Horrible Bosses

Again we get another film about an under appreciated worker (or workers in this case) who take extreme measures to get respect in the work place.

I will admit that I've had some bad bosses in my time. But resorting to murder is not something that I would have contemplated. In some ways this is a film of its time. With the recent Global Financial Crisis, jobs in America are very scarce so some people would be willing to take drastic measure to keep their job because leaving is a much scarier option. Director Seth Gordon and his writers have created a very good story that does not go along the path that you might expect. There were a few nice twists that I really enjoyed. Despite things going well for the guys at a few stages their bumbling still seems to stuff things up for them. There is a fair bit of crude humour but it is not as over the top or excessive like in other films. Plus it is not done for the sake of it. It is made part of the story which makes all the more funnier. It is one of those films though that you should see with a big audience. While I did find it funny I did not laugh out loud as there were not many people in the audience. Not that I would have been ashamed to laugh out loud but just that it's one of those things that feels better with a larger group.

Jason Bateman is very busy at the moment. His dry humour is always welcome in these types of films. He is more the straight man and lets his two co-stars take the more wacky stuff. He is in some ways the sensible one in the group. Jason Sudeikis gives a good performance as the nice guy with a bit of dirty side. I've not seen Charlie Day before but he is suitable neurotically funny in this film. The bosses are performed perfectly. Kevin Spacey has done this evil genius thing before but we don't get to see much of him at the moment so you take any chance you can get to see him. Colin Farrell has been making some excellent choices lately and this is one of his best. He is brilliant as the craziest of the bosses and you hardly recognise him. The biggest revelation though is Jennifer Aniston. She has normally played it safe and taken roles that are variations on what she's done before. But here she is so nicely outrageous and dirty that I hope we get to see more of it. I was a bit disappointed with Jamie Foxx. I wish he was used a bit more. Except for his very funny name and the story behind it.

I don't think any of us have the guts to kill someone we don't like to keep a job, so we turn to films to help live out our fantasies. An excellent comedy that while working better in a crowd will still give you a few decent laughs.

Cowboys & Aliens

So far this year we've had three very different westerns. 'True Grit' gave us the traditional western. 'Rango' gave us the animated western. Now we get the western with a twist of sci-fi.

I had fairly high expectations for this film based on the team behind the camera. Steven Spielberg has made numerous sci-fi films dealing with aliens. Jon Favreau has made a couple of sci-fi type films and one with aliens. Ron Howard too has made a film with aliens. Sadly they don't seem to have made it work with a western. Most alien invasion films have been set in modern times. Most recorded viewings of aliens in real life have come in recent years. Why have aliens waited until now to make contact? I know Starfleet in 'Star Trek' have a prime directive that they will not make contact with an alien species until it has made similar technological advancements to their own. So are aliens out there living by the same rules. In cinema though we've not had many films where aliens have attacked humans from history. Is it because we feel that only now do we have the technology to battle these aliens on an equal footing? In the past we did not have decent weapons to fight back and so any invasion would have been an annihilation? The humans have to be given a chance to succeed. There is a bit of that here. While the aliens wipe out lots of humans with their laser weapons the humans are good at killing a few aliens with their simple rifles and pistols. Jon is excellent at making great spectacular action sequences and does so brilliantly here. I was however let down by the parts in between. The general story is familiar and full of co-incidences that I found boring a bit lazy. The reason the aliens are here is a good example. I did not find anything all that spectacular in between the spectacular action sequences.

Daniel Craig is an excellent actor and has proven that in previous films. He gives a decent performance here but I did not see it as anything great. I understand that he is going for that 'Man With No Name' thing but I did not find his character all the interesting. Harrison Ford has become a grumpy old man. His career has now made this turn where he is just being angry all the time. He does however bring a certain gravitas to the proceedings which make him welcome. Olivia Wilde is let down by a character that is too mysterious to be interesting. Her reason for being there, with out too much of a spoiler, is too convenient.

A very disappointing mash-up that while good visually is not so good in the story and character department.

Win Win

It was not until I read an article recently that I found out that writer/director Thomas McCarthy was an actor as well and has appeared in several films in small roles.

'The Station Agent' was one of those films that has become a bit of indie folk law. A quirky little comedy that got a distribution. It was a good film that took some interesting characters and put them into an unusual setting. Sadly I missed Tom's follow up 'The Visitor' despite the kudos given to Richard Jenkins. The story for this film, to me, feels like a situation that a major Hollywood studio would come up with to be made as a broad comedy with a big comedy star. Instead we get the much better version with a more realistic story. I will admit that I was expecting it to be a lot funnier, but I did not mind that. Don't get me wrong the film is quite funny and there are lots of great lines. It is a story that is all about characters and their journey through a difficult situation. you know where the story is going but you don't mind because you're going on the journey with such interesting characters. Mike Flaherty is a typical guy who sees an opportunity to help his family and he take it. You know that it is wrong for him to do it but in some ways you can still root for him and want to see him succeed. It is bad to take advantage of an elderly person in that way but I think that wrong is balanced by the good he is doing for the old man's grandson. Helping that kid out of a difficult situation. What I found most refreshing about the film was that the sport the film depicts is wrestling. Most films these days use basketball in film, which is getting a bit boring and predictable. I suppose that's another one of the ways that sets this film apart from the more broad Hollywood comedies.

Paul Giamatti seems to have the monopoly on playing schlepy characters. But he does it so well that you don't really mind. He once again gives a very real performance here that, as mentioned above, while he is doing a bad thing you don't mind him doing it. I found Amy Ryan to be really funny in this film in a clever and witty way. Alex Shaffer is excellent as the young man Mike takes in. He does not say much but you really think he is a real kid and not some Hollywood pretty-boy. This is a very different role for Jeffrey Tambor to play. He normally plays more wacky characters but here he is more nicely low-key. Bobby Cannavale is the wacky character here. He provides most of the humour and makes a nice side-kick for Paul.

A refreshingly different comedy/drama that takes some very real characters and puts them into difficult situation. It is not very broad in its comedy but that's a good thing.

Love Crime

The theme of having a boss that you don't get along with is popular in cinemas at the moment with 'Horrible Bosses' and this film.

This is one of those films that has an event occur in it which requires me to reveal spoilers. I strongly suggest that you only read this review after you've seen the film. The relationship that women have at work is very different to that between men. When a rivalry occurs women seem more likely to try covert ways of getting revenge. Men would be more aggressive. It is interesting that people always resort to murder to get rid of their bosses. But this is film and in some ways things need to be more extreme. You would think that she could sue for emotional or psychological harassment before resorting to murder. The film provides an interesting situation where a woman commits a murder and is able to get away with it. Some parts of the plot she sets up require a bit of scrutiny but writers Alain Corneau and Nathalie Carter have managed to cover all their bases and make it seem plausible. As a psychological thriller it works very well with the added sexiness of the two women. I've not worked in an office but if the politics on display here are anything to go by then I'm glad I don't have to put up with it.

While it is a shame that we do not get to see Kristen Scott Thomas in many English language films lately, we have to give thanks for the French. They seem to care more about older actresses. She is excellent here as always and plays the cold-hearted bitch really well. What her character does in this film is simply unforgivable. Ludivine Sagnier was seen in many films a few years ago but we've not seen much of her lately. That might be more because her films just don't get released here. In any case she is wonderful here at playing both mousy office girl with her hair up and the sexy kitten with her hair down. The men in the film particularly Patrick Mille as the man the two women desire seem pretty emasculated.

A nice little psychological thriller that is expertly acted by two of the sexiest women working in film today. It is always great to see such sizzling sexual tension play out with out any actual sex taking place.

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

20th Century Fox did not have much success 10 years ago with their remake of 'Planet Of The Apes'. So now they are trying to restart the franchise again.

It took me a little while to see this film because I was all that excited about seeing it. The 'Planet Of The Apes' films, the original and the remake were good films but never excited me much. This new film was getting rave reviews but still I could not get excited about it. That all changed when I walked out of the cinema. I was very impressed with the story that writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver have come up with. At first I had trouble believing how they could come up with the situation where the earth is taken over by apes but they managed to achieve it. And in a clever and convincing way. At first I not too impressed. The Frankenstein concept is one which has been done so many times that it can be very hard to come up with a interesting way to make it look fresh. So the film did not start off to well but it did get better. Once the story moves into revolutionary territory then it starts to get more confident and seems more interesting. How Caesar gets his fellow inmates to join his cause is really well done. While Caesar behaves more human because of genetic engineering, there is some behavior by his less intelligent brethren that I was not convinced by. Despite that it is very well done.

The human performers in this film are just there as window dressing. The story is more focused on the apes and their story of taking over the planet. James Franco is very good as usual and does his best to make an interesting character. But in some ways he's just a typical scientist character. Freida Pinto sadly has not been able to get any interesting films after her break through role in 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Here she is merely a female love interest with no real purpose in the film. Her plot point could have been removed without any problems. I'm disappointed with Tom Felton. His first major non-Harry Potter role is once again playing a nasty bully. I fear he maybe doomed to stereotype. John Lithgow is his usual wonderful self and makes his character convincing. It is however Andy Serkis who steels the show. He is certainly the master of motion capture and is brilliant at bringing to life the character of Caesar the ape. It is a pity that he may not get the award recognition for it that he deserves.

After watching this film, I think that the apes deserve to take over the planet. The humans in this world are pretty dumb, with the exception of a couple, so I'm sure the apes could not do any worse.

Red Dog

Australian cinema is known for presenting stories of legends from our history. This is the story of an Aussie who touched the hearts of many people in North Western Australia.

The story is not terribly unique to Australia. You could imagine it being made in any country in the world. But it is told in a very Australian way. This is a wonderful Aussie story, which is the type of film that we should be making more of. There is something about stories of animals which we just do so well. They have a lot more charm than humans and we can sometimes care a lot more about them. While the film is based on a true story, you get the sense that there is a little bit of myth being woven into the story. Red Dog does a few amazing things but the film makers still make it seem very believable. Despite the episodic nature of the story writer Daniel Tapliz has crafted an excellent story that keeps Red Dog as the focus.

I can be pretty cynical and say that American actor Josh Lucas is only in this film to get some overseas interest. He is very good in the role but I think that it would have been better served as an Aussie character. I know it maybe based on a true event I just think Red Dog's true master has to be Aussie. Rachel Taylor is delightful as the woman who stands up to Red Dog and competes for his mater's affections. Arthur Angel is excellent in a very funny performance as the Italian minor. So is John Batchelor as a quintessential Aussie bloke.

Stop your winging about Australia not making any decent films and go see this one that is sure to become a classic. It is the duty of every Australian to make sure it is successful so film makers will come to realise that this is the type of film audiences want to see.

The Help

The treatment of African-Americans in the USA has been immortalised on film on many occasions. This is the latest based on a hugely successful book.

Racism is not a concept that I can fully understand. While it is something I know that exists I cannot fully understand why it does. I judge a person on how they treat me not by how they look or the colour of their skin. It is not something I can comprehend. Communities like the ones portrayed in the book and this film, to me feel a world away or like they are on another planet. While I've grown up in a place where racism exists I've never come into contact with it directly. Which is why films like this I find interesting. They are taking me to places I've never been and showing concepts I've not had experience with. I thought the book on which this film is based was a good book but not terribly great. However I think the film is brilliant. It is an excellent story about a group of women who make a stand against something they believe in. In many ways they are fighting something that is so ingrained into a society that it will take a great deal of effort to make a change. This story is not so much about make a massive change but making a small change at first that can change peoples minds. Shining a light on something you may not know about. Seeing something from someone else's view point. This is very much a film about women. There is hardly any men in it and they are rarely seen. Women run this world. There is a hierarchy that exists that must be adhered to. If you slight the wrong person, especially the leader (who in this case is Hilly) then you become a pariah. It is such a cleverly crafted world. I found the film to much funnier than the book. Maybe I did not pick up on it when reading but there is so much delightful humour in the film. My only small problem with the film is that it drags a little in patches. I know writer/director Tate Taylor needed to put as much of the book in as possible to please the fans but he needed to tighten the editing a little. There is also the relationship Skeeter has with Stuart that I felt could have either been better developed or cut out as it does not fit in the story. I know why it is there but I felt it needed more.

Emma Stone is fast becoming the best actress in Hollywood. Her career up until now has mostly been doing comedy but this is one of her first major dramas. Emma is so wonderful and delightful. She can play such a determined young woman so well. I love her sarcastic streak as well. Bryce Dallas Howard is a wonderful bitch. You really hate this woman and all that she stands for. He character is a product of the society that has subjugated African-Americans. The product of all that is wrong with that society. Allison Janney on the other hand plays a character who may disagree with what is going on, feels she has to go with the flow so she is not ostracised by her community. I'm a huge fan of Allison so she can do no wrong in my mind. Octavia Spencer is a familiar face who we've seen before but now gets a more featured role. She is wonderful as the sassy member of the group. You also come to care for her a great deal because her humour makes things easier to handle. I hate to do this so early but I'm making a prediction now. I think Viola Davis will win or go close to winning an Oscar for her performance in this film. She is simply brilliant. Viola becomes her character Aibileen so much you don't notice it is an actor playing a part.

Certainly one of the early contenders for the Oscars. An excellent story told brilliantly. With some of the best female performances you are likely to see this year.

Glee The 3D Concert Movie

'Glee' has become a hugely successful TV and music recording phenomenon. The cast recently did a concert tour and some of it was filmed in 3D and made into this film.

In the interests of full disclosure I need to tell you that I am a huge fan of the TV series 'Glee'. I think it is so brilliant. For me it is everything 'High School Musical' should have been. I found 'HSM' to be too sweet and G-rated that I was turned off. I understand that it is aimed at a young audience so they need to be very clean. However 'Glee' is everything that show isn't. They are not afraid to cover issues such as sexuality and death. So it means that I loved this film. Up until now there has not been a concert movie which I've enjoyed because I've not been a big fan of the performers. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, my musical tastes are varied and I generally like a wide variety of songs and like songs more so than artists. Which is probably why I like 'Glee' so much. They sing a variety of songs from a wide range of styles and genres that they play to many varied tastes. My favourite songs have always been those where the character is using the song to show their emotions. While the songs they sing as a performance on stage are good I feel those which are conveying emotions are better. My favourite character is Artie and his flash mob song 'Safety Dance' is my favourite song from the series. I'm also a fan of Kurt and his rendition of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. Both of these are feature in the film which was excellent. The other great thing about the film is the fan testimonials they have interspersed between the songs. I admit they are naturally glowing reviews of the TV series and how the show has helped various people with issues in their lives. But they are still very interesting to see the huge range of fans that 'Glee' gets. The one brilliant moment though is a young boy who is a fan of The Warblers. His scenes are worth the price of admission alone. I admire Gweneth Paltrow for making a cameo appearance in the film. Her song is excellent and proves she is not the diva she is sometimes made out to be. My only disappointment with the film is the exclusion of Sue Sylvester. She was seen in the trailer for the film but her scenes seem to have been deleted. Maybe they are saving them for the DVD/Bu-ray release.

Probably a film that is only going to appeal to fans of the TV series. I'd be interested to find out what a non-fan thinks. It is however a pure joy for all Gleeks, especially those like us in Australia who missed out on seeing the concert live.

Senna

In May 1994 Formula One race car driver Ayrton Senna died after crashing his car during a race. He was at the height of his popularity after winning the world championship three times.

The structure of this documentary is director Asif Kapadia assembling archival footage to create a portrait of this sporting legend. While they interview people it is not shown and instead they speak by voice over. This is a good format and makes you focus more on the subject rather than being interrupted with other people. But the problem for me is that there were a couple of instances that needed better explaining but weren't. Such as an incident Ayrton had with Alain Prost at the Japanese Grand Pix. They used terms and explanations which I did not understand. I would have liked a visual aid to help explain why the judges went with the decision they did. There a couple of other problems I had. In a lot of the reviews I've been reading there has been a lot of interesting material that's not been included. I understand that to make the film interesting and entertaining they had to exclude some material but the things I have heard mentioned would have been good to be included. Part of the problem might be that Senna's family had approval over the documentary because it included family home video footage, so the film is very favourable to Senna. It is definitely a glowing portrait of him so you have to maybe take what is said with a grain of salt. Despite that it is certainly very entertaining and an interesting look at Formula One racing. It highlights quite nicely the politics that go into a sporting event like this. When you have that much money being spent its inevitable to have lots of people wanting to have their say. It is very admirable to Senna that he was willing to play the game when he didn't like it because of his love of the sport. He says that his favourite time was early in his career when he was go-kart racing and it was just about racing not politics.

Don't get the wrong idea. While I did have a few problems with the film I still found it very enjoyable. Ayrton is painted in a very favourable light so maybe don't expect the full picture.

Friends With Benefits

It is very common in Hollywood for an idea to be thought of at the same time by several different people. This year we've already had one film about friends having a sexual relationship and now we get another.

The whole idea of 'friends' having sex, to me, is a dangerous situation. As proven by this film and 'No Strings Attached' you invariably have one of the people in the situation feel an emotional connection about the sex when the other person doesn't. I know that there are people who can emotionally distance themselves from sex, that it is just sex. Or as described in this film, just like playing tennis. Despite the fact that you are 'just having sex' I think that if you are friends as well then I do not see the difference of it being a proper loving relationship. Compared to 'No Strings Attached', the characters in 'Friends With Benefits' are in a different emotional state. But as always happens in a romantic comedy they fall in love so they become more than just friends. So while you know exactly where the film is going, you know the couple will get together. The problem with film though is that it's a visual medium and so the characters have to visually show their emotional state or maybe use voice over to know what they are thinking. To me from how these characters behaved, how much time they seemed to spend together and the fact they are having sex, it looked like they were dating and in a relationship. Although Jamie (Mila Kunis) does date a guy for a while, it is the only thing that would make you think they are not in a relationship. Despite these few minor problems I really liked the film. I found it far better than 'No Strings Attached'. While there is not all that much action, excluding the sex, the film is mostly dialogue driven and it is really clever witty dialogue which I love. Will Gluck managed to do that in his previous film 'Easy A' so the man knows how to make a great dialogue driven film. The best thing though that Will does is the opening tour that he does of New York. I LOVE New York. I have been there twice and think it is the best city in the world. Sorry Sydney. This sequence made me fall in love with it all over again. The tour ends with a brilliant flash mob scene in Times Square which was awesome.

Justin Timberlake is certainly building up an impressive film resume. I really admire his choice of films and I like how he is moving away from just being a pretty faced pop star. This is one of his better roles and he definitely shows he has great skill with comedy. His character has this brilliant quirk during sex which I thought was hilarious. But the other wonderful thing about the film is the chemistry he has with Mila Kunis. I think that other undefinable quality I liked is the way Justin and Mila get along. Which is part of the problem I have with why are they not in a relationship. To me it looked like they were. Another wonderful part of the film was the support cast. Will Gluck has once again cast Patricia Clarkson as the mother of the female lead and you can easily see why. She is brilliant at playing a cool mum. I think she is very different here too and is just delightful. Woody Harrelson is hilarious as Justin's outspoken male friend. Jenna Elfman, who we don't see enough of on screen, is wonderful as Justin's sister. Equally wonderful is Richard Jenkins.

While I had a few problems with the concept I think this is one of the better romantic comedies I've seen. As long as you don't go in expecting too much gratuitous sex you should have a lot of fun with this film.

Larry Crowne

Two of Hollywood's biggest stars come together again. Unlike their previous effort, 'Charlie Wilson's War', this is a much simpler film.

Simple is a perfect way to describe the film. Tom Hanks was a producer on Nia Vardalos's film 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'. I'm sure that after that they decided to write a film together. The result of which is 'Larry Crowne'. I get the feeling that if anyone else had starred in or directed this film it would not have gotten as big a distribution as it does. The story is very simple and not very thrilling. I don't mean action packed or anything but just very little happens. While it is nice to have a story about a man reassessing his life after a major change at least make it an interesting story with a few exciting events to make it worth seeing. It might have been good if you saw him struggle a bit more in what happens to him after he loses his job. He meets new people and makes new friends but it all seems a bit too easy. At least let something bad happen to him or have some form of decent struggle happen that makes the story more thrilling.

The film does skate by and is bearable by its leads. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts have enough charm to make the film viewable. As mentioned above the story lets them down and does not require them to work too hard. I hazard a guess that Julia took a pay cut to do this a favour to his friend Tom. I'm sure her presence would have helped in getting financing too. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is excellent as Tom's study buddy at college. The other cast do decent jobs with their small roles but not much to mention.

A very disappointing effort from Tom Hanks. I expected something better. Maybe if you like something very easy to watch that you don't have to think too carefully about then this film is for you.

Bad Teacher

Forget all your big blockbuster films. This is the movie that I have been most looking forward to seeing over the USA summer period.

Some of you may know that after high school I completed a degree in Primary School teaching at university. All my life when ever someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up I would say a teacher. But during my prac teaching I found out what the real world was like and lost interest in it. I've always had a love of film as well and so when I got a job at a cinema and got to see a lot more movies my interests changed. After seeing this film though, if I could behave like Elizabeth Halsey I would go back to teaching. Just play movies for kids while I sleep at the desk. That is my idea of a great job. But she also likes to use dodgeball as a way to motivate the kids. If I could throw a ball at a kid for getting a question wrong that would be awesome. I'd also love to be open and honest when correcting a child's work and be able to write the honest truth on their tests. That is why I found this film to be hilarious. I'm not sure if 'almost' being a teacher helps appreciate the film more because it is an ideal situation I would like to be in. I know not many have found it all that funny and I think thats because of the marketing. The trailers make it seem like a dirty adult comedy but it was not as dirty as expected. I did not mind this as I still found the film to be incredibly funny.

Cameron Diaz is an excellent actress. he can play drama as well as comedy. I do find though that her best comedies are those where she can be a bit more outrageous like in this one. She is excellent at playing the bitch. I just love to watch her react when people are talking to her. Just the contempt she has for the other person is amazing. Disappointingly Justin Timberlake does not have much to do in the film except be the object of desire. He does have one very funny sex scene but otherwise has little to do. Jason Segel is really funny and has some excellent one-liners in the film. His verbal sparing with Cameron is hilarious. Lucy Punch is an English actress getting a lot of good work in the Hollywood. She has been playing mad characters but she does it so well. I also especially loved Phyllis Smith. Her dead pan performance is so funny.

I think this is one of those films that you need to have worked in the profession on display to fully appreciate it. It certainly lived up to my expectations despite not being as crude as it could have been.

Hanna

There have been many films in which women play strong tough characters. Lately we have been getting films in which they are young girls.

Joe Wright is an excellent director and chooses some really interesting projects. This one is certainly another well made film. It has an excellent techno feel to it that makes it feel very 80's. He also loves his long one shot tracking shot. The story is fairly conventional, with a person being released into the wider world and discovering what it is really like. But it is done in an interesting and dynamic way. I especially liked how the family that Hanna meets during her travels is very bohemian. Usually in these situations she will meet a family who are 'typical' and try to 'save' her. This family don't seem to have a problem with a young girl traveling around Europe on her own. I found that very refreshing.

Saoirse Ronan is such an amazing young actress. I really admire her choice in roles too. Here she gives another excellent performance. She can play the steely, cold blooded killer and the soft innocent girl as well. Eric Bana does not have all that much to do but is effective as an unusual father. Tom Hollander is so suitably creepy.Cate Blanchett is one of the best actresses working today. I think she is flawless in everything she does. She has gotten criticism for her performance in this film but I quite liked it. I like how it is a cartoon villain and she goes over the top a bit in her evil nature.

Another great thriller with a young girl in the tough action role. It might be a genre that will run its course but for now we can enjoy great films like this.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Marvel have left their pride and joy to last. Their most recognisable character is introduced before he joins up with The Avengers next year.

There is always a certain amount of skepticism when 'America' is used in a film's title. Especially in a film like this when the term jingoism can be used. But it is an American film set during World War II so we can expect it to all be about the Americans winning the war single handed. Single handed is true in so far as one man does it all on his own. For these reasons and a few others I expected it was hard to write a film like this. Making a believable and exciting story out of an iconic character that sums up American ideals and make it appealing to a foreign audience. I think they have succeeded. This is just good old fashioned fun with a bit of modern flair. This does mean it cannot escape cliche and corniness but you don't really mind. I really liked the character arc that Steve Rogers/Captain America goes through in the film. It is also one of the greatest physical transformations as well. This is a perfect example of special effects being used effectively to tell a story. I'm the type of person that looks for the join in these situations and I could not find one. I also liked how Captain America had to prove himself a hero. The army did not just use him as a weapon right away. He was first used for propaganda and then had to find a mission for himself to prove he could be a soldier. In a film set during World War II when you have the most evil villain already in place I was surprised they could come up with someone more menacing.

Not content with already playing one Marvel superhero, Chris Evans now plays another. I think he is perfectly cast as Steve Rogers a young man determined to fight but unable to get a chance. He brings a great deal of old fashioned charm to the character that makes him very endearing. He does not come across as too arrogant which would have killed the characters appeal. Chris can play the bravo elements but still be sweet about it. Tommy Lee Jones can play a military type in his sleep. While this is not a criticism when he does such a good job of it. Dominic Cooper plays an important character but does not get much to do but stand in the background twiddling knobs. Hayley Atwell plays a good love interest for Steve and has a nice moment at the end which I hope is continued in 'The Avengers'. Hugo Weaving has played many villains before and is excellent here as well. He is ably backed up by Toby Jones as his side-kick.

A great deal of old fashioned fun that leaves you excited for 'The Avengers' next year. Don't worry about all the American propaganda as it is not forceful and overbearing.

Arsenic And Old Lace

For our next Masters of Hollywood film we revisit the 1944 classic black comedy directed by Frank Capra and starring Gary Grant.

I have a vague memory of seeing this film before on television but could not remember many details. I was pleasantly surprised at how funny it was. The comedy is very broad and is backed up by an excellent story. I am a big fan of black comedies and this one revels in the idea of two sweet old ladies killing old men. It is only the backbone to the real story of a man finding out about his family history. Many films like to milk the idea of someone hiding something from someone else and this film certainly does that. It is mostly physical comedy that drives the film and it is really funny stuff. This is where the films funniest moments come from and are truly hilarious. My only one complaint is that the second half of the film dragged a bit. I think it could have been edited a bit to make it a bit more tighter. While not necessarily a complaint the film does suffer from being an adaptation of a play. It was filmed all in a studio and so did not look very dynamic. But it does not diminish from the comedy.

Cary Grant is certainly an excellent actor. I'm ashamed to say that I have not seen many of his films but I hope to see more soon. As mentioned above there is lots of physical comedy which comes mostly from Grant as he tries to hide his aunts secret. He is not above throwing himself around in the pursuit of a laugh. Something I really admire in an actor. Josephine Hull and Jean Adair make a wonderful pair of old ladies with a deadly secret. The naive nature makes them more sweet and endearing than homicidal. Raymond Massey is excellent as Mortimer's demented brother. A running joke in the film is that everyone mistakes him for Boris Karloff. I thought at first that perhaps it was Boris Karloff. He is wonderfully creepy in a comedic way. His excellent partner in crime is the naturally creepy Peter Lorre. He makes for a good side-kick. In a little bit of trivia: when I first saw the film the voice of Mr. Witherspoon sounded very familiar. Checking the credits I found it was Edward Everett Horton who played that role. He was the narrator of the 'Fractured Fairytales' in one of my all time favourite TV series 'Rocky And Bullwinkle'.

I'm really surprised that no one has tried to remake this film yet. Maybe it is one of those classics that no one is brave enough to update. Well we can admire and laugh ourselves silly at this brilliant comedy.