Transformers. Subtle? Bay? You Must Be Joking!

Michael Bay. King of destruction. Subtle is a word that doesn't ever enter his mind. Bad Boys. Armageddon. Pearl Harbour. You know what you will get with a movie by him. It's gonna be loud, dumb and a lot of fun! Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is loud and dumb but not so much fun. The poster above says everything about the movie. More Fox is a brilliant feature though...

With the first Transformers movie, Bay created an entertaining, funny and slick action movie. Its final action sequence was poor but the first hour was so good I didn't give a toss. Shia Labeouf and Megan Fox oozed chemistry and the entrance and subsequent dilemma of concealment of Transformers Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Ironhide and others was great to watch. Their was also a collection of brilliant action sequences in a desert and US Army base. It was well edited and not too long. It also let the story breathe and left enough time for the characters to not be overshadowed by the big metal robots. Revenge of the Fallen does not even try to do this.

From the opening five minutes, Shanghai getting absolutely flattened, it is clear that this movie will be loud and action packed. And this is exactly what I expect with a Transformers movie. What really grates is that the action is extended beyond belief. The editing job is forgotten about here, leaving the movie to feel like an Extended Cut DVD or Blu-Ray. It's slick and well shot but lacks any sort of feeling or differentiation. Literally Bay goes to Egypt, France, Jordan, China and the US as well as the Oceans and blows everything up. And I mean everything. And some of it looks superb like Devastator sucking up all in his vicinity in Egypt whilst the battle rages on alongside but the hilariously anticlimactic finale is unforgivable.

There are other segments of action sequences especially the very, very long final showdown that stun. But it is so indulgent that it becomes interminably dull after awhile. Nothing in the film matches the scorpion battle in the first film. That was entertaining and well paced not to mention fresh and tense.

The problem with the first movie was the final showdown. Revenge...gives us an epic and overwhelming final battle but after you've seen five helicopters crash you really don't seen to see it another five times. Repetition is the dilemma here. Essentially all the robots do is smash each other. Barring Optimus and Bumblebee it is hard to tell who's fighting who sometimes and it is hard to care. Optimus is the only robot with any heart, the rest are just pieces of metal.

Bay jumps from location to location with impressive scope and a wonderful expansive feel of Egypt and Jordan. He also steals from Timur Bekmanbetov (Wanted, Night Watch) with numerous slow-mo's with bullets and zooms through walls. It looks great. The Fallen's lair is nicely executed and a set-piece involving an infiltration of a military base by a Jaguar-like robot is breathtaking. Bay maintains the feel of the first movie with the slick sheen of gloss painting the whole movie from Megan Fox's rear to the endless battles.

What really grates though is the sickeningly similar storyline to the first with yet another 'key' being hidden and the two rivals battling it out to find the thing. Unfortunately in contrast to the first one where there were amusing Autobots and a great simmering chemistry between LaBeouf and Fox, Revenge...opts for a painfully unfunny pair of robots who just say 'punk-ass' and 'bitch' throughout. Then there is the atrocious old 'British' (oh how unpredictable Bay!) robot who is devastatingly irritating. Oh and was there any need to destroy the Smithsonian Museum? Yes? Ok then Michael.

Amongst the mess are the humans. Shia again shows his charisma can carry any heap of junk with an energetic and committed performance that powers the movie along...just. A great scene in a lecture with Professor Rainn Wilson (The Office's Dwight) is a breath of fresh air as is a wonderful scene where Shia tells Bumblebee he can't take him to college. But that's in the trailer! Fox is hot. Extremely hot. And considering her role she is fine. Critics have slammed her but in all fairness with what she has to work with, she does a decent job. Later on in the film when Shia lies unconscious on the ground she shows some quality and it is enough to keep me interested in her new movie Jennifer's Body (scripted by Diablo Cody). Even the parents of Shia's Sam Witwicky which were so much fun in the first are now just annoying and stupid. Mother takes drugs and loses it, Dad is just cardboard cut-out idiot. The interesting theme of a parent letting his son leave and making his own life is explored in minimal detail thus creating an empty plotline. Fox and LaBeouf manage to keep some chemistry going and they just about keep the movie on track. John Leguizamo's return is fun as well. Much needed comedy is injected with his entrance which is unfortunately diminished by Shia's pointless and vapid roommate who for some reason lives for the whole film. Yeah that pisses me off man. No-one dies in this movie. Spoiler Alert. No One Dies. Come on Bay!!!!

And what Bay thinks he is achieving wiht an endless stream of bemusing sex gags is beyond me. Dog's screwing, a robot tries to screw Fox 's leg and then we have awkward moments with various characters in compromising situations. It's just lazy. No effort went into the script and when there is little emotion in a film it is hard to care who wins. By the two hour mark you just want it to end.

Shamefully Bay sets up a third installment with a unforgivably similar ending to the first movie. I welcomed Linkin Park's New Divide at the credits...finally some quality!

This movie just proves that you can't just have explosions and nothing else. People may criticise Fantastic Four but it knows its limitations so it cuts the running time to 90 minutes and puts fun before indulgence. I saw 12 Rounds recently with John Cena. That was better than this! It had tension and a hero you actually care for. And as for Terminator Salvation? It kicks Transformers out of the park.

$339 million takings so far in US alone! The money rolls into Bay's gravy-train. Well count me out of the third movie Michael, I'm not really interested. Although if Fox is in it...

The Good, The Bad and The Extremely Ugly

The Day The Earth Stood Still. Was a remake necessary? No. Was the remake any good? No. I want to talk about the stuff I have watched recently. I'll open with the crapfest that I aforementioned.

The 1955 classic was great. A chilling message that resonates today, special effects that warm the heart with their authenticity and unique feel whilst a strong story underpins a very goof film.

Whereas the original dealt with nuclear arms, Scott Derrickson opts to deal with the big issue of climate change. And boy it is shoddily done. Like The Happening it is detrimental to the work being done on this massively important issue because it is clueless and doesn't explain anything. Firstly the film is way too short to fit in three storylines as well as action sequences that are painfully dull and lifeless. Gort the robot is now a big CGI hunk of metal and the spaceship is a big, weird OTT CGI ball of dust.

In the opening 30 minutes I nearly fell asleep. Dull isn't the word. Jennifer Connelly tries her best but when it clearly looks and feels as if all concerned are baffled as to why they are doing this movie, success is impossible.

Things pick up with Keanu Reeves arrival. Surprisingly he does a solid job. Amusing in places but on the whole believable. Sadly the rest of the movie isn't. The problem is we have so many storylines; Earth dying, Keanu has come to save the world by ending it, Jennifer Connely is struggling with her step-son (Jaden Smith) and his fathers death, the worlds response to the situation, the secretary general's action's...By showing the whole world and their reactions we are taken away from the main plotline. Shame really as Reeves, Connelly and Smith give good accounts of themselves and a scene at a cemetery where Smith's father is buried is tenderly shot and Reeves displays a subtlety rarely seen by him. However the touching and absorbing plotline of the three and their journey is weighed down by a truly dire range of CGI and pointless scenes most notably John Cleese playing Professor Barnhardt for about 2 minutes and adding nothing to the narrative development. But the key thing is the main theme of the Earth dying and humanity's responsibility is never explained or given any sort of focus.

And after 90 mins we are no clearer on why the Earth is dying and the hilarious final CGI set piece is laughable in its execution with an anticlimax of Universe size proportions. Derrickson directed an Urban Legends movie and the Exorcism of Emily Rose and is rumoured to be helming The Birds remake. That is really sad. Another classic movie will be ruined.

Before I continue I'll give a quick summary of some other movies I saw recently that differ in quality but deserve a mention:

Marie Antoinette - Fluffy but Coppolla is clueless with tone and genre. Dunst excels.

Terminator: Rise of the Machines - Arnie just abut salvages it. Stahl is pitiful and Danes is uninspired. Feels half-hearted in execution and how anyone can criticise McG's Salvation is beyond me.

Splinter - Average horror that is effective in places but nothing special.

American Gangster - I don't know why I felt underwhelmed but despite a cracking story and heavyweights in Scott, Washington and Crowe on board, it has long periods of utter boredom and only flashes with brilliance occasionally. Both stars seem to be underperforming and it is a film that quickly escapes you and leaves no lasting impression.

A Beautiful Mind - This on the other hand is Crowe's finest ever performance. Marvellous direction by Ron Howard and although sentimental in places it never loses its emotional power and Connelly never fails to wow me. A special, surprising and ultimately empowering movie.

O - Really good teen movie based on Shakespeare's Othello. Dark, bleak and interesting look at racism and jealousy. Hartnett is perfect as is Mekhi Phifer and the movie is definitely worth a look.

Tales From Earthsea - A long and ponderous opening builds into an exquisitely moving anime picture with stunning visuals from Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away) and jaw-droppingly exciting action sequences with the central characters being superbly voiced by Timothy Dalton and William Dafoe among others. A tender fantasy that is both enthralling and touching.

In contrast to the abysmal TDTEST, one remake that improves upon the original is The Ring. This is probably controversial and many disagree with me but Gore Verbinski's US version is vastly superior. Many, including a respected UK journalist Mark Kermode declare that the Japanese original is terrifying and the American one is directed with a sheen of arrogance and it doesn't touch the original. I disagree completely.

I've watched Verbinski's The Ring three times and it chills me like a great horror should. It is shot in glacial and bleak tones; blacks, whites and faded blues paint the screen and create an incredibly tense atmosphere. The plot is ridiculous but it is a horror so no-one gives a crap. And to be fair it is better than Hideo Nakata's original which is boring in comparison. The strained relationship between Naomi Watts and Martin Henderson and their son is played out superbly whereas Nakata's film pushes it to one side. Also the longer and more detailed subplot involving Samara is great and heightens the tension.

I accept that the budget's of both movies differ hugely. I appreciate the original for its weirdness and excellent scene where the girl comes out of the TV screen which betters the remake. However what I don't accept is mediocre acting, dull story and most importantly, lack of scares. It caused me to jump once and was tense in parts. But on the whole it doesn't contain enough of the demonic Samara and the relationship between the journalist and her husband is poorly conceived.

What disappoints me most with the Japanese original is the opening. Dragged out to an almost unbearable level of tension in the remake it is rushed and leaves you with nothing in the original. Nakata has ability and creates an average oddball film with one massive redeeming feature...the end. A magnificent and chilling twist. Other than that this 1998 movie is only really rated so high because it's low budget, it's foreign and people hate to admit that a Hollywood remake could be better.

A couple of things to add about the US remake. It's skillfully directed by Verbinski and the plot features a lot more turns and excitement than the original. Watts is stunning. Giving the movie a class that is usually absent from this genre. Henderson and Daveigh Chase (Samara) are impressive. Add to that a collection of cracking scenes on an island, a boat and the nerve-shredding finale plus the aforementioned opening that hooks you in and gives you an almighty warning that you are about to be put through the wringer.

A truly great remake. Loads of you guys won't agree but for once a Hollywood remake crushes a foreign original.

My Love For The Evil Dead

I have been trying to catch up on a number of movies recently and this is a trilogy that was on the list. Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead series. 

I watched the first one ages ago and thought it was pretty much the best horror movie ever. Ridiculous, funny and bloody frightening. I tried to watch the sequels straight afterwards but couldn't be bothered so I left them...until now. They are just superb.  Evil Dead 2 is like 1 but decides to push the bar out further by making the action more over the top and violent. I preferred the original as it combined horror and comedy perfectly but this one borders more on comedy. However it is still terrific fun. Gushes of blood spraying out the wall, chain-saws and killer trees make this preposterous entertainment. 

And is Bruce Campbell the greatest actor ever? Well probably no, but he is up there for this movie and the absolutely outstanding, absurd and wacky third installment, Army of Darkness. How good is this movie? Campbell has a chain-saw for an arm! He fight's off the undead in a pit whilst being taunted by a medieval army within castle walls. He then shoots a guys sword in half whilst taking the piss out of everyone and everything. He is so intense and maniacal you believe him completely. What follows is possibly the most far-fetched and ludicrous plot and events in cinema but who the hell cares?! Campbell's Ash disdainful comments to his love interest are frankly hilarious whilst his problem's with the book's of the dead are enough to induce a heart attack due to laughter. The crap he has to go through, I felt so much sympathy it was a joke. Attacked by little Campbell's, joined at the arm by his evil twin and then his love gets taken away by the undead army. Can it get worse? Well for him yes but for us no. It gets better and better. A cracking battle with the undead ensues and it seriously is more exciting than anything LOTR produced. Its absurdity and hilarity more than makes up for the cheap and shoddy special effects. 

The ending fits in perfectly with the trilogy and to be honest I really would love to see the rumoured Evil Dead 4 and the Evil Dead 1 remake. As Drag Me To Hell showed, Raimi excels with the horror genre. He is needlessly making a sequel to the pitiful Messengers and of course the Spiderman 4 and 5 movies. And lets be fair, they are needed after the disastrously disappointing Spiderman 3. How bloated was that movie man?! 

Back to Evil Dead though. Fantastic trilogy. Army of Darkness is so different but is better for it. Fantastic entertainment and an absolute powerhouse performance in the exhibition of OTT acting by he legend Bruce Campbell. 

Salvation For Terminator Anyone??!!

I felt compelled to give my support for Terminator Salvation so here I am. BTW how awesome is that poster?!

Critics here in the UK have absolutely slammed the fourth installment to the franchise. It's performance in the US has been disappointing. And at the moment the fifth film looks unlikely. Why is this?

Has Christian Bale's outburst on set been damaging? Is McG's name a put-off or is it just because Star Trek has taken the audience away from the new Terminator? 

Critics in the UK have criticised the film for lack of humour and laughs that littered the first two movies. Well it is a war movie! An apocalyptic world isn't very amusing and the film benefitted from its dark and sombre mood. Other critics have suggested it is poorly acted and directed, with the action being poor. Really??!! I can truthfully say it is some of the best action I've ever seen. 

Many reviews have alluded to the first two films and Arnie. Let's face it Arnie is a legend but makes all of the Terminator movies up to now quite laughable and comical. T1 is tense, exciting and great for 1984 but did it live with me? Hell no. It is a very decent Sci-fi movie but for me personally only really hits full throttle in the last 25 minutes. I actually was quite bored of Arnie after awhile. He is a terrible actor and the film transforms when his skin is shredded and the machine is revealed underneath. The scenes depicting the war with machines is ok but nothing special. However the small budget means this is obvious so fair enough but this movie is decent but not a patch on T2 or T4. 

T2 is genius. James Cameron created an action epic that even now looks astonishing. Robert Patrick? Wow. That CGI is terrific and the story is highly impressive. Arnie is still terrible but as he is more talkative and human he brings more humour to the table. T2 is a stunning action flick that still amazes to this day but McG's Salvation comes tantalisingly close to measuring up to it. 

I didn't miss Arnie. Yes he pops up in CGI which raises a smile but to be honest this movie would have died with the Governator. It is a far more serious and dark movie than its predecessors. Essentially it is a war film. Cameron teased us 25 years ago with machine vs man war flashbacks but they looked undeveloped and what McG has done so well in T4 is the tone, colour and overall feel of a faded and desolate pallette on screen. It is desert with smashed metal scattering the ground, electricity pylons half standing up and body parts littering the dirty ground. Judgment Day has happened and we are immediately taken into a lonely world where war and death is pungent in the air. A fantastic opening sequence where it really does feel as if you are there (who needs 3-D?!) foreshadows a movie jam-packed with exhilarating action set-pieces that literally took my breath away. Sometimes there are movies that you watch and enjoy and then there is a movie like this. A movie which you are truly astonished by as you're watching it. I was in such a state of awe that I felt like pinching myself. 

Every action scene is shot with gusto. Fast paced but easy to follow and not repetitive (unlike the poor Quantum of Solace or Terminator 1) and with clear referencing to the original films. Most memorable scene has to be the escape in the pick-up truck. But there are countless others including the finale that harks back to the first two movies but retains an originality with the design and overall sheen of class to this film. 

It is dark, note the Holocaust like containers crammed with humans and the machines are merciless. It is a stark warning of the dangers of technology but also an uplifting feeling to see humanity working to a common goal and uniting to fight till the end. It is bleak in many areas but unlike some movies such as QoS it still is bloody entertaining! 

As for the acting Bale does a solid job but perhaps lacks some humanity, though given what he's been through you can't really blame him! Sam Worthington is excellent as the 'mysterious' Marcus Wright. He takes the movie away from Bale a bit but near the end Bale regains his pride. Worthington instils a strength and enigmatic quality to his character. Moon Bloodgood and Common give decent turns despite their limited screen time, shame really as Bloodgood is striking and one has to hope that she remains for the possible fifth installment. The real star has to be Anton Yelchin though. Already nailing his role in Star Trek, he makes Kyle Reese his own and leaves Michael Biehn's version a distant memory. It is the first time I've seen Yelchin really deliver a rounded performance. Ever since Alpha Dog he has promised much and now he looks like finally delivering. Special mention to the girl sidekick as well, silent but effective. 

There are weaknesses. The plot is decent but loses focus in places and the end is good but not great. Bryce Dallas Howard (Kate Connor) is marginalised and certain characters would have benefitted from more screen time but these are small gripes. Star Trek was great fun but I feel as if the critics went overboard on it and now are slamming Terminator for being too violent and humourless. 

I loved the references to the earlier movies and enjoyed Arnie's CGI return immensely not to mention the lines repeated in the movie that don't come across as cheesy or forced. McG really has done the impossible, he has succeeded where many expected him to fail. 

I'd say T2 is better but only just. It smashes T3 out of the park and nudges T1 to one side. Explosive entertainment that is the best blockbuster this year. Can Transformers top this? The trailer looks brilliant but it is gonna be a big ask. We'll just have to wait and see...

Superman Returns - The most underrated Superhero film of all time.

I could sit here and try to insult by telling you ways that Wolverine is the greatest comic book film of all time, I’m not going to because it isn’t. Wolverine is fucking retarded, but it is a brilliant, fun, action packed film that if you love the characters enough, the horrible script and terrible moments of CGI will not hurt that much. Some great acting is on display by Hugh Jackman, who really had that character down and now is that character, he should sign a ten picture deal and just grace us with a Wolverine film every year. My respect for Wolverine is limitless it didn’t try and advertise itself as the film to end all comic book films like Zack Snyder’s watered down Watchmen. Wolverine kind of knows its retarded and embraces his stupidly to blow shit up, if that doesn’t deserve respect I don’t know what does. Ryan Reynolds fulfills his prophecy as Deadpool (a role he had been after for years) and I can’t wait to see him in his own spinoff and in the Wolverine sequels that will follow. I guess my point here is go see Wolverine it’s awesome, he blows up a car with his fucking hand!

Now onto Superman Returns, this is probably the greatest reboot of all time, Batman Begins was brilliant but that wasn’t as much a reboot as the complete antithesis of the last campy cheesy disaster installment that was Batman and Robin. Returns stays in the same universe as Richard Donner’s original 1978 film and builds on the characters and how they have changed, we are rewarded with not having to see another origin and get to see Superman “return” to a world that has learned to live without him. Their quick acceptance of him is rather strange but then again he does save a huge jet plane hurtling towards a stadium full of spectators in one of the most exhilarating action scenes of all time. The cast are talented enough to step into these characters, Kevin Spacey nails Lex Luthor and Brandon Routh makes as good a Clark Kent as anyone could of. The film also has the same feel of the original movies which liked to build upon the relationship of Clark and Lois instead of superman saving the day every fifteen minutes. The film doesn’t move at light speed instead it builds up the tension and the spectacle of Luthor’s plots to conquer. It was always going to be hard to market superman to a new generation, Batman has very much been in the public consciousness since the first feature film in 1989 and has stayed popular for nearly 20 years. The last time Superman had such popularity was in 1980 after Superman 2 was released, and then in the same fashion as Batman, Superman 3 was met with harsh criticism and the next sequel was the nail in the coffin.

A new superman film had been in development for over 15 years, these included Superman Reborn, Superman Lives (which had a draft written by Kevin Smith and at one point had Tim Burton attached to direct,) Superman Aftermath, Batman vs. Superman (which at one point had Wolfgang Peterson attached to direct) and Superman Flyby which had McG and Brett Ratner attached to direct at times. Luckily all of these projects failed and Bryan Singer was brought in to direct Superman Returns. Singer opted out of directing the third film in the X-Men series which was probably one of the best moves in history by anyone because we all know how that film turned out.

Superman Returns has some amazing special effects (when he is shot in the eye!), the action scenes are brilliantly choreographed, and the look of the film is perfect, the pace moves wonderfully allowing moments of reflection after each action beat and characters are constantly entertaining and watchable. Sensibly Singer cast an unknown as Superman and he carries the film well, and Kate Bosworth nicely steps in as Lois Lane. James Marsden plays Lois Lane’s partner brilliantly, it’s a small role but it so interesting to watch how he deals with Lois and Superman’s previous relationship.

This film works so much it’s maybe the perfect Superhero film, maybe the perfect film, it is a cut above the rest, and Singer proves he is one of the best directors of our time. Unfortunately the film only managed about $390 million worldwide on a large budget of about $210 million, which whilst still profitable was not nearly as successful as the studio hoped for, the film is a classic and should hopefully gain a larger audience over the years. For me this is how you reboot a series, a brilliant film.

The new Star Trek film was released last Friday, and it was just a brilliant triumph, whilst the film had some of the largest gaping plot holes of all time, it was still an incredible movie and very well done, normally the amount of problems in this film would have annoyed me, but for some reason the action and cast were so entertaining that I was able to over look these aspects. The only reason why I mention Star Trek is because a sequel for Superman Returns has been announced with Singer to direct, he promises “to go all Wrath of Khan on it,” and to go Wrath of Khan on anything is bound to be fucking incredible.

Oh and whilst were talking about reboots, to add in on Niks previous post, Marc Foster fucked up Bond more than Die Another Day. Quantum of Solace - The Worst Bond film ever made, ruined the rebirth that was Casino Royale, how is this the same guy that directed the brilliant Stranger Than Fiction? What the fuck happend?

Sunshine

Sunshine might not be 'undiscovered' per se but it sure wasn't seen by many people! Roughly $31m made from a $50m budget is not great. Actually that figure is worldwide so very poor indeed. Despite the fact it being not unheard of it didn't reach the audience it deserved. So what is so good about this movie?

Well firstly it's directed by Danny Boyle, the guy who won the Oscar for that film set in India. Yeah. He also directed superior movies called Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. It is written by Alex Garland who wrote The Beach, another film directed by Boyle. To be fair Boyle is a genius. Possibly the greatest British director of all time. He has conquered horror, drama, comedy, thriller and now Sci-Fi.

Sunshine is an odd one though. Eight brave people (two women and six men) have to save Earth which is freezing over from the sun dying. Their mission is to create a new star by nuking the sun. Yes it sounds preposterous on paper but it actually comes across as quite logical and realistic within the film. The main dilemma is that it opens on the ship Icarus II and we don't see what Earth has become. A shame really but obviously the budget couldn't stretch that far. The first 20 minutes are interminable as it is confusing as well as dull. An avalanche of characters flit in and out while we get a toe-curlingly bad scene with Cillian Murphy contacting home. I went to bed.

But I never like to just leave a movie unfinished (I finished Forrest Gump despite hating it from the first minute) so the following night I attempted to watch it again. And wow was I impressed!

The film is still a challenge to get into until roughly the 35th minute. But it really shines after that (sorry!). The story features some fascinating and dark avenues of thought and decision making. I don't really want to spoil it but there is the issue of there only being enough oxygen for half the crew on board. With this there are interesting character relationships and real developed characters like Cillian Murphy's determined, closed Capa or Chris Evans arrogant, forceful Mace. The lack of romance might put off some but for me it is necessary for the main story (the mission) to flourish. Movies where characters pointlessly get with each other in ridiculous situations can be fun but I personally think it's brave of Garland to focus solely on his characters relationships on a completely platonic level. It enables the plot to breathe and as the movie goes on the scientific side becomes easier to understand.

The tension rises to an unbearable level at times with fantastic scenes including the crew finding Icarus I (earlier failed mission) and a brilliant plot twist late on in the film keeping you hooked. Some of the camera work was reminiscent of 28 Days Later with its shaky, blurry and disturbing style. The film at this point jolts to a horror but quickly returns to the main plot with a mesmerisng sequence involving Capa, Mace and Rose Byrne's character all desperately trying to salvage the mission.

The acting is understated by a mix of unknowns and underrated B-List actors. The astonishingly good Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow in Nolan's Batman Begins and the only redeeming feature of Red Eye) imbues mystery, strength and anguish into Capa whilst Chris Evans (Fantastic Four's Torch and Push) gives a surprisingly strong performance as the confrontational Mace. Rose Byrne (28 Weeks Later) brings a tenderness to proceedings and Michelle Yeoh (Babylon AD, Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) impresses. What makes the movie click though is the combination of the actors, the chemistry and obvious lack of egos enable the film to focus on a story that is simply to save Earth.

The ending is stunning. Simple as that. It;s emotional power reminded me of The Fountain in a way. The power of the human spirit and the sacrifices we must make for our planet to survive is superbly realised. It is helped by a magnificent soundtrack by John Murphy (28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later) that captures the tension, futuristic theme and the emotional impact of the story perfectly.

It might be slow and confusing not to mention the challenge of getting into the movie but give it time and it will slowly sink into your heart and brain with panache leaving you breathless at the end.

Many will talk about Boyle's success for Slumdog but for me he has been creating superior movies for years now and like many actors and directors he has gained acclaim which was long due. Scorsese anyone?!

Wolverine Roars Whilst Franklyn Awes

It had to be done. X-Men Origins: Wolverine claws his way to number one spot at the US Box Office. $85.1m. Despite a copy of the film being released illegally on the Internet costing Fox a reported $20m. That extra cash would have pumped it up past Iron-Man's opening of $102m. Still an impressive haul though and credit has to go to Gavin Hood, Jackman and Schreiber for making this movie work. It could and probably should have been darker, more violent and disturbing but it is a success purely down to the fact that it is entertaining with superb lead performances from the aforementioned actors, givng real depth to Wolverine and Sabretooth. Hood's direction is excellent and fortunately the first blockbuster of the year doesn't suck.

That is in stark contrast to the latest crap rom-com starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past earns $15.4m. The studio obviously thought this would appeal to the women who arent taken in by Jackman. All the girls I know saw Wolverine but I guess the older generation of females saw this waste of time.

Michael Douglas does not give a f*** any more. McConnaughey briefly gained my respect for his hilarious performance in the very underrated Tropic Thunder. He has now lost it. Garner is actually a decent actress but she obviously was bored and decided on this. This movie has achieved one thing though. Well two actually. It tells the whole story in the trailer whilst not giving us one moment of comedy. Ingenious.

Obsessed makes $12.1m ($46.9m). How? Beyonce? Can't produce a decent song so why would I want to see her 'act'. Dreamgirls sucked, Pink Panther doesn't deserve a page on iMDB and as for this rubbish? Well lets just say I am not 'obsessed'.

$6.36m ($48.5m) for Zac Efron's 17 Again. This is a decent movie surprisingly and really shows Efron can make it in the future, unlike his HSM co-stars. Funny, well acted and great family entertainment. Ticks all the boxes. Aslo features the ridiculously underrated Michelle Trachtenberg who can be seen in Gossip Girl. Right now. Watch it.

To be fair Wolverine absolutely tore apart the opposition this week (sorry) but Monsters vs Aliens still took in $5.8m to climb to $182m. Mammoth total. Looks like the 3-D revolution is really taking hold.

Avatar in December. James Cameron. It promises to be the first '4-D' experience at the cinema. Thoguht I'd just pop that in.

The Soloist takes in $5.65m ($18.2m) which disappoints me. I look forward to seeing it as Joe Wright directs and Jamie Foxx and Downey Jr star. What more do you want?! But it's delayed release not to mention its miserable take must put this film in danger of not getting released for a while over here in the UK.

Earth circulates $4.34m ($22m). Again my wordplay has got out of hand. Impressive haul for what essentially is a documentary.

Two girls I know love Hannah Montana...they are 18 and 20 years old...I don't. It steals $4.16m ($70.9m) from the youth of America. Obama your next port of call...eradicate Disney.

Fighting grabs $4.01m ($17.3m). Channing Tatum deserves to be in the chart. Well done to him for growing into older roles after getting through the admittedly rather good Step Up movies. Next up is a slightly larger movie called GI Joe: Rise of Cobra...

Finally, coming in at 10 after a week at number one in the UK is State of Play with $3.72m ($30.9m). Average amount for a movie starring Crowe, Affleck, Mirren and the brilliant Rachel McAdams. This film has been killed by 17 Again and Wolverine and ...Obsessed. Shame really as it is a top-notch flick with intelligence and strong performances.

In the UK it is like a month old US Box Office. Boringgggg...

Wolverine took roughly £6.7m and In The Loop (funny, political satire with James Gandolfini) moves to £1.5m. Considering it is on a fourth of the screens that Montana is showing on, it is not bad at all.

17 Again is gigantic here as well with over £10m. Efron is a big deal here, believe me!

To finish just like to add that I saw The Departed the other night for the first time. Wow. Astonishing.

And a British picture called Franklyn that only showed on 54 screens here in the UK. Embarrassing but when you have crap like Montana, Ghosts... and F&F taking screen space. There is no place for quality like Franklyn.

It is a flawed thriller/horror/drama that interlinks four lives, three of them in London and one in a dystopian future city called Meanwhile City. Ryan Phillippe, Eva Green and Sam Riley (Control) star in Gerald McMorrow's debut feature. It is disjointed and some parts are misconceived but it leaves you tense, intrigued and packs an emotional smackdown of an ending.

McMorow manages to wrap up his story cleverly whilst his creation of Meanwhile City is beautifully gothic, bleak and totalitarian. The religious theme and outstanding performances raise this film above just good into a very special and unique experience.

Now many will disagree and I loved Southland Tales so don't judge my word as gospel! But seriously it is definitely worth a look. The British film industry needs to keep funding movies like this. Franklyn had a $12m budget which is paltry if you watch the film but when it gets such poor distribution and publicity whilst formulaic rubbish like the majority of the chart gets mass promotion, it really is hard for anything unique or different to get seen by an audience it deserves. Credit to everyone involved on this movie. I sincerely hope that you guys Stateside get to see this on a big screen as it is stunningly shot but I am concerned as to how it will be marketed or if it will be even distributed.

Just Checking In...

Well it has been an eternity since I last contributed to Filmlead but due to being away, exams and assignments, yours truly has been rather busy.

I was contemplating a box office report but I'll leave it cos I refuse to talk about Beyonce...well I just did but you get the point...

A few movies I've seen recently:

The Boat That Rocked is Richard Curtis's new effort and it is poor. Rare funny lines are ruined by a weak script, no plot and unlikeable characters not to mention a criminally underused Philip Seymour Hoffman. Love Actually, Four Weddings and Notting Hill all managed to combine characters you cared about, comedy and tragedy. This new effort is throwaway tosh with a great soundtrack. The shame is that it could have been decent if the running time had been cut by like 45 minutes. I saw it at 7PM...it finished at 10.10. A comedy! A perfectly good opening hour is destroyed by a ridiculous, overblown and tedious concluding act that sees a Titanic-esque sinking of the ship. Never will you see such a waste of time in cinema. I'm incredulous that Curtis thought this was acceptable. Embarrassingly he infuses a few scenes with emotional insight into characters and then just ignores them and moves onto another stupid gag or Hoffman and Rhys Ifans climbing a mast for like 10 minutes.

After the 2 hour mark i said out loud 'Please end'...people around me inclunding my mate looked pissed at me...they werent as pissed as I was...

Fast And Furious has done magnificently in US and UK. How? Well it contains hot women pointlessly making out, dancing on cars or just half naked. Yeah it is hot! But to be fair there is no plot, the villain is obvious and crap, Michelle Rodriguez dies in like ten minutes and the action is fine but nothing more. The only reason this movie is an okay watch is because of the returning Walker and Diesel. Diesel is muscles, muscles and more muscles and Walker provides good support to Vin. Their relationship has a bit of spark but apart from that it is a very average movie.

Let The Right One In is a Swedish vampire film. Still there?! It is an impressive feature that made a decent amount in US with a £2.1m budget getting a $2.8m haul. It is brutal in places and quite tense but what the movie achieves most is the poignancy of loneliness and friendship. Both child actors are superb. It contains comedy and severed limbs plus an impressive burning woman as well as a stunning end.

It will touch you, make you laugh and entice you to Sweden...it does look like that just without the bloodsuckers...!

Eyes Wide Shut. Saw this the other day. It is absolutely terrible. Anyone who says it isnt is just a Kubrick obsessive. It is a porno without the main stars getting that dirty. Kidman prolongs the film with a tedious slow voice. Yes it is impressive but it is also infuriating. Cruise is decent but he's in a film about nothing. No plot, no point. Last movie for Kubrick? Shameful. Way toooooo longggggg. I didnt care about either character to be honest. And the neverending scene in the poolroom? HAHA. Absolutely appalling.

Last line. 'You know what we need to do now, dont you?' - 'What?' - 'Fuck'. Yes that is exactly what you need to do after this tosh. I chose to eat dinner and watch Talladega Nights. Bliss.

...Yesterday I saw a small film that has no real stars or publicity. It was called Wolves...no Wolverine. That's it. Apparently it is a prequel.

Nah just kidding. Of course we all know what Wolverine is! Great movie. Was unsure after initial reviews. But two mates loved it and I took their advice. Delighted that I did.

Terrific action that amazes, good plot, well paced and a lot of comedy in a well written script. Hugh Jackman (The Fountain performance was astonishing) brings so much depth to this role. You care about the tortured soul that he is. This guy can act. Liev Schreiber excels as Sabretooth (Wolverine's brother). Taylor Kitsch does a nice job as Gambit and surprisingly Will.I.AM is solid and good fun as teleporter John Wraith. Ryan Reynolds is ok as Deadpool.

Danny Huston is intense and plays the villain brilliantly. Look out for some old friends po up as well.

To be honest I think Gavin Hood (Rendition and Tsotsi) has pleased everyone with excellent action sequences, well ahndled plot, slick opening credits and a well shot opening. The final battle is jaw droppingly cool. The locations, mostly Canada's rich and lush forests in British Columbia are used superbly and give the film an extra sheen of class. Hood has proven he can direct an action flick after two heavy dramas. Something Marc Forster failed with miserably with Qauntum of Solace. A really good movie.

The first blockbuster of last year was Iron Man and that rocked. Lets hope that the second of this year, Star Trek, will not disappoint.

I'll check in soon. Fare thee well.

Is Independent Film Really Independent?

Over the past decade the popularity of independent film has been on a constant increase. Many will say that all Hollywood can make at the moment is big budget glitzy crap masqueraded by huge soundtracks, loud sound effects, gratuitous violence and hyperbolic action scenes.  Does this new wave of independent film deserve all the success it gets and is it really considered an independent film if it rakes in over $100 million domestic?

With the rising cost of just about everything, the distinctions of independent film have changed drastically; the 2007 release Juno costing an estimated $6.5 million before marketing and promotion was released by Fox Searchlight pictures (which is the only division of Fox that seem to be doing well after their past disastrous year of big budget flops) and made over $200 million worldwide. let’s look at that budget, 6.5 million, that is the combined budget of: Cube, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Mad Max, Swingers, Shallow Grave, Bad Lieutenant, Evil Dead, Night of the Living Dead, Brick, Pi, Clerks, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, Easy Rider, Repo Man, Psycho,  and Chasing Amy, With about one and a half million left over. Now obviously if I were to adjust these budgets to present day it would be far more, but I don’t know how to do that and I’m trying to prove a point.  Juno is as much a studio film as Crash it had a huge advertising campaign, almost every actor was fully established and known, and it won an undeserving academy award (I dare you to try and say the writing was better than Ratatouille) yet it bears the distinction as “independent.”  Let’s not also forget this year’s best picture winner Slumdog Millionaire, which a lot of people view as an independent film because of its setting, unknown cast, and subject matter. What a lot of people don’t know is that the film cost about $15 million dollars to make, and most of it was filmed in India! Had it been filmed in America it would have been twice if not three times as much?

So how do we classify a film as independent? Personally I think if the film cost more than about $5 million dollars it should not receive the title, and I say that knowing the budget of The Wrestler, even this 5 million seems slightly to steep but every things getting more expensive these days so it will do. I would also say a limited release is an essential quality, if the film grosses more than $100 million you can’t really call it independent as it’s pretty much been cradled by the studio to a wide release with a big push.  As far as casting it’s a touchy subject, on the one hand I feel that the cast should be relatively unknown or just not big names, but then you have films like The Wrestler which has 2 big names and was made by one of the best directors working today.  So in this case I would say the cast can be popular or unknown because independent film is a great release for actors after working on a huge multimillion dollar project sanctioned by a huge studio.

 I’m using Juno as a big example for my problem with some of the independent film of today because it’s late and I couldn’t think of another really overrated film. When I think of Juno as a film it falls into this category of films with meaningless stories and tepid subject matter, there was nothing at stake in Juno no reason for me to want to know the outcome of her life or situation and there was no difference from any other expensive studio film. Independent films power is that they do not rely on pleasing an audience they don’t care about test screening or happy endings and they takes chances that aren’t “marketable” or “audience friendly.” I’ll make a very clear comparison: Would you rather watch Ellen Page’s plight on giving away her unborn child to a new family in Juno or see Emilio Estevez get entangled in a huge bizarre situation featuring punks, criminals, aliens, and government scientists in Repo Man. Some of the best independent films, which I also consider some of the best films ever made, share a quality of being unique visions of the filmmaker, going against the mainstream norms of the studio system. For instance, Rian Johnson’s 2005 debut Brick cost a remarkable $450,000 to make and is one of the best films made in the last few years. had he tried to get more funding from a studio he would’ve had to make drastic changes and probably wouldn’t have gotten any money because the idea of a high school noir sounds gimmicky like Bugsy Mallone.*

 In closing the power of independent film is to show us things against the norm, otherwise no one really cares if it’s an independent film or not you may as well just fill the thing with crappy slow motion effects and throw tom cruise in it. This rant was to try and give some acknowledgement to the true great independent films. A new feature on Filmlead will be looking at some of the best independent films made and why they are so excellent.

*this was my initial thought before watching the film and not knowing the shear awesomeness it possessed. 

Monstrous Opening For Aliens In 3-D

I had a lecture at my University the other day with a guest speaker (Matt Smith) from Lionsgate UK (Saw franchise, My Bloody Valentine and many others). He predicted that Monsters vs Aliens would go straight to number 1 with a very large opening. I had my doubts about this but when I looked at Bolt and My Bloody Valentine's success I reserved my cynicism and waited for the figures. And look at how wrong I was! $59.3m is not half bad is it?! Looks like a decent movie in my opinion with a cast including Witherspoon, Rogen, Laurie, Rudd and my personal favourite Stephen Colbert. The 3-D revolution seems to be starting. I've actually only seen Journey To The Centre Of The Earth in 3-D and I found it terrific fun but that film struggled. However the mammoth success of Bolt and now MvsA display a new market for cinema to attract more cinemagoers. BTW I thought Bolt looked horrific and am not really the biggest fan of 3-D but lets see. For me Up is the movie I'm looking forward to in the animation stakes as well as Toy Story 3.

Horror is a bulletproof genre as The Haunting In Connecticut's first weekend of $23m shows. A badly reviewed and average looking film that has been done before a million times again performs extremely well. Recently the only horror that impressed me was Funny Games and The Strangers, at least they knew how to create that uneasy tension and in the case of Haneke's remake of his Austrian film, it is bloody cold as an iceberg. Trying to find humanity in Funny Games is like looking for a flaw in Megan Fox...impossible.

Knowing drops to 3 with not too calamitous $46.2m ($14.7m). I saw this last Thursday and loved it. Completely took me by surprise, was expecting a dumb Nicolas Cage actioner. What I got was a apocalyptic disaster movie with two fantastic action sequences and a unique and refreshing take on the future with an excellent biblical theme running throughout. Cage is decent as are the other members of the cast but this film is Alex Proyas's (I, Robot) baby. It is intelligent and very un-Hollywood that pleased me greatly. Highly recommended.

I Love You, Man comfortably wraps up 4th spot with $12.7m ($37.1m). That means Paul Rudd has two movies in the top 10 and once again proves his status as one of the big comedy men right now in Hollywood.

Duplicity is a strange film. It is by Tony Gilroy (writer of the Bourne trilogy and the director of Michael Clayton) and has Julia Roberts and Clive Owen but I'm still a little underwhelmed. My brother assures me it is a good film even if little actually happens, a lot is left unresolved and it is very complex. It is DVD for me I'm afraid as Gilroy's next effort State of Play should really impress, and that will be a definite at the cinema for me. Oh yeah Duplicity made $7.67m ($25.8m).

Race Tow Witch Mountain moves past the $50m mrk on $53.5m ($5.8m). Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is joined by another wrestler this week in the ating stakes but more about that later. This film shows he is a box office draw and has a future in the family movie for sure with the success of The Game Plan and now this. I personally was impressed by his performance in the criminally underrated Southland Tales. Yes that film was deeply flawed and weird but go in without cynicism and just enjoy the stunning beauty and Lynch-esque weirdness of Richard Kelly's direction. I cannot wait for The Box which will be out in the winter of this year. Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella star.

And now onto the other WWF, WF, W - I don't know what they call it anymore - star in this weeks chart. John Cena. 12 Rounds that actually doesn't sound that bad. $5.33m is a decent amount for a guy who has only really done straight to DVD actioners like The Marine. Oh sorry, I've just checked the budget and it is $22m...well it's going to have perform really well on DVD. But worldwide sales should do the trick...possibly. $22m for a John Cena flick? Has the world gone mad?!

And onto better news...Watchmen finally passes $100m. It sure took long enough! $2.73m ($103m) is not exactly inspiring though and it looks unlikely that this great picture will stay much longer. It'll be interesting to see what the worldwide box office is for this movie. Then we can really get an idea of how it has done. Although the US total isn't bad it doesn't even touch 300's $210m gross does it?!

In complete contrast Taken has achieved mammoth success having Taken (yes it is its last week in the chart so the joke remains) $137m ($2.7m). When you think that this is just a little less than the big budget, mass promoted and hyped Watchmen has made and which has been out for a month less, it is even more incredible.

Last House House On The Left is now Last Place On The Chart with $28.5m ($2.64m). On Imdb this has a rating of 7.0. Is it any good. Would be fascinated to hear. I'm gonna check it out when it comes over the pond so we'll see if it does a Hills Have Eyes improvement or a Friday The 13th shitfest. Wow it feels good to write that word! Oh just to add Wes Craven obviously realised that he can't do tense thrillers after the horrendously bad Red Eye so he has chosen to make Scream 4. Just what the world needed...

Here in the UK Knowing tops the chart with nearly £2.5m. Decent opening. Watchmen managed to reach £8.3m.

And on the British side of things The Damned United reached number 5 with about £620,000. It chronicles the legendary Brian Clough and his ill-judged decision to manage Leeds United. It will mean nothing to people outside the UK probably but it still is a fascinating story. Michael Sheen stars as well as Jim Broadbent and Timothy Spall. For any fans of Soccer or if you're just looking for a good story then check it out.

Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father

This week I managed to finally watch a small documentary that was hailed as “One of the best of last year” by about 50 sources. Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father, had an incredibly limited release, which is sad as it is one of the most captivating and shocking documentaries I’ve ever seen. The film documents film maker Kurt Kuenne’s quest to chroronial his late best friends life for his new born son that he will never meet. Kuenne’s trip takes him around the world speaking to close friends and family of Andrew Bagby, who was murdered by his angry ex-lover. I really don’t want to give to much away about the film as the less you know the more impact the film will have. I suggest you to just watch it, do not read any reviews don’t go on Wikipedia, don’t do anything. Right now the film is known by very little, which is the perfect time to see it, ensure no one can spoil it for you and watch it as soon as you can. The fillm will make you cry and scar you emotionally. ENJOY!

In fact I’m just going to stop right here and give the link to buy it.

You could also rent it, just make sure you see it soon!

The Power of Knowing How To Get Top Spot...

Well it's that time of year again when Nicolas Cage releases another action movie that looks preposterous but great fun nonetheless. Ghost Rider, Next, Gone In 60 Seconds; all these movies do exactly what you want them to. Entertainment is everything. Not sure where that theory applies to the abysmal Bangkok Dangerous but lets move on sharpish...

An opening weekend of $24.6m for Alex Proyas (I, Robot) and Cage's blockbuster concerning a code that predicts every disaster that has hit the world. It looks stupid but I'm definitely going to check it out this week. We all need a good action flick now and then! It will be interesting to see how much it builds onto its opening weekend sum. A reported $50m budget should get a decent turnover.

I Love You, Man opens with $17.8m and probably will drop quite suddenly next week. Paul Rudd has fashioned another hit though despite having to work with the atrocious Jason Segel who destroyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The premise is pretty damn awful and the reviews haven't been kind so this might be a rent and dump DVD for me.

Julia Roberts and Clive Owen combine to make Duplicity a decent start ($14m). My brother assures me it is good but way too long. A lot of movies I've seen lately have been too long (Milk, Slumdog, Benjamin Button etc) so Duplicity is not a must see but probably worth a look if you've got nothing on. Roberts doesn't really do it for me now though so that is a hindrance...

Disney's Race To Witch Mountain moves onto $44.5m ($12.8m). Dwayne Johnson is not that bad actually as an actor and this looks a lot of fun. A sure-fire hit amongst the kids and possibly a few adults too. Anna Sophia Robb is a top class young actress as well so check it out for sure.

My movie of the year so far (apart from The Wrestler) Watchmen creeps towards the $100m mark on $98.1m ($6.8m). I don't understand the apathy that surrounds this movie. Everyone I speak to is like 'Oh yeah I wanna see it but it's too long' or 'its too much like Sin City' or 'I can't be bothered'. I am seriously pissed off at this bullshit. Watch this movie. It is awesome and despite its 160 minute running time it doesn't feel too long or boring. The first hour is stunning and even though it drops off slightly it still retains an incredible uniqueness absent from any other comic book movie adaptation. I can't stand the fact that is wilting at the box office.

Another Wes Craven remake? Why not? The Last House On The Left ($5.78m) jumps to $23.9m. I loved the remake of Hills Have Eyes and I will approach this with caution but the reviews have not been as bad as the ones that were littering the Friday The 13th release.

Taken takes $4.06m to climb onto the $133m mark. Let me just say how devastated I was at the news of Natasha Richardson's tragic death and I send all my condolences to the family and of course her husband Liam Neeson. Never was there a more quiet and lovely couple in Hollywood, it is a truly sad loss for the film industry and lets hope Neeson returns and keeps on making great movies like Taken. As for Richardson, check out The Parent Trap and Wild Child, both fun family films anchored by her strong central performance.

Slumdog Millionaire $2.68m ($137m). I'm bored of this movie's presence now, can it please go away. I saw Milk last night and it is far superior to this movie. Much more interesting, emotional and made me feel elated at how inspiring an individual Harvey Milk was. Slumdog did not deserve best movie at the Oscar's, full stop.

Madea Goes To Jail is at nine and a jaw-dropping take of $87.3m ($2,57m). Tyler Perry I salute you for making endless crap and still making money.

Coraline has surprised me by doing brilliant business with a cool $72.8m ($2.13m). It is quite nice to see an anination which isn't Pixar do this well. Congrats to Henry Selick and Dakota Fanning.

In the UK we have Marley and ME at number one. Yawn. More interestingly Lesbian Vampire Killers is at four. Trashy crap but fun. Slumdog has made over £30m which says it all about this country and what the people go and see.

Bronson, a small Indie flick about the most violent prisoner ever is at 10 and has done well with £581,211. Erm yeah in US terms that is pitiful but on our small island it isn't too bad!

So thats about it. Next week we'll see if Knowing can keep top-spot and if Slumdog, Watchmen and Madea all drop out of the top 10. Watchmen better stay mind or I might start a riot..well no I probably won't but it is just a warning!

Movies To See Before You Die - Part 1

While on that small social networking thingy the other day (Facebook) I noticed a application to say which five films you must see before you die. Now it is a repeated formula but still intriguing. So over the next few weeks I'm gonna try and reach about 50 essentials that must be seen...well it may reach more than that but we'll see! I think we will start with the best movie of all time...in my humble opinion that is...!

The Shawshank Redemption -

Well the picture above says it all really. A movie about hope essentially but also involving loss, hopelessness, violence, friendship and a burning desire for one innocent man to free himself from the brutal and unforgiving Shawshank jail. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are terrific as is the direction by Frank Darabont. Somehow this film missed out on Oscar's to Forrest Gump. I really hope I never have to see that again before I die, what a mess that is. Hanks is adequate at best and Zemeckis's direction is laughably bad. And the film sucks. Anyway back onto Shawshank. It does so much more than just touch the audience, it entertains, thrills and shocks with the stunning attempted escape scene and the absolutely mesmerising end. No film will make you feel so uplifted and satisified as this movie. I've seen it 5 times and each time I get a new perspective, sometimes focussing more on Red's character or other times it will be Andy's. The death of Brooks for example struck me more the second time I watched it, an absolutely shattering scene. It's not all doom and gloom though with lashings of terrific humour that clash brilliantly with the extreme violence that anchors the movie's realism and lifts the picture above the other redemptive and heartwarming films that are on constant release for Oscar notoriety like Forrest Gump...

Pans Labyrinth -

It is hard for me to put into words how amazing this picture is. Guillermo Del Toro is a magician behind the camera as we can see with Hellboy but this is a different kettle of fish entirely. Many may be put off by the fantasy element but it would be foolish to ignore this film because of that as this film is firmly based in reality. The moments of fantasy and imagination are wonderful and breathtaking but they are not occurrent that much. The stroy is of a young girl (Ofelia) and her mother moving to live with a brutal and vile General during the Spanish Civil War. Her three tasks that are given to her by a Faun are exciting and tense but also redemptive. Despite their danger they present the audience some respite from the horrors that are lying within reality and the brutality that is faced by the rebels, her mother and the housekeeper Mercedes. The film is perfect full stop. It encompasses violence, love, loss and a stunning visual concoction of fantastical creatures. The acting is outstanding and the direction is exceptional with a darkly realised picture of innocence lost and a devastating reality of violence brillaintly captured by Del Toro. Hellboy 3 must get made, the imagination of this guy is unlimited!

Requiem For A Dream -

Hmm. The most depressing film I've ever seen by the best director working in Hollywood right now. Darren Aronofsky's second picture is so intense and excruciating to watch it's a miracle that I've watched it three times! It is incredible but boy does it exhaust you emotionally. The story of four lives collapsing without them noticing is portrayed mesmerisingly by Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly (the best actress in the world), Marlon Wayans and Ellen Burstyn. The grainy and rapid cutting that is constant in the picture enhances the despair and uncontrollable horror that is enveloping on all the characters. Believe me if they want kids off drugs or not to take them make them watch this. Whose collapse is the most shocking is debatable but Burstyn's fall into self destruction is absolutely horrible to watch in all honesty and the ending is just on another level of astonishing. I warn you to approach this with caution as it is a really tough experience but it must be seen or all the reasons above and the stunning score by Clint Mansell. Mansell created the score for The Fountain and The Wrestler and is phenomenal.

V For Vendetta -



Very rarely does a comic book movie achieve anything except entertainment. Spider-man, Superman, Daredevil and despite its pretensions The Dark Knight all provide thrills but little else. V For Vendetta is not like these films. A film that can be viewed on big or small screen and still not lose its effect. A comci book movie (or Graphic Novel if you prefer!) that contains little action and a lot of story. Unheard of really! A totalitarian state that is controlled by CCTV that could be read as a future anywhere in the western world and a Chancellor (brilliantly played by John Hurt) that is a fascist and brutal dictator. Natalie Potman nails her role as the only person who truly knows V. In essence this is a political thriller in a bleak, dystopian future but with a masked vigilante with an uncompromising view of right and wrong. One might say he is a killer and villainous but that would be taking away from a character so dark and troubled that the audience accepts his black and white approach and ultimately feel devastated at the astonishing climax to this movie. What surprises the most however is the emotional impact of the film. The relationship between Portman and Hugo Weaving's V and the sequence where she is locked up inside the jail provide stunning and unexpected moments of heartbreaking tenderness. A truly stunning movie proueced by the Wachowski's but retaining a heart and soul that is somewhat lacking in Matrix and Speed Racer.

Godfather - Part 2

I am not the biggest fan of gangster movies so I approached the first Godfather with caution. I loved it. Great acting from Pacino, Duvall and especially the late Marlon Brando. It also retained a classiness absent from Goodfellas or Casino with its Italian roots remaining at the forefront of the movie. With the second instalment of Mario Puzo's book however, the film achieved something unique, it bettered the outstanding prequel. Godfather Part 2 cannot be described as a sequel, it is far too good for that label.

The film does something near impossible by telling two narratives set decades apart and still retaining its excitement, intrigue and interest. From the opening in Italy with a completely Italian feel the film excels. De Niro producing a great performance as Vito Corleone the founder of the Corleone Mob. The ensemble cast also give excellent turns in their respective roles but it is the great Al Pacino who really turns heads. How he did not win the Oscar for this performance I will never know. His descent into controlled madness and anger is devastatingly portrayed by a frighteningly real Pacino. The scene where his wife played by Diane KEaton threatens to take the kids from him is unreal in how Pacino gets redder and redder until he crack and lunges at KEaton. The last scene will also live long in the memory. The young and innocent Michael Corleone from Part1 has disappeared and power has corrupted him completely.

Everything about the picture reeks of class from the long passages of Italian to the exceptionally shot scenes within the Corleone estate especially in th winter. Coppola does a stunning job of directing and the film is a magnificent success.

Films To Look Out For In 2009 - Part 2

Ok now that Watchmen has finally arrived, it seemed like the perfect time to give part two of the films to look out for this year. Whilst I found Watchmen one of the most disappointing, inept films I’ve ever seen, I can still get how much some people who maybe haven’t read the Graphic novel can enjoy it and following is a list of movies that like the previous list are films that look to be accessible to a large audience. It also includes some films that might not be on any ones radar but could be worth a try.

Here is the rest of March and then April and May.

March 20^th The Great Buck Howard – John Malkovich plays the title character, a once great, now failing illusionist who is trying to regain his fame, he is joined by a new assistant played by Colin Hanks who helps him to find new fame. So far, the film looks pretty formulaic, but let’s not forget that Malkovich is an amazing character actor and is able to usually create a very new, entertaining and unique persona. The film also stars Tom Hanks playing the father of Colin Hanks’ character (a big stretch there) and is produced by Tom Hank's company Playtone. Emily Blunt also stars as Hanks' girlfriend, and That Thing You Do! alum Steve Zahn plays a venue owner or something. Right now the reviews are favorable and the trailer also shows that a lot of fun is too be had.

March 27th Adventureland - Greg Mottola's next film after the hugely successful Superbad, is a comedy set in the summer of 1987. Jessie Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale) stars as a recent college graduate looking for a job in the real world, after he proves unsuccessful he takes a dead-end job working at the local amusement park. Based on Motolla's own experiences, it is said to be a "coming of age" story and co-stars a plethora of comedic talent including SNL stars Bill Hadar and Kristen Wiig, Freaks and Geeks alum Martin Star and Deadpool himself Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds also starred in another comedy based around dead end jobs, Waiting... and if you enjoyed that I'am sure this film wont disappoint as the trailer shows a comedy somewhere between Clerks, Waiting..., and Superbad.

April 3rd Gigantic - This independent comedy stars Paul Dano as a mattress salesman doing his best to try and adopt a baby from China, whilst doing this he forms a relationship with Zooey Deschanel, and while this is happening there is also a hitman trying to kill Dano's character. Ed Asner and Jane Alexander co-star as Dano's parents and John Goodman plays the angry parent of Deschanel, it is also said that comedian Zach Galifianakis plays an uncredited but integral role. The trailer can be seen here, it looks like a funny small independent comedy, who can complain?

April 3rd Alien Trespass - I covered this one in the first month of the year, you can view the article here. In short the film looks like a great homage and send up of the classic American B-Movie. From R.W. Goodwin, a writer on the X-files, the film stars Eric McCormack Jenni Baird, and Robert Patrick, the trailer is right here, really fun stuff looks like a cross between Mars Attacks and Matinee. The film will be out on limited release but will also be at a lot of conventions leading up to the date.

April 3rd Sugar - seems like this is the big month for independent film with this offering from Sony Pictures Classics. Written and directed by by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (the team behind the critically acclaimed Full Nelson) Sugar tells the story of a young Dominican baseball player who comes to America to join the minor leagues with ambitions to rise up and make enough money to rescue his family from poverty. He boards with a strict religious family, and starts a relationship with the eldest daughter all whilst attracting some prejudice from the townsfolk. The story does sound a bit formulaic and schmaltzy with yet another story of the American Dream, but it has got quite decent critical praise and the trailer makes it look like a good story, well acted and well made.

April 3rd The Escapist - Released over a year ago in Europe the film stars Brian Cox as a criminal under lifetime incarceration, one day he receives a letter informing him that his daughter is on her deathbed. In a move to see her Cox plans a prison break using his friends which include Joseph Finnes, Dominic Cooper and Damien Lewis. The film has got a great deal of praise, being nominated and winning a multitude of awards, it is being given a limited release and looks to be a winner. From the reviews I gather that this isn't the same old escape from prison film and instead is gritty harsh and innovative. The small trailer looks like a lot of fun and the film is so independent that it doesn't even have a preview on Apple Trailers! that should make you take notice, and by the power of the internet here it is below via Youtube.

April 24th Observe and Report - The latest film starring Seth Rogen shows a character that is a bit new for him, one that seems to have more self worth and sees his role in life as important. The Film is directed by Jody Hill (The Foot Fist Way, Eastbound and Down) and also co stars Anna Faris, Ray Liotta, Patton Oswald and Danny Mcbride. Rogen's on the case trying to stop a flasher from disrupting his mall, the trailer is very funny and shows more of Jody Hill's talent for creating these arrogant pathetic but wholly entertaining characters. For those who haven't seen it the trailer is right here, and any time one of the Apatow gang decides to film a comedy scene where they beat the shit out of a group of kids they always seem to do it with style, the scene here being no exception. Plus if your not watching Eastbound and Down at the moment make sure you check it out.

April 24th Tyson - It's hard to believe that a 90 minute documentary about Mike Tyson's life would get such positive reviews, Director James Toback's documentary which is a mixture of conversations and archive footage, is receiving a lot of praise, "Tyson is a well-made documentary that walks the line between heroic celebration and humble confession." writes James Rocchi of Cinematical. Chris Tilly of IGN writes "The result is a gripping and enthralling sporting documentary; one that gives a disturbing insight into the mind of Mike Tyson, and worse still, makes you like him a little." Tyson will get a limited release and unfortunately reviews and trailers are sparse, a lot of comments praise the ring footage that is mirrored perfectly by Tyson's revelations. The documentary does look like a brutally honest portrayal of Tyson from a side that we have never really seen before.

May 1st The Battle For Terra - this computer animated film was made two years ago and is finally seeing a release this May. The film is a computer animated outer space adventure about a peaceful endangered planet facing threat from the humans who wish to colonize. While the main plot might go over a few kids heads it should still prove a great childrens film, that is of course if children actually know of it's existence, and the film doesn't go the way of last years cataclysmic release of Delgo, right now I have seen zero advertising for the 3-D adventure that requires the real-D experience. The Film arrives 30 days before the next big 3-D adventure, Disney Pixars Up, it looks like they're not even giving it a chance. It features the voices of Evan Rachel Wood, Brian Cox, Luke Wilson, Danny Glover, David Cross, Justin Long Amanda Peet, Dennis Quaid, Chris Evans, James Garner, and Phil Lemar. Reviews are sparse at the moment, variety gives it a nice review here and the only trailer I can find is on Youtube below. it looks like a big incredible adventure showing maybe a bit of a prelude of what to expect next year from James Cameron's Avatar.

May 1st Wolverine -What more can be said for one of the most anticipated films of the year. Unlike Watchmen, Wolverine is not trying to be an intelligent piece of work he just want to rip your head off! Every single snippet of action just adds more adrenaline to the film and then they went back to do re shoots to make it even more awesome. Wolverine looks to thrill every one with scenes like Weapon X jumping from a motorcycle onto a helicopter, and just the inclusion of characters like Gambit, Deadpool and the rest of Team X is enough to make the film worth while. Watchmen may have failed both intelligently and cinematically but don't worry Wolverine is sure to deliver, one look at the new trailer below proves that it's going to be the first big, fun, blockbuster film of the summer.

May 8th Star Trek - the era of reboots and remakes continue with J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot featuring new actors playing the classic characters from the original series. Any one who has seen all the films will know that the trailer for Abrams new film has more action than the previous two installments combined. Starring John Cho, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, and Zoe Saldana, the film looks to be alot of fun and whilst the reaction so far is about 50/50 between fans of the original series and people who worship the ground J.J. Abrams stands on, there is no doubt that it looks like a lot of fun. The movie cost $150 million to make and was originally meant to be released in December, but Paramount thought it could do well as a summer movie, it will be intresting to see how it turns out, this is the 11th film and the first one in nearly seven years.


May 15th The Brothers Bloom - The second film from Rian Johnson (The first of course being the phenomenal Brick) stars Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo. Brody and Ruffalo play the titles Brothers in this comedy caper, they are the worlds greatest con men, they make millions creating complex scenarios to weasel money out of people. Things get complicated when they try one last job, to con a rich heiress, Penelope (Weisz) out of her fortune, during the scheming Brody's character end up falling for her. The film was originally meant to be released in October then it was to have a limited release in December and expand in January, then it was pushed back for a final time to May 15th with plans to expand two weeks later. Just like Brick the reviews have been extremely favorable, and the trailer is a lot of fun and it looks to be a highlight of the year.


May 15th O'Horten - This acclaimed Norweigen film was made in 2007 and is only just getting a limited American release, here is an independent alternative to the month of May that is already filled with a range of blockbusters. The film follows a 67 year old train engineer coping with retirement and the new time that he has on his hands. Pretty good reviews and an intriguing trailer, O'Horten goes on a limited release, try to looks out for it. The film is directed by Bent Hamer who made the 2005 film Factotum, which starred Matt Dillon, Lily Taylor and Marisa Tomei.


May 22nd Terminator Salvation - initially the idea of a new Terminator film didn't sound good at all, no time travel, shotguns or Schwarzenegger, and the director of the Charlie's Angels films directing, the project had almost no hope, then casting Christian Bale as John Connor peaked interest, then the trailer took the interest and blew it up so it could reform as utter anticipation and excitement. Everything about the first trailer was intense, the kind of thing that makes you wonder if the trailer should be released by itself on DVD. Christian Bale's outburst showed he is putting in all the effort he can into the role and news of Linda hamiltons voice over and a possible Governater cameo only adds to the notion that this film will be awesome. The film is a bit unique in that because of the time travel themes of the first films it is both a sequel and a prequel, also a next installment has already been planned to follow the events of the film.


May 29th UP - every year one of the big highlights is the offering from Disney Pixar, and they never fail to disappoint (with the exception of Cars and Finding Nemo) this year is Up, Directed by Pete Doctor (Monsters Inc.) and written by the people behind the brilliant Ratatouille (Tom McCarthy - the writer and director of The Station Agent and The Visitor, was an uncredited writer on the project) Up tells the story of a 78 year old man who wants to explore the mountains, to avade developers he attaches thousands of ballons to his house and takes off for an adventure without knowing he has a stoaway, a chubby 8 year old wilderness explorer. The film follows the twos adventures and perils, and is the first Pixar film to be shown in Disney Digital 3-D. The story looks to have the same magic and adventure that only Pixar seem to be able to deliver, the Trailer shows off some of the stunning visuals, and comedy that are a staple for the Pixar productions.


Thats about it for a full two months of films to look out for. In the next installment we'll cover Micheal Mann's new film, Public Enemies, and Sam Raimi's new horror film Drag Me To Hell, below is a trailer for the film which is a welcome return to horror for the Evil Dead director and has a lot of early positive buzz around it.




What do you think of these forthcoming films, which ones are you deffinatley going to see?