Rush

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rzPnZ6lxw

A film about a Formula 1 driver? How unbelievably boring. Is what I would say if Rush was boring. As it is it's a fast paced thrilling biopic with quite a touching emotional backbone. The story of James Hunt was never one I was desperate to know about but I'm really glad I now do.

It probably had the potential to be a snore-fest but everything about the film is just excellently done. We're given the stories of both James Hunt and Nikki Lauda, two racing rivals in Formula 1. You're given both sides of the story and a look into how each driver is so different. It'd be easy to present one as the outright villain and the other as the hero you back from beginning to end but both characters have their likable points and flaws and the fact you go between wanting each driver to win makes the film far more interesting.

Formula 1 is also presented in a way that makes it seem like the most exciting sport in the world. If actual Formula 1 was shot like that; the close ups of the pistons rising and falling, the roaring engines and tense expressions, I'd watch it all the time.

I really liked both of the characters and when they clashed it was a joy to watch. Dialogue was well-written and believable and when things get a little bit deeper near the end of the film it feels genuinely heartfelt. It's very often feel good and just as often puts a lump in your throat.

But look at me raving on, lets think about the not so great parts. As with all biopics there's only so far the story of the two race drivers can deviate from the truth to throw up dramatic exciting moments. Most races are just summarised in fast montages with the words 'Hunt 1st Lauda 2nd' written on screen as scenes of each race play. It would have maybe been nice to see more of the races themselves but to be fair the film isn't about the racing itself - it's about the relationships and changes the characters go through.

It's otherwise quite hard to fault. While not the most earth-shattering film this year it's certainly deserving of it's all round critical high praise and big box office figures. You don't have to be a big racing fan to enjoy this; just a fan of well put together, fantastically acted cinema.

8/10

R.I.P.D

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X07xNrVd7DU

Imagine if Men in Black but instead of aliens it was characterless undead monsters they were chasing. Now remove wise-cracking Will Smith and the rest of the stuff that made Men In Black such a success and you have R.I.P.D.

R.I.P.D starts with Ryan Reynolds dying only to be recruited in the afterlife by the Rest In Peace Department who hunt down people that for some unexplained reason have died but have now become monsters. It starts off quite strong; its an interesting and fun enough premise and when we're introduced to Jeff Bridges, his cartoon character cowboy sidekick, it looks like there'll be laughs a plenty.

Everything remotely funny is given away in the trailer unfortunately like the reveal of what they look like to other people. There were awful moments of silence after they tried to pull off funny dialogue as if they expected the audience to be rolling around laughing in the aisles unable to catch their breath.

I think the film-makers expected humour to come from the monsters themselves just by their gross appearance but I didn't see why a monster looking a bit disgusting is a big laughing point. By that logic the Resident Evil games would have people giggling uncontrollably through them.

The biggest surprise was that Kevin Bacon was in the film as the main bad guy. His character does an alright enough job at being a villain but it's kind of like he doesn't really care. It almost seems like it might've just been a pay-cheque-job for him.

If you are curious about the film it has some parts that sort of work. It has big smashy action scenes and the relationship between Ryan Reynolds's character and his still alive ladyfriend gives the film at least a slight backbone to stop it being totally stupid and unwatchable.

I can imagine much younger people enjoying this- 12-13 year-olds I mean. They'll like the gross-ness and the level of humour more but I get the feeling the film wasn't supposed to be solely targeted for them. There's jokes about coyotes making love to a corpse for example- it's not PG.

It looks like a fun little film from the trailer and synopsis but is sadly very disappointing.

5/10

Riddick

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3O-CeZckE

Just how am I going to use this 'riddick-ulous' pun I've been saving up since I left the left the cinema. I don't think Riddick is riddickulously good but i don't think it's riddickulously bad either. I'll call it a riddickulously  just above average suspense action film. And also promise to stop saying riddickulous.

After a bit of thought I'd call Riddick a mix of Alien and Batman- in particular the Arkham games. This makes it sound absolutely boss but it's obviously not done as well. The majority of the film is centred around 2 teams of bounty hunters [at least one team are bounty hunters anyway] who land on this pretty baron planet to hunt Riddick. This leads to a lot of pretty tense stealth kills as Riddick proceeds to pick them off one by one.

It was initially quite fun but the problem is we're introduced to Riddick in quite a lengthy intro sequence that gives his back story and shows him adapting to this new planet he's been abandoned on. We're asked to be scared of what's hiding in the dark but we actually already know. By following his recovery it sort of gets us on Riddick's side, especially when he adopts a cute canine companion. If you want the viewer to like a character just show them being nice to cute animals- they are now a hero.

It's clear some of bounty hunters are bad but what's confusing is that some appear to be good guys- I didn't really know who to root for.

The film does have some very nice moments. When either Riddick or anyone else go head to head with the planet's monsters it's always action packed and well choreographed. Fans of monster movies will have a good time here I think. It's a shame the monsters aren't more varied but the main design of species that always seem to be going for them is pretty intimidating and creepy.

It won't go down as the most memorable sci-fi of the year but it has some nice moments and is very tense for most of the film. Without sending sexist it's very much a guy-film in the way that chick flicks also exist. It's got a main badass, it's got action and horror elements and a load of gore.

7/10

The Way Way Back

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qoaVUdbWMs

The Way Way Back- a title that annoys me possibly more than any film I've seen this year. I'm trying to link it to the film somehow but I just don't see how it relates. It also makes no sense, why the extra Way? Maybe I've missed something here. Despite the douche title the film is pretty good.

It's one of those indie 'coming of age' films where the main character goes on an emotional journey and learns something along the way. It's full of lots of silence between dialogue and lots of staring at the camera while soft acoustic guitar music playsmin the background. A bit Little Miss Sunshine, a bit Jeff Who Lives at Home, if you saw that the 7 days it was in the cinema last year.

Its a heartwarming journey for the most part. It's nice to see the main character Duncan go from being so miserable in a world that he doesn't fit in to to being so contented in a place he loves. It reminds me of going on a summer holiday when you were younger and meeting new friends and being really gutted when you had to leave them. This only happened once...but it I remember it well. It's actually really similar to that episode of the Simpsons when they go away to the beach cabin and Lisa meets cool new friends that accept her. The Way Way back is basically that episode of the Simpsons in film version with added family issues.

It's unusual to see Steve Carell in such an arsey villain role but he really pulls it off as Duncan's obnoxious step dad. Gone is the goofiness and silliness and instead there's a certain darkness that really makes you despise him. It's nice to see him play a role so different to what you usually see him as and even better to see him play it so well.

As nice as the film is there are a few moments that made me cringe a bit. There's a scene where Duncan is suddenly accepted into a group of kids who are all street dancing even though everyone else in the film so far has been hostile towards him. There's no reason why these people are any different but they all just seem to accept him as being cool as he starts dancing with them. Similarly there's no real reason for some of the characters to suddenly start being so friendly to him but they just do. Its a bit 'I've just met a weird kid who hardly speaks...let's be best friends and give him a job in my water park.'

I also find the style of these types of film a bit annoying. I find the scenes of silence and staring as if something deeper is happening just a little self indulgent.

It's a good example of a 'coming of age' film though and is very heartwarming. It's not so full of human emotion that it'' make you burst into tears but enough to absorb you into Duncan's world and feel the same feeling of acceptance and happiness he feels when things start to go right for him.

7/10

Elysium

Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QILNSgou5BY

Cool sounding names. Elysium could be a film about the life of a lolipop man or documentary on cardboard and I'd still say 'ooh Elysium, sounds intriguing!'. As it it, Elysium is some pretty bland sci-fi that had me pretty underwhelmed.

I'm not sure what I'm missing here because the general consensus is that it's fantastic. The premise is indeed intriguing- Elysium is a spaceship where rich people live in the future, a bit like the one in Wall E but only poshos are allowed in. Everyone else scrabbles around on a browny-grey Earth and dies from cancer and things because for some reason all the anti-cancer machines are kept up in space. It's Matt Damon's job to get up there and spread the wealth.

Most of the film is set one Earth which is a little disappointing seeings as how muddy and bleak it all is. There's plenty action scenes but they all have such a dreary backgrounds and all characters involved are just buffed up thug-types. Even when it moves to Elysium itself its all a bit dull with fight scenes taking place is standard star-trek style corridors and what I imagine any factory in the world looks like. It's exciting enough but hardly jaw-dropping.

Almost all the characters I found to be pretty forgettable with the one massive exception being the films bad guy Kruger- the guy from District Nine. As far as villains go he's pretty terrifying and puts on a fantastic show. When he was alone with people I was just waiting for something horrible to happen to them. There's real menace in his voice when he talks and I don't think it'll be too long until he's snapped up by Marvel or DC to be a villain in one of their films.

Matt Damon puts on a good acting performance but he's hardly the most complex of characters. His relationships with Jodie Foster and the little girl in the film are quite heartfelt and believable but nothing gut-wrenchingly emotional. There's a nice meerkat and hippo analogy said by the little girl which stuck with me and was quite clever and made the film seem a bit deeper than it was.

I don't have that much more to say about Elysium to be honest. I saw there watching it thinking it was fine enough but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I missed the end. If the action was more spectacular and setting less bland I would have probably enjoyed it more- the story was pretty absorbing. It just fell a bit flat for me and was a bit of a letdown.

6/10

The Summer Film Roundup July-August

...I'm sorry.

I could blame my lack of reviews on many things. Moving into my new flat, having events on like a wedding and Leeds festival- but more than anything it's probably been laziness. It's a shame really because I have seen a shitload of films in the last few months and I'd feel bad giving them full reviews now seeings as they're not fresh in my head.

What I thought I'd do instead is give a summary of the films I've forgotten to review. Nothing in depth but I'll still give a score. It'd just feel wrong missing them out- I'm a bit anorak-ey in the way I like to keep track of what I've seen. This blog is for me as well as the 4 other people that read my posts.

So what have I seen? The list goes

The Heat
The Lone Ranger
We're the Millers
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Kick Ass 2
One Direction- This Is Us

Just kidding with the last one. Maybe
I also just saw Elysium but that'll get it's own review.

The Heat

A cop film mixed with Bridesmaids- it's unexpected but works quite well. It's a film to watch with your Mum- she'll find it totally outrageous and you'll laugh along as well. There's nothing too serious here, it's very much a 'throw 2 opposite types together and see the keraaaazyness unfold' but I laughed quite a bit and walked out smiling.

Both characters can get a bit irritating sometimes, they play up their roles of 'the worrier' and ...well 'obnoxious person' to the absolute max but it's good to see both actresses putting their all into it.

You could probably watch it in the background and laugh along as you dip in an out. Just be warned, it gets surprisingly gory at one point in particular. Other than that I can't imagine anyone hating it.

7/10

The Lone Ranger

Some rather unfair reviews meant this film was overlooked somewhat. There was parts where it was a bit confusing- I wasn't expecting so much spiritualism and magic to be involved in what I thought was just an over the top western. It's also too long and could have a huge chunk shaved off the middle.

When the action gets going though it's a joy to watch. When it doesn't get bogged down with magic horses and immortality-for-some-reason the scenes on the train and basic good guy vs bad guy showdowns are an absolute thrill ride. A well thought out Disney thrill-ride no less; the last scene almost feels like you're riding Thunder Mountain.

Johnny Depp is also on form as much as he's kinda just a native American Jack Sparrow.

A middle-class family watch that's worth sticking with through the confusing slow bits.

7/10

 We're The Millers

So watch The Heat with your Mum, The Lone Ranger with your family and watch We're The Millers with neither. Its not obscene but the humour is pretty crude. Luckily it also happens to be very very funny.

The first 45 minutes is where the film really shines. Every single line Jason Sudekins's character said had me fully laughing out loud for almost half of the film. The main feature just seems to end half way through however and the rest is kind of filler to make up the ninety minute run time. It's still funny filler- just not flawless like the first half.

One of the best comedy films of the year that loses steam just a little bit as it goes on. It also doesn't take itself seriously and is a pretty silly yet still highly enjoyable good time.

8/10

Alan Partridge- Alpha Papa

Advertised as the funniest thing to ever happen to your life, this disappointed me a bit. Alan Partridge is an acquired taste and as much as I did laugh a considerable bit I did find some of it a bit bland and the big laughs stopped pretty quick once you got used to his bumbling character.

It also gets pretty dark with the whole hostage and mad gun-man situation not lightened up any. It adds to the tone of the film though and is very British with it's humour. If you're a big Partridge fan you'll probably love it. Personally I was a bit let down.

6/10

Kick Ass 2

I thought the first Kick Ass was good but overrated. I went into Kick Ass 2 with mediocre expectations. And was blown away. People have disagreed with me but I think Kick Ass 2 improves on the original in every way. I loved seeing Hit Girl trying to fit in with other teenage girls and how society reacts to real-life super heroes. It was all stylish and over the top but still believable.

It's also much darker with the film throwing the occasional truly shocking curve ball which makes it seem a little less fun. I personally like the added darkness though and feel the film is pulled off near flawlessly. I was completely glued to Kick Ass 2 start to finish and didn't want it to end.If it kept up with its hugely stylised fight scenes it could have happily had a 4 hour run-time.

This is the film of summer I feel and one of the few truly great films to come out in the last few months.

9/10


And there we go. I promise from here on to keep up to date with my reviews. There's a lot of films out there and I plan to review as many as I can.