Friday, December 31, 2010

Tron: Legacy


Most studios like Disney have been remaking a lot of their old films. This time Disney have done something a little different and made a sequel instead.

'Tron' is one of those films that was ahead of its time. Back in 1982 the dazzling special effects may have been too much for audiences back then to handle. Over time it has been more popular and become a cult classic. I remember seeing it a long time ago and being impressed with the visual look of the film. It has been more popular with geeks I think. The sequel comes across as something made primarily for these geeks. That is not a bad thing and I'm sure most people will get a thrill out of it. Much like the original, though the film is all about the visuals. The story is pretty simple and there are not many twists and turns. I found it to be very new-age. I also think there was not enough made of the threat Clu was making to leave The Grid. While we know it would be bad for him to leave, I'd have like to know 'how bad'. The special effects though are quite stunning. I saw the film at an Imax cinema so was even more impressive on a larger screen.

After his impressive role in 'Crazy Heart', Jeff Bridges is taking it easy here. There's not all that much for him to do. As many of mentioned he has that laid back approach like he did when he played The Dude. I'm surprised it has taken Garrett Hedlund so long to get a leading role. I found him quite impressive here and shows that he can become a great leading man. Especially of action films.

A visually stunning film that may lack some plot is still a great film that needs to be seen on the big screen. If you get the chance make sure that screen is the largest one you can find.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Somewhere


Writer/director Sofia Coppola uses her own life experiences and those of the people that she knows to make a film about what it is like to be an actor.

Sofia's films are very distinctive for being very subtle in the way that they convey their story. This is the ultimate use of that. I can understand how many people would find a film like this very boring. Not much really happens. It is kind of just all the fairly mundane actions of an actor who lives in a hotel. Admittedly the arrival of his daughter does change things somewhat, but from the looks of things it does not change all that much. Considering that he does not do all that much to begin with then there is little to change. I think there are subtle things going on here which maybe I missed. It is more of an emotional journey with very little by way of action.

Stephen Dorff is one of those actors who has been around for awhile but has not had much of a chance to show off the full range of his talents. We now get to see it here. Stephen is certainly able to convey the many subtle changes his character must bear. Ella Fanning certainly proves that talent is being bred in the Fanning household. Much like her older sister had with 'I Am Sam', this is certain to be the film for young Ella to use to further her career.

A look at the life of an actor that is completely different to the one we are used to seeing in 'Entourage'. An excellent film for those who prefer something more thought provoking and where things are not explained so easily.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Zelig + The Purple Rose Of Cairo


This weeks Woody Allen double features Mia Farrow in films set during the 1920's. I have not previously seen these films either.

'Zelig' is an excellent mockumentary about a guy who acts like a chameleon. It very cleverly looks at the hype that blows up when this guy gets famous. It proves that the media has always been able to cause a frenzy and without the Internet. Except for the fact that is has Woody and Mia in it, you would think this is a real documentary.

'The Purple Rose Of Cairo' is another excellent comedy which brings up some interesting issues about self. The scenes where the movie characters are talking to the cinema audience are hilarious not only in what they say but in the concept itself. What would characters say if they had a voice? What if they could stick up for themselves? I was however very disappointed by the ending and found it very sad.

Woody Allen once again proves he is an excellent comedy actor in 'Zelig'. He does not have much to do as the concept does most of the work and he just has to pose. Mia Farrow is an excellent actress and is very good at deadpan comedy. She brings a more dramatic quality to her roles while those around her do the comedy.

Another excellent double from one of the best comedians that is still working today. 'Zelig' is a nicely clever mockumentary and 'The Purple Rose Of Cairo' is an excellent romantic comedy but the ending upset me.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Vayage Of The Dawn Treader


This is the film that almost didn't happen. After the less than stellar box office for 'Prince Caspian', Disney left the franchise. Luckily Fox came to the table and we get to see this film.

Ever since the success of the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy and the 'Harry Potter' series, studios have been buying up fantasy franchises to exploit. They had great potential in the 'Narnia' series but things have not gone well. Part of the problem is that unlike the other series these books are separate stories and not really part of a continuing saga. 'Prince Caspian' was not as thrilling as 'Lion, The Witch...' so it was a bit of a let down for the series. As a result this film comes across as very ordinary. To me it felt like they were going through the motions in making the film. They had troubles in trying to get it set up that by the time it came to do it they had kind of lost interest but had to go through with making it because off all the trouble in setting it up. There are no heart or feeling to the film. They were unable to make any of the confrontations very thrilling, except perhaps the final one which is quite good. The general story is not very interesting either. Caspian is supposed to be on a mission to find some guys who are missing but we're not sure why they are so important. Even when we do you don't really care.

The cast try their best with the mediocre material they are given. Poor Ben Barnes is not given very much to do. Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes have the same character arcs they did in the previous films so just do the same thing again. The best thing in the film is Will Poulter. I became a fan of his after the brilliant film 'Son Of Rambow'. He is very funny in this film and gives an excellent performance.

So far this film has had a pretty lackluster performance ant the box office so I don't think you should hold your breath for another in the series.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Megamind


We are still riding the wave of superhero films at the moment. Now Dreamworks Animation jumps on the band wagon.

I know they will say different, but I can not help but seen many similarities between 'Megamind' and 'The Incredibles'. 'Despicable Me' did a much better job earlier this year of looking at the superhero film from the villains perspective. For me most of Dreamworks Animated films lack the quality you get from their main rivals at Pixar. For some reason Pixar look and feel like a great deal of time and effort have gone into them. I'm not saying that is not the case with Dreamworks but for some reason Pixar's efforts come through on the screen. I did not find this effort particularly funny despite what looks like a big effort to make it that way. There were a few excellent jokes though which I thought were very clever. Dreamworks have done a good job with the 3D look. They can stage some excellent scenes that take full advantage of the 3D effect.

Will Ferrel can be a hilarious actor and I think his voice suits Megamind really well. The material he has to work with is not all that good so he lacks the excellence we come to expect. Tina Fey has one of those voices that is not very distinctive so your not looking at her character and picturing the actress. Which makes her an excellent choice. Jonah Hill's character looks a lot like him so that helps make his performance more convincing. I'm surprised Brad Pitt is in this considering he was the star of Dreamworks biggest animated flop. But then that wasn't his fault. He is excellent in his small role.

Despite a couple of very clever jokes and a nice 3D look, this latest effort from Dreamworks lacks the heart that we had in their better from this year 'How To Train Your Dragon'.

The Last Exorcism


The craze of 'lost film footage' continues with this documentary about a preacher telling the truth about exorcisms.

Ever since 1973 films about exorcisms have been struggling to live up to the greatness of 'The Exorcist'. The problem for me is that they are all the same. A priest or religious figure turns up to exorcise demons or the devil from a young girl. It is always some poor young girl who is possessed not a man or boy. It would be nice if film makers could come up with a more unique take on this horror theme. Despite this I found the film mildly entertaining. But not as a horror film. I did not find it very scary and the documentary technique did not help. I found it more as a look at a man who is disillusioned by his life and sets out to reveal the truth but finds a truth he did not expect.

Patrick Fabian as the preacher Cotton Marcus is quite good as the showman who is revealing his tricks. He plays a good host to the story and Patrick does a good job of conveying the revelations his character makes. Ashley Bell is decent as the possessed girl. She is good at folding her body when required. I found Caleb Jones as her brother a lot more creepy.

There are a few good things about this story but it still wears thin the new trick of the 'found footage' genre. As well as not bringing anything new to the exorcism genre.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Fair Game

Despite the less than stellar box office for films about the Iraq War we get another that involves the intelligence area of the war.

The issue of Weapons Of Mass Destruction was a big one when war was declared in Iraq. When it was discovered that there were no WMDs the USA lost all credibility with the world. Paul Greengrass tackled the issue earlier this year with his film 'Green Zone'. I found this a very dumbed down version of the issue which seemed the wrong way to handle it as the makers only seemed concerned with action and not the politics of the issue which was where the real drama lies. Which is why this film was so good. It seems to be a very complex issue and this film nicely gives a good view of it. The one thing the film does point out which I loved was how the US government lied over it. There are some people who seemed determined, despite evidence to the contrary, to have there be WMDs in Iraq. But the thing that makes this film so great is that it is given such a personal element by focusing on Valerie Plame and the fall out over her husband's involvement in a fact finding mission. It is shocking what happens to her but not all the surprising considering the lengths you expect the US government would go to to cover up their blunder.


Naomi Watts gives another brilliant performance here. She is one of the best actresses working today and this film proves it once again. She has that everyday quality which makes her so good. Sean Penn too is another actor that seems to not be able to give a bad performance. He is perfect as Joe Wilson because you know Sean would feel the same way Joe does if he was in that situation.


The Iraq War seems to have a lot of stories to tell and none are more relevant than that of WMDs. This is an excellent political thriller for adults who like their films so have some intelligence.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Bananas + Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (*but were afraid to ask)


For the next Woody Allen double feature we have a double that feature Louise Lassser as his co-star.

This was the first time I have seen 'Bananas' and much like Woody's earlier films is full of lots of visual humour. The plot is very crazy and very silly. It is one of those that is not terribly believable but still really funny. It opens with a hilarious scene of famous sports commentator, Howard Cosell, commenting on the assassination of a South American dictator. So right from the start you know the level of humour that Woody is going for. Some jokes do not quite work but most of them do. I was surprised at how much I laughed.


The first time I saw 'Everything You Wanted ...' was when it played on TV one day as the midday movie. I was quited shocked that a quite sexually explicit movie was being shown during the day. There are no actual sex scenes but many sexual references that really push the envelope. This is also the type of film that I we have not seen for quite a while and I wish we could see more of now and that is the sketch movie. My favourite is the doctor who falls in love with a sheep and still makes me laugh. I also love the last sketch about what happens in a guy when he has sex.


Woody is in his silly mode in both these films and does an excellent job. He does though have an annoying habit of talking to the camera a few times. It works in some of his films but not in either of these. Loise Lasser is a very deadpan comedy actress and does a nice job of playing Woody's straight person. There is a very funny cameo by Sylvester Stallone in 'Bananas'. In 'Everything' my favourite by far is Gene Wilder. I've long been a fan of his and he is brilliant in his sketch or segment. When he first looks at that sheep I break out in hysterics.


A really nice pair of Woody's films and nicely showcases some of his very funny early work. Proving he knows how to do some great visual comedy and verbal comedy. 'Everything' is my favourite of the pair but 'Bananas' is still good.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Devil


M. Night Shyamalan has been asked to make some films based on his ideas. But he does not fully write them or direct them.

As many know M. Night has not been very popular of late. He has made so many bad films that I'm surprised he can still get work. Despite being so loathed 'The Last Airbender' still made money. I think however he maybe onto the right track here. Just coming up with an idea then letting someone else write and direct it. Because of M. Night's involvement I had very low expectations for this film. Which may explain why I ended up enjoying it more than I expected. It is just a nicely made supernatural thriller that keeps you interested with all the little clues it dribbles out. The twist at the end is not really all that shocking but is real neat.

Chris Messina does a really nice job as the detective in charge of finding who is the killer in the lift. The people in the lift are a good collection of 'bodies' for the killer. They do get angry a little bit too easily though.

Despite having M. Night's name on this film it is not as terrible a film as you may expect. He has done the right thing and come up with a good idea but then let someone else make it come true. I think he needs to do it more in future.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Lebanon


Writer/director Samuel Maoz brings his own personal experiences of the First Lebanon War to this film.

I think by sheer co-incidence film makers at the moment are using the idea of small cramped locations to make their films cheaper. 'Buried' takes that idea to the extreme and 'Lebanon' get a bit more room. But just focusing on four guys in a tank is amazingly utilised by Samuel. It is most effective when giving perspective to what is happening outside the tank. We only see what is happening through the view finder of the gun site for the tank's cannon. It makes things very limiting and can confuse you. We are very disoriented by the way the camera moves and uses zooms to focus in on certain things. You never know how far you really are from things. This is an excellent way of creating tension for the audience as it means things can come into frame unexpectedly. There is one scene which is incredibly heartbreaking because of this perspective. The close quarters of the tank means the we focus our attention on these characters and get to feel their fear. These are young men who have been thrust into war, supposedly against their wishes and so you feel their fear.

All the cast are excellent and very effective in their roles. Yoav Donat sort of leads the action as the gunner because he controls the view we see outside the tank. He also controls the gun so we feel his emotions the most. Itay Tiran is effective as the reluctant leader who must keep the boys together despite the horrible situation they are in.

An excellent film that is highly recommended. It gives you a unique and very different perspective of war.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Annie Hall + Sleeper


The Chauvel cinema in Sydney is once again presenting some quality double features. Over December/January they are having regular Woody Allen doubles. First up is two of his films featuring Diane Keaton.

I came to the Woody Allen fan club a little late with the first film of his that I saw being 'Bullets Over Broadway'. It was my love of this film that made me go back and see most of his back catalogue as not all is available. I try to go see his new film each year if I can. However not all get a cinema release in Australia. I admit that not all of his films are great but he does have an excellent track record of making some brilliant comedies.

One of the most highly regarded of these is 'Annie Hall'. Most consider this to be his best film and rightly so. While it does not have a terribly complex story, with it just being about the relationship between a guy and a girl. However it is how the story is told that makes it so brilliant. There are so many brilliant one liners that you have trouble remembering them all in just one viewing. The story is also told in a non-linear way so you see the relationship from different points. The characters, mostly Alvy, break the fourth wall and talk to the audience as well as background characters. It is a wonderfully unique way of commenting on the action and letting us see what characters are thinking.

While 'Annie Hall' has very little plot, 'Sleeper' has a lot more plot. It is always interesting to see what people of the past think of the future. None more so than in this film. This film has more visual humour than verbal jokes which is its strong point. The plot is quite weak and only a loose excuse for Woody to play it silly, which he does quite often. There are many great visually funny sequences in the film that are well staged. Thing do get a bit silly at times but you don't seem to mind.

As an actor Woody is a great comedian. His strength is in the verbal humour as seen in 'Annie Hall' as opposed to the visual kind seen in 'Sleeper'. He tends to over act in the visual scenes using really broad gestures instead of smaller movements. Dianne Keaton is much the same. She seems more self assured with the verbal humour than the outrageous comedy of 'Sleepers'.

'Annie Hall' is one of the best romantic comedies ever made and probably the best Woody Allen film. 'Sleeper' is good and has many funny scenes but is not quite as good.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale


At this time of year we get a nice, lovely Christmas movie that is supposed to make us feel all warm and fuzzy over the holiday season. For some reason the Fins did not get that memo.

Every culture seems to have their own Christmas story that involves an old man distributing presents to good children. But what if there was a Santa Claus that punished the bad children rather than rewarded the good ones. This is the premise of this brilliantly dark Christmas story from Finland. I'm a big fan of black comedies so this film really appealed to me. It is also very creepy and scary. Director Jalmari Helander does a wonderful job of building the tension and making Santa someone you fear rather than love. It is a world away from the jolly old fellow that was created by Coke. My one problem with the film has to do with the ending so stop reading if you don't want to be spoiled. I was disappointed that we did not get to see the huge evil Santa that they dug up. It would have been great to see him rampaging through the town. There is some wonderful visuals in the film, especially the horde of evil Santa's helpers running through the snow.

Onni Tommila plays the young boy in the film who is the only one to believe in the evil Santa. He is an excellent young actor and is wonderful in this film. He has a brilliant moment when he leads the charge at the end of the film which had me cheering. The rest of the cast is excellent too. Especially Peeter Jakobi as the evil Santa's helper that they capture. I must also give praise to all the other helpers and the bravery they show in this film.

One of the best Christmas movies ever made. I was cheering at the end of this film and loved the way it presents a very different look at the Santa Claus myth.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1


We are drawing near to the end of the epic adventure series and one of the most successful film series of all time.

For first time readers I will explain a little bit about my feelings for 'Harry Potter'. I started reading the books just before they became hugely popular. I thought they were good, but not great. They reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl in style. I did however loose interest after the 4th book and have not read any further, choosing instead to rely on the movies to finish the story. I thought the first two films were awful and really badly written. They were too devoted to the books. Unlike the other films where they were not afraid to leave stuff out and change things a little. Which is why I liked them more. My favourite has been 'The Order Of The Phoenix' which is mainly due to the brilliant performance of Imelda Staunton.

It has been very hard for me to not hear about any major plot twists regarding the film. But luckily I have. While I've mostly experienced these characters in the movies I'm starting to get emotional about the final part of the journey they are going on. I liked how this film's story is a huge departure from previous ones in that it is not set in Hogwarts I miss the school because there are some characters from there that are not in the film. I did however like the way the film opened, especially with Hermione. I found that very heartbreaking. I know many have said that unless you have read the book then a lot of what happens does not mean much. I have not read the book but thought it was excellent. I was able to follow the story easily and did not have a problem understanding what was going on. My only problem with the film is a bit of a minor one, and that is that they only find and destroy one Horcrux in the whole film. While most would find it a bit of a drag, which I can understand, I found it a good way to help develop the characters more. The plot is fairly simple so it give you more time to know how they are feeling about what they in for. I felt we are going on a more emotional journey with these characters which makes the ending all the more exciting and thrilling. There are some excellent action sequences which I thought were really well staged.

Daniel Radcliffe has certainly grown into his role as Harry Potter. In the first few films, much like the other kids, he was not very convincing. But now he owns the role and gives it the enormous emotional weight it needs. Emma and Rupert are much the same. Emma has not always been that great for me but she gets more of a chance to show her range here. Rupert has always been my favourite and he still is. The adults in this movie are few and far between, amounting to mostly cameo appearances. Imelda Staunton is still brilliant.

I'm very excited to find out how this all ends. I'm expecting a real thrilling conclusion. We will loose some people and I'm bracing myself for it but I just hope I can keep it a secret until the film is released.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Due Date


In 2000, director Todd Philips made the college comedy 'Road Trip' he now makes another road movie but in a more mature theme.

Last year Todd made the hugely successful film 'The Hangover' so any film he tried to follow up with was going to be hugely anticipated. From the looks of things this does not seem to have met that expectation. Now I found this film to be quite funny and really enjoyed it, but I think it has a couple of problems. I think that part of 'The Hangover's success was that it came from no where. People weren't expecting it to be as huge as it was and so there was a great deal of word of mouth that got the film to be popular. But also too there was an excellent script. It had a good story that backed up the hilarity of the film. Sadly that is missing here. 'Due Date' has a fairly conventional plot of a guy trying to get home for a big event. There are no major twists or interesting surprises. You know where the film is going. This would not matter so much if the journey was good, but I don't think it was as funny as many expected. I admit that it may not have as many laughs as you may want but it still is a lot funnier than most comedies out there today. The other major problem are the characters. Our two leads, I think, are not as likable as they should be which is what has turned some people off. This is not a problem for the Ethan character as he is meant to be nice. But it gets a bit too much for Peter being so nasty as he is the one your meant to sympathise with.

Robert Downey Jnr's career has certainly grown of late and he is excellent in everything he does. He is a great comedic actor and proves that here. While his character is quite nasty he is still very good at it. Zach Galifianakis seems to play very unlikeable characters in his films. Guys that seem to annoy everyone else. Something he does well here. It would be nice to see him do something a little different next time. I am disappointed Michelle Monaghan did not get more to as she worked so well with Robert in one of my all time favourite films 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'. Even Robert's other pal Jamie Foxx has a very nothing part. The only one who gets something of substance is Danny McBride in a very funny scene.

Fans of 'The Hangover' should maybe lower their expectations a bit with this film. It is really funny but lacks a decent plot to make it as memorable as its predecessor.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Wild Target


Jonathyn Lynn is an English director with a very distinguished career. I am a fan of his film 'Nuns On The Run'. I also think that his film 'Greedy' is one of the most under appreciated films ever.

It is based on this as well as the cast that I came to the film with pretty high expectations. Sadly the film did not quite meet my expectations. Maybe they were just up too high. I don't think the film was as consistently funny as I was hoping. However this does not mean it is still not an enjoyable film. The story is pretty typical. A hit man who falls for his target and ends up protecting her rather than killing her. The only problem here is that some may find the age difference a bit creepy. I also enjoyed the ambiguity of Victor's sexuality. Victor has been so involved in his job for so long that he's never had a thought about sex. Then when the though is put in his head and then which type of sex he wants he is confused. One other problem I had was that the film was set in mostly one location. I understand that this was probably done for budgetary reasons, but the writers don't seem to make it very interesting. However the writers do create some wonderful slapstick moments as part of the comedy.

Bill Nighy, while an older actor, only seems to have been recently famous. He is excellent at playing comedy as well as drama and certainly brings that versatility to this role. Emily Blunt is wonderful at playing such quirky characters and can handle the comedy so well. Rupert Grint has always been my favourite from the 'Harry Potter' crew. I think he could have a great comedic career. Something he proves nicely here.

A very good English comedy that is entertaining. Some plot points maybe a bit weird but still lots of fun.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Gasland


Many people ask me what my scariest movie is. I'd have to say that it is documentaries like this that frighten me more than most horror films. Issues they raise seem more real to me than say an axe wielding maniac.

There have been articles in newspapers recently that say the government is considering doing this form natural gas mining known a fracking in my local area. So the issues this film brings up could affect me and my family. Which makes it extremely scary. I could have my water affected by this nasty form of mining. I find it quite amusing that a company doing the mining sends out letters asking to use people's land and they just happen to send one out to a guy who is a film maker. This film maker then goes out and makes a damaging documentary about the mining. Josh Fox is is a theatre director so film making is not his main occupation so the film has a bit of an amateurish feel to it. The camera work and editing is not very good but you can not deny his passion. Josh also lacks some of the charm and personality that other documentary film makers have who put themselves in the film, like Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock. At first I was not all that interested in seeing the film when I saw the trailer. It was a trailer that kind of gave everything away. But there was one moment that made me want to see the film and I'm sure it was this way for a lot of people. This is when we see a guy hold a lighter up to his running tap and see him light his water on fire. It is an amazing moment and is replayed several times in the film with many different people. It amazes me that companies are allowed to get away with this type of pollution. They do all they can to deny it but it is quite obvious what they are doing. Some of them even take a cheaper option of installing special water tanks for these people to use. It is just amazing.

An extremely powerful documentary that every Australian should see. This is something devastating that is happening in this country and could be coming to an area near you.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

The American


George Clooney lives in Italy, so he has now decided to make a film nearer to home. This is certainly a more low key film than he is used to.

In 2007 photographer turned director Anton Corbijn made an excellent film about singer Ian Curtis. One of the best aspects of the film was the cinematography. Anton being a photographer he knows how to compose the screen to display the best shots. Once again Anton has made a very beautiful film. This is one of the best things I liked about it. The story is told in a very visual way and with very little dialogue. The story is not all that great and is quite predictable and cliched, but I did not mind that. It maybe a familiar story but it is told in a unique way. I also know that many think the film is not tense enough but once again I disagree. I don't think the film is meant to be very tense. It is very much a character study of a man who is nearing the end of his career and realising he is feeling lonely and wants some companionship but is unable to because of his career. It moves slowly but that suits the story.

George Clooney would have to be my favourite actor. He can do such a wide variety of roles from Comedy to drama. Plus he branches out into other areas like producing, writing and directing. Which is why I have a great deal of respect for him. This is certainly a less flashy role for him. He gives a very restrained portrait of a man who is trapped in his job and cannot escape. Even people he loves get caught up in the torment. George is supported by a couple of great actors in fairly cliched roles. Paolo Bonacelli is nicely supportive as the priest who becomes Jack's friend. Thekla Reuten is nicely cryptic as the client Jack must work with. Violante Placido does a good job in the pretty thankless role as the hooker with a heart of gold that must fall for Jack.

A nicely subdued adult drama. Not the high impact action style thriller that you may expect. But still a refreshingly different type of film that tells a familiar story in a nice way.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Red Hill


Aussie actor Ryan Kwanten has made a name for himself in Hollywood for his work on the TV series 'True Blood'. Now he returns home to make a movie.

Most Australian directors know that for their first film they need to make something simple and easy cause they may not get all that much money to make the movie. This is very true of Patrick Hughes with this film. He has managed to write a great script which sets everything in a small town and in one day and night. The greatest thing being that the film is all plot. Patrick moves the action along quite swiftly and does not leave much time to ponder things. He is also able to direct the action very well and make some tense shootouts. Patrick manages to make the film a western in a modern setting. The film is mostly populated with guys and it would have been nice to see a few more women especially Shane's wife. Please stop reading if you have not seen the film and don't want to spoil things. I have one problem with the film which is regards to the towns folk. The reason that Jimmy Conway is in town is because these guys raped and killed his wife then framed the murder on him. The problem I have is that I don't think these guys are capable of rape. They don't come across as that nasty. Maybe nasty enough to kill but not rape.

Ryan Kwanten is certainly an excellent actor. He has been doing amazing work on 'True Blood' and brings that here. He can play things more subdued here and seem more of an ordinary guy stuck in an extraordinary situation. Steve Bisley is a legend in Aussie films and brings great menace to his role here. Tom E. Lewis is even more menacing and he doesn't even say anything. You can get a great deal from him without anything even being said.

A great and nicely simple Aussie action thriller which proves you can do a great deal with very little.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Gainsbourg


The French have been looking to their history books lately to make films based on some of their most famous citizens. This is the latest.

Before seeing this film I knew next to nothing about Serge Gainsbourg. I knew his song 'Je T'aime...Moi Non Plus' but I did not know anything at all about him. So it was interesting to find out not only about all the other songs he played but his life as well. As presented here it is a fascinating life. There were not many problems in Serge's life. He seemed to possess a great deal of confidence and charisma that got him through life. It was not until his later life that the alcohol seemed to take over. Director Joann Sfar has presented his life in a unique way by implying that Serge had a sort of alter ego who gave him his confidence. This funny looking alter ego is based on a drawing he did of himself as a young man. This gives the film a strange feel but it is so different to most biopics about musicians that it comes as a nice surprise. Serge is not a terribly good looking guy. I think if this was an English film that Rowan Atkinson would have played him. Despite this he marries many beautiful women in his life. He has a great deal of charm that makes him irresistible. He also had a great relationship with his parents which is certainly unique to many films about musicians.

Eric Elmosino is excellent as Serge. He supposedly looks alot like the real thing, but Eric also gets right into his character and lets you see what all those around him find so likable. This is mostly Eric's film but the supporting cast are excellent in their roles.

We've had many Hollywood films in recent years about famous musicians, so it is nice to see someone we are not all that familiar with. A great story told in a unique way.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Winter's Bone


There is a lot of momentum building for actress Jennifer Lawrence to get an Academy Award for her work in this film. It is not hard to see why.

I know many people will come out of this film saying it is weird. To a certain extent that is true. While it obviously take place on Earth, it is almost like it is taking place on another planet. The people that live in this town in the Ozark Mountains have their own rules and situation going on that can seem very alien to most of us. Which is one of the great things about the film. We explore this place with no guide to explain whats going on and we're expected to get to know the people and the town. We do not understand how or why there people operate the way they do but they just do. The only really familiar thing is the police who are able to keep things from getting too out of control. The people of this area have lived in harsh conditions for all their lives and have built up a harsh existence. One which they are willing to protect at all costs. If there is even the slightest hint of insurrection then they close ranks and try to deter the trouble. They did not count on Ree Dolly. A young woman who will protect her family at any cost and do what ever she can. Even some pretty horrific stuff.

As you would expect to pull off a tough character like this you need a tough actress. Jennifer Lawrence certainly conveys that toughness. It is an amazing break through role that will no doubt get her plenty of attention. She is supported by some familiar faces like John Hawkes who certainly looks very tough. But is also able to bring a bit of softness to his role so his character is not completely heartless. Dale Dickey is another tough looking actress who suits her role.

The Ozark Mountains is not a terribly nice place to visit. But when it tells such a brilliant story of determination you don't mind a quick visit.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Machete


As part of his 'Grindhouse' double feature with Quentin Tarentino, Robert Rodriguez made a fake trailer for a film called 'Machete'. Now we get to see the real film.

As evidenced by 'Grindhouse', Robert Rodriguez knows that genre and can make a great fun horror film. This is more in the action territory but is not as good as 'Planet Terror'. It lacks a lot of the fun the earlier film had. I realise that he and co-director Ethan Maniquiz are trying to make a political statement with the film but the balance between fun and serious message seems to favour the serious message side. Some of the fights are very good and Machete certainly knows how to butcher his enemies to pieces, with lots of blood and guts. There are also heaps of Robert's trademark scenes and action hallmarks. Another problem is that he seem to want to cram too much into the film and so it is far too long and drags in a few places.

Danny Trejo has nicely played supporting characters in most of Robert Rodriguez's films. It is great to see him front and centre. It is not the type of role to stretch his acting talents too much but he is definitely suited to the role. Jessica Alba is very good but I can't see any chemistry with Danny. I admire Robert DeNiro for doing this film and he seems to be having a lot of fun doing it. The rest of the cast do a good job in their small roles. If the tabloids are to be believed then Lindsay Lohan is playing herself.

A good but not terribly great action film. Lots of blood to keep you interested but the story gets a little too preachy and takes some of the fun away.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Eat Pray Love


Actress Julia Roberts has not been in many films of late. Choosing instead to concentrate on her family. This is her first film in a long time where she is the sole lead.

Before the film was released I was only vaguely aware of the book on which the film was based. I have seen it at bookshops but not been too interested. So I did not know much about the film before seeing it. The only thing I had to go on were the not very favourable reviews from other people. Which may explain why I liked the film more than I thought I would. While it is not the best film in the world I found it to be a reasonably entertaining story. I know that the reason for Elizabeth's trip had some people upset because she basically leaves her husband to do it. I don't know what her husband is really like but they have made an effort to make him less than favourable so we as an audience understand why she left him. The only big problem I had with the film was her relationship with David Piccolo. I know that the writers would have to stick to the story to please the book's fans. But as someone who has not read the book and can only judge the story based on the film, I felt he was not necessary to the story. His only reason for being there is to introduce Liz to a guru which could have been done by someone else or in another way.

I really like Julia Roberts as an actress. While she has not always done the best films, I quite like her performances. Here she does a decent job but nothing too spectacular. To me it is the type of performance you expect from her and does not stretch her range too much. Billy Crudup is good in his role but as mentioned above your really expect to like his character. James Franco is also good in an unnecessary role. Richard Jenkins is excellent and give one of the films best performances. But you expect that from him. Javier Bardem is also excellent as you expect.

A decent film that I found a lot better than I expected. It does drag in a few places but has certainly made me think about making a major change in my life.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Made In Dagenham


Over the years we have had numerous films about strong willed women who are fighting for a particular cause. We now have another.

It amazes me that after all these years woman are still fighting for equal pay rights. I think many women take it for granted that both sexes are equal and respected equally in the work force. But I'm still seeing articles in the newspaper to the contrary. Which is why films like this are incredibly important. Women need to know that this struggle has been going on for many years and that they need to be strong and fight hard if they are going to get equality. That is the problem with this film. I don't think it has been made in the right tone. The makers should have possibly tried to aim this film at a younger audience. Younger women who can take up the cause that the women in this film started and continue the fight. As it is the film is made for older people who lived through this event and so only see it as a piece of nostalgia. That aside the film is quite good as showing the struggle Rita O'Grady and her friends had to go through. There are still the typical cliches of Rita's husband coming to resent her because he has to make sacrifices too. The wonderful thing about the film are the sub plots employed to flesh out some of the supporting characters. It is not all about Rita but how her friends are affected too.

Sally Hawkins is fast becoming a very distinguished actress. I've sadly not seen 'Happy Go Lucky' so this is the first film I've seen her in. She is excellent and plays the role really well with a great deal of confidence. Bob Hoskins once again plays a rather cheeky support character to a feisty woman. Miranda Richardson once again proves she is one of the best actresses working today.

Hopefully more younger woman will go see this film and see how things were not always this good for them. They need to know that the fight is not completely over and that it is a story that's still very relevant today.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Red


The comic book world is being mined for all sorts of material. This one is a lesser known book and is from a lesser known studio.

Film makers these days need to look of unique ways to make action films these days. There not only has to be a good story but great sequences. This film certainly has both. Director Robert Schwentke has certainly made some very diverse films. He now tackles the action genre and does a great job. I was pleasantly surprised by the action in the film and at how clever some of the sequences were handled. The film is also very funny and has some really wacky characters that are hilarious.

The cast are the real stand out of this film. I'm the first to admit that not all of Bruce Willis's films are the greatest but he does hit the mark sometimes. I think the material he has to work with has a lot to do with it and this is a great script with some funny scenes for him. Morgan Freeman is the great older statesman of acting and is great. John Malkovich is perfectly cast as the crazy former agent. He has some of the best moments in the film. I love how the brilliant Karl Urban is getting some bigger roles. He plays the cool, calm and collected villain really well. The real star of the film though is Helen Mirren. Seeing this very regal and posh like lady doing action is a thing of beauty. Just proves she can do pretty much anything.

There are so many action films that try too hard to please. This one takes it nice and casual approach to things and is all the better for it.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Let Me In


Sweeden is having great success at the moment with films. Besides the hugely successful Millennium trilogy a few years ago we got 'Let The Right One In'. Now of course we got the Hollywood remake.
I saw 'Let The Right One In' a last year, just at the height of the 'Twilight' phenomenon. 'Let The Right One In' was everything that 'Twilight' was not as far as a vampire film goes. Vampires are meant to be vicious creatures that feed on blood. Not sparkly brooders who act like they have had their fangs clipped. If vampires were real then this film shows how you'd expect a relationship to develop. I was not too concerned about the remake and Matt Reeves has done an excellent effort. However, I still think the original is better. Matt does not get the tone quite right. It is not one of those things that you can pin point but he is not able to capture the mood you felt in the original. He has also made a few changes to the plot which are both good and bad. One change meant he left out my favourite sequence from the original. There are however some great things here. There are several sequences I was quite impressed by.
One other thing that Matt got right was the casting. Kodi Smit-McPhee is fast becoming an accomplished young actor. He puts in an excellent performance as Owen making him seem really vulnerable and sweet. The other wonderful young actor Chloe Moretz. She too is versatile in bringing out the two sides of her character. Being able to play the sweet innocent looking girl and then the viscous monster that is the other part of her. Richard Jenkins while being a pretty obvious choice is still excellent.
By all means go see this film to see how a real vampire falling in love with a human story should be told. But also put aside your prejudice of subtitled films and see the original to see the same thing done to perfection.

Chloe


Canadian director Atom Egoyan likes to make smart intelligent adult thrillers or dramas. This time he tries his hand at a remake of a French film.
I first became aware of Atom when he was nominated for an Oscar for his film 'The Sweet Hereafter'. I thought it was an excellent film and soon came to admire him. This film while not as good as some of his previous work is still a good film. The story has been done a few times before so there is a certain amount of familiarity to it. I suppose the whole lesbian thing is a bit new as you normally don't see that happen in other films. It is the two relationships in the film which drive it and I found interesting. You are constantly wondering what Chloe's motives are and why she is seducing and manipulating Catherine. It is very similar to 'Fatal Attraction'. Then there is Catherine's relationship with her husband David. I quite liked how that relationship develops and ultimately resolves.
Julianne Moore is such an amazing actress. She is so versatile in the roles she can play and does an excellent job in all of them. Julianne is once again excellent here. Liam Neeson has the difficult role of being the unfavourable one in the film. You may not come to like him completely you still like how his character grows. The big surprise is Amanda Seyfried. Most of her films lately have been light fluffy stuff, so it is nice to see her do something meaty and with a bit of substance. It nicely shows her acting skills.
The attraction of this film for most people will be the sex scenes. But it is also a great erotic drama that has a good story and interesting characters to back it up.

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Social Network


Hollywood loves a great social phenomenon. And you can't get one better than Facebook and the story of its creation.
I have to say upfront that I have little bias with this film. I am a huge fan of both the writer and director of the film. David Fincher is one of my all time favourite directors. Aaron Sorkin is one of my script writing heroes and 'The West Wing' is one of my favourite TV shows. You can tell right from the opening scene that this is an Aaron Sorkin film. The wonderful quickly spoken dialogue that brilliantly sets up what type of guy Mark is. Despite being the an unlikable type of guy you are able to become interested in his life and what he does. There are really two stories behind Facebook and this is one of them. The other one would be more documentary style and looks at how it became so popular. While the film looks at the creation of Facebook it is more of a profile of Mark Zuckerberg. The project he is working on could have been anything. As I said he does not come across as a very nice person but the story is fascinating enough that you want to know what happens. What you don't realise is that Mark's whole story is one big revenge story. Most Hollywood revenge stories involve a guy going out and shooting a whole heap of people but this one is the nerds version. Instead of shooting people he builds a hugely successful web site. The film does not have much by the way of action and is just a series of scenes of people taking but with the brilliant dialogue by Aaron Sorkin you don't mind. David Fincher does not use many technical flares to tell the story except for one character. There is one brilliant scene I loved of a rowing race that was a brilliant use of editing and music.

I've been a fan of Jesse Eisenberg since one of his first films 'Roger Dodger'. He is brilliant at playing nervous and charming nerds. He does that here as well but much better and in no way charming. This is sure to be a breakout role for him and possibly be in awards contention. The new Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield is excellent too. I've been rather impressed by the choices that singer Justin Timberlake has made as an actor and this is one of them. He really impresses here. The biggest surprise for me though was Armie Hammer. I did not know until I saw the credits later that he played both of the Winklevoss twins in the film. That's a testament to his performance and the special effect department.

The moral of the story is for girls that if you break up with a guy or turn him down you may end up causing him to become one of the richest men on the planet. Another brilliant film from the one of the best directors working today. Also affirms my love for Aaron Sorkin.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Town


Actor Ben Affleck until recently had a bit of a dip in his career with a string of flops. Then he changed tracks and directed 'Gone Baby Gone'. Now he is a success again.

I think that sticking to his home town of Boston has helped Ben in the direction of his films. He lives and knows the people that populate his movies, so he can bring a unique perspective to the film. You really feel like these are very authentic characters. Real people with real lives. Which helps with this film especially as the plot is very familiar and a little predictable. But when you have great characters like this you don't care. You come to care about these people and what happens to them despite the fact you have seen it done before. Ben has certainly upped the stakes with his direction too. He handles the action scenes in this film with great care. They are really tense and thrilling.

Being an actor himself, means Ben can get excellent performances out of his cast and himself. This is one of his finest roles in recent memory. As mentioned before he knows the type of character he is playing very well so can dig into past experiences to draw out the authenticity. Jeremy Renner was brilliant in 'The Hurt Locker' and does it once again here. He played a nice guy before and is now a really nasty character here and shows his range. Rebecca Hall is always fine and is fine here too. Jon Hamm continues to make excellent career choices here. I was also quite impressed with Blake Lively.

A wonderfully acted drama that while fairly familiar is brought together by some brilliant characters. Make sure you check it out to see why Ben Affleck is more than just a pretty face.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Legend Of The Guradians: The Owls Of Ga'Hoole


In 2006 Australian special effects company Animal Logic made the brilliant animated film 'Happy Feet'. Now this is their follow up film.

Zack Snyder is a director I've come to admire for some excellent films he has made. But I have been disappointed by his first effort as an animation director. I do not know what it is but I could not get into this film. It seems to have all the elements of a great story with epic qualities. However for me it lacked the spark to make it great. I found it all rather boring. None of the characters interested me and one in particular which I'll speak of later. The story has all the elements of being special but I just did not come to care about what goes on or what they do. I think it would have helped if we got to see more of The Guardians. Soran the young owl who worships these heroes gets told the stories by his father. It would have been great to see these stories acted out rather than jut heard about. It would have meant we care about finding The Guardians as much as Soran does. It would have also helped to know a bit more about the world that these owls live in. There appears to be some sort of hierarchy and system in place but not much is explained. It is also never really explained why The Guardians are in hiding and only some out when called. You would think that if other owls are in trouble they would be on the look out for it. The one big omission though is the flecks. The evil owls collect little flecks of silver and seem to bring them together to make this 'device' that disables other owls. How does this work? What are the flames or rays that radiate from it? What does it do to its victims? None of it is explained.

The lead character of this film Soran is voiced by actor Jim Sturgess and I feel is one of the worst voice performances I have seen ever in an animated film. I've spoken about other problems I've had with the film but this is by far the worst. Jim is over acting so badly the it completely ruins the film for me. It is however nice to hear Aussie voices in the supporting cast and all of them are by far significantly better than their leader.

The potential for a brilliant film is there and there are many great elements but I think it is squandered so badly. It also features one of the worst voice acting performances I've ever heard. Zach Snyder needs to stick to his live action films in future.

Detective Dee And The Mystery Of The Phantom Flame


It is probably not the right thing for me to do but I do rely on film critics advice if a film is any good. There are two particular critics whose advice I particularly rely on and they gave rave reviews for this film so I made sure I went to see it.

One of the things that the Chinese can do really well is grand epic films that look brilliant. The use of the latest CGI helps but they also have wonderful costumes and sets. The opening scenes of the film with the tour of the Buddha statue are amazing. Looks are all well and good but don't mean anything if they don't have a good story to back it up. This film certainly has that. I'm a big fan of detective films so I loved the story here and the many twists it takes. It is kind of like a Chinese version of Sherlock Holmes. Then there are the great action sequences. Wire work is now how action scenes are done which gives them such a grand ballet look. There is one underground fight scenes that was simply amazing in the way they use the set to fight with. The use of the mystical is integrated into the film really well too.

Andy Lau is no stranger to being a detective after the brilliant job he did in the 'Infernal Affairs' trilogy. He is excellent here too as the stoic detective who hates authority. Chao Deng makes an excellent assistant to our lead. He is very much like Dr. Watson and makes a good doubter to the methods Dee employs. Carina Lau gives a very regal performance as the Empress and is suitably nasty.

You could easily see someone making a Hollywood remake of this film. It would also make a great story for Sherlock Holmes. Make sure you go see this very original piece of work before that happens.

Buried


Let's spend 90 minutes in a box with Ryan Reynolds. See what happens when one man is buried alive and has to use a mobile phone to help get himself out.

This is a very brave film. Being able to sustain a story for 90 minutes when all you see is one man in a coffin. He does have a mobile phone to talk to the outside world and must negotiate his way out of it. Which is where the thrills lie. It is a bit of a gimmick to do something like this and the skill is in trying to sustain it for as long as you can. I think writer Chris Sparling and director Rodrigo Cortes do a very good job of keeping you interested for the films length. But the problem is that you are constantly thinking about the concept and not getting involved in the story. I was continually thinking about what would happen next to keep things going and not being involved in Paul's story and become emotionally involved in whether he lives or dies. It is also incredibly frustrating. We as an audience know what Paul's situation is but the people he calls do not. They usually come to the situation with skepticism about what is really happening. So it is frustrating as an audience when people just don't really believe what is happening to him. I'm going to spoil the story here so please don't read any more if you want to be surprised. Bearing in mind I've not been buried alive and do not know what happens but I got the impression that Paul could have tried a bit harder to get out. He has a knife and if I was there I would try to cut through the wood to break it. At one stage towards the end the wood in the lid does break and the dirt starts filling the box. We are also told that Paul is not buried that far down. He can actually hear things above ground so obviously once he gets through the wood it would not be that hard to dig his way out. The dirt would not be too hard to dig through either as he was only recently buried.

Ryan Reynolds is a very brave actor to take on this role. Not only is he confined to a small space but he has to keep our interest for the entire length of the film. He does a very good job and does hold us captivated.

This is one of those situations that a lot of people fear the most. Not really a film for those people who get claustrophobic but otherwise a good thriller.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work


We take a year in the life of one of the biggest comedians. She is a very outspoken woman and we spend time in her 75th year on earth.

I have known of Joan Rivers for quite a while. I cannot quite remember where and when I first saw her but I mostly remember her from my favourite Mel Brooks film 'Spaceballs'. The wonderful thing about this film is that you learn more about her. We see some of her early stand-up performances most notably from 'The Tonight Show'. I think she is a very funny woman and it was great to see these old clips. What is interesting about the film is that Joan said she mostly wanted to be an actress but it did not look like she got her dream. She is still doing stand-up gigs and we get to see some of the more obscure places she has to perform in. But she does also say that she will do anything. I'm assuming that is the case but at the right price. Joan has been to Australia a few times and most memorably was her last visit when she made a very honest appearance on the Logie awards to great acclaim. The one thing that you can't really get past with Joan is the plastic surgery. At one point she is given a Comedy Central Roast and quite rightly predicts that most of the jokes will be about her looks. Personally I think she looks a bit strange with her really tight skin. But she is incredibly funny so I can look past that, so to speak. The only problem I had with the film was her relationship with her friend Bill Sammeth. He is known to disappear a lot which upsets Joan quite a bit. However, we don't know where he goes or what he does which was disappointing.

A fascinating look at one of the funniest woman working today. Most will only know her from the appearances on the red carpet of various events and her surgeries but you get to know her better from this film.

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Sorcerer's Apprentice


Much like most film studios, Disney are continuing to go through their archives to look for ideas that they can use for movies. This time they go to a segment from their beloved animated classic 'Fantasia'.

One of my earliest cinematic memories, and possibly my first, was my parents taking me to see 'Fantasia' at the movies. I think I may have been too young to fully appreciate it but I know that I did enjoy the segment with Mickey Mouse as a sorcerer's apprentice. While I do not agree that studios should be using such weak ideas to make films, it is one of those facts of life that you just have to live with. There are probably many kids who don't even know what 'Fantasia' is so there is nothing for them to know what the film is referencing. Which I think is a good thing. This film could work if it did not have to live up to such high expectations. Right from the start the film put me off. The opening montage which explains Balthazar's history came across as very rushed. There was obviously a lot of information to impart and they try to do it in such a short space of time that it gets confusing. It looks like the test audiences did not like the opening. I think the writers have made the story unnecessarily complex. I understand they try to make it interesting and have enough plot for all the characters but it just gets a bit overwhelming. Considering the rest of the story there was no need to be so complex. The film does not get much better than that. The only good thing are the action sequences. Director Jon Turteltaub certainly knows how to make good action scenes and they are a lot of fun.

You would think that because he came up with the idea for the film and help produce it that Nicolas Cage would be really into the film. But he just comes across as very bored with it. Possibly his character has been searching for an apprentice for so long that he is just incredibly tired. I don't know what it is but I'm not much of a fan of Jay Baruchel. While he is playing a very nerdy character in this film, I don't think that suited the part of being a sorcerer's apprentice. He is expect to become a great sorcerer but the nerdiness will always be there and diminish his impact. While it is a bit disappointing that Alfred Molina is once again playing the villain, he is always really good.

If you completely forget where the idea came from then you may get a bit of fun out of this film. But it is still pretty bland and unnecessarily complex.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps


Director Oliver Stone wanted to do a film about the recent financial crisis. So rather than making a new film he has decided to do a sequel to his previous work.

He says it is not a sequel but it is. I think Oliver is getting soft in his old age. He used to make hard hitting films about real events but his recent films have been anything but. This film is the perfect example. I think it would work fine if it was not related to the first film. It does not tell you anything you did not already know about Wall Street and how ruthless the people who work there can be. I will admit that most of the financial language I did not understand but I was able to get the gist to know what was going on. As further proof of Oliver's softness is the story he has given his famous villain Gordon Gekko. Gordon has a daughter involved in the story so it makes him softer and more relate able. I suppose that can be a good thing where you learn to not see him as a ruthless money grubber. But it also means the villain role is passed to someone else. But he can still be bad.

I've always been a fan of Michael Douglas and look forward to seeing him in anything. Gordon Gekko is probably one of his most memorable characters and so he does a very good job here. Shia LaBeouf is not an actor that impresses me. He has not really done anything I'd rate as being great. When he's not living in the shadow of famous older characters he is being chased by robots. Everyone is raving about Carey Mulligan but I'm not that impressed yet. I see potential and hope she does more challenging roles in the future. Josh Brolin makes a nice villain though.

An enjoyable drama but not as great as the first film. We do not learn anything about finance that we did not already know. But we do learn more about an old favourite.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Dinner For Schmucks


I wonder if there is some sort of record that French writer/director Francis Verber holds for having the most Hollywood remakes made of his films. He certainly creates many broad comedies that Hollywood likes to steal.

I know that I saw the original film 'The Dinner Game' several years ago but I can't remember much of it. I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed the remake. The premise is a pretty dark one and can sound very mean. However I think Jay Roach and his writers David Guion and Michael Handelman must walk a very fine line that does not make them look like they are making fun of unfortunate people. Especially when that is what we are supposed to be laughing at. While Barry is a bit stupid he is likable as well. Tim does try to use that stupidity to further his career, in typical movie fashion he learns to become friends with Barry over time. It is the earlier conflict of this relationship that makes for many of the funnier scenes. Barry means well and tries to do his best to help Tim but is just a bit clueless on the etiquette for situations.

The one disappointing thing about this film is the casting of Steve Carell. Don't get me wrong he is great in the role and very funny but it just seems like very obvious casting. He has played similar roles before, most notably in 'Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy'. Paul Rudd too is also obvious in his role too. Together they do make a very funny duo. Zach Galifianakis is excellent too. What I loved though was the very funny British comedy actors in cameos. David Walliams, Lucy Punch and Chris O'Dowd are hilarious in their roles.

While a little bit long this is still a very funny comedy. Just the sort of thing you expect from these two leads. But it does feature some great members of the support cast.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Reluctant Infidel


While the battle between Muslims and Jews has been one that has raged for centuries, it is only now that it is once again coming to the fore due to world affairs.

The premise of this film is one which has been used numerous times in many comedic films. A person who belongs to one group or organisation then finds out they are really part of a rival group or organisation. That is what this film uses but to very little effect. Writer David Baddiel has taken a cliched situation and used it to make some very cliched jokes. All the comedic situations that our hero Mahmud Nasir finds himself in are very obvious and not terribly funny. I did, however, enjoy a subplot involving a former 80's singer. I found that reveal the best part of the film.

Omid Djalili is an actor you have all seen before playing a humorous side-kick in some Hollywood films and TV shows. Now he gets front and centre. I think he can be quite funny but I think he is let down by the material here. He is though excellent at switching from the comedy to the more dramatic moments of the film. I have been a fan of Richard Schiff since his work on 'The West Wing'. We've not seen him much since then so it is great to see him here. Archie Panjabi has become recognisable now after her Emmy Award winning performance in the TV series 'The Good Wife'. While she does not have many jokes it is good to see her in something funny. I also liked the cameo from Matt Lucas.

While this is a pleasant film with a few laughs, it is not as funny as it could be. There is some exploration of the political and religious struggle but not as in depth as you may like.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Loose Cannons


This is the second of the two films I saw at the Italian Film Festival. The plot concerns a young man returning home to announce to his family that he is gay. But before he can his brother comes out instead. So when his father has a heart attack the young man decides to wait for his coming out for fear he will kill his father.

The coming out story is one which always provides great drama for film makers. The conflict that no doubt arises from the announcement is usually enough to keep most plots ticking. This film takes an unusual step and has two brothers who are gay. These days films and TV shows are usually pretty accepting of gay people and don't normally show people who are homophobic. Which is why this film is so refreshingly different. When his brother comes out and is exiled from his family, Tommaso must then hang around and not only listen to the people he loves make horrible comments about his brother and gay people in general, but do it while taking over the running of his families company. There is also the fact that Tommaso must work closely with a young woman who he becomes friendly with. This adds an interesting twist in tension as you think maybe he might be straight or at least bisexual. The film is a comedy/drama so the family are made out to be the crazy ones. I think on account of the fact that we are made to laugh at the silliness of homophobia.

Riccardo Scamarcio makes a great lead as he becomes conflicted about his life and sexuality. He is also good at his relationship with Alba Brunetti played wonderfully by Nicole Grimaudo. The two of them know their relationship may not be possible but still have trouble hiding their feelings.

The concept of two gay men being in the same family is not one you hear about or see happening so it is refreshing to see it portrayed so wonderfully on screen.