January/February Films

I took a break from reviewing to get over some lovely illnesses over the past month, but before March begins, here are a few short reviews of films that have been released since the start of the year...

DARKEST HOUR

Director:

Joe Wright (Atonement, Hanna, Pride and Prejudice)

Starring:
Gary Oldman (Leon, The Dark Knight, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)

Lily James (Baby Driver, Cinderella, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)
Ben Mendelson (Rogue One, The Dark Knight Rises, The Place Beyond The Pines)

Plot:
During the early days of World War II, the newly-appointed Prime Minister Winston Churchill must face threats from opposing European forces as well as from within his own political party. 

With British forces stuck in Calais and Dunkirk, Churchill must decide whether to enter peace talks with Adolf Hitler or carry on fighting the good fight to the end.

Verdict:
There is no doubt in my mind that Gary Oldman will win Best Actor at this year's Academy Awards for his portrayal of Winston Churchill; he commands the screen whenever he appears, conducts great chemistry with whoever he shares the screen, and dammit he wore a fat-suit, how is he not going to get the Award?!

However apart from his tour-de-force performance, there is not much else to write home about.  A downside to Oldman's scenery-chewing is that everyone else begins to pale in comparison, even the ever-impressive Kristen Scott Thomas feels like wasted talent, and Lily James isn't given enough screen time to show her potential range.  Whilst the film revolves around the powerful man that was Winston Churchill, unfortunately the film is too in love with him to deliver a compelling and interesting narrative outside of passionate and patriotic speeches.

Rating:
5/10

COCO

Director:

Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc.)

Starring (voices):
Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores perros, The Motorcycle Diaires, A Little Bit Of Heaven)
Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Demolition Man, Doctor Strange)
Alanna Ubach (Legally Blonde, Sister Act 2, Meet The Fockers)

Plot:
On the revered Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), Miguel, the youngest of a shoe-making and music-hating family wants to perform at a local music talent show.  However after disrespecting the dead, Miguel is transported to an other-worldly plain where he is able to converse with his dead relatives.  He must now receive their blessing to return home before the sun rises, and potentially discover the reason why music is so forbidden within his family.

Verdict:
This film broke me.  A grown man.  Weeping.  In a packed cinema screen. 

But dammit I wasn't the only one!  A lot of men in that same screen seemingly had 'something in their eye' or 'decided to chop onions' at one certain scene towards the end of the film.

Pixar truly have a knack at replicating real life moments on screen, despite usually featuring fantastical characters and situations, making brilliant movie moments in the process.  One only needs to mention the first ten minutes of Up or Wall-E for examples of how talented they are at telling a story that truly hits home.

The team behind Coco truly took innovative steps with this in terms of the maturity of it's storyline and characters.  There is no Doomsday scenario, Miguel's life isn't in jeopardy and the Land of the Dead's very existence isn't being threatened.  It is a simple story of a man not wanting to be forgotten, and how music can bring a family together rather than tear it apart.

The amazingly detailed and vibrant Land of the Dead had me open-jawed and the story had me interested through-out, even if I did predict some of the plot twists a little early.  The music by Michael Giacchino is heart-warming and toe-tapping, and the artistry is definitely some of Pixar's best.  

After a few missteps, I believe this is Pixar back to their best and would definitely recommend.

Rating:
9/10

THE POST

Director:

Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan)

Starring:
Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!, The Devil Wears Prada, Sophie's Choice)
Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Big, Saving Private Ryan)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Fargo)

Plot:
Set in the early 1970s, and following America's defeat in the disastrous Vietnam War, The Washington Post's owner (Streep) and chief editor (Hanks) have to decide whether or not to publish The Pentagon Papers, leaked classified documents that paint the White House and America's involvement in the Vietnam War in a less-than-stellar light.

Verdict:
Streep.  Hanks.  Spielberg.

It had all the hallmarks of an instant classic.  But something just didn't work for me.  With this cast and director, I expected a much better film.  Not to say The Post is a poor film, as it is most certainly not.  However, it never really elevates itself over 'competent' and 'entertaining'.  And whilst that's seemingly enough for several Academy Award nominations, I certainly wasn't convinced.

Is the film focused on the female-empowerment of Meryl Streep's Katherine Graham? 
Or the underhanded tactics of Nixon's White House?
Or the Presidents who preceded him with their involvement in the Vietnam War? 
Or the importance of the Free Press in situations such as this true story? 
Or the dangerous similarities to the current situation in America?
Why not all of them at the same time? 

This unfortunately results in a narrative that becomes top-heavy in narrative importance and left me rather bored, which shouldn't be the case in a story that is so relevant and important.

Rating:
5/10

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX
Director:

Julius Onah

Starring:
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle, Beauty and the Beast, Black Mirror)
David Oyelowo (Selma, The Butler, Rise of the Planet of the Apes)
Daniel Bruhl (Captain America: Civil War, Rush, Inglorious Basterds)

Plot:
In 2028, the Earth is suffering a massive energy crisis.  To combat this, a group of international scientists and engineers board the Cloverfield space station and attempt to discover a source of unlimited energy using a particle accelerator, similar to the Hadron Collider in Switzerland.  However, one of the experiments accidentally transports the station away from the Earth and they must find their way back.

Verdict:
It's a rarity that I speak about 'Straight-to-Netflix' films, but I am such a fan of the Cloverfield film series, I wanted to discuss the latest instalment.  And... it's a weird one.

Whilst I was a huge fan of the original found-footage Cloverfield and appreciated the change in tone and style for 10 Cloverfield Lane, I wasn't too won over by this space thriller.  Critics of Lane pointed to the film existing on it's own terms without any reference to Cloverfield before JJ Abrams suggested bringing it into their Shared Universe, but I didn't see that as a negative.  If anything, I felt as if it added to the tension and the mythos behind the original monster movie.  However, it's more evident here that the film could have been a fine sci-fi thriller without having to tie it to the first two films.

It results in an overly-confusing story, pointless horror moments and a wasted cast that is filled with talent that is under-utilised.

The Cloverfield Paradox manages to be a sci-fi film without grand ideas, a thriller with absurd attempts at tension and a horror without scares.

Must try harder, JJ.

Rating:
3/10

PHANTOM THREAD

Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights)

Starring:
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood, Lincoln, Gangs of New York)
Vicky Krieps (A Most Wanted Man, Hanna, Anonymous)
Lesley Manville (Maleficent, Another Year, Vera Drake)

Plot:
In 1950s London, renowned fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) creates dresses and garments for women in high society.  However his charisma and talent is matched with a ruthless and obsessive personality.  After debuting his latest outfit, Reynolds meets a waitress, Alma (Krieps), at a countryside restaurant who soon becomes his muse, but Alma finds it difficult to cope with Reynolds' lifestyle and erratic behaviour.

Verdict:
The duo of PTA and DDL working together again would make any film buff start drooling.  Their work on There Will Be Blood is phenomenal and one of my favourite films of the past ten years.  

And now DDL is back portraying a manipulative and obsessive genius! 
In his supposed final performance!  
By one of the great auteur directors! 

...So why isn't Phantom Thread better than it should be?

Similar to The Post, I'm not saying it's a poor film.  I don't think PTA or DDL know how to even spell 'poor film'.  But I was left wanting more.  The components on their own are spectacular.  The direction is brilliant, the acting sublime and the outfits are worthy of highest billing, since the film is all about a fashion designer and his amazing eye for well-made dresses.  But putting them all together just left me feeling slightly hollow.

Perhaps it was the central romance between DDL's Reynolds and Krieps' Alma.  I never truly felt or believed in their chemistry and passion for each other and the film centres itself on this main romance.  

Maybe my feeling is because I seem to appreciate the film as a piece of art more than a piece of cinema.  I feel like the film should be hung on a wall in an art gallery more than at the local cinemaplex.  And that's a compliment, right?

Rating:
7/10

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Director:
Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Crimson Peak)

Starring:
Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky, Paddington, Godzilla)
Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, Nocturnal Animals, Revolutionary Road)
Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Crimson Peak)

Plot:
Eliza (Hawkins) is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore.  Her life is changed forever when she discovers the laboratory's most classified secret; an mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank.

Verdict:
It's a real stupid mistake of mine to constantly forget Guillermo del Toro every time I try and list my favourite directors.  I always think of Fincher, Nolan, and Scorsese but del Toro deserves to be included in that shortlist.  The man just doesn't know how to make a bad film.

Famously, del Toro recounts how, as a child, he was never scared of monsters; he instead wanted to be friends with the monsters, and he has shown that in nearly every film he has made.  He often features other-worldly creatures in his films, and always makes their worlds so inviting and magical that I can't help but want to live there too, especially compared to our grey, boring, non-magical world.  The Shape of Water is no exception.

Del Toro's love for the fantastical is projected onto this film in nearly every aspect of The Shape of Water, as well for the time period (1950's Cold War-America).  The set design, music, costumes... everything is done with such love, care and attention, I can't help but believe that this will win Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards.

The direction seems effortless, the soundtrack is equally romantic and nostalgic, and the acting throughout is sublime.  Sally Hawkins manages to engage and charm the audience without uttering a word.  Michael Shannon does his 'Michael Shannon thing' of being tall and imposing, but in just such an understated and menacing way.  And Richard Jenkins steals the show as the closeted and balding neighbour and I truly hope he gets recognised for a subtle but powerful performance.

I probably sound like I'm rambling over this film but I truly believe it is one of del Toro's best and absolutely worth a watch.

Just remember that fish-men need love too.

Rating:

9/10

Until next time, thanks for reading!

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her.

#4 - her

Halfway through the year, I honestly thought that no film could impress me as much as Spike Jonze's her.  It really spoke to me and not because I especially related to Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore or his strife, but the film didn't patronise or try to scare the audience.  Instead it approaches you as a friend, cuddles up to you, warns you of our collective future and our relationship with technology.  But also calmly offers advice and tells you it's going to be OK.

Theodore is a professional writer living in 2025 Los Angeles.  The newest upgrade to his phone's operating system contains an artificial intelligence, named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).  Samantha is a technological breakthrough, having the ability to learn from experience, adapting and evolving in the process.  Through the course of the film, Theodore begins a relationship with the Samantha A.I., causing a rift within his circle of friends.

It's not your typical romantic comedy, and I feel that's why I loved this film so much.  You spend the film watching Theodore fail in real-life relationships, but succeed in his relationship with Samantha.  You desire for them to be together by the end of the film, and despite it's alternative nature, it never feels weird.  Phoenix plays the lovable loser so well that you can't help but want the best for him.  The supporting cast of Amy Adams and Chris Pratt provide essential commentary on the central relationship, speaking for the audience on several occasions, but Theodore and Samantha's partnership is the film's key message.

As well as impressive performances, the film's style of design blew me away in it's subtlety. The fashion of the future is recognisable, and yet retro; the technology is advanced, and yet accessible.  I found it so intriguing and obviously cared for.  I just loved everything about it.  Especially it's views on our over-dependence and obsession with technology.

I have recommended her to friends and had very different reactions to it.  Some have appreciated it, some found it depressing, some have been impressed and some have hated it.  Whilst her is definitely one of my favourites, I understand it isn't for everyone.  But I still think you should give it a go, because you never know, you might love it as much as I do.

The Wind Rises

#6 - The Wind Rises

Released as one of the world's greatest animators Hayao Miyazaki's final film, The Wind Rises is a fictionalised biography of the aeroplane engineer Jiro Horikoshi before and during the Second World War.  It might not sound like an enthralling storyline, but yet again Studio Ghibli manage to turn the mundane into beautiful splendor.

The film is visually gorgeous and breathtaking at times, in terms of style and also subject matter. Touching upon the delicate relationship between Japan and Germany during the Second World War could have been a difficult and spiky topic, but not in the capable hands of Studio Ghibli.  The film's point of view is from those proud people wanting to help their country but conscious of the agenda they are helping to continue.  It comes across not as an apology but more of an explanation that there were still freedom-loving people at such a difficult time in world politics.

This was one of the most touching cinematic experiences I have had in a long time.  The beauty of Studio Ghibli is evident in every frame and whilst the Jiro isn't the most relatable as Spirited Away's Chihiro or Howl's Moving Castle's Grandma Sophie, his story is always interesting, especially when he is forced to help design planes for Nazi Germany, due to their wartime friendship with Japan.

Nearly every Studio Ghibli film has some kind of airplane or flying machine in them.  This is due to Hayao Miyazaki's own fascination with aerodynamics and planes.  So since this film is based off the life of an aeroplane engineer, you can truly feel all of Miyazaki's love and passion went into this project.  

This marks the end of an era in animation, and I highly recommend you searching out this film on DVD and all of his earlier work.  You will not be disappointed.

Top Five Friday: Best Films of 2014 so far...

Ahh September is here.  Before we know it, December will be upon us, and then 2015!  The summer blockbusters are being removed from the screens as we prepare for the kids to return to school.  And most importantly, since it's officially past the half-way point of the year, it's time for me to list my favourite films of the year so far!

Now admittedly, I haven't had chance to visit the cinema and see some films that I really wanted to see over the summer.  Films that have been critically acclaimed, such as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Frank and Boyhood have left screens before I found time.  Those that have been critically panned, such as Transformers: Age of Extinction, Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie and Step Up 5: All In, have stuck around a little longer than the rest, but I still haven't found time to watch those either.  So unfortunately, I'm going to rank those that I have seen, and not yet reviewed.

Starting with....

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Director: Wes Anderson

Released: March 7th

Wes Anderson continues his fantastic streak of memorable films, with another set of kooky and iconic characters, one-liners and mishaps.  In The Grand Budapest Hotel, we are told the story of how elderly hotel owner, Zero Moustafa, came to own the titular establishment and why he is so against the idea of shutting it down as it decays around him.  We follow the younger Zero as he teams up with the hotel's most prolific and dedicated concierge, Monsieur Gustave H. (played with fantastic glee by Ralph Fiennes) as he tries to prove himself innocent after being framed for a murder.  

Completely madcap and enjoyable, I couldn't take the smile off my face whilst watching this delightful old-fashioned adventure.  The music and cinematography are top notch (as is Anderson's standard) and leading man Fiennes is so dashing and charismatic, I can't imagine another actor taking the role.  He lives the role of Monsieur Gustave and truly brings him to life.  It was a real delight to enter another of Anderson's quirky and inventive alternative realities.

BAD NEIGHBOURS

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Released: May 3rd

Much like 21 Jump St. in 2012, I expected Bad Neighbours to be funny, but I didn't expect it to be this funny.  The story follows a new parent-couple Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, as they battle their new next door neighbours, a University fraternity, headed by jock idiot Zac Efron.  The film begins as most of Rogen's films do; crash sex scene followed by drug-taking scenes, inappropriate conversations taking place in front of babies, and lots of prat falls and slapstick.  But surprisingly, it felt pretty-much new.

Whilst the slapstick and the drug-references do their job, the true surprise came from the effort put into fully fleshing out these two sets of rivals.  The adults see the fraternity as a reminder that they are no longer cool and young anymore, whereas the fraternity see a 'Ghost of Christmas Future' in the boring, old couple next door.  This is especially true with Zac Efron, who gives a stellar comedy performance as Teddy, the frat's president.  He becomes obsessed with destroying the couple's happiness as he knows he has little academic future ahead of him and this is his only influence on the world around him.  Sounds malevolent and seedy, but it's all good fun as some of the pranks are incredibly funny.  Definitely worth a watch.

THE WIND RISES

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Released: May 9th

Released as Hayao Miyazaki's final film, The Wind Rises is a fictionalised biography of the aeroplane engineer Jiro Horikoshi before and during the Second World War.  It might not sound like an enthralling storyline, but yet again Studio Ghibli manage to turn the mundane into brilliance.

This was one of the most touching cinema experiences I have had in a long time.  The beauty of Studio Ghibli is evident in every frame and whilst the Jiro isn't as relatable as previous ones like Spirited Away's Chihiro or Howl's Moving Castle's Grandma Sophie, his story is always interesting, especially when he reluctantly begins helping the Nazis due to their friendship with Japan.

The entire film is based around airplanes, and as such, you can truly see the genius Miyazaki's hand in almost every moment.  This marks the end of an era in animation, and I highly recommend you searching out this film on DVD and all of his earlier work.  You will not be disappointed.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Director: James Gunn

Released: August 1st

I was so nervous when I saw the trailer for Guardians.  Nervous and excited.  How could Marvel, and especially Disney, bet so much money and reputation on this story of relatively-unknown alien mercenaries, battling in galaxies far, far away?  It was either insanity or genius.

Turns out both.

This was such a crazy and wild adventure, it just made me want to watch it again and again.  The story follows Peter Quill, AKA StarLord, a human abducted and raised by a bunch of renegade alien pirate smugglers.  The self-titled StarLord (played by Chris Pratt) quickly finds himself enthralled in a struggle between powerful warlords over a mysterious orb.  He teams up with a green-skinned assassin (Zoe Saldana), a tattooed headcase (Dave Bautista), a giant human-like walking tree (voiced by Vin Diesel) and a talking raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper).

See what I mean by possible insanity?  But it works.  The director James Gunn has history with the surreal, working on films such as Slither and Super, so he manages to create such a believable world that the crazy hijinx that follow feel possible.  The characters are truly three-dimensional, even if the walking tree-man can only say "I. Am. Groot." and every other character's middle name is 'The' (Korath The Pursuer/Drax The Destroyer etc.)  They have back-stories, aims, dreams, flaws, and therefore feel like real people.  The most surprising thing about this film is former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista, who has the most impressive screen-presence and delivers a very unexpected, and yet fantastic performance.

Also, Lee Pace performing as the quasi-Marilyn Manson villain Ronan The Accuser is actually terrifying.  Full plaudits to the man as he could have hammed up the performance and delivered one akin to a pantomime villain, but he truly gets under your skin as a malevolent force and a formidable opponent to the titular Guardians.  Definitely the blockbuster of the summer.

HER

Director: Spike Jonze

Released: February 14th (awww...)

And finally, the film that has impressed me the most this year.  Spike Jonze's her really spoke to me and not because I especially related to Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore or his strife, but the film doesn't patronise or try to scare you.  Instead it almost cuddles up to you as a friend and shows you a warning of our collective future and our relationship with technology.  It just calmly offers advice and tells you it's going to be OK.

Theodore is a professional writer living in 2025 Los Angeles.  The newest upgrade to his phone's operating system contains an artificial intelligence, named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).  Samantha is a technological breakthrough, having the ability to learn from experience, adapting and evolving in the process.  Through the course of the film, Theodore begins a relationship with the Samantha A.I., causing a rift within his circle of friends.

It's not your typical romantic comedy, and I feel that's why I loved this film so much.  You spend the film watching Theodore fail in real-life relationships, but succeed in his relationship with Samantha.  You desire for them to be together by the end of the film, and despite it's alternative nature, it never feels weird.  Phoenix plays the lovable loser so well that you can't help but want the best for him.  The supporting cast of Amy Adams and Chris Pratt provide essential commentary on the central relationship, speaking for the audience on several occasions, but Theodore and Samantha's partnership is the film's key message.

As well as impressive performances, the film's style of design blew me away in it's subtlety.  The fashion of the future is recognisable, and yet retro; the technology is advanced, and yet accessible.  I found it so intriguing and obviously cared for.  I just loved everything about it.  Especially it's views on our over-dependence and obsession with technology.

I have recommended her to friends and had very different reactions to it.  Some have appreciated it, some found it depressing, some have been impressed and some have hated it.  Whilst I feel like it is my favourite, I understand it isn't for everyone.  But I still think you should give it a go, because you never know, you might love it as much as I do.

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed what you read and you'd like to be kept more up to date with my posts, I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Dunn-Reviews and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeDunnReviews - if you want to help the site grow, give them a 'Like' or a 'Share'!

Succinct Sunday - A Whole Lot Of Whispers

So since I've been travelling the Asian continent, the hotels that I have been staying in usually have one thing in common: loud-ass hipster douches movie channels!  Regardless of the country that I am staying in, the hotels always seem to carry HBO Movies or Fox Movies and if I don't feel like experiencing the local night-life, I know that there is always a TV channel ready to broadcast films, both good and bad.  Since I travelled over here in February, I have seen a hell of a lot of new films, so I thought that I'd share my thoughts about them.  Don't worry, it's Succinct Sunday, so they won't take long...

THE VOW

Let's start with this charming little romance film, based on a true story. Rachel McAdams loses the last five years of her memory in a car crash, resulting in forgetting her life with her husband Channing Tatum.  Whilst McAdams has always impressed me in her recent roles, I am slowly becoming a fan of Tatum.  He doesn't take himself too seriously in his performances and he is on the up and up.  Back to the film, the emotions do get to you, the performances are impressive and the story-line is genuinely intriguing, especially since it happened to a real life couple.  Highly recommended.

EPIC

Let me paint a picture... Imagine there are magical tiny people in the forest that often defend nature from an approaching destructive force.  Yep, FernGully: The Last Rainforest... I mean, Epic never really captures the imagination in the same vein as the original Ice Age, instead choosing the disappointing path to follow in the footsteps of the other Blue Sky Animations, Rio, Robots and Horton Hears A Who.  Often boring, too childish to be taken seriously and never truly engaging, Epic truly fails to live up to it's name.  On a side note, who the hell thought that Colin Farrell's miscast voice fitted his character design?!  Ridiculous.

INSIDE MAN
Spike Lee directs Denzel Washington in a cop-crime thriller as he tries to solve Clive Owen's supposed 'perfect robbery'.  Whilst it is nice to see Chiwetel Ejiofor in another Hollywood film, I feel like this film's hype preceded it and I never really got caught up in the action.  I just always could tell I was watching a film, from Clive Owen's fourth-wall breaking opening monologue, noticing the pointlessness of Jodie Foster's character, and not mentioning the rapid changes in timeframe.  Despite the always impressive Christopher Plummer and the personal favourite Clive Owen, I never lost myself in the world and I feel like it suffered because of that. I can see why some people enjoy Inside Man, I was just not one of them.

THE CROODS

Good Lord, this is nearly shown daily so I can pretty much quote it to you verbatim. A unique premise, The Croods tells the story of a family of cavemen who must venture out from their cave-dwelling lives to escape clashing continents, where they meet the creative inventor Guy, voiced by Ryan Reynolds.  Funny throughout with a recognisable family dynamic at the heart, The Croods displays an interesting father-daughter core, fleshed out with humorous set-pieces and references for both kids and adults.  However, the locations are sometimes jarring, the characters are sometimes unlikeable and the main threat of the local carnivores are just confusing. I feel like if they just stuck to normality, it would have been improved but that's a tiny flaw.

SPIDER-MAN 3

I hadn't watched this since I paid for a cinema ticket back in 2007.  Now I remember why.  So much fantastic action and character development went into the first two Spider-Man films, all for it to go to waste in the concluding instalment.  The Sandman really killed Uncle Ben?!  James Franco gets amnesia?!  Peter Parker gets an emo fringe?!  MAKE IT STOP!  Those of you who have seen it will probably remember two scenes in particular: Parker strutting down the street (to music, presumably in his head), thinking he's the shit with his emo fringe; and then him dancing in a nightclub, right before he hits Mary Jane in the face.  Some of the worst scenes ever included in a super-hero film. Those of you who haven't seen this film, I've just given you two good reasons not to watch this film.  Too many villains, too many pointless action sequences, too many scenes with goddamn emo Peter Parker.

PSYCHO (1998 REMAKE)
I had only heard rumours of a shot-by-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock's classic, but now I have seen the travesty. Absolutely pointless.  Vince Vaughn has never been more miscast, and that's saying something. Just stick with the original.  Please.

JUST GO WITH IT
To sleep with a pretty lady, Adam Sandler pretends he's married and getting divorced from Jennifer Aniston.  No this isn't one of Awesome-O 3000's movie ideas (hee hee, South Park reference) but the real plot of his rom-com from 2011. Whilst the film does have the occasional funny moment, usually due to Jennifer Aniston, there are far too few for another Adam Sandler 'comedy'.  What happened to the guy who was so fantastic in Punch-Drunk Love and The Wedding Singer?  Not the Jack & Jill / Grown Ups version we are getting today.  Remember who you were, Adam.


2-HEADED SHARK ATTACK
Yes, I'm reviewing this tripe.  From the same vein of Sharknado (the tornado made of sharks), comes this floundering turd of a film. So yeah, teens on a boat (including Hulk Hogan's daughter Brooke) captained by Carmen Electra (yeah, she still exists) get targeted by a really bad piece of CGI.  The result?  The Sy-Fy Channel loses another viewer.

JACK REACHER
Tom Cruise plays an ex-Army police officer, tasked with investigating the actions of a supposed mass-murderer.  In a change of pace, Reacher is a semi-vigilante cop that doesn't play by the rules...

*cough* Jack Bauer *cough*,
*cough* John McClane *cough*,
*cough* McBain *cough*

Plus in the books he's apparently around 7ft tall. Ideal casting for Cruise then... Despite the inspired casting of Werner Herzog and his magnificent voice as the overall villain, the film just criminally lacks originality or suspense.  Also, Hollywood?  Please stop casting Jai Courtenay in films.  He's just another Sam Worthington or Kellan Lutz. Stop bringing these talent-vacuums to the centre stage.  Sincerely, Movie-Lovers Worldwide.

TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES

I remember liking this film.  Upon re-watching it... I cannot remember why.  An insult to the originals.

And that's enough for now.  I'll probably post another next Sunday, but until then, thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed what you read and you'd like to be kept more up to date with my posts, I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Dunn-Reviews and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeDunnReviews - if you want to help the site grow, give them a 'Like' or a 'Share'!

Chinese Whispers - Don Jon

JGL - Just Good Lovin'

I'm in danger of overloading on Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Knowledge of my man crush has spilled out into public domain now and this will be the second JGL film that I have reviewed in a row.  Such love!  Isn't it just sickening?  Appropriately, love is all that his directorial debut, Don Jon, is about.  But just two different kinds.

JGL plays the titular Jon, who obsesses over a certain lifestyle; all he values in his life are his material possessions, his appearance and his women.  Oh and pornography.  Lots. And. Lots. Of pornography.  Enter Scarlett Johansson's Barbara, a 'Perfect 10' who just might be 'The One' for our Don Jon.  But in order to seal the deal, Jon must be willing to end his decade-long love affair with porn.  She sees this as a character flaw, whereas he doesn't see any difference from her love of Hollywood rom-coms.

I recently read an article on Vice.co.uk about the rise of lad culture entitled "How Sad Young Douchebags Took Over Modern Britain" in which the author claimed that beer-swilling, tanned muscleheads have taken over the typical example of 'tough guys' in today's society.  Whilst I mostly agree with the article, from the example shown in Don Jon, it seems to be a transatlantic problem too.  Jon typifies your quintessential modern, selfish, misogynistic 'meat-head'.  His obsession with a perfectly-groomed body and perfectly-cleaned apartment is only matched by his fascination with the ideal world of sex that modern pornography depicts.  After a typical night, he always compare his experience with the one he sees in pornographic movies and it leaves him feeling hollow.  So he feels he must fill that void with endless amounts of self-abuse.

Despite the comedy within the film and the light-hearted premise, Don Jon is an incredible study of an often-shamed or ignored addiction.  The original title of the film was Don Jon's Addiction and the obsession shown throughout is definitely an eye-opening one; despite all the perfection around him, Jon finds the only place he can constantly 'lose himself' is in the world of pornography.  It's understandable why JGL plays the role with true pathos and heart as he wrote and directed the film as well, making the entire project obviously very personal to him.

As well as JGL, I was surprisingly impressed by Scarlett Johansson's performance as Barbara, the 'Perfect 10'.  Even though she is cast with the character's appearance in mind, her talent is definitely what shines brightest.  This is the first time I have seen Ms Johansson given the chance to act in a film for such a long time.  Her recent foray into the world of comic-book adaptations (Avengers, Iron Man 2, The Spirit) could be attributed to her buxom figure drawing in male audiences, but it results in her playing eye-candy with not much chance to flex her acting muscles.  However, in Barbara, Johansson plays a cocky, self-assured woman who, deep-down, is just as shallow and self-centred as Jon, even if she doesn't know it.  Her 'Perfect 10' status is wholly exterior, but you can tell she is enjoying playing this damaged character.

Don't get me wrong; my love for JGL is not blinding me from seeing this film's flaws.  Personally, I didn't quite buy the friendship that Jon has with his night-school classmate played by Julianne Moore.  It felt like JGL wanted Jon to find a way out of his addiction, and that he could be happy without having his high expectations fulfilled, but it just didn't feel right.  I didn't sense that much of a character arc from Jon to make it seem like the correct ending.  I could see where JGL is coming from, but like Jon's videos, it all seemed too perfect.

However from a directorial standpoint, as well as a writer, this debut film is very impressive.  The characters are a little broad but engaging, the message is well-meaning and the drama is evenly balanced with the comedy and romance.  It might not be for everyone, such as watching it with your parents, as the subject matter is very mature and quite graphic at some points, but it is always with it's tongue firmly in cheek.  So to speak.

Rating - 8/10

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

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Succinct Sunday - I Give It A Year

To Be... Or Not Meant To Be

Meet newly-weds Nat (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Rafe Spall).  They've only been together a few months and decide to get hitched.  No one thinks they'll make it, estimating it will end in divorce in less than a year. Defiantly, Josh and Nat struggle through a first year of marriage fraught with arguments, mistrust and temptation on both sides. Nat's new boss (Simon Baker) and Josh's ex-girlfriend (Anna Faris) seem more compatible for them then their other halves. Can they cope with all these attractive alternatives in their way?

Romantic-comedies are one of the most beloved film genres out there.  They make us laugh, they make us weep and they are perfect material for that awkward first date.  However rom-coms need to deliver in balancing the romance and comedy. The classics like When Harry Met Sally, Bridget Jones' Diary and Four Weddings... do this expertly, but it is easy to mess this up.  And here is where we find I Give It A Year (or in honour of Succinct Sunday, IGIAY).

Whilst there is comedy in doses, mainly found in Jake's best man Stephen Merchant and their unhappily-married marriage counsellor Olivia Colman, the romance is sorely lacking.  I was incredibly confused with who the audience is supposed to be rooting for; are we supporting Nat and Josh trying to make it work despite their disagreements and chastise them for looking elsewhere, or are we hoping they pack in this loveless marriage and be with their other suitor?  

It flits between these two narratives at rapid speed and becomes a jumbled mess.  The mere fact that I was sat in a pool of my own confusion, asking myself if we were supposed to hate the killjoy Nat and relate to the care-free Josh, or if Josh was supposed to come off as immature rather than the professional Nat, shows that the film-makers might have made a mistake in their storytelling. 

It is admirable that they are wanting to create an anti-rom-com in the same vein as (500) Days of Summer, but whilst Summer successfully showed an audience that sometimes it doesn't end happily ever after, IGIAY is very conflicted and confused within itself.

I give it a 4/10.