film review
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My latest venture to the cinema was to watch John Crowley’s immigrant drama BROOKLYN based on the novel by Colm Tóibín and starring a young lady that in my opinion is the Best Young Actress of her generation Saoirse Ronan
“Brooklyn tells the story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant who leaves her home town, to live in 1950s Brooklyn. After the initial shackles of homesickness Eilis begins to find her feet, she starts a new job, an exciting education and falls into a romance with a boy from the city. But soon, her new life is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between the two countries and the lives that exist within”
It’s fair to say my draw to watching Brooklyn on the big screen was Saoirse Ronan, I’d not read Tóibín‘s book and the director Crowley’s previous movies have not caught my imagination and to be truly honest I thought them average at best. But it was an actress I have been following since 2007’s Atonement, the American born but raised in Ireland Saoirse Ronan that drew to me to watching Brooklyn at the cinema, and boy she’d didn’t disappoint either – Ronan doesn’t have to say much to convey the pain or joy she is feeling during the movie, her emotions can be found in her eyes & face, the power she wields with her expressions tells you more than a thousand words – but in fairness Brooklyn has some other really good performances, Emory Cohen who plays the young dreamy Italian Tony is fabulous, he’s a delightful young actor who’s mannerism’s & appearance suck you in allowing you to believe in the romance between himself and Ronan’s Eilis, their chemistry is gorgeous to watch – also deserving of a mention is the magnificent Julie Walters who plays Mrs. Kehoe the landlady in Brooklyn who’s house Eilis stays in, although Walter’s screen time is limited her character gives necessary warmth & humor to the overall film.
Overall: At its finale Brooklyn leaves you feeling elated, its a film you want to re-watch and one you wish to tell all & sundry about, it’s a simple story of life, family & finding ones home and although it’s early in his career I feel this could be John Crowley’s masterpiece – due it’s fabulous screenplay by Nick Hornby the movie is full of every emotion, a lump in my throat during one scene, laughing at Julia Walters in the next, the film really does give you this emotional roller coaster ride as you join Eilis Lacey on her journey of self discovery – I know some people are put off by watching this style of movie at the cinema but trust me Yves Bélanger’s gorgeous photography and an acting masterclass by Saoirse Ronan are reason enough to visit Brooklyn on the big screen – it’s memorable, well acted & well directed by Crowley give it a go, you won’t be disappointed ★★★★½
The last entry in the Jurassic franchise was 14yrs ago way back in 2001 and was a pretty ordinary monster movie so when the word came out that Spielberg who directed the first two movies in the trilogy had approached Safety Not Guaranteed’s Colin Trevorrow I was surprised and slightly apprehensive about it’s final outcome – Trevorro’s movie takes place 22yrs after the events of 1993’s Jurassic Park, Hammond’s original concept is now a reality and us humans can mingle and watch the dinosaurs whilst traveling on futuristic rides set around the landscape known as Jurassic World – but like all businesses the Park has to make money so the powers within create a new attraction, a Dinosaur that’s bigger, faster & more terrifying than anything that’s come before – well I won’t reveal what happens next in the movie but here’s my thoughts on Trevorro’s Jurassic World
For all you directors involved in remakes, sequels or prequels of classic movies of yesteryear watch Jurassic World – Colin Trevorrow demonstrates how to appeal to a whole new fan base whilst respecting the audience that fell in love with the movies predecessors – As a movie spectacle Jurassic World is a popcorn munching wet dream, the film’s pace is electric, it’s cast full of energy & the film’s visuals are simply jaw dropping – the raptors have never looked so good, the futuristic theme park makes you want to visit there and once your eyes stare down on that Dino-Hybrid the Indominus Rex I guarantee the hairs on the back of your neck will stand to attention, wait for a minute then hide for cover
Overall: Jurassic World is what every summer blockbuster should be – exhilarating, fist pumping fun that gives its audience a helluva ride – and with the welcome addition of John Williams spine tingling score, the many elegant nods to Spielberg’s original and its storyline paving the way for more sequels to follow makes this monster movie a nostalgic, heart thumping cinematic experience ★★★★½
A really good movie is not all about great story telling, or how mind blowing the stunning visuals are, it’s not even about how many awards that picture’s won or how much money the studio makes in filling them theatre halls – for me A Really Good Movie should only be judged on the movies overall enjoyment, it’s experience it gave you it’s viewer, did it bring a smile to your face?, make you all gooey inside? or brought tears trickling down your cheek? – we’re not all robots and each person’s idea of a good movie is different to the next, so do yourself a favor and don’t take the review of a so called movie critic as gospel – after all it’s only their own personal take on that movie.
My version of a really good movie is Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland from its exceptional cast that includes the dazzling Britt Robertson (Under the Dome) who excels in the female lead, the veteran George Clooney who is superb as the quirky inventor Frank Walker and last but not least in my opinion the best young actress since Jodie Foster Snow White and the Huntsman’s Raffey Cassidy who was born to play the authoritative yet charming Athena, such a great character ignited to the screen by this passionate young actress that oozes a magical screen presence.
Overall: Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland is bold, ambitious film-making that’s full of exciting ideas, great photography and most of all one of them rare movies that engages the whole family – it’s a film jam packed with fun, heart warming characters, colorful and jazzy sets along with a stirring, riveting soundtrack from The Incredibles Michael Giacchino – if you only see one movie this weekend then I’d highly recommend Tomorrowland it will make you smile and remind you of the classic Lucas and Spielberg movies of yesteryear ★★★★½
Only one place to watch George Miller’s latest insane action movie and that’s on the big screen – Miller’s fourth film in the franchise has a new leading man in Tom Hardy who replaces Mel Gibson who apparently dropped out after production issues a few years back – Hardy is a fine actor and a good choice as Max, he’s rugged & battle worn, a man troubled by his past, a survivor & one who will stop at nothing to get justice – Hardy’s Max maybe the title character but Millers picture delights on so many other levels from Nicolas Hoult giving a career best performance playing Nux the head shaved crazy rebel, the return of Hugh Keays-Byrne who played “Toecutter” in the original Mad Max back in 79′ and now plays a new villain known as Immortan Joe and last but not least Charlize Theron’s cool, complex and utterly badass Furiosa who just like Max is a broken, imperfect hero for a new dawn
Another eye catching attribute to Fury Road is John Seale’s gorgeous cinematography, beautifully shot capturing the picture’s scale and blinding color all set to Miller’s familiar backdrop – it’s a truly mouthwatering experience
Overall: if your looking for pure cinematic escapism, with an adrenaline fueled pace & a film that’s bonkers from start to finish then check out MAD MAX FURY ROAD ★★★★½
Interstellar (2014) – Movie Review ★★★★½
“We will find a way, we always have“
Director: Christopher Nolan – Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Mackenzie Foy, Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Anne Hathaway & Jessica Chastain – Synopsis: Nolan crafts yet another sublime movie mind twister that’s all about following your heart and delivering on a promise made – Interstellar is a cinematic ride that delves deep into the heart of the darkness of space, it pulls on the toughest of heart strings and is a visual cocktail of mesmerizing imagery that’s beautiful to watch – the cast delivers tenfold with relative newcomer Mackenzie Foy and veteran Matthew McConaughey giving the movie it’s emotion & backbone igniting the screen with compelling performances that allow the viewer to feel engaged & invested in their journey – once again the magic of a Nolan picture is further enhanced by its score with Hans Zimmer bringing us a fresh & at times loud original sound that accompanies the movie beautifully – Overall: INTERSTELLAR is the most ambitious, audacious thought provoking science fiction movie for many years – it deserves to be seen on the big screen – so go on what are you waiting for !!
Tokarev (2014) – Movie Review ★★★¾
Director: Paco Cabezas – Cast: Nicolas Cage, Rachel Nichols, Danny Glover, Max Ryan, Judd Lormand, Pasha D. Lychnikoff & Peter Stormare – Synopsis: Paul Maguire (Cage) is a reformed criminal running a legitimate business when his past of crime and the Russian Mob catches up with him – one night whilst attending a business meeting with his wife Maguire’s daughter is kidnapped and not one to rely on the local police for help he rounds up his old crew and seeks his own brand of justice – Verdict: If you’ve seen the trailer for Tokarev don’t be fooled into thinking that this move is some sort of low budget Taken clone – it’s not! – Paco Cabazas who brought us 2007’s horror The Appeared has essentially worked to the revenge formula but thrown in a few curve balls that change the ball game and makes you think “wow I didn’t see that coming” – Tokarev still has it’s cliche moments and yep we get to see our customary Nic Cage meltdown moment (not a bad thing in my eyes) but Overall: this is devilishly fun movie, with a whole bunch of grandeur action sequences, a smartly written script that is well delivered by a quality cast led by the infectious Cage who appears to have fun with any role he takes on – don’t be blinded by the haters out there Tokarev is 92mins of top class entertainment…. Enjoy !
Edge Of Tomorrow (2014) – Movie Review ★★★★½
Director: Doug Liman – Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Taylor & Kick Gurry – Synopsis: Major William Cage (Cruise) a PR for the army finds himself sent to the front line, with zero combat training, fighting a war against an alien force known as the Mimics that’s slowly taking over the world – Cage manages to get himself caught in a time loop that once deceased makes him revisit his horrific day of battle all over again – during this loop he becomes more efficient at battle and meets up with Vrataski (Blunt) who’s a battle hardened war hero and together they must find a way to defeat the Mimics saving the world in the process – Verdict: If your wondering what film you should see at your local cinema this week then wonder no more ! – Based on the Japanese Novel “All You Need Is Kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and delivered to the big screen by The Bourne Identity’s Doug Liman EDGE OF TOMORROW is one heck of a ride that reminds me of Aliens, Matrix and Starship Troopers wrapped around a devilishly fun Groundhog Day narrative that is not only exhilarating to watch but is a delicious cocktail of clever sci-fi, black humor and full throttle edge of the seat action that Cruise, Blunt and Paxton deliver tenfold – a lot of praise should go to McQuarry & Butterworth for a superb character driven script that’s both fresh, witty and void of romantic entanglement like too many of it’s predecessors – one of the surprises in the movie is Emily Blunt’s “Angel of Verdun” – we all know she can act but her action prowess tethered to her overall look and the deliverance of her character is convincing & superbly executed – the action arena certainly suits Ms Blunt and with the lack of strong female action heroes on our screen of late this role certainly opens some doors for future action screen time – some of my favorite moments in the movie is the breathtaking beach scene reminiscent of a science fiction Saving Private Ryan, the exchanges between Cruise & Paxton (two of my favorite actors) and Cage’s training in the army base against the mimics whilst Vrataski looks on applying the necessary bullet to the head if he fails – Overall: as a summer blockbuster Edge Of Tomorrow is one of the best in recent years, it’s fun, explosive and well worth you hitting that repeat button for another watch….
The Double (2014) – Movie Review ★★★
Director: Richard Ayoade – Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins, Chris O’Dowd & Paddy Considine – Synopsis: Simon James (Eisenberg) is a very shy, un-confident and somewhat lonely type of guy who works as a clerk in some government agency – one day whilst at work he finds his life turned upside down with the arrival of James Simon (Eisenberg) a new employee that is not only Simon’s exact physical double (WTF) but also his complete opposite, James is confident, charismatic and outgoing all the attributes that Simon only wishes he had – Verdict: Ayoade’s The Double is a film of the weirdest, highest order! it’s full of dimly lit scenes, dark almost excruciating humor, oddball characters and an intriguing somewhat haunting soundtrack – the film’s style is very reminiscent of Gilliam’s Brazil and although I applaud Ayoade’s originality The Double failed to keep me hooked long enough to garner any interest for it’s many unlikeable characters and it’s cold and pretty bleak setting – I felt the film was void of explanation and in my opinion tried too hard to be weird and confusing – Overall: Ayoade will no doubt get praise from some quarters for his style and originality but for me The Double was a missed opportunity let down by a weak script and criminally not giving it’s two talented leads enough to work with….
Pompeii (2014) – Movie Review ★★★¾
Director: Paul W S Anderson – Cast: Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jared Harris & Kiefer Sutherland – Synopsis: After his family and village are wiped out by the Roman’s, Milo (Kit Harington) is taken as a slave and turned into a gladiator and sent to Pompeii, where he fights, falls in love and comes face to face with Corvus (Sutherland) the evil Roman Senator who butchered his family – As Mount Vesuvius erupts, Milo joins forces with fellow gladiator Atticus (Akinnuoye-Agbaje) to fight his way out of the Gladiatorial Arena in order to save Cassia (Browning) his new found love whilst all around them Pompeii is under attack by smoking hot ash and blazing streams of red hot lava – Verdict: Having climbed Mount Vesuvius and being a fan of the Resident Evil movies from filmmaker Paul WS Anderson I was interested to see how he fared swapping zombies & kick ass ladies for the more brutal times of the Romans, Pompeii, Gladiators and a mountain that erupted causing death and destruction – Overall: if you know your history then you know what’s coming towards the final chapter of this movie and sure enough all hell rains down, but in between it’s actually a pretty solid action film that includes some descent CGI, a Titanic-esque love story, some rather fun cheesy characters and a somewhat mesmerizing soundtrack – of course any film directed by Anderson will have it’s fair share of critics and it’s certainly true to say Pompeii is no Gladiator but overall I was pleasantly surprised & found the film a pretty engaging affair that reminded me of a 70’s disaster flick that is entertaining and full of fluent, exciting action scenes – Don’t let people ever tell you it’s not OK to enjoy these style of movies, you know going into the film that historical accuracy goes out of the window, this is first and foremost an action film, a popcorn munching, adrenalin flowing thrill ride and does not pretend to be something it’s not – It’s certainly not a classic but Paul W S Anderson’s Pompeii is nevertheless a fun movie experience and one I would recommend for some Saturday night entertainment….
Snowpiercer (2014) – Movie Review ★★★★½
Director: Joon-ho Bong – Cast: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Ah-sung Ko, Kang-ho Song & Alison Pill – Synopsis: This is the first English-language film from the exciting South Korean director Joon-ho Bong (Mother & The Host) – Based on a French graphic novel and set in the future where the only survivors of a failed global-warming experiment try to exist on-board a speeding train known as the Snowpiercer – Verdict: If your one of these people (and there are many) that watch a movie and shout disbelief at the screen till the end credits then don’t watch Snowpiercer, the movie is based on a graphic novel and like all comic book adaptions there are many moments during this film that scream WTF at you – leave your negativity at the door, relax and enjoy the smart creative vision that this film has in abundance and then praise the undoubted genius that is filmmaker Joon-ho Bong on a picture that from start to finish is a visual feast of apocalyptic delight with enough colorful characters and dark content that could have filled a trilogy of movies let alone this one – the exciting, stylish design of the train caught my eye, from it’s dark, gloomy carriages at the back of the train where the lowest on the social ladder would reside to the school, night club and brilliance of the fish tank aquariums that one would find in carriages further up the train – Joon-ho Bong also filled the picture with superb character actors from Jamie Bell’s rebellious second in command, John Hurt’s old, wise mentor, Chris Evans rugged & somewhat reluctant leader and Tilda Swinton’s hilarious turn as one of the movies villains, the whole cast are tremendous in bringing a somewhat realism to the story – overall just like the Snowpiercer this movie runs at 200mph, it’s visually out of this world, action packed with some incredible fight scenes and a scifi flick that will stand the test of time – for me the films only negative is that it had to end….
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) – Movie Review ★★★★
Director: Anthony & Joe Russo – Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Robert Redford, Frank Grillo & Jenny Agutter – Synopsis: This story takes place 2 years after the events in New York with The Avengers – Steve Rogers aka: Captain America (Chris Evans) is now living in Washington D.C. attempting to adjust to the modern world and his new surroundings. But that new and quiet life is about to turn upside down when Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) gets attacked by a group of Hydra operatives and a deadly assassin known as The Winter Soldier starts targeting S.H.I.E.L.D. members – entangled in a web of corruption S.H.I.E.L.D. has now become compromised and it’s left to Captain America, his new friend The Falcon and fellow Avenger The Black Widow to uncover the truth, track down this new enemy and eliminate the threat – Verdict: Recently watched The Winter Soldier as part of a 3D Captain America marathon that included Joe Johnson’s 2011 original and Whedon’s Avengers Assemble and although the film fell short of it’s original, the Russo brothers have delivered an exciting, action & effects driven big screen event that fits snugly within the layers of the Marvel Universe and the continuing story of Steve Rogers and S.H.I.E.L.D. – the fight scenes are well orchestrated, especially the ones that feature Scarlett Johansson‘s Black Widow and Chris Evan’s Cap who uses his shield to great effect – my favorite scene in the movie (there’s quite a few) was possibly the Nick Fury assassination attempt with rogue cops surrounding his car and raining holy hell down with all manner of weaponry – it made for delicious big screen viewing and like most Superhero movies The Winter Soldier is a visual feast of quickly paced action, lots of explosions and car chases all that need to be seen on the biggest screen possible – we also get a small taster of new characters that I am sure we will be seeing more of in the future, the likes of Emily VanCamp‘s Agent 13 and Frank Grillo’s Crossbones who were both excellent if not slightly underused – Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury had more screen time which in my opinion only enhances the movie and Anthony Mackie a newbie to the Marvel Universe did a fine job spreading his wings playing The Falcon – Robert Redford’s character was my only negative, it was not meaty or fleshed out enough and was a missed opportunity – overall: the movie gets the big thumbs up here – it’s an exciting action packed superhero outing that lays the foundations for what’s to follow – roll on the next chapter – Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron that lands next summer….
300: Rise of an Empire (2014) – Movie Review ★★★¾
Director: Noam Murro – Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro & Callan Mulvey – Synopsis: The story is told about the Battle of Marathon where King Darius I of Persia is killed by the warrior General Themistocles – The King’s son Xerxes witnesses his father’s death and after a week of mourning and some devilish words from Darius’s loyal naval commander Artemisia he declares war on Greece and then embarks on a bizarre journey through a desert, a cave where he bathes in some strange liquid substance and reemerges as the “God King” – Verdict: Noam Murro’s movie takes place before, during and after the events of Zack Snyder’s 2007 film where Gerard Butler’s King Leonidas and his 300 met their fate on the battlefield – 300: Rise of an Empire may not quite hit the dizzying heights of it’s predecessor but it’s an action movie that’s quite the ride, containing sumptuous visuals, great underwater shots, some fabulous stylish blood splatter moments and a cast that’s equally the measure of the first, especially the delicious Eva Green who delivers yet another evil performance playing the warrior Artemisia who is uncompromising in her revenge against the Greeks, that sex scene with Themistocles (Stapleton) is worth the admission ticket on it’s own, two great warriors coming together for a moment of energetic raw, brutal passion – overall: if like me your a fan of the slow-mo style action used to good effect in Snyder’s original and the brilliant TV show Spartacus and you love your movies to be of a blood thirsty nature then Rise of an Empire is just the ticket….
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (2014) – Movie Review ★★★★
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée – Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner – Synopsis: From director Jean-Marc Vallée comes an autobiographical movie based on the real-life AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, who went against the FDA and smuggled unsanctioned drugs into Texas to help fellow sufferers – the drugs were effective in improving his symptoms so he began distributing them by establishing the “Dallas Buyers Club” – Verdict: I must confess before watching the movie I had never heard of Ron Woodroof and his fight against the AIDS disease and the FDA – I don’t know how much liberty was taken with the story but the Dallas Buyers Club is a very moving, inspiring and at times mildly amusing one – Matthew McConaughey has been ramping up his career of late with killer performances in brilliant films such as Killer Joe, Mud and TVs True Detective and in the Dallas Buyers Club he delivers a mesmerizing performance not only with his appearance but his ability to suck the audience into his character and allow them to feel and root for this Electrician come Grifter Ron Woodroof who’s happens to be not the nicest of guys but you slowly believe in his cause and his overwhelming courage – alongside McConaughey is Jared Leto (Requiem for a Dream) who plays Rayon a transgender woman who also has the AIDS virus and befriends Woodroof, Leto is a talented character actor and is delicious in this role feeding off McConaughey’s energy and looking pretty amazing dolled up with a wig and makeup – the scenes with the Marc Bolan photos had me in stitches – overall the Dallas Buyers Club is a wonderful piece of film-making that is essential viewing and will go down as one of this years finest….
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