Up In The Air: Movie Review

Up In The Air: Movie Review

Rating: 7/10
Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Melanie Lynskey
Director: Jason Reitman
A movie about a guy who fires people for a living may not be the one film many of us want to see right now as we continue to wobble through recessionary times.
Yet with Golden Globe nominations coming out of its ears and Oscar buzz aplenty, Up In The Air finally opens in NZ cinemas.
It stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate gun for hire who is called in when the bosses are too cowardly to cut loose their staff. Bingham spends 100% of his life in the air and on the way to one sacking after another - and he's happy with it his non-committal lifestyle, living out of a suitcase and out of emotional harm's way.
So when his boss (Jason Bateman) brings in Natalie Keener (Twilight's Anna Kendrick), he's appalled to discover her solution is to ground the staff who do the sacking and get them to do it via webcams.
However, Ryan becomes determined to show her a little something about life and takes her across America so she can see how it's done - and how he does it differently.
Up In The Air wears its heart on its sleeve - if you're fairly film savvy, you may see some of the twists coming; however, even if you're a film cynic, there is still plenty to enjoy with the snappy dialogue and smart humour.
Clooney does what he always does - he's suave and charming as a lovable emotional rogue. But while there's plenty of irony on display in this film (The man who does the firing faces life in the gun) there's also a little bit of predictability as well - that said, Reitman does a good job of using that to his advantage and peppers the script with some very funny one liners.
Whether you buy Clooney's change of heart (the film's tagline - Meet a man looking to make a connection should give it away) is the crux of this film; but there are a couple of scenes which seem at odds to his character - he's pulled into a family drama as a sister (Melanie Lynskey) gets married but his actions there seem directly opposed to what we've come to know about him. In effect, he becomes the cliché and appears to turn his back on his way of life.
Up In The Air has an easy going charm and some great performances from all involved. Thanks to the work of Clooney, Kendrick and Farmiga, you may end up caring about these characters a lot more than you would have expected to - and then again, you may actually get a bit more infuriated with them than you should.

But Up In The Air remains Clooney's film - he's rarely been more magnetic and appealing than in this everyman role - his charm and swagger will probably add more fuel to the Oscar fire that's already burning.

The Expendables: DVD Review

The Expendables: DVD Review

The Expendables

Rating: R16
Released by Roadshow Entertainment

With a powerhouse line up of former action heroes (Stallone, Statham, Rourke, Lundgren) like the Expendables packs, you would expect something either a) pretty spectacular or b) vaguely nostalgic.

Sylvester Stallone writes, directs and stars in this tale - here he's Barney Ross the head of a mercenary unit who we first see in action taking down Somali pirates who're holding a group of people hostage.

Needless to say they're all crack action heroes and as a unit are available for hire.

Armed with guns, explosives and the ability to kick ass, the Expendables head to Vilena to fight for freedom. But what they don't know is that someone's double crossing them.

With bad dialogue, little emotion and a relative lack of plot, there's little to inspire here - though if you're after watching some of the heroes of your youth in action, you couldn't ask for more.

Nostalgic it may be - and reasonably disposable fun it is.

Extras: Behind the scenes interviews with the actors; much better to go for the Blu Ray with the big names on the commentary track - The DVD's bounty is disappointing to say the least.

Rating: 5/10

Fantastic Mr Fox: Movie Review

Fantastic Mr Fox: Movie Review

Rating 8/10
Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon

Director: Wes Anderson
The first full length animated debut of director Wes Anderson sees him tackle the much loved Roald Dahl fave, Fantastic Mr Fox.
George Clooney voices Mr Fantastic himself, with Meryl Streep taking on his long suffering wife and Jason Schwartzman voicing his son, Ash.
Mr Fox is a fox under pressure - forced to give up his chicken stealing ways by his wife, he's now writing a column for a paper but clearly listless and yearning for his old ways.
So when farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean set up near to Fox's haunt, the Fantastic one fails to quell his desire and is soon organizing one last heist with pal Kylie, an opossum who loves to zone out during conversations.
But Foxy may have bitten off more than he can chew as the farmers fight back&.
Deranged, magical, original and blessed with a wondrous soundtrack, Fantastic Mr Fox is a treat for the family for 2010.
Thanks to some great vocal performances from the likes of Clooney, Bill Murray as a badger and a stand out turn from Jason Schwartzman, the stop motion film is a great way to spend 90 minutes.
Director Wes Anderson deserves an accolade for this film - it's zany and quirky in a brand new way - and takes the animated tale to a whole new level. The puppetry is brilliantly done and fits with the overall tone of the film which is fun.
Sure, there's a subtle layer mocking Fox's arrogance, but Clooney pulls off the role brilliantly - according to our Fantastic Mr Fox featurette, Anderson apparently gathered the cast together to perform the vocals rather than the traditional isolated booth favoured by many. And it appears to have worked because there's an energy which crackles all the way through the film.
That energy's complemented by some original sight gags and some greatly unexpected funny moments - the rivalry between Ash and Fox's nephew Kristofferson is gently dark - and benefits greatly from Schwartzman's performance which adds layers to the character and is wonderfully underplayed.
You can only hope this won't be Anderson's only foray into the animated world - because what he's committed to the screen is great fun. There's a decidedly indie feel to the film - and some wonderfully inventive touches (a fight scene between Mr Fox and Willem Dafoe's Rat is choreographed against flashing lights of an electric fence) show he has a deftness of touch.

Fantastic Mr Fox will charm kids and please fans of Roald Dahl's book - it's a bonkers piece of fun.

Paranormal Activity: Movie Review

Paranormal Activity: Movie Review

Rating: 7/10
Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, A House
Director: Oren Peli
So the film which has torn up the USA Box Office and apparently scared Steven Spielberg silly finally arrives on these shores.
Apparently based on a true story (cough, cough) this is the tale of WASPish couple Katie and Micah who live in the suburbs of San Diego. The pair are happy but have started to notice an increase in ghostly activity in their pad.
So Micah decides to buy a camera to chart any off the wall activity in the hope they can find out exactly what is haunting them - and why.
But as the camera rolls and the nights come and go, the situation grows increasingly hostile and dangerous for the pair....until both realize they are well and truly out of their depth.
Ok let's be clear about Paranormal Activity - like the Blair Witch Project before it, this film will 100% divide the audience. It's a polarizing piece - you're either 100% in or 100% out. Granted the marketing seems to be doing a lot for this film with word of mouth giving it the momentum that it needed to become a bona fide box office smash.
But that aside, Paranormal Activity is one of those films which will play on your basest fears and insecurities.
While we watch the action from the comfort of down the camera lens, there's a growing, gnawing tension which ramps the audience up - you're never quite 100% sure where the story is going.
Both Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat are good in this - but it's their ordinariness and average performances that make the film that more compelling as the inevitable spooks begin to play out (to even discuss some of them would unfairly rob you of those heart in the mouth moments you'll see on screen.)
You also have to credit Oren Peli for creating something truly different for a generation which has seen it all before - from the irony to the blood and spatter, this genre was clearly exhausted. Yet the reinvention and ability to twist your fears and deepest worries are two of Paranormal Activity's greatest assets.
Along with the minimal effects and superb sound, you'll feel sickness and panic rising in places.
However, it's with a sense of frustration towards the end, that Paranormal Activity ever so slightly misfires. Its eventual denouement will have some sections of the audience screaming at the characters as they seem to go back on their nature and fall into clichéd horror trappings.

Paranormal Activity works best with a packed audience - its psychological spooks and frights are unexpected and you may find yourself sleeping with the light on after you've seen it.

Whip It: Movie Review

Whip It: Movie Review

Rating: 8/10
Cast: Ellen Page, Daniel Stern, Marcia Gay Harden, Alia Shawkat, Zoe Bell, Juliette Lewis, Ari Graynor, Kristen Wiig, Jimmy Fallon
Director: Drew Barrymore
Ellen Page (Juno) stars as Bliss Cavendar, a teen stuck in small town America, desperate to get away from the life of mother inflicted beauty pageants and working in a local diner.
Along with her friend Pash (Alia Shawkat from the much missed comedy Arrested Development) the pair one day stumble upon the world of roller derby - and their eyes are opened.
Bliss decides she will join the local downtown Austin team, The Hurl Scouts, and becomes Babe Ruthless, the team's latest addition.
However, Bliss has to live this life undercover from her parents - but as she begins to blossom, she finds both lives coming sharply into contrast and is forced to make a choice.
Whip It is another great entry into Ellen Page's CV - her star's been on the ascent ever since Juno, and Whip It will do nothing to stop that star continuing to rise.
It's not the most original of stories - small town girl wants to break away from the norm and live her own life - it's all been done before.
But what Drew Barrymore's done with this for her first time behind the lens, is to make the simple soar. Coupled with a killer soundtrack, some quirky lines and some great performances (particularly from Alia Shawkat as Bliss' best friend Pash), Whip It really does suck you in for its entire duration.
While the roller derby plays second fiddle until the final climactic match, the scenes are pumped full of action - as well as aptly monikered competitors (Eva Destruction, Holy Rollers, Smashley Simpson and Maggie Mayhem to name but a few), there's also our very own Zoe Bell as one of the skaters. I have to admit I perhaps would have liked a little more derby action but as an introduction to the sport, it's a hell of a good way to get into it.
There's a simplicity of story with Whip It - it wears the cliche on its sleeve (although the ending is anything but) and thanks to some good solid performances, you will find yourself walking out with a big grin. It manages to nicely capture the frustrations of small town America as well as the desperation of wanting to shine at something rather than a family tradition.

Whip It has heart and soul aplenty - there's an exuberance to this tale of girl power which is not only blessed with some ass kicking but will leave you smiling for days after.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Movie Review

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Movie Review

Rating: 6/10
Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Based on the first of the popular Millennium trilogy books by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, this adaptation sees Michael Nyqvist playing an idealistic Swedish journalist Mikael Blomkvist who's called in to investigate a family crime.
Blomkvist's just lost a libel case and has plenty of time on his hands - so he's drawn into the disappearance of a 16 year old niece of a wealthy CEO from 40 years ago.
As Blomkvist digs deeper, he's followed by a cyber hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) who believes she has what it takes to help him solve the case.
However, as the case progresses, there are more skeletons in the closet waiting to come out - and both parties have plenty to lose as their respective nooses tighten.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a slow burning thriller - despite the beauty of the desolate white Swedish landscapes, there's very little beauty in the thick complicated plot. And in Lisbeth's case, thanks to abuse and some pretty horrific scenes, the darkness is as black as it comes.
It's that darkness which may scare some off - it's not an easy watch. But it'd be wrong to write off the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - it's a challenging and complex film which requires a depth of intelligence from its viewers to keep up.
Both Nyqvist and Rapace are good in their morally complex roles - you are never really 100% sure who's to be trusted and who you should be cheering for - in fact Lisbeth's character may end up polarizing some even if she is an anti-heroine in the style of the Sopranos - but it's these flaws and foibles which make The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo compelling to watch.
The ultimate denouement (which finally comes after a mammoth 150 minutes) leads to a clutch of unanswered questions. It's these which may tempt you back to rewatch the film to see if there's anything you've missed - and, to say the least, the door appears to be well and truly open for the second and third books to be made into films.

Nyqvist and Rapace make odd bedfellows and an uneasily odd partnership - however, if both are on board for the sequels, I'll be back to see how this trilogy pans out.

The Lovely Bones: Movie Review

The Lovely Bones: Movie Review

Rating: 8/10
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Rose McIver, Michael Imperioli
Director: Peter Jackson
So let the Lovely Bones debate begin.
It's had mixed reviews prior to its Boxing Day release - and to be honest, this take on Alice Sebold's much loved novel will continue to divide many. (More on that shortly)
Irish actress Saoirse Ronan plays American teenager Susie Salmon, a rural Pennsylvanian girl whose life is brutally cut short one day by a predatory neighbour, George Harvey (a wonderfully malevolent Stanley Tucci).
Stuck in the Inbetween world, Susie watches as her family falls apart as the hunt for her body and killer continues to no avail. Will she receive justice and will her family live happily ever after?
The Lovely Bones is by turns, heart in your mouth moments of horror and tears of unadulterated joy. As Peter Jackson explained at the New Zealand premiere this take on the book is a deeply personal one - and I'm guessing that's where some of the mixed reviews have come from.
Personally I loved this film - there are some incredible visuals and flights of fancy which are just liquid on the eyes. Clearly the effects employed in the realisation of the InBetween are just awe inducing and lead to sensory overload. Specifically the first scenes when you see Susie enter that ephemeral other world, the colours are so bright, the images so clear that it's just unlike anything you've ever seen.
However, it's back on earth that there is also much to enjoy - and to be honest, a little to nitpick at.
Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz are good in admirable parts but it's their story of a family falling apart in the film which feels a little rushed - perhaps somewhat inevitably some of the earthbound action suffers from being book ended by the fantastical scenes of Susie's world. Consequently you maybe don't feel as much as you could for their heartbreak - it's nothing against their performances whatsoever; just merely their place in the film.
That said there really does need to be accolades showered on Saoirse Ronan the piercing bright blue eyed ingénue who plays Susie - she brings so much to the role; the exuberance of youth, the heaviness of despair and the sadness will just at times crush you. She's incredible in this. As is Rose McIver as her feisty sister Lindsay - a brilliant performance from an actress to watch out for.
Much the same needs to be said about Stanley Tucci's predator killer George Harvey. This is one of the most chilling character performances I've seen in a long time - menacing, creepy and just terrifying, this understated turn will leave you squirming uncomfortably in your seat. It's to Peter Jackson's credit that this role's so underplayed, it actually makes it worse for those watching because he gets away with the murder.
And that's the other thing about The Lovely Bones - the murder. The build up to this is just terrifying and is made even worse because you know what's coming. As the tension's ratcheted up, what you imagine happening is worse in your mind rather than what actually happens (in this case) off screen. Plus the scene right after is as heartbreaking as anything else you'll see this year.

Granted if you're a huge fan of Alice Sebold's book, you may find yourself a little disappointed with the adaptation - but to be honest, everyone takes a personal approach to this film, Peter Jackson included. The Lovely Bones is stunning in places - and will leave you horrified in others; go along and enjoy the spectacle that Peter Jackson's created on a smaller more intimate scale than any of his other epics.