The Karate Kid: Movie Review
The Karate Kid
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan
Director: Harald Zwart
When you remake a classic, you're almost faced with an impossible task -
improving an original respectfully and updating it for a new generation.
This version of the Karate Kid begins with Jaden Smith's 12 year old Dre
Parker packing to leave Detroit as he and his widowed mum ( ) get ready to move
to China for her new job.
But no sooner does Dre get to China and tries to settle into a life there, he
finds himself squarely in trouble of the bullying kind after making googly eyes
at a local girl.
When the bullies batter him, he ends up being saved by Jackie Chan's Mr Han -
and determined to make sure he gets his revenge, he asks Han to teach him the
kung fu ways after seeing a local academy in action.
So begins Little Dre's initiation into the martial arts - and on a collision
course in a karate tournament with the bullies who blight his daily
life&.
This new version of The Karate Kid isn't a bad attempt at revitalizing the
franchise. Jackie Chan's dour Mr Han is in keeping with Chan's more recent roles
as the sad underdog; his Mr Han is a damaged man who has a secret which is
ripping his life apart.
And Jaden Smith is a surprise as Dre - the kid's got charisma (which is blown
in some scenes) and presence worthy of his father Will; he's also got that
cheeky way with a role which clearly runs in the family. He also shows a great
degree of vulnerability in the role for one so young.
It's a little overlong in parts - and with a fair few slow mo shots of the
training coupled with a crescendo of music to ensure the point is hammered home,
it does lose its way at times when a bit of subtlety would have sufficed.
And the bullies' predilection for "No mercy" kung fu is clearly at odds with
Dre and Han's approach which doesn't make the ultimate showdown as morally
engaging as it could have been.
Yet, there's a genuine affection between the pair in their training
partnership and the writers of this film have shied away from directly copying
the infamous Wax On, Wax Off scene preferring shots of Dre hanging up a coat,
dropping it on the floor and putting it on under Han's tutelage to teach him
what he needs to know.
I have to admit to being quite partial to Chan's underacting - his sombre
tone lends a credibility to this film and makes the scenes when he busts out the
kung fu more thrilling.
Ultimately this Karate Kid just falls just a little short when compared to
the original but thanks to the bond between the two, it's reasonable enough
family entertainment
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Monday, 5 July 2010
Welcome: Movie Review
Welcome: Movie Review
Welcome
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Vincent Lindon, Firat Ayverdi
Director: Philippe Loiret
Welcome is a film which will have you thinking long after the credits roll.
It's the story of Kurdish refugee Bilal (underplayed with quiet resolve by Firat Ayverdi) who is determined to make it to England to see his recently emigrated girlfriend and to get a better life.
So, initially he tries to get through the French border in a lorry along with a group of fellow refugees - and it's all going well until they hit Calais and Bilal, wearing a plastic bag on his head, has a panic attack and they're all busted.
Suddenly Bilal finds himself in France and one day upon seeing the white cliffs of Dover decides that he can swim for freedom and for a new life.
And that's how he meets Simon (a gruff Vincent Lindon) as he seeks swimming lessons from him.
Gradually a friendship is formed and Simon tries to do what he can to help Bilal...but will it be enough?
Welcome is an at times gritty and desperate affair, accurately recording the routine degradations and desperations of the refugee community. The sight of them with bags on their heads in the lorry as they head to Calais is depressing and claustrophobic; and as they converge on Bilal's swimming pool to shower and get thrown out of supermarkets it's a sad indictment of what our world's coming to.
Lindon's Simon undergoes a subtle change of character - initially gruff and with his head in the sand to the plight of the refugees, he gradually warms to the very quiet and determined Bilal and risks everything to help - including the wrath of the police who are hunting clandestines.
Welcome is a film about humanity and hope - and you may leave the cinema feeling initially depressed and saddened, but ultimately it's a provocatively underplayed affair which will haunt you.
Welcome
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Vincent Lindon, Firat Ayverdi
Director: Philippe Loiret
Welcome is a film which will have you thinking long after the credits roll.
It's the story of Kurdish refugee Bilal (underplayed with quiet resolve by Firat Ayverdi) who is determined to make it to England to see his recently emigrated girlfriend and to get a better life.
So, initially he tries to get through the French border in a lorry along with a group of fellow refugees - and it's all going well until they hit Calais and Bilal, wearing a plastic bag on his head, has a panic attack and they're all busted.
Suddenly Bilal finds himself in France and one day upon seeing the white cliffs of Dover decides that he can swim for freedom and for a new life.
And that's how he meets Simon (a gruff Vincent Lindon) as he seeks swimming lessons from him.
Gradually a friendship is formed and Simon tries to do what he can to help Bilal...but will it be enough?
Welcome is an at times gritty and desperate affair, accurately recording the routine degradations and desperations of the refugee community. The sight of them with bags on their heads in the lorry as they head to Calais is depressing and claustrophobic; and as they converge on Bilal's swimming pool to shower and get thrown out of supermarkets it's a sad indictment of what our world's coming to.
Lindon's Simon undergoes a subtle change of character - initially gruff and with his head in the sand to the plight of the refugees, he gradually warms to the very quiet and determined Bilal and risks everything to help - including the wrath of the police who are hunting clandestines.
Welcome is a film about humanity and hope - and you may leave the cinema feeling initially depressed and saddened, but ultimately it's a provocatively underplayed affair which will haunt you.
Shutter Island: DVD Review
Shutter Island: DVD Review
Shutter Island
Rating: R16
Released by Universal Home Entertainment
Scorsese and di Caprio reteam for this spooky mystery thriller adapted from the book by Dennis Lehane (who wrote Mystic River).
Di Caprio stars as US Marshall Teddy Daniels who's sent to a mental asylum on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of an inmate who is believed to still be somewhere on the island.
However, along with his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), he finds his investigation blocked at every turn by the doctors in charge of the facility (chiefly Ben Kingsley's Dr Cawley).
As the pair find themselves stranded on the island by a storm, Teddy starts to suffer from flashbacks to the murder of his wife (Michelle Williams) and unsure of exactly who to trust.
Shutter Island is a heady mix of spooky, creepy and generally unsettling images, it's a real masterclass in film making. It also looks wonderful on Blu Ray and is really quite disturbing.
Once again Martin Scorsese's created a cinematic experience which is full of his trademark camera work and vision which builds a claustrophobic world where you're never quite sure what's going on.
Along with a great use of soundtrack and silence, the overall atmosphere is one of menace and uncertainty.
Sure, you may work out what's going on but you won't understand all of it until the end - and then you may be a little creeped out.
Extras: Behind the shutters and into the Lighthouse featurettes - not much given the wealth of talent involved in this project.
Rating: 8/10
Shutter Island
Rating: R16
Released by Universal Home Entertainment
Scorsese and di Caprio reteam for this spooky mystery thriller adapted from the book by Dennis Lehane (who wrote Mystic River).
Di Caprio stars as US Marshall Teddy Daniels who's sent to a mental asylum on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of an inmate who is believed to still be somewhere on the island.
However, along with his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), he finds his investigation blocked at every turn by the doctors in charge of the facility (chiefly Ben Kingsley's Dr Cawley).
As the pair find themselves stranded on the island by a storm, Teddy starts to suffer from flashbacks to the murder of his wife (Michelle Williams) and unsure of exactly who to trust.
Shutter Island is a heady mix of spooky, creepy and generally unsettling images, it's a real masterclass in film making. It also looks wonderful on Blu Ray and is really quite disturbing.
Once again Martin Scorsese's created a cinematic experience which is full of his trademark camera work and vision which builds a claustrophobic world where you're never quite sure what's going on.
Along with a great use of soundtrack and silence, the overall atmosphere is one of menace and uncertainty.
Sure, you may work out what's going on but you won't understand all of it until the end - and then you may be a little creeped out.
Extras: Behind the shutters and into the Lighthouse featurettes - not much given the wealth of talent involved in this project.
Rating: 8/10
Bronson: DVD Review
Bronson: DVD Review
Bronson
Rating: R18
Released by Madman
Described on the cover as A Clockwork Orange for the 21st Century, this is an unforgiving biographical pic of the UK's most notorious criminal, Charles Bronson.
Played with a wonderful theatrical feel by Tom Hardy, this takes a look back at what shaped the man behind bars - and how one of the UK's most vicious criminals was created.
The story is told in a rather unusual and visually captivating way - in front of an audience, Bronson tells us he always wanted to be famous; with his bald head, polished dome and large handlebar moustache, he cuts a comical figure; almost clown-like in his mannerisms and speech - but heaven help you if you mock him - because there's also an explosion of violence around the corner.
And it's merely minutes before the fighting begins; Refn cuts directly back and forth from Bronson's speech on the stage to his taking on a series of guards and battering them black and blue.
It's jail where Bronson blooms gleefully cementing his title as a violent uncontrolled offender - and it's here the film becomes a little confrontational as it shows there's no hope of reform for this character.
However, it succeeds, thanks to the stunning and towering performance from Hardy himself; while Bronson's never going to be a likeable character, it's Hardy's performance which makes him so compelling to watch.
There's some great visual touches and an extension of the performance of a clown sees Bronson at his peak - Hardy's mesmerizing turn never sees you off guard; you're 100% sure of his propensity for explosive violence but yet you can't help but watch this portrayal.
Extras: Teaser trailers, commentary and interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn
Rating: 7/10
Bronson
Rating: R18
Released by Madman
Described on the cover as A Clockwork Orange for the 21st Century, this is an unforgiving biographical pic of the UK's most notorious criminal, Charles Bronson.
Played with a wonderful theatrical feel by Tom Hardy, this takes a look back at what shaped the man behind bars - and how one of the UK's most vicious criminals was created.
The story is told in a rather unusual and visually captivating way - in front of an audience, Bronson tells us he always wanted to be famous; with his bald head, polished dome and large handlebar moustache, he cuts a comical figure; almost clown-like in his mannerisms and speech - but heaven help you if you mock him - because there's also an explosion of violence around the corner.
And it's merely minutes before the fighting begins; Refn cuts directly back and forth from Bronson's speech on the stage to his taking on a series of guards and battering them black and blue.
It's jail where Bronson blooms gleefully cementing his title as a violent uncontrolled offender - and it's here the film becomes a little confrontational as it shows there's no hope of reform for this character.
However, it succeeds, thanks to the stunning and towering performance from Hardy himself; while Bronson's never going to be a likeable character, it's Hardy's performance which makes him so compelling to watch.
There's some great visual touches and an extension of the performance of a clown sees Bronson at his peak - Hardy's mesmerizing turn never sees you off guard; you're 100% sure of his propensity for explosive violence but yet you can't help but watch this portrayal.
Extras: Teaser trailers, commentary and interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn
Rating: 7/10
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Me And Orson Welles: Movie Review
Me And Orson Welles: Movie Review
Me And Orson Welles
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Eddie Marsan, Christian McKay
Director: Richard Linklater
1930s New York and young teen wannabe actor Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) finds himself on the steps of the Mercury Theatre.
Samuels is a dreamer and wants to tread the boards - and thanks to a chance meeting with soon to be legendary Orson Welles (a brilliant and stellar performance from Christian McKay), he finds himself cast in a minor role in Welles' Julius Caesar.
But from there, Samuels begins to learn the reality of the life backstage isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Particularly not when the director is Orson Welles, a brilliant, impetuous, temperamental and arrogant man who firmly believes the play's the thing.
Me and Orson Welles surprises on a few levels - it's a spot on recreation of 1930s New York (complete with a spry soundtrack) but it's the acting talent and the story which really shine.
While Zac Efron's better than you'd expect given his High School Musical pedigree, it's really Christian McKay who excels in his role as Orson. From the vocal performance and the perfect encapsulation of the volatile Welles, to the characteristics of the man who polarised many, McKay is spot on and emerges as the real winner of this film.
His Orson is a sleaze, the kind of man who takes ambulances to appointments to beat traffic, a real cad and bounder whose passion for performance eclipses everything else. And it's McKay's performance which eclipses everyone else - he steals every scene he's in and is scarily impressive.
Combined with a sweet central romance between Efron's character and Claire Danes' manager, Me And Orson Welles is an unexpected treat, well worth two hours of your time.
Me And Orson Welles
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Eddie Marsan, Christian McKay
Director: Richard Linklater
1930s New York and young teen wannabe actor Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) finds himself on the steps of the Mercury Theatre.
Samuels is a dreamer and wants to tread the boards - and thanks to a chance meeting with soon to be legendary Orson Welles (a brilliant and stellar performance from Christian McKay), he finds himself cast in a minor role in Welles' Julius Caesar.
But from there, Samuels begins to learn the reality of the life backstage isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Particularly not when the director is Orson Welles, a brilliant, impetuous, temperamental and arrogant man who firmly believes the play's the thing.
Me and Orson Welles surprises on a few levels - it's a spot on recreation of 1930s New York (complete with a spry soundtrack) but it's the acting talent and the story which really shine.
While Zac Efron's better than you'd expect given his High School Musical pedigree, it's really Christian McKay who excels in his role as Orson. From the vocal performance and the perfect encapsulation of the volatile Welles, to the characteristics of the man who polarised many, McKay is spot on and emerges as the real winner of this film.
His Orson is a sleaze, the kind of man who takes ambulances to appointments to beat traffic, a real cad and bounder whose passion for performance eclipses everything else. And it's McKay's performance which eclipses everyone else - he steals every scene he's in and is scarily impressive.
Combined with a sweet central romance between Efron's character and Claire Danes' manager, Me And Orson Welles is an unexpected treat, well worth two hours of your time.
Marmaduke: Movie Review
Marmaduke: Movie Review
Marmaduke
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Owen Wilson, Lee Pace, Keifer Sutherland, Steve Coogan, Emma Stone
Director: Tom Dey
School holidays are upon us once again - what with the choice of Shrek 4,Toy Story 3 or this latest Marmaduke, it's clear the fight is on for the family dollar.
Owen Wilson voices the great Dane Marmaduke (once a staple of American cartoons) in this mix of live action and CGI - the kind of dog who wreaks a bit of havoc around the family household in the midwest America- digging the lawn for bones, stealing food from the counter, the usual stuff.
But Marmaduke is loved by his family and so he can get away with it - his life is that of the top dog.
Until one day, his uptight owner Phil (Lee Pace) comes home and announces that the entire family are moving to California to work for William H Macy's organic dog food company.
With the rug pulled from under him, Marmaduke's plunged back into a world akin to high school as he tries to fit in with the new crowd out west. It's even worse when the Dog Park is like a playground - ruled by Kiefer Sutherland's wonderfully snarling Bosco and Marmaduke finds he's the odd pooch out.
It's not much better for Phil either and soon the entire family is facing some hard choices.
When a main character, animated or otherwise, looks directly at the camera and makes a farting noise, and then follows it with "I know it's juvenile but it's all I have" then you know you're not in for rocket science for 90 minutes.
The problem with Marmaduke is it plays too far to the younger end of the audience and is a little hard going for anyone over the age of 7 years old. While the talking animals work well, the makers of the film throw the spanner in the works by dropping some quite obvious CGI into the mix. While I'm not expecting miracles (it is after all a film about a dog who talks), it's a shame because the world they've created worked really well until that point.
Owen Wilson brings his laconic laidback tones to the pooch - and Sutherland does menacing well, but it's an unoriginal story which doesn't offer much into the mix.
Marmaduke may be a difficult watch for families - but it does impart some messages about family and priorities and what's important - which I guess is useful for the younger end of the spectrum. It's just that the older end of the family group may find it a little hard going and a real case of deja vu.
Marmaduke
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Owen Wilson, Lee Pace, Keifer Sutherland, Steve Coogan, Emma Stone
Director: Tom Dey
School holidays are upon us once again - what with the choice of Shrek 4,Toy Story 3 or this latest Marmaduke, it's clear the fight is on for the family dollar.
Owen Wilson voices the great Dane Marmaduke (once a staple of American cartoons) in this mix of live action and CGI - the kind of dog who wreaks a bit of havoc around the family household in the midwest America- digging the lawn for bones, stealing food from the counter, the usual stuff.
But Marmaduke is loved by his family and so he can get away with it - his life is that of the top dog.
Until one day, his uptight owner Phil (Lee Pace) comes home and announces that the entire family are moving to California to work for William H Macy's organic dog food company.
With the rug pulled from under him, Marmaduke's plunged back into a world akin to high school as he tries to fit in with the new crowd out west. It's even worse when the Dog Park is like a playground - ruled by Kiefer Sutherland's wonderfully snarling Bosco and Marmaduke finds he's the odd pooch out.
It's not much better for Phil either and soon the entire family is facing some hard choices.
When a main character, animated or otherwise, looks directly at the camera and makes a farting noise, and then follows it with "I know it's juvenile but it's all I have" then you know you're not in for rocket science for 90 minutes.
The problem with Marmaduke is it plays too far to the younger end of the audience and is a little hard going for anyone over the age of 7 years old. While the talking animals work well, the makers of the film throw the spanner in the works by dropping some quite obvious CGI into the mix. While I'm not expecting miracles (it is after all a film about a dog who talks), it's a shame because the world they've created worked really well until that point.
Owen Wilson brings his laconic laidback tones to the pooch - and Sutherland does menacing well, but it's an unoriginal story which doesn't offer much into the mix.
Marmaduke may be a difficult watch for families - but it does impart some messages about family and priorities and what's important - which I guess is useful for the younger end of the spectrum. It's just that the older end of the family group may find it a little hard going and a real case of deja vu.
Toy Story 3: Movie Review
Toy Story 3: Movie Review
Toy Story 3
Rating: 9/10
Cast: Woody, Buzz, Mr and Mrs Potato Head, Hamm, Rex, Andy, Jessie, Bullseye, Ken, Barbie - and many more
Director: Lee Unkrich
It's taken over a decade for the third Toy Story film to hit the screens - and man, was it worth the wait.
In this outing, Woody (Tom Hanks) and the rest of the Toy Gang (including Tim Allen's Buzz Lightyear) are worried they'll be left behind as their beloved owner Andy is about to leave home and head for college.
Faced with the option of being put in a bag in the attic, donated, binned or taken to college, reality hits hard for the group when Andy selects only Woody for a college toy buddy.
It gets even worse when a mix up sees the toys -along with Woody- accidentally donated to the local daycare, Sunnyside.
But the toys see it as a new lease on post Andy life - being played with daily is their view of a heaven.
How wrong they are.
Within moments of being there, they're mauled, smashed, vandalised and generally brutalised - and as they try to escape, they find their quest to get back to Andy's house hampered at every turn by Lotso Hugging Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty) who despite smelling of strawberries, has a bitter attitude on a toy's life..
It's upto Woody to once again save the day.
Toy Story 3 is an emotional blast - from the moment the lights went down in the IMAX theatre (you must see it on the biggest screen possible) to the moment someone utters the words "So long partner", this is epic, funny, heart warming stuff.
It starts off in the best possible way with an audacious scene which shows Woody as an action hero as he races to save a train load full of orphans from dying at the hands of the Evil Dr Pork Chop aka Hamm (aka John Ratzenberger). Quite simply it's a brilliant opening which showcases everything great about the Pixar animation fold - witty dialogue, ambitious scope coupled with child like imaginations.
Throughout the film, there's loads of great throwaway lines from various characters which pay homage to the fact they're now past it - "Let's see how much we're going for on eBay" being one of the best. And Pixar's even updated the world they live in - with Andy's sister wearing an iPod - how much the generation's changed in that decade.
(Although I have to admit, there's probably some who will say that it follows a similar pattern to other Toy Story films in that Woody, Buzz and the gang are all separated from Andy and have to return to him - so there's little else for them to explore story wise.)
But what hasn't changed is the story telling - warmth and heart and big adult issues like abandonment and facing your fate are in plentiful supply here. Along with new characters (the likes of Ken, Timothy Dalton's thespian hedgehog, Chuckles the Clown to name but a few), there's so much to love here. Ken in particular is one of the highlights - check out an exclusive scene which never made it to Toy Story 3's cinema release here to get some idea of his character!
Be aware though that parts of this film are like a nightmare for the younger end of the audience as they bubble with dark visions of life. A climactic final sequence which sees Woody and the gang facing the perils of the landfill is brooding, moody and full of adult angst - and even made one child in this preview start screaming.
All in all, Toy Story 3 is a delight; a real crowd pleasing treat to end perhaps one of the best trilogies of all time. Chocked full of gorgeous animation and genuinely funny lines, you may find yourself leaving the cinema wiping away tears of joy.
Toy Story 3
Rating: 9/10
Cast: Woody, Buzz, Mr and Mrs Potato Head, Hamm, Rex, Andy, Jessie, Bullseye, Ken, Barbie - and many more
Director: Lee Unkrich
It's taken over a decade for the third Toy Story film to hit the screens - and man, was it worth the wait.
In this outing, Woody (Tom Hanks) and the rest of the Toy Gang (including Tim Allen's Buzz Lightyear) are worried they'll be left behind as their beloved owner Andy is about to leave home and head for college.
Faced with the option of being put in a bag in the attic, donated, binned or taken to college, reality hits hard for the group when Andy selects only Woody for a college toy buddy.
It gets even worse when a mix up sees the toys -along with Woody- accidentally donated to the local daycare, Sunnyside.
But the toys see it as a new lease on post Andy life - being played with daily is their view of a heaven.
How wrong they are.
Within moments of being there, they're mauled, smashed, vandalised and generally brutalised - and as they try to escape, they find their quest to get back to Andy's house hampered at every turn by Lotso Hugging Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty) who despite smelling of strawberries, has a bitter attitude on a toy's life..
It's upto Woody to once again save the day.
Toy Story 3 is an emotional blast - from the moment the lights went down in the IMAX theatre (you must see it on the biggest screen possible) to the moment someone utters the words "So long partner", this is epic, funny, heart warming stuff.
It starts off in the best possible way with an audacious scene which shows Woody as an action hero as he races to save a train load full of orphans from dying at the hands of the Evil Dr Pork Chop aka Hamm (aka John Ratzenberger). Quite simply it's a brilliant opening which showcases everything great about the Pixar animation fold - witty dialogue, ambitious scope coupled with child like imaginations.
Throughout the film, there's loads of great throwaway lines from various characters which pay homage to the fact they're now past it - "Let's see how much we're going for on eBay" being one of the best. And Pixar's even updated the world they live in - with Andy's sister wearing an iPod - how much the generation's changed in that decade.
(Although I have to admit, there's probably some who will say that it follows a similar pattern to other Toy Story films in that Woody, Buzz and the gang are all separated from Andy and have to return to him - so there's little else for them to explore story wise.)
But what hasn't changed is the story telling - warmth and heart and big adult issues like abandonment and facing your fate are in plentiful supply here. Along with new characters (the likes of Ken, Timothy Dalton's thespian hedgehog, Chuckles the Clown to name but a few), there's so much to love here. Ken in particular is one of the highlights - check out an exclusive scene which never made it to Toy Story 3's cinema release here to get some idea of his character!
Be aware though that parts of this film are like a nightmare for the younger end of the audience as they bubble with dark visions of life. A climactic final sequence which sees Woody and the gang facing the perils of the landfill is brooding, moody and full of adult angst - and even made one child in this preview start screaming.
All in all, Toy Story 3 is a delight; a real crowd pleasing treat to end perhaps one of the best trilogies of all time. Chocked full of gorgeous animation and genuinely funny lines, you may find yourself leaving the cinema wiping away tears of joy.
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