Non-Stop Trailer

The trailer for Liam Neeson’s next thriller…which actually looks pretty good.

The Hobbit Sneak Peek

REVIEW – Gravity

Gravity (2013)

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Paul Sharma

A masterful combination of reality and special effects has made Gravity the film of 2013 so far. Never before has space been so realistically explored on the big screen and never before has such beautiful cinematography been applied to the vastness of space. Gravity is gripping from start to finish and entirely deserving of the accolades being heaped on it, Alfonso Cuaron, and Sandra Bullock.

Gravity follows Mission Specialist Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) as they attempt to find safety after being cut loose from the Hubble Space telescope while on a spacewalk.

While the premise sounds interesting its hard to grasp the sheer magnificence of Cuaron’s work which has now set a bar for the space genre. The near perfect adherence to the laws of space and zero gravity bring a chilling realism to an already tense situation. Watching Stone helplessly attempt to stop spinning once detached from the spacecraft is gut-wrenching. The great Buzz Aldrin himself declared the film a magnificent reflection on the dangers of space.

Bullock is naturally captivating as the rookie Stone who is completely out of her depth. The vulnerability and fear her character experiences is magnified just by Bullock’s voice from behind her spacesuit. She has the perfect co-star in Clooney, the veteran astronaut with the experience and charm to balance her insecurities. With all the talk of the cinematography and special effects, this movie is hinged on the leads and I really couldn’t see anyone else pulling this off.

“Clear skies with a chance of satellite debris.” (Stone)

That’s not to see that the cinematography and special-effects are poor. They are almost certain Oscar winners, and when you consider that so far The Hobbit Trilogy has cost $500m, Cuaron’s use of a 100m budget is masterful. The sequences of destruction and chaos which take place in the dead silence of space are fantastic and there are many little scenes which vindicate spending extra on a 3D ticket while not so subtle shots which call to mind an unborn child or resurrection maintain an ethereal beauty.

Right about now I’m usually pedantically pointing out the flaws of a film but Gravity has left me stumped. It’s everything you’re promised and more. I’ve kept this review short so you can get the hell down to your local cinema and watch the movie!!!!!!!!!

UPCOMING – Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

 

Tom Clancy, the renowned author who passed away this week, is having his iconic fitted for the big screen again. Star Trek’s Chris Pine plays the titular character a young CIA analyst who comes up against a major Russian terrorist plot to destroy the US economy. The film also stars Kenneth Brannagh, Kiera Knightley and Kevin Costner The first posters and trailers have just been released….Enjoy!

 

TRAILER – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Check out the trailer to the second Hobbit film right here. Aside from looking absolutely awesome there are some new faces and clips which give a tantalising glimpse of the film to come.

REVIEW – Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013)

Director: Thor Freudenthal

Cast: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T Jackson, Jake Abel, Leven Ramblin, Stanley Tucci, Douglas Smith, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Head, Chris Maillet

To say that Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is better than its prequel, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, isn’t high praise although it will certainly relieve the fans of Rick Riordan’s bestselling series. But Sea of Monsters still labours in its attempt to bring the books to life and ultimately could spell the end of the franchise. The dialogue is poor, the tone wrong, and the villains more dumb than threatening. Not much more could go wrong.

The film follows the titular hero Percy (Logan Lerman) as he and his friends attempt to track down the legendary Golden Fleece to heal the magical tree which protects Camp Half-Blood from the forces of Luke (Jake Abel). Along the way he encounters many mythological figures making their way in the modern world including a cameo from Nathan Fillion as Hermes.

To start it’s not to bad. Stanley Tucci is funny as the teetotal God of Wine Dionysus, and the Camp-Half Blood scenes feel original and fun much like Hogwarts in the early Potter films.  The opening scenes have Percy wondering if he’s a one-shot wonder as he is constantly outdone by camp wonder-girl Clarisse (Leven Ramblin).  In these scenes Freudenthal captures the essence of the series.

He quickly loses it again.

When you are adapting a bestselling children’s series surely your first thought would be to keep the fans happy. Apparently not. Granted Freudenthal sticks to the plot a lot more than the director of the first film but the plot is still twisted enough to alienate fans of the books. The conclusion to this film leaves a big plot hole which renders the third novel of the series almost unadaptable. I’ve read the books and they certainly had the potential for a big film franchise but the adaptations have struggled to translate the tongue-in-cheek humour and magic of the books into a decent script

The film’s dialogue is horrible, as if it was written by a student studying English as a second language. The wit and comic edge is lost on stupid one-liners which feel forced and awkward. In the trailer they seemed witty but in their places in the film they are silly.

“It’s a Chariot of Damnation.”

  ” Looks like a New York City cab.”

“Same difference.”

You have to feel a bit sorry for Logan Leman, a very good actor, whose filmography is starting to resemble a list of box-office bombs. He’s good here as a hero struggling with his identity but he is forced to play off some pretty wooden co-stars, while trying to make a shoddy script into something worth filming. As mentioned before Tucci is good but his screen time is brief, Alexandra Daddario is okay as Annabeth but she’s no Hermione, and Leven Ramblin is well cast as Clarisse. Everyone else is either mediocre or in the case of Jake Abel automatically bad ’cause he was in The Host.

Speaking of Abel, who plays baddy Luke, we come to another flaw. The villains just aren’t threatening. Forgive another Potter comparison but Abel seems to be playing a slightly more stupid Draco Malfoy. His motives for destroying the world are laughable (daddy issues). The Cyclops Polyphemus, a central antagonist who guards the Golden Fleece, is half witted and induces more scoffs than laughs. Retarded monsters just aren’t scary. Period. And finally the evil King of the Titan’s, Kronos, manifests himself as a large molten creature which you’ve all seen in like fifty movies. Actually check out Kronos in Wrath of the Titans, I wouldn’t be shocked if the special effects were recycled.

The special effects are actually the highlight of the movie, especially the scene with the sea monster Charybdis, which I felt was the most tense. The effects are executed with the sort of creativity and care that if the whole film had been done in the same way we might have something worth watching.

It’s not that bad but its primary function is as brainless popcorn fodder. If you’re watching it with a fan of Riordan’s series, expect a lot of groaning…actually expect to groan a few times yourself.

 

 

UPCOMING – Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World is an upcoming super hero film which serves as a follow up to Thor (2011) and The Avengers (2012). It will follow Asgardian prince Thor as he faces off against Malekith the Accursed on his home planet. The film is directed by Alan Taylor and stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christopher Ecclestone, and Tom Hiddlestone. Its release date is October 30, 2013.

              

REVIEW – The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortenson, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Billy Boyd, Andy Serkis, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies

When can a film be described as the best? When it has a plethora of Oscars? When it makes over US$1b in box office revenue? When it maintains its place at the forefront of effects and its genre after ten years?

Return of the King ticks all of these boxes and crowns itself as the king of all fantasy epics. Its scope and power are captivating and a tribute to the dedication of Peter Jackson who adapted for the screen the seemingly unadaptable Tolkien novel. The cast all put in performances which match the profile of this film and the use of costuming, motion capture and CGI is revolutionary. Concluding a popular series is always a massive challenge but for once there is no disappointment – Return of the King is a complete film.

We are reunited with Frodo and Sam (Elijah Wood, Sean Astin) as they slowly bring the One Ring into Mordor. Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson) is returning to Gondor to reclaim his throne and Gandalf (Ian McKellen)  is desperately attempting to keep the Eye of Sauron off the approaching Hobbits and at the same time lead the armies of Men to victory.

“I don’t think there will be a return journey, Mr. Frodo.” (Sam)

Peter Jackson obviously realised that the epic scale of JRR Tolkien’s novel required a film on the same scale.

Being a Kiwi, Jackson obviously realised the perfection of New Zealand’s natural beauty for the landscape of Middle-Earth. His cinematography is amazing whether he is zooming in on a model, establishing the size of an army, or simply showcasing South Island countryside. A standout is the ‘Lighting of the Beacons,’ where we a rushed through a beautiful mountainous territory as beacons are lit atop stunning snow-capped peaks. The location scouting is truly amazing and its beauty almost ridicules the false-beauty of ‘green-screen scenery.’

The cast also proves up to the occasion. Viggo Mortenson as the returning king is regal and exactly what you would expect from his character from the novel. Elijah Wood is frustratingly good as Frodo, the tension he creates as his will frays is palpable and intense. Sean Astin as Sam receives very little credit for a stirring display of loyalty and courage much like his onscreen counterpart. Andy Serkis once again brings Gollum to life with the aid of motion-capture to create feelings of pity and disgust.

With a cast performing so strongly the result is terrific. It’s blockbuster which actually draws the audience in emotionally, especially to the vulnerable, vertically-challenged Hobbits. The battle scenes give fantasy geeks the pins and needles and enthral even the casual viewer. When a film can evoke a mixture of emotions on such a scale its something special, especially if it’s a big-budget blockbuster. I believe the benchmark LOTR sets has been a curse to any other attempted epics, who could possibly watch the mediocre Eragon and not think of its inadequacy compared to Jackson’s genius.

Speaking of Jackson’s genius, we can’t overlook his contribution to the field of special effects. Spielberg and Lucas may have been the father of the convention but Jackson is a more than worthy heir. His scale and level of authenticity in the trilogy are a tribute to his talents and the people at WETA Workshop. Gollum, Uruk-Hai, Orcs, Trolls, Minas Tirith, Mt Doom; all of these characters and settings have been teleported from book too screen with perfection. Gollum in particular is a triumph of modern technology and “Myyyy Precioussss” is now being hissed by kids worldwide. The battles never fail to meet the required scale and realism.

The Battle of the Fields of Pelennor is suitably epic and despite not quite being the climax it is a near perfect battle to bring the events of the trilogy to its head. My one complaint is the introduction of the ‘ghost army’ swings the battle a little to much. The ease with which they sweep through the army of Mordor seems to ruin the tension a little and perhaps if they had been slower and more laboured in their attack this could have been avoided but really I’m getting a bit picky.

While I’m being picky though I’m going to sympathise with those who felt the ending seemed to drag on a little. I’m all for a complete resolution and the first time round it wasn’t to bad but at second viewing its a little tedious. Still I guess there’s nothing wrong with an emotional farewell to characters who redefined a genre and the Grey Havens is a suitable conclusion.

Whether its your first or twentieth time watching LOTR the conclusion of the trilogy is satisfying…and freakin’ awesome too! Must see if you’ve been in a cave or mental institution and haven’t seen it yet.

REVIEW – Red Dawn

Red Dawn (2012)

Director: Dan Bradley

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, Connor Cruise, Will Yun Lee

For those of us who had the dubious honour of watching the Australian film Tomorrow When the War Began the story is painfully familiar.  Red Dawn never seems to attempt to bei anything but propaganda against North Korea and a mildly engaging action film. Its a shame it doesn’t put anything into tapping the kills of a talented cast but instead follows a ridiculously impossible plot in order to gain satisfy those who only watch films only to enjoy a bit of gunfire and explosions.

The film follows a group of teens led by Jed (Chris Hemsworth), who form a resistance group called The Wolverines after North Korea occupy the US. Jed  trains a group of frightened teens as well while repairing his frayed relationship with his brother Matt (Josh Peck). As their attacks grow in scale and grandeur they gain the attention of top North Korean generals who are determined to shut them down.

“Dude we’re living Call of Duty… It sucks.” (Robert)

The recent tensions in the Korean Peninsula raised the level of alarm at the actions of Kim Jong-Un and his military. But while there is a legitimate need to watch North Korea with caution you can never shake the feeling that Red Dawn modern day propaganda. Chinese media were outraged when their country was originally cast as aggressors calling the role ‘demonizing’ and in that’s the perfect word for it. North Korea replaced the Chinese in post-production in the role of useless attacking force.

This leads to another rant…why the hell is an army  which successfully invades the United States unable to deal to a group of untrained teens. The lack of believability curses this film. If the US defences are this week its time to consider a move to the more fortified Vatican City or perhaps dig a backyard bunker. Jed is a trained Marine but his companions include a high school nerd (Josh Hutcherson), a ditzy cheerleader (Isabel Lucas), and Tom Cruise’s son (Connor Cruise). The fact they are able to without prior experience bomb, gun down and obliterate a trained military force seems strange. North Korea has the world’s fourth largest army so ten kids in a bunker would do very little and Mr Kim has a lot to worry about if this is an accurate repreasentation of the skills of his forces.

When we look past the major plot holes we are still confronted with a bleak picture. The cast is fairly good, Hutcherson and Hemsworth catching big breaks in franchises recently. But whether its the material they are working with or the less talented co-stars to work off, neither seem to reach their best. Hemsworth is gruff but unoriginal as the Wolverine’s leader. Peck is a stereotypical jock with older brother issues and Hutcherson has a thankless nerd role which he fails to fire in. The dialogue is wooden throughout with a number of very corny scenes between Hemsworth and Adrianne Palicki’s love interest which feel forced. A scene where The Wolverine’s conduct a public daylight raid  and when victorious elicit cries if “WOLVERINE’S” can actually make you squirm with embarrassment. With dialogue so poor it is very hard to care at all for the protagonists even (SPOILERS!!!) when a major character is shot in the head. When your movie produces this lack of care from an audience its in a dangerous place.

To pick the film’s strong point is hard but it’s got to be the action, a telling sign of it’s many flaws. Despite the fact their combat skills seem to have magically developed in the space of ten minutes and the North Korean forced have learned their strategies and skills from Sesame Street. The ease with which the kids gain access to a base of operations suggests a building as well fortified a your local supermarket.  The lack of suspense accompanying action scenes is a result of the Wolverine’s task being all to easy and the lack of a feeling they are in credible danger.

Relatively  engaging action however does not male or save a film from ignominy. Red Dawn will join a long list of Hollywood remakes which spit on the graves of their more popular predecessors and create an unavoidable sense of disappointment throughout the cinematic world. If your looking for B-Grade action with a D-Grade story, Red Dawn is your film.

REVIEW – The Amazing Spider-Man

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

Director: Marc Webb

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, Rhys Ifans, Sally Field, Denis Leary, Chris Zykla, Campbell Scott

In 2002 Tobey McGuire swung onto the big screen in web covered latex and captured the hearts of moviegoers as the socially awkward photographer who became Spider-Man. Five years after McGuire’s final bow in Spider-Man 3 Sony have rebooted the franchise in what many saw as a cynical move to keep the rights. The result, The Amazing Spider-Man, is not however a hastily put together film. It’s a well played out origins story which successfully emulates the original and sets up the Spider-Man franchise for another run in the cinema. It’s certainly not perfect and its flaws are plain to see, but its exciting and enjoyable and that’s what counts in modern cinema.

Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is a high-school nobody who is bitten by a radioactive spider and gains spider-like abilities. After the murder of his uncle he dons a mask and costume, becoming the vigilante Spider-Man. He faces challenges in the form of his scientifically mutated teacher Dr Curt Connors aka The Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and his high school sweetheart Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone).

“Ahem. You know, in the future, if you’re going to steal cars, don’t dress like a car thief, man.” (Spider-Man)

To be honest the action was great and was a step up from Sam Raimi’s trilogy in terms of testing Spidey’s abilities against a far physically superior opponent. The climax especially stood out and Marc Webb’s use of 3D in this sequence is masterful and refreshing. The final clash certainly stands out but all the Spider-Man vs. The Lizard duels have suitable bang, crash and acrobatics, The Lizard proving good foil for displaying Spidey’s newfound  versatility. Downtown New York is the veteran of many battles throughout the years but Webb manages to keep his fights somewhat original in a much used setting.

Comparisons between Spider-Man (2002) and this film were always going to happen as both stick to the traditional story-line in introducing Peter Parker’s transformation. Both films are superior in different respects and it seems harsh to call one better than the other. As to whether or not it was too soon for a reboot I believe the box-office results speak for themselves, there is enough original content to distinguish both plots. One thing I will say is that I believe the way this film explains Parker’s decision to become a vigilante is more believable and plausible. Parker’s dark search for his Uncle’s killer was Batman-esque and goes a long way in explaining his motives under the Spider-Man persona.

The film boasts a strong cast most of whom deliver strong performances. Emma Stone is restricted in her role a Gwen Stacey, Peter’s sweetheart, although most comic fans know she’ll likely play a larger role as the series develops. It does seem a little strange that Hollywood’s ‘it-girl’ took such a thankless role but the paycheck probably overrode any qualms.

The Amazing Spider-Man also follows the popular Hollywood line of producing darker takes on superheroes which I take as a positive approach after the absolute rubbish that was Fantastic Four and Green Lantern.  Dealing with deaths and inner demons is a common theme now and for now it is one that works in the genre. There is still room for Spidey’s signature snarky humour but Parker’s one-man witch hunt for his uncle’s killer takes Spider-Man into unfamiliar territory and watching the contrast between his methods and the idealistic methods of Gwen’s father Captain Stacey is an interesting feature.

I do have a few moans about this film. The first is about Garfield’s portrayal or Peter Parker. It was hard to believe a guy with Garfield’s looks could be at the bottom of a high school social ladder and sometimes his more moody take on Peter felt like a unflattering cross between Edward and Bella. Don’t get me wrong I felt Garfield nailed Spider-Man he just didn’t have the same handle on Peter Parker’s nerdiness that came naturally to Tobey McGuire.

I don’t think I’ll be the only one as well to point out that Rhys Ifans’ The Lizard, while suitably villainous, was a fairly low-key baddy. The whole scientific experiment gone AWOL is familiar and is a far cry from the anarchic Joker or scheming Loki who have on occasion outshone the heroes in their respective films. We can expect the much more developed Green Goblin eventually but The Lizard is the sort of villain more suitable as a back up to a main event. He is likely to feature as part of the Sinister Six which may explain his presence. By no means was he terrible, producing a unique physical challenge, but fans are now used to much more developed and less cliched antagonists.

The Amazing Spider-Man is just what Sony wanted, a successful reboot. It certainly has its moments and Marc Webb proves a very capable successor to Raimi. There are flaws to be ironed out but nothing to major that will doom this series in the same fashion as some notable failures. Overall its enjoyable popcorn cinema and the same old Spider-Man.