'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps' - Movie Review

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2.5 out of 5 stars)

OK, first things first, I haven't see the first film, but I don't honestly know how much of a difference that should make, seeing as it's been a whole 23 years since Michael Douglas starred in the original film that won him an oscar. Perhaps I should watch it, because I'm pretty certain that it'll be better than this 'sequel'.
OK, second things second (if that's a real phrase), this isn't usually my sort of movie. This was proven to be the case yet again. That of course doesn't mean that it won't be other people's sort of movie, it's just not mine.
I'll be honest, the first 30 minutes of the movie left me fairly baffled, I don't claim to understand or even find interesting the world that stock-brokers or the other ridiculously overpaid financial brains inhabit, even though the movie did a pretty good job of explaining what it must have been like to be on the inside of the near-global-meltdown of the world's financial systems in 2008.
The trouble I found with this movie, for all its lovely camera-work and interesting graphics that punctuate the movie at regular intervals, is that I didn't really engage with any of the characters. They live in a different world, and I didn't feel any connection that Joe Bloggs on the street will be able to relate to.
All in all, I just didn't find anything about the movie exciting, or even captivating or interesting. Not my cup of tea at all, but don't let me put you off, it will appeal to tons of people out there.

'Hang 'em High' - Movie Review

Hang 'em High (3 out of 5 stars)

Made after the Sergio Leone spaghetti western trilogy, this is a very solid western, although in my opinion not in the same league as the Leone made masterpieces.
Nonetheless, this is very gritty stuff, as Eastwood takes the job of a Marshall in order to exact his revenge on a mob who attempted to lynch him. There's also plenty here that parents should be wary about letting their kids watch, much more adult themes (2 teenagers being hung for helping some cattle rustlers).

All in all a very solid western though.

'The Shawshank Redemption' - Movie Review

The Shawshank Redemption (5 out of 5 stars)

An absolute masterpiece. Empire magazine consistently rate this movie in their top 5 of all time, and I have to say that I can't fault that judgement in any way.
Beautifully acted, crafted, directed and photographed, this tale of the strength of the human spirit should last in the memories of anyone who has seen it.

This is borderline perfect movie-making.

'The Expendables' - Movie Review

The Expendables (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Did you used to watch all those classic action movies in the 80's and 90's?

The Stallones, the Arnies, the Lundgrens...? Yes?

Well, imagine taking all the best bits that those guys did, and chucking them all into your movie-blender and giving it a good blast...what you'd then pour out into your glass would be a pint of 'The Expendables'.
Cheesy, funny, outright violent and gory, but above all damn good action-based fun, this is a great throwback to ye olde action era I mentioned earlier.
OK, fair enough, you'd struggle to find anything resembling decent acting in the film, but if you're a fan of the genre, then that's not really what you're looking for, is it??

To my mind, the real stars of this movie are Jason Statham, and a hugely underused Mickey Rourke. Jet Li needs to avoid speaking at all costs, but other than that it's great! Look out for the incredible shotgun action that Terry Crews dispenses towards the end of the movie, brilliant!

'Buried' - Movie Review

Buried (4 out of 5 stars)

A real coming-of-age film for Ryan Reynolds, he is literally the only person on camera for the entire 1hr 34mins, the only other characters in the movie are people he speaks to on the phone that's been left with him.
This is a truly original piece of film-making, it is unbelievably tense and at times very difficult to watch as the whole premise is incredibly terrifying.
I genuinely felt uncomfortable throughout, as the camera work really gives you the feeling of sharing his entire experience, and at times you literally have to remind yourself to breathe.
Certainly not for the faint-hearted, the film is well-paced, with ever-growing tension and even some hideously black humour thrown in, as Paul has to not only try to figure out who put him in this situation and why, but also how he's going to get out, as no-one he speaks to seems to believe his story.
Equipped with only a Zippo lighter and a mobile phone, you find yourself sharing Paul's terror as the phone battery slowly, gradually wears down to nearly zero, and his oxygen supply rapidly runs out.
Chillingly original film-making, this is literally the stuff nightmares are made of.

'Dorian Gray' - Movie Review

Dorian Gray (4 out of 5 stars)

This adaptation of the classic Oscar Wilde gothic novel was, I thought, blooming excellent! Creepy and atmospheric throughout, I also thought the performances were great, Colin Firth is always good anyway, but Ben Barnes was particularly convincing I thought. OK, its not the best 'horror' adaptation the world has ever seen, but for sheer enjoyment value it was hard to fault.

'Frost/Nixon' - Movie Review

Frost/Nixon - (4.5 out of 5 stars)

This is an utterly gripping piece of film-making, with absolute dynamite performances from Michael Sheen and Frank Langella.
The movie chronicles the TV interviews that David Frost not only organised against all odds, but ultimately carried out with the disgraced former US President Richard Nixon, and amazingly got him to admit his part in the Watergate scandal, and apologise to the US public, something no-one else had managed to do.
I think I can categorically say that this wont be up everyone's street, as the subject matter wont appeal to or interest everyone, despite the stunning performances, and I admit I didn't realise the film's brilliance until the final 3rd. An 'important' piece of work, rather than raw entertainment.

'Seven Pounds' - Movie Review

Seven Pounds (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Hmmm...mixed reviews for what I thought was a pretty awesome movie. Will Smith really delivers, and should really be taken seriously as an actor these days, whilst Rosario Dawson also puts in a fantastic performance. Touching, intriguing, and heart-wrenching stuff...it all added up in my book. Great film, but it wont necessarily hold up to multiple viewings. Beautiful stuff though.

'Toy Story 3' - Movie Review

Toy Story 3 (5 out of 5 stars)

What an absolute triumph of a movie this is!

Scarier and sadder than the first two films (saying that, I cried at Toy Story 2, but then again I am a complete wuss), but equally hilarious and heart-breaking.

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and crew deliver another absolute classic, but once again the real jewel in the crown of these films is the brilliant animation, unbeatable scripting and physical comedy.

I have to say that in this particular instalment, Michael Keaton's voicing of Ken, Barbie's erstwhile 'accessory', completely and utterly steals the show.

Surely the Toy Story films must now go down as one of the greatest trilogies of all time?
Brilliant, brilliant animated film-making, and surely the most original prison-break movie of all time! An absolute classic, and the 3D version is eye-poppingly good.

'The Pursuit Of Happyness' - Movie Review

The Pursuit Of Happyness (5 out of 5 stars)

One of Will Smith's first 'serious' roles, and he continues to go from strength to strength as an actor. In this movie, based on the book of the same name by Chris Gardner, who's own life story this whole piece is about, Smith's performance is believable, sincere, and huge.

Gardner's story focuses entirely on what a man will or won't do in order to make his son safe, in the face of intensely difficult personal circumstances. As a Father myself, this was at times hard to watch, as I couldn't help but imagine myself in the same situations Gardner faced.

Having Will Smith's own son, Jaden, play the part of Gardner's son in the movie ultimately proved to be a master-stroke that made the film work, because even if Smith had still delivered the performance he did, this story is all about the interplay and relationship between Father and Son. Jaden had never made a movie before this, and he delivers a truly memorable performance.

Obviously this helped make the movie as good as it was, but then again, we all want to see people making the best films possible, and I find myself wishing that more film-makers would take this kind of risk.

Truly inspiring, lump-in-your-throat stuff.

'Remember Me' - Movie Review

Remember Me (5 out of 5 stars)

This received hideous reviews, and although I am more than aware that everyone has their opinion, I thought it was a superb film. I just don't quite get the general reaction to this film.

How any of the Twilight movies can be given reviews that mention 'good acting' and then the same critic's pan this, is beyond me.

Rob Pattinson is completely compelling in this, a real coming-of-age performance, and the rest of the supporting cast are all excellent too.

It's in no way a cheerful movie, but then again I don't know a huge number of film's that are about intensely strained father/son relationships, caused by traumatic family loss, that are cheerful.

I thought it was gritty and touching. Pattinson's relationship with his younger sister in the film is beautifully played out, and the anguish that many of the characters feel at their own individual personal losses is vivid, and very real.

And the ending - even if you saw it coming - literally had me putting my hands to my face in an "Oh NO!" expression.
I watch a lot of movies, and I'm well aware that people are never going to agree on their opinions of them, and in that lies the beauty of film, but for this to be so roundly disliked is amazing to me.

In my opinion, ignore the critics and watch this, it's an excellent film that I personally loved.

'Devil' - Movie Review

Devil (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Finally...M. Night Shyamalan gets it right, after far too many complete flops. This is the first in a series of films, known as 'The Night Chronicles', a series of Supernatural movies that will see Shyamalan working closely with up-and-coming directors.
Devil is a story of Shyamalan's own creation, and it is simple, and effective. 5 people, all of whom have something slightly shady about them, get stuck in a lift, and of course, bad evilness ensues...in other words, the Devil is among them, and is up to his old tricks.
Very jumpy, and really quite creepy, it works without having to chuck bucket-loads of gore around. What I thought was conveyed well was the idea of growing fear amongst a small group of people, who don't really understand what's going on, and who all start to unravel as the paranoia and claustrophobia kicks in.

This is good stuff, all tied up very neatly and tidily. Well done Mr Shyamalan for finally re-discovering some kind of form, I look forward to more of these 'Chronicles'.

'The Other Guys' - Movie Review

The Other Guys (3 out of 5 stars)

Being a huge Will Ferrell fan, I was expecting a lot from this movie, and for the main part (ie. the first 2 acts) it delivered. However it seemed to lose its way a little bit, and ended up being something akin to Rush Hour 3, or one of the Lethal Weapon movies...not particularly great, in other words.
That said, I laughed out loud at a great many moments in the film, as Ferrell worked his magic again, but I actually thought it all ended up being a bit formulaic, with even Ferrell recycling and restyling some older gags from other films to fit this particular mould.
I thought Mr. Wahlberg was good, he's a fine actor and I think comedy is still a very new string to his bow, but he should stick at it and do more, and The Rock and Samuel L both played their self-mocking roles well, for the short time they were in the movie, and I think Michael Keaton definitely needs to do more comedy. Overall, its a hit, but its no Anchorman, Blades Of Glory or Land Of The Lost, but hey if you like Will Ferrell then I guarantee you'll crack up a good few times during this, so check it out!

'Australia' - Movie Review

Australia (3.5 out of 5 stars)

A gorgeously shot epic about the goings-on in the Northern Territory of Australia at the time of the Second World War.

The film starts out in typical Baz Luhrmann style, it's very tongue-in-cheek, and I've actually heard many people say that they thought both Kidman and Jackman over-acted appallingly in the first act, but to me that's what Baz Luhrmann movie's are all about (think back to Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet), he brings a solid slice of the theatrical to his movie's. There is no doubt that Kidman sets out to portray an English lady, who is struggling to adjust her social heirs and graces to the Australian way of life and climate, in a very comedic way (at Luhrmann's request, I have no doubt) and she achieves this very well, making us viewers laugh in the process. The same can be said of Jackman's stereotypical Aussie 'bloke', again played with great humour at the outset.

The film then changes as it progresses, into a more serious piece of film-making, letting the comedic beginning slip quietly away as the story gains pace.

There are solid performances from Kidman and Jackman here, and a cracking turn from the little fella playing Nulla, the young Aboriginal boy who is actually the central character, and narrator of the film.

Ultimately there is nothing to really write home about with any great urgency, but there can be no denying that some of the settings are jaw-droppingly gorgeous - my daughter goes on and on and on about the sunsets! - and the cracking cinematography make it a good watch for all the family.

I think Luhrmann has tried to create an old-school classic movie that has everything, romance, humour, sadness, joy, and has done a pretty good job of it...just be prepared for it taking up most of your evening!

'Rogue' - Movie Review

Rogue (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Ahhh how we love killer animal movies. This is a VERY solid entry into the 'killer croc' category, not as much fun as Lake Placid, but tighter, more tense, and very inventive.

Whereas films of this kind often have an air of cheesiness about them, this film successfully avoids that, and is instead a genuinely creepy stalker movie, this is largely achieved with good (not cheesy) acting, excellent tension-building cinematography, and original ideas (my personal favourite is the scene where the cast have to try to cross a stretch of water on a rope, as the tide comes in, threatening to submerge the little island they are marooned on).

Excellent stuff, well worth a watch if you like this sort of thing.

'Waiting' - Movie Review

Waiting (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Hilarious! Not a classic comedy, but Im sure it has quite a cult following, especially if you and your mates want to adopt 'The Game' as part of your everyday working life.
This is good quality toilet humour, more of a guilty pleasure than an actual good movie, and I think that you have to have worked in a restaurant at some point to understand that at least SOME of what is seen in the film, does actually go on in the catering industry...trust me, it really does.

'The Reader' - Movie Review

The Reader (4 out of 5 stars)

A brilliant film, including the brilliant performance from Kate Winslet that saw her win an Oscar for her portrayal of Hannah Schmitz, former SS guard at the Auschwitz death camp, who has an 'affair' with a 15 year old boy years after the end of the Second World War.

Winslet is - in my opinion - the heiress to the title of 'worlds best actress', probably currently held by a certain Meryl Streep, and I honestly think I could watch Winslet peeling potatoes for 2 hours and find it riveting. Her performances never fail to capture the emotional heart of whatever character she plays.
This is a film essentially about German guilt in post-WW2 Germany, and it is split into clearly defined 'acts'. The first act is all about Hannah's 'affair' with 15 year old Michael (played by Ralph Fiennes, with David Kross as the young Michael) and is punctuated with her love of having the young man read to her whenever they meet. She then disappears out of his life, and we move to the second act, which focuses on Michael's studies to become a lawyer, and life-changing attendance at the trial of a group of former Auschwitz prison guards.

It is also a film largely about one man's journey to come to terms with both his own country's dark recent history, and his own personal story, and this is highlighted by the frequent references to Homer's Odyssey, a book Michael read to Hannah during their affair.

One of the things I found most thought-provoking about the film, was the importance of books during that era of history, particularly in Germany, where Hitler ultimately limited what people were allowed to read, and also the question of how you yourself would act living under such a regime as The Nazi's. We all know that Hitler ruled with something close to an iron fist, and Germans who didn't comply with the rules of the regime often just 'disappeared'.
This is a superb morality tale from Director Stephen Daldry, one that makes you ask yourself the ever-poignant question that Hannah herself puts to the court...

"What would you have done?"

'Tideland' - Movie Review

(3 out of 5 stars)

A major trip-fest of a movie, try to imagine watching Alice in Wonderland on an LSD overdose. I love Terry Gilliam's films, he's such a unique director, with such a distinctive visual style that doesn't always work in terms of making his films particularly accessible to everyone, but there's no denying that his work is always eye-catching and thought-provoking.

This particular film is weird, funny, disturbing, but ultimately Gilliam's best film in a while, certainly since Twelve Monkeys.

Jodelle Ferland is amazing as the main character, Jelizah-Rose, and the cinematography is typically outstanding, with gorgeous sweeping shots of the prairie grasslands, and the soundtrack is quirky and very effective.

The movie is certainly better than the very low percentage of critics who liked it say it is, but ultimately its not for everyone.

This is, at the end of the day, a child's journey into (and vision of) a Terry Gilliam created world...so expect weirdness!