacquainting us with Shrek and co. And Fiona's amphibian father's overwrought death scene is expertly played out by John Cleese. While elsewhere, Shrek has a riotous nightmare about being a father, and the gingerbread man sees his life flash before his eyes in a sequence so brilliant, so funny, it deserves to be in a better sequel than this.

It would be harsh to also criticise Shrek The Third's threadbare story because to be fair, the previous Shrek's themselves weren't blessed with the greatest of stories to tell, but still you cant help but notice the poor repetition on show here; Shrek on a quest again, Prince Charming as the villain again. New character additions are highly unmemorable too with Merlin, voiced by Eric Idle, just plain annoying and hugely misjudged, and Arthur, voiced by Justin Timberlake, a whiny, bratty, uninspired hero.

Whether this will be the last time we see Shrek and co. is debatable but it is probable Shrek The Third will still take big bucks at the box office. So another sequel could materialise and if it does lets hope the writer's look to Shrek 1 and 2 for inspiration, rather than this uninspired sequel.

DD

Review Rewind: Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem (2008)

(Scare tactics were required to speed along the birthing process)

Cast: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz & Johnny Lewis

Directed by: The Brothers Strause

Screenplay by: Shane Salerno

Plot:

Aliens and Predators at war land in a small American town and the residents must band together to fight them off.

Verdict:

It would seem, that to all but kill off an already dying franchise is a popular thing in Hollywood. It happens all the time and the latest to receive the death sentence is actually two franchises in one. Alien and Predator were, once upon a time, classic motion pictures, and in the form of James Cameron's Aliens, we were treated to at least one good sequel, a bona-fide classic in its own right.

So Predator lost its momentum with a limp, city based sequel and after the tortured productions of Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, Alien Vs Predator emerged back in 2004 but failed to do justice to the characters. However by comparison to this latest mess, Alien Vs Predator doesn't look so bad after all. The Brothers Strause as they call themselves have taken two iconic characters and thrown them into an awfully cliche ridden teen horror picture; yes there is even a token hot chick who takes her clothes off.

The acting is risible at best and you wont care for a single character on screen, in fact you have a better chance at cheering on the Predator instead. But even that is still reaching because by the time any Alien Vs Predator action comes into play you wont actually be paying much attention anymore, add that to the fact that nearly every action sequence takes place in complete darkness and pouring rain, making it practically impossible to tell what is going on, and you have the final nail in the coffin for this movie and most likely, the franchise as well.

D