A Year In Review: Part Two

February

Chronicle was recommended to me by fellow Filmlead Contributor Nik Von Uexkull, and I’m very happy he did. This is a small film that has the ambition to think big, it’s a character study as we watch what happens when a bullied and troubled young man (Dane Dehaan) is given supreme power. Dehaan is backed up by two fantastic supporting characters and the trio’s entertaining friendship is developed as they begin to experiment with their new found telekinetic powers. The first comic book film of the year is a huge win, despite not actually being based on any comic.

Safe House was a solid little thriller that leaves little impact but is fun enough to watch. Ryan Reynolds is not as cocky as normal and Denzel Washington reduces the normal self-righteousness that has made his performances so predictable. The story is simple, action is clear, yet for me it was outshined just barley by the far more entertaining Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.  Journey 2 was a pleasant surprise and just as disposable as Safe House, but that film is missing a crucial ingredient – Dwayne the Rock Johnson. The Rock has a presence on film that no one at this time can emulate. Last year he took a simple action film that I would have normally ignored (Fast Five) and turned the movie into one of the most enjoyable action films of the year. The Rock has an unmatched ability to be both incredibly foreboding whilst goofy. I can’t recommend Journey 2 but if you enjoy The Rock something tells me you will have fun with it. Michael Cane and Luis Guzman also round out the cast.

Wanderlust was the first enjoyable comedy of the year but definitely not a great one. The film was again seen by very few, starring two normally bankable leads in Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. They are the stuffy New York couple that find themselves stranded in a hippie commune way out in the woods. The usual hijinks ensue, it’s just a shame that nearly every scene feels like an extended cut one would normally find on a DVD.

Films I avoided: W.E., Star Wars Episode 1 3D, The Vow, This Means War, Act of Valor, Good Deeds and Gone.

Films I wish I had avoided: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Films I wish I had seen: Kill List, The Woman in Black, Chico y Rita, In Darkness, and Undefeated

So that is a roundup of February, a month normally reserved for many people catching up with the Oscar nominated film they have missed.

Part three coming soon.