In Time: Movie Review
In Time
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy,
Vincent Kartheiser
Director: Andrew Niccol
Kiwi director Andrew Niccol returns with this sci-fi film, set sometime a few
days after the day after tomorrow.
In this alternative future, people stop aging at 25 and must work to buy
themselves more time. A green digital clock counting down on their arm signals
how much time they've got left in life - but they have options to work to buy
time and can transfer it freely between themselves. With me so far?
It's in this world we meet Justin Timberlake's Will Salas, who lives in the
ghettos. When Salas finds himself in a bar one night with a man who's got over a
century of time notched up on his arm, Salas ends up saving him from a corrupt
gang preying on those who live in the ghetto.
However, the next day, Salas finds the man dead and all the time transferred
to him.
Suddenly, the police force of TimeKeepers (including Cillian Murphy's
character) is on his tail - and Will heads to New Greenwich where the rich live
to try and escape the law and live his life.
There, he meets Amanda Seyfried's Sylvia Weis, the rich girl/spoilt
brat who's desperate to get out of her father's clutches so that she can live a
little.
However, she hadn't bargained for becoming Will's hostage when he finds
himself trapped and with nowhere to run....
It's an intriguing concept and one ripe for sci fi trappings but In Time just
falls short of its clever central premise.
The whole feel is starchly pompous at times and utterly silly at others. It's
also a mish mash of other films; shades of Logan's Run, elements of Bonnie and
Clyde and touches of Robin Hood as Salas robs time from the rich to give to the
poor. With lines like "The poor die, but the rich don't live" and "Don't waste
my time", there's some heavy handed hammering home of the ideas at play
here.
That's some of the problem as the film doesn't quite know what it wants to
be. Sure, there are thematic questions running underneath as the ethics of
living and dying come up but they're mired in noisy chase scenes and plenty of
running that they lose their intelligence too early on. It's a shame that Niccol
resorts to car chases to keep the audience engaged when the central conceit is
such an interesting one.
Seyfried makes a very sultry wide eyed naïf to begin with and Timberlake is
relatively straight as he tries to become an intelligent action hero (which
unfortunately he doesn't quite make), but the two just don't mix well and
there's very little chemistry on display, making Seyfried's Stockholm Syndrome a
little hard to believe in.
Granted there are some good ideas, concepts and designs here- the look and
feel particularly of the day after tomorrow works very well - but Kiwi director
Niccol doesn't seem to know what ultimately he wants to do with this film, which
is a real shame.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
The Inbetweeners Movie: Movie Review
The Inbetweeners Movie: Movie Review
The Inbetweeners Movie
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley, Blake Harrison
Director: Ben Palmer
From three successful TV series, a movie's born from some very crude loins.
UK comedy series The Inbetweeners centred around 4 teenagers, Jay, Simon, Will and Neil who're obsessed with sex, girls, sex, breasts, sex and even more sex.
In the film spin off from the TV2 show, the quartet have finished school; when Jay's grandfather dies, and Simon's dumped by long term on/off girlfriend Carli, they decide it's time for a lad's holiday away in Crete.
So the four lovably deluded losers head off to the sun and sand in the hope of scoring plenty of ladies and a memorable time.
But things get complicated when Simon finds out Carli's there too and sets out to woo her back; and the rest of the guys find their quest for notches on the bedpost don't quite go according to any sort of plan.
The Inbetweeners Movie is full of sharp one liners, smut and humiliation - and because of that, is in keeping with the TV series, the awkward situations they find themselves in and the characters we've come to know and love.
Of the four lads, it's perhaps Simon Bird's geeky and intellectual loser Will who comes off best in the flick; he's got some great lines and Bird really does bring an extra dimension to the character. Joe Thomas' Simon starts to grate a little as he continues to pine after Carli - so much so that you want to shout at the screen for him to move on; Blake Harrison's Neil has some astonishingly filthy - yet very funny- moments (which sadly can't be discussed here) and James Buckley's deluded Jay is perhaps the weakest of the bunch in terms of story arcs.
But that's the thing with The Inbetweeners - you could always see what was going to happen and while parts of this film may feel a little repetitive, the laughs you get from seeing the delusions of sex obsessed teenagers in action far outweigh the feeling you've seen it all before.
With a healthy smattering of smut and some genuinely laugh out loud and cringeworthy moments, The Inbetweeners Movie is a sign the Brit comedy industry is still in very, very rude health.
The Inbetweeners Movie
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley, Blake Harrison
Director: Ben Palmer
From three successful TV series, a movie's born from some very crude loins.
UK comedy series The Inbetweeners centred around 4 teenagers, Jay, Simon, Will and Neil who're obsessed with sex, girls, sex, breasts, sex and even more sex.
In the film spin off from the TV2 show, the quartet have finished school; when Jay's grandfather dies, and Simon's dumped by long term on/off girlfriend Carli, they decide it's time for a lad's holiday away in Crete.
So the four lovably deluded losers head off to the sun and sand in the hope of scoring plenty of ladies and a memorable time.
But things get complicated when Simon finds out Carli's there too and sets out to woo her back; and the rest of the guys find their quest for notches on the bedpost don't quite go according to any sort of plan.
The Inbetweeners Movie is full of sharp one liners, smut and humiliation - and because of that, is in keeping with the TV series, the awkward situations they find themselves in and the characters we've come to know and love.
Of the four lads, it's perhaps Simon Bird's geeky and intellectual loser Will who comes off best in the flick; he's got some great lines and Bird really does bring an extra dimension to the character. Joe Thomas' Simon starts to grate a little as he continues to pine after Carli - so much so that you want to shout at the screen for him to move on; Blake Harrison's Neil has some astonishingly filthy - yet very funny- moments (which sadly can't be discussed here) and James Buckley's deluded Jay is perhaps the weakest of the bunch in terms of story arcs.
But that's the thing with The Inbetweeners - you could always see what was going to happen and while parts of this film may feel a little repetitive, the laughs you get from seeing the delusions of sex obsessed teenagers in action far outweigh the feeling you've seen it all before.
With a healthy smattering of smut and some genuinely laugh out loud and cringeworthy moments, The Inbetweeners Movie is a sign the Brit comedy industry is still in very, very rude health.
One Day: Movie Review
One Day: Movie Review
One Day
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Rafe Spall, Ken Stott, Patricia Clarkson
Director: Lone Scherfig
Based on a tremendously well received book, One Day stars Anne Hathaway as Emma Morley, and Jim Sturgess as Dexter Mayhew.
The pair have just graduated from Edinburgh on July 15th, 1988 and very nearly fall into bed together.
However, they don't quite make it and thus begins a 20 year friendship, charted on screen by following the pair every year on July 15th to find out where they are.
Emma is an idealist; a wannabe writer and working class girl who always seems thwarted in her attempts to achieve greater things, ending up in a relationship with Rafe Spall's terribly dull stand up comic, Ian.
Dex, meanwhile, seems to have it all - a TV career fronting a music show and women, booze and drugs on tap. But unsurprisingly, he's a mess.
Can the pair realise what they truly need has been under their noses for the past 20 years?
One Day is pure romantic fluff drama; some will swoon and fawn over it and others will absolutely hate it.
While the recreation of the relevant decades is brilliantly realised - right down to the music choices which evoke the era within seconds of you hearing them in the background, the main plot device (jumping a year) starts to grate very quickly.
The trouble is that the central conceit makes each visit feel a little like a disjointed vignette and it's hard to really engage with or care about the characters.
Sturgess and Hathaway have little chemistry together - and while Hathaway's attempt at a Northern English accent isn't as bad as you may have read, she certainly doesn't impress as much as perhaps she might. There's some disarming charm in the dialogue and some good one liners but to be honest, you can see where this film is going from the beginning.
Ultimately, One Day is a little polarising; some will adore the true love storyline and tearjerking moments whereas others will simply roll their eyes and wait for it to end.
One Day
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Rafe Spall, Ken Stott, Patricia Clarkson
Director: Lone Scherfig
Based on a tremendously well received book, One Day stars Anne Hathaway as Emma Morley, and Jim Sturgess as Dexter Mayhew.
The pair have just graduated from Edinburgh on July 15th, 1988 and very nearly fall into bed together.
However, they don't quite make it and thus begins a 20 year friendship, charted on screen by following the pair every year on July 15th to find out where they are.
Emma is an idealist; a wannabe writer and working class girl who always seems thwarted in her attempts to achieve greater things, ending up in a relationship with Rafe Spall's terribly dull stand up comic, Ian.
Dex, meanwhile, seems to have it all - a TV career fronting a music show and women, booze and drugs on tap. But unsurprisingly, he's a mess.
Can the pair realise what they truly need has been under their noses for the past 20 years?
One Day is pure romantic fluff drama; some will swoon and fawn over it and others will absolutely hate it.
While the recreation of the relevant decades is brilliantly realised - right down to the music choices which evoke the era within seconds of you hearing them in the background, the main plot device (jumping a year) starts to grate very quickly.
The trouble is that the central conceit makes each visit feel a little like a disjointed vignette and it's hard to really engage with or care about the characters.
Sturgess and Hathaway have little chemistry together - and while Hathaway's attempt at a Northern English accent isn't as bad as you may have read, she certainly doesn't impress as much as perhaps she might. There's some disarming charm in the dialogue and some good one liners but to be honest, you can see where this film is going from the beginning.
Ultimately, One Day is a little polarising; some will adore the true love storyline and tearjerking moments whereas others will simply roll their eyes and wait for it to end.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Midnight in Paris: Movie Review
Midnight in Paris: Movie Review
Midnight In Paris
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Owen Wilson, Michael Sheen, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard
Director: Woody Allen
Owen Wilson stars in Woody Allen's latest, a whimsical look at life in the French capital.
Wilson is Gil, a screen writer for Hollywood who's served up some trashy stuff before and is looking to broaden out his horizons by writing a novel.
He's in Paris with his fiancée Inez (McAdams) holidaying with her family and dreaming of a romantic life in the city of love, with walks in the rain, sauntering down the streets during the day and reflecting on what future may lie ahead.
But one night, after leaving his fiancée to go dancing with some mutual friends, Gil finds himself transported back to Paris of the 1920s when midnight strikes and into the world of some of his literary heroes.
This latest from Allen is a slight, uncomplicated and sumptuously shot piece. Opening with a jazzy soundtrack and some picture postcard moments of Paris, it's clear, for once, the writer/ director's gone for something simpler and something which wallows more in the nostalgic side of life.
Wilson is in fine form as essentially, an extension of Woody Allen; McAdams and Sheen are quite insufferable though as a fiancée and friend who clearly don't like or respect Gil so it's hard to see why exactly you should feel any sympathy for them when they get their comeuppance.
But it's the period detail where Allen's latest shines; the recreation of the 1920s scene is amazing and fantastical. With the usual smattering of some good one liners, this is a frothy piece of escapist cinema, which is light and breezy and extremely likeable.
Midnight In Paris
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Owen Wilson, Michael Sheen, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard
Director: Woody Allen
Owen Wilson stars in Woody Allen's latest, a whimsical look at life in the French capital.
Wilson is Gil, a screen writer for Hollywood who's served up some trashy stuff before and is looking to broaden out his horizons by writing a novel.
He's in Paris with his fiancée Inez (McAdams) holidaying with her family and dreaming of a romantic life in the city of love, with walks in the rain, sauntering down the streets during the day and reflecting on what future may lie ahead.
But one night, after leaving his fiancée to go dancing with some mutual friends, Gil finds himself transported back to Paris of the 1920s when midnight strikes and into the world of some of his literary heroes.
This latest from Allen is a slight, uncomplicated and sumptuously shot piece. Opening with a jazzy soundtrack and some picture postcard moments of Paris, it's clear, for once, the writer/ director's gone for something simpler and something which wallows more in the nostalgic side of life.
Wilson is in fine form as essentially, an extension of Woody Allen; McAdams and Sheen are quite insufferable though as a fiancée and friend who clearly don't like or respect Gil so it's hard to see why exactly you should feel any sympathy for them when they get their comeuppance.
But it's the period detail where Allen's latest shines; the recreation of the 1920s scene is amazing and fantastical. With the usual smattering of some good one liners, this is a frothy piece of escapist cinema, which is light and breezy and extremely likeable.
Dr Who - Day of the Daleks - DVD Review
Dr Who - Day of the Daleks - DVD Review
Dr Who Day Of the Daleks
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow
This two disc release from the Classic Dr Who archive is something to be treasured for fans of the show - but not for the main attraction, it has to be sadly said.
The story is a four part adventure from 1972 and sees Jon Pertwee's Dr and assistant Jo Grant caught up in a potential war between the Daleks and mankind. On the eve of a peace conference between China and the rest of the world, the Doc's called in to investigate reports of ghosts. Soon, he finds himself facing his deadliest enemies.
The main story is itself a little slow paced and a bit of a mish mash of political machinations and a lot of talking, with very little action. It also suffers from a dreadfully simplistic denouement and gives some credence to why Dr Who of the 1970s was occasionally scoffed at.
However, the special features rise this average, but much loved, tale out of the mire. With a raft of documentaries and tidbits, there's already a lot to savour. But throw into that mix, a remastered version with special effects from today's CGI standards, brand new Dalek voices and some specially shot sequences, and you've got a tale which stands out a little more. It's a great touch to the range and while some purists may feel the special edition has gone a little too far, it really does much to enhance the overall feel of the adventure.
Rating: 7/10
Dr Who Day Of the Daleks
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow
This two disc release from the Classic Dr Who archive is something to be treasured for fans of the show - but not for the main attraction, it has to be sadly said.
The story is a four part adventure from 1972 and sees Jon Pertwee's Dr and assistant Jo Grant caught up in a potential war between the Daleks and mankind. On the eve of a peace conference between China and the rest of the world, the Doc's called in to investigate reports of ghosts. Soon, he finds himself facing his deadliest enemies.
The main story is itself a little slow paced and a bit of a mish mash of political machinations and a lot of talking, with very little action. It also suffers from a dreadfully simplistic denouement and gives some credence to why Dr Who of the 1970s was occasionally scoffed at.
However, the special features rise this average, but much loved, tale out of the mire. With a raft of documentaries and tidbits, there's already a lot to savour. But throw into that mix, a remastered version with special effects from today's CGI standards, brand new Dalek voices and some specially shot sequences, and you've got a tale which stands out a little more. It's a great touch to the range and while some purists may feel the special edition has gone a little too far, it really does much to enhance the overall feel of the adventure.
Rating: 7/10
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Paranormal Activity 3: Movie Review
Paranormal Activity 3: Movie Review
Paranormal Activity 3
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Lauren Bittner, Chloe Csengery, Christopher Nicholas Smith, Jessica Tyler Brown
Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Horror franchises - let's be honest, they start to run out of steam after maybe the second outing, right?
Not in the case of Paranormal Activity.
Following on from the sleeper success of the first film which saw Katie Featherston's Katie being terrified by a "ghost" in her home, a second was rolled out within a year; and now the same's happened with the latest as the studios aim for an annual Hallowe'en release. But it's good news for fans of this particular genre, because the latest outing is a deeply unsettling and unnerving experience.
Essentially, it's a prequel to the first film and delves back into 1988 when Katie and Kristi were young girls living with their parents Dennis and Julie in California. Once again, there's an entity spooking the house and so Dennis, an amateur wedding video creator, decides to set up cameras around the house to try and find out what's going on. Coupled with the fact Kristi's got an imaginary friend Toby, there's plenty to keep him occupied.
But over the course of some 14 nights, the presence really makes itself felt and things escalate into a terrifying conclusion...
I'm loathe to give away too much of this film for the simple reason that a lot of the fun/ heart in mouth moments in the Paranormal Activity films tend to come from not knowing what's ahead - sure, there's a few predictable shocks and jolts, as well as a couple of fake outs, but it doesn't stop what unfolds on the screen in the dark of the cinema from being quite horrifying.
I think half of the horror of this film is due to the fact it involves young children. The young Katie and Kristi are well played by their kiddie charges and you really feel their terror as the entity exerts its might. Lauren Bittner and Christopher Nicholas Smith play the parents well and there's a primal fear being played to here that they can't appear to protect their own in their home which really does grip you.
In the days pre-cutting edge technology, the 1988 setting gives an occasional feeling of retro as video cameras are mounted on desk fans to ensure all sides of the rooms are covered - it's a clever touch which forces you to quickly look at what's on the screen and identify any fleeting images as it pans left and right. It's a smart move and adds to the tension - particuarly during key scenes in the kitchen areas.
Ultimately, some may argue this latest is very similar to what's gone before and there's a chance the ending may polarise some like The Blair Witch Project denouement did; but Paranormal Activity 3 is a thrilling, horrifying, unsettling, heart in mouth rollercoaster ride, which is packed full of genuinely unnerving scares.
Paranormal Activity 3
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Lauren Bittner, Chloe Csengery, Christopher Nicholas Smith, Jessica Tyler Brown
Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Horror franchises - let's be honest, they start to run out of steam after maybe the second outing, right?
Not in the case of Paranormal Activity.
Following on from the sleeper success of the first film which saw Katie Featherston's Katie being terrified by a "ghost" in her home, a second was rolled out within a year; and now the same's happened with the latest as the studios aim for an annual Hallowe'en release. But it's good news for fans of this particular genre, because the latest outing is a deeply unsettling and unnerving experience.
Essentially, it's a prequel to the first film and delves back into 1988 when Katie and Kristi were young girls living with their parents Dennis and Julie in California. Once again, there's an entity spooking the house and so Dennis, an amateur wedding video creator, decides to set up cameras around the house to try and find out what's going on. Coupled with the fact Kristi's got an imaginary friend Toby, there's plenty to keep him occupied.
But over the course of some 14 nights, the presence really makes itself felt and things escalate into a terrifying conclusion...
I'm loathe to give away too much of this film for the simple reason that a lot of the fun/ heart in mouth moments in the Paranormal Activity films tend to come from not knowing what's ahead - sure, there's a few predictable shocks and jolts, as well as a couple of fake outs, but it doesn't stop what unfolds on the screen in the dark of the cinema from being quite horrifying.
I think half of the horror of this film is due to the fact it involves young children. The young Katie and Kristi are well played by their kiddie charges and you really feel their terror as the entity exerts its might. Lauren Bittner and Christopher Nicholas Smith play the parents well and there's a primal fear being played to here that they can't appear to protect their own in their home which really does grip you.
In the days pre-cutting edge technology, the 1988 setting gives an occasional feeling of retro as video cameras are mounted on desk fans to ensure all sides of the rooms are covered - it's a clever touch which forces you to quickly look at what's on the screen and identify any fleeting images as it pans left and right. It's a smart move and adds to the tension - particuarly during key scenes in the kitchen areas.
Ultimately, some may argue this latest is very similar to what's gone before and there's a chance the ending may polarise some like The Blair Witch Project denouement did; but Paranormal Activity 3 is a thrilling, horrifying, unsettling, heart in mouth rollercoaster ride, which is packed full of genuinely unnerving scares.
Snowtown: Blu Ray Review
Snowtown: Blu Ray Review
Snowtown
Rating: R18
Released by Madman
Dark,bleak,unrelenting and tense,Snowtown is an Aussie flick about John Bunting,their worst serial killer who targeted alleged paedophiles and gays back in the 90s.Daniel Henshall is utterly mesmerising and supremely chilling as the chubby faced charmer Bunting,as he swings from foster father to killer behind closed doors.
The film's strength is it doesn't show the violence or killings - bar one occasion- and because of that, this is extraodinary filmmaking which doesn't skimp on the atmosphere or the fear;unsettling it may be to watch for 2 hours but it's yet another sign the Aussie industry is in rude health.
While there's some who feel that there's hardly anyone to back in this grimy, gritty film(a young teen who the film initially focusses on soon becomes Bunting's accomplice),there's no denial it's a tough watch but it's rewarding and haunting in the extreme.
There's an air of menace running throughout and thanks to some great imagery,Snowtown remains with you long after it's done.
Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes, casting, docos, short films from director
Rating: 8/10
Snowtown
Rating: R18
Released by Madman
Dark,bleak,unrelenting and tense,Snowtown is an Aussie flick about John Bunting,their worst serial killer who targeted alleged paedophiles and gays back in the 90s.Daniel Henshall is utterly mesmerising and supremely chilling as the chubby faced charmer Bunting,as he swings from foster father to killer behind closed doors.
The film's strength is it doesn't show the violence or killings - bar one occasion- and because of that, this is extraodinary filmmaking which doesn't skimp on the atmosphere or the fear;unsettling it may be to watch for 2 hours but it's yet another sign the Aussie industry is in rude health.
While there's some who feel that there's hardly anyone to back in this grimy, gritty film(a young teen who the film initially focusses on soon becomes Bunting's accomplice),there's no denial it's a tough watch but it's rewarding and haunting in the extreme.
There's an air of menace running throughout and thanks to some great imagery,Snowtown remains with you long after it's done.
Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes, casting, docos, short films from director
Rating: 8/10
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