One of the best parts about living in today's society is the advanced graphics and animation featured in film. One of the most exciting animations to come out of 2014 was Big Hero 6 based on the comic series of the same name by Man of Action Entertainment. As a Disney production, the film was highly anticipated by myself and the masses. With there distinctive aesthetic, Disney animations continue to better themselves with each film produced.
The film opens in San Fransokyo, a futuristic city of advanced electronics with a heavy Japanese influence. We meet Hiro, an aspiring Robot Fighter, despite the activity being illegal, and his older brother Tadashi. In an attempt to persuade his younger brother to use his excellent intelligence in a more productive way, he takes Hiro to his University. It's here that Hiro meets his brothers friends and decides to enrol. During a tech conference, Hiro's brother is killed whist trying to save his professor and mentor Callaghan. Hiro, stricken by grief misses his classes at university but finds comfort in Baymax - a robot created by his brother to provide health care. The film explores Hiro's journey with grief and a heartfelt friendship between boy and robot. It's revealed that Callaghan is still alive and has a personal vendetta against a large robotics corporation leader, Alistair Krei of Krei Tech, whom he feels is behind the death of his daughter. Blaming him for his brothers death, Hiro attempts to use Baymax to kill the professor before being stopped at the last minute by Honey. Callaghan reveals his plan to use Hiro's micro robots to kill the Krei Tech President. Hiro and friends find themselves on a mission to protect Krei from Callaghan and to honour Tadashi's memory by providing care to those in San Fransokyo.
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The plot is simple yet touching which is necessary in films ultimately designed for children. There are several laugh out loud moments with Baymax and Hiro as they get to know each other. Including a prolonged scene involving Baymax deflating and a roll of sellotape. I particularly enjoyed the way in which this film explored grief. Whilst it's not uncommon for the death of a loved one to feature in a Disney production, it was interesting to see a character seek revenge and experience anger in the way that Hiro does as he tries to kill Callaghan. This shows an extreme version of very real emotions that can be felt after someone dies. And although this is resolved and Hiro decides to bring Callaghan to justice rather than killing him, it was an interesting scene in showing the complexities of the character.
The superhero element of the film was unexpected. Up until the half way point of this film, I thought that this would be entirely technical and would show the team bringing down their enemy with robots instead of taking him down themselves dressed in technologically advanced super suits. But it was sweet. It was reminiscent of childhood play when friends would get together and become superheroes for the day. This is what I imagine children are thinking when they don their home made superhero costumes and venture out into the backyard.
My final thoughts on this film are as follows: sweet, well executed and deep upon further inspection.
This film is just over two hours of tense military action with Bradley Cooper at the wheel. Based on Chris Kyle's autobiography, American Sniper follows the life of Kyle as he struggles to maintain his role as a father and husband whilst on tour of duty in Iraq. He becomes notorious for his sniping skills and throws himself into his military life, leaving his growing family to fend for themselves. The film takes an interesting look at the effect of military life on those left at home and resonates deeper than many war films because the story and characters are rooted in truth. The journey is touching at parts and is a seemingly honest interpretation of patriotism. And although I've never been completely comfortable with the idea of war and military invasions of middle eastern countries, I find these sorts of films fascinating to watch.
Bradley Cooper was a fantastic choice to play the lead and carried the film from the outset. There were no small surprise cameos which allowed for the films focus to be purely on the plot rather than big names to draw in audiences. Cooper and Sienna Miller, who plays his wife, were big enough themselves and I'm sure many people will flock to the cinema to see Cooper's new bulkier physique. Other notable names who made an appearance were Kyle Gallner, Eric Close and Jonathan Groff. It's rare these days that a cast works so fluidly together but that is certainly the case with American Sniper. In a strange way, the actors never distracted from the action on screen, which can so often happen in large blockbuster films. One thing I did notice was how different Sienna Miller looks in this film. I've never payed much attention to her but I'm pretty sure her face has changed. It could just as easily be age as anything else but I couldn't help but notice something was off. Needless to say, she's still beautiful.
Directed by Clint Eastwood, I think American Sniper will be a popular war films for years to come. It's heartbreaking at times but displays bold attempts of bravery and sheer determination from the American military. The most interesting choice on behalf of the film makers was the length of the scenes involving Kyle's family as the film progressed. I felt this showed how his priorities were changing and was a visual representation of how consuming war can be both mentally and physically. That's not to say that Kyle didn't love his family but instead I'm implying that as he spent more time involved in the military it started to play a larger role in his life and was no longer limited to the 6 months, 12 months or 24 months spent in the enemy's backyard. But the most heartbreaking moment of the film was the closing statement before the credits followed by actual footage and photographs of the real Chris Kyle. Kyle was killed by a veteran he was trying to help. It must have been devastating for his family and the film pays tribute in these closing scenes, showing how much of a hero the real Kyle was.
The last war film I enjoyed as much as American Sniper was Zero Dark Thirty in 2013 and I highly recommend both to anyone with a fascination with modern adaptation of true events. My next step now will likely be to research the real Chris Kyle to see how accurate the film truly is. There is no denying that the character is interesting, I'm just hoping the real deal had just as much to offer.
The Theory of Everything was as captivating and intriguing as the critics and audiences had boasted it was. The film focuses on the relationship between Jane Wilde Hawking and Stephen Hawking, Stephen's diagnosis and his work in physics. Premièring last September at the Toronto Film Festival, the film has continued to garner attention from the masses and from award boards. With it's UK release earlier this month, many have flocked to the cinema to learn more about the infamous Hawking and to understand more about a man who has taught us so much about the world we live in.
The film is heartbreaking from the outset. We all know the condition Hawking is in now, so when our first encounter of him in the film is of a happy and mobile young man, it can be difficult to watch knowing the eventual outcome. Watching a disease completely envelope someone is tough but thankfully, the film had some well timed moments of comic relief. Even once the marriage between Hawking and his wife dissolves, the film remains uplifting. Trying simply to mirror the strength and determination of Hawking to not let his disease over come him. One interesting element was the involvement of Hawking himself in the film. In order to achieve a more realistic electronic voice for actor Eddie Redmayne, Hawking's own electronic voice is used. This was a nice touch and showed the support the film had from its subject but was also likely a relief for Redmayne as it was one thing he wouldn't have to worry about perfecting.
The acting could not have been easy. Whilst it's always difficult trying to embody the character of someone real, it's arguably much harder to portray someone as famous and respected as Stephen Hawking. Redmayne did, however, do a wonderful job of showing his characters struggle with movement and speech without looking gimmicky or exaggerated. Whilst Redmayne is certainly growing in popularity, I think it was important not to clog this film with famous actors and actresses. The story needed a cast that were humble and down to earth otherwise the characters, who themselves seem 'real' and homely would have been lost in a sea of Hollywood egos.
What was interesting to me was the way the film depicts extramarital affairs. Both Hawking and his wife experience romance, lust and desire out-with their relationship with each other. Perhaps it was because the film completely engaged with me and I was lost in their world and their struggles, but I didn't feel like either affair was deplorable. I completely empathised with Jane and how hard her life must have been taking care of the man she loved as he deteriorated before her. Stephen was understanding of the fact that his wife needed help in more areas than one and once he got to know Jonathan he saw a man that could make her happy. It was bitter sweet to see their relationship end although, it seems that that's what they needed to progress in their lives individually.
As for the films ending... I thought closing such a poignant and thought-provoking film with Hawking and Wilde gazing upon their children was wonderful. It showed how despite having a life seemingly focused purely on science, Stephen was and is able to appreciate his children and the family he created. The scene lingered which allowed it to seep in properly and have the desired effect. I left the cinema in awe of a man who continues to challenge himself and the doctors who originally estimated only 2 years. How wonderful and challenging it must be to have a brain as quick and as inquisitive as his and not be able to use every fibre of your being to explore it.
This widely anticipated film was not on my list of must-sees for 2015. But with the media storm surrounding it, I decided to sit down with a glass of wine and watch from the comfort of my own home as James Franco and Seth Rogen taunt and humiliate one of the worlds most immature yet hostile leaders.
Rogen and Franco have made a name for themselves in contemporary Hollywood comedy films, in particular, by appealing to young teenagers and stoners. Having said that, I know this film will be seen and likely enjoyed by the masses and probably by some critics. So for what seems like the millionth time, I'm writing from my own personal point of view. A view that may not be agreed with but is valid nonetheless. Back to the actors! I've enjoyed their work individually but somehow, when they team up I find myself curling into a ball of cringe and wishing I hadn't started watching in the first place. The comedy is simple at best and franc-ly (see what I did there...) whatever acting skills the two possess separately are flushed down the toilet when they appear together.
The film in question garnered months of publicity following a hack on Sony by what many would believe was the North Korean government - despite several computer hacking specialists claiming that this is unlikely. This then led to an announcement that The Interview would not be shown in traditional theatres but instead would have an online release. Personally, I opted to view the film on youtube. It's hard to believe that this was not an elaborate marketing scheme to release an average and underwhelming film to a blockbuster sized audience. The most surprising element was the inclusion of several celebrities and 'serious' actors, most likely vying to break into the younger audiences and to revive careers in this 'huge hit'. Forgive me but each time a new familiar face popped up, I found myself asking 'aren't you better than this?' - obviously not!
The film is filled to the brim with stereotypes and easy gags produced solely for three minutes of entertainment that will be forgotten by the end of the film. Less than 30 minutes into the film, we are treated to our first drug induced party scene. Admittedly only a short clip, this sort of scene has become a staple in Rogen/Franco films. Everyone loves an alcohol fuelled party set to electronic music, right? Slow-mo walking, raging fight scenes and a little bit of nudity combined with innuendos, crude language and stupidity - that is the essence of The Interview. And the forced love story between Aaron (Seth Rogen) and Sook (Diana Bang) was a prime example of filler content. At nearly two and a half hours, it's a real waste of time.
I haven't even brushed upon the plot of the film yet. James Franco is Dave Skylark, a popular television chat show host and Seth Rogen is Aaron Rapoport his producer. After a series of bizarre scenes including a gay Eminem and a bald Rob Lowe, Skylark discovers an article stating the show is a favourite of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. After another series of unnecessary events, producer Aaron flies to China and sets up the interview with Sook, one of Kim Jong-Un's attractive henchwomen. As the rest of the entertainment world comments on the legitimacy of the interview, the CIA contact the pair of idiots, for lack of a better word, and instruct them to kill the leader. Once in Korea, they meet the leader and engage in several comical adventures together.
Spoilers coming up...
Kim Jong-Un charms Dave (Franco) and as a result, the TV host gets rid of one of the important strips of poison that would be used to kill the leader and even stops his partner Aaron (Rogen) from completing the assassinating with the final strip. But of course, this problem is resolved in true Hollywood style with the best friends reuniting, with the help of the attractive female side kick Sook, to kill the leader with a tank.
This films only redeeming quality is it's power to potentially humiliate an awful dictator. But other than that, The Interview was too long for what it was and contributes nothing to society. Some people who are uneducated on the situation in North Korea will watch this film and not quite understand the extremity of the cause and plight of the people living there. I certainly hope that this film, if anything, makes audiences google North Korea and find out what is actually happening.
It's been a very long time since I have watched or read the story of Annie. I've also never shown much particular interest in it or it's characters. Having said that, tonight I sat down and watched Will Gluck's 2014 adaptation. An updated and culturally diversified version of the classic.
Obviously the biggest change is the replacement of the white, ginger child with a black child instead. Although it's still sometimes misunderstood, a comment on race is appropriate in this case. Although I felt making the protagonist black was a cheap way of modernising the classic and giving it more 'edge', I did love Quvenzhané's interpretation of the spirited child. The change in race of key players in the film was, like I said, an attempt to add diversity to the story's vast history, yet it felt contrived at moments with characters playing into stereotypes and over exaggerating the race change. Having said that, Jamie Foxx is always entertaining to watch and makes a surprisingly appropriate Benjamin Stacks. I'm deliberately ignoring the topic of Miss Hannigan. Diaz was awful. Moving on.
It's difficult these days for musicals. Outside of broadway, spur of the moment singing comes across incredibly contrived and forced. There was very little flow between acting and singing and it seemed like with some numbers they didn't even attempt to hide the fact that the signing is not recorded live. 'I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here' sounded auto-tuned and distant which only added to the uncomfortable separation between audience and film. It's been a while since a musical (out-with the obvious animated Disney hits) has done spectacularly well in the Box Office and perhaps this movie will see that change. And for clarification, there is a clear difference between a musical and a film with music in it. For example, Rent and Pitch Perfect are not and should not both be referred to as musicals. Back to the film in question! One of Annie's most popular songs is of course 'Hard Knock Life' yet it starts in the same way as 90% of the other songs within the film. With characters or objects making noises that slowly combine to create a tune before the actors start singing. And of course, the scene is wonderfully choreographed as the young orphans dance and clean ahead of the orphanage's inspection. The singing in the film is fantastic, I have no doubt that this was considered carefully during the casting process, as it should be! But the film lacked believability and it was difficult to feel affected by the ballads designed to make my heart swell. Coming from someone who can cry at a clever and emotional advert, this is not a good sign. In fact, during the films entirety I sat rather unaffected by the whole affair.
Considering how long it's been since I've seen any adaptation of Annie, I can't contest to how much the story has changed this time around. Aspects of the film that I did enjoy are hard to recall after the fact. Nothing stood out above the rest however I particularly enjoyed scenes involving Annie's friend at the store and moments of Benjamin Stacks phobia of germs. One moment that I remember for all of the wrong reasons was just after Stacks and Annie's first encounter on the street. It's not a huge spoiler so fear not but Stacks saves Annie from an oncoming car. After this scene, an advisor shows Stacks and his PA a video that an eyewitness had captured. It was the footage that we had just seen INCLUDING the camera angle change... This is one of the biggest pet peeves of mine. It seems lazy especially when the video is shown so clearly. All it takes is someone with a phone on set filming two seconds of action. No additional camera needed considering the size of the video being played back on screen. I could rant forever about this aspect as it occurs far too often in films with giant budgets but I'll resist the temptation and continue with my review. There were a few nice moments of social commentary which focused on mobile phones, popular pre-teen movie franchises and twitter.
With a cast full of recognisable names, I'm sure this film will do well. I also have no doubt that the story alone will attract audiences who loved the previous adaptations. However, my honest opinion is that Annie is worth skipping. With songs that everyone's heard before and a rather lacklustre performance from one of the biggest actors in the film, the film is a little underwhelming. The most interesting part of the film was Stack's tech savy penthouse. If you're looking for something to see this Christmas season, do yourself a favour and see the final Hobbit film or better yet... stay at home and watch The Grinch!
Tyler Perry's Spring 2014 hit The Single Moms Club was a surprisingly good film. I've never been Perry's biggest fan, so I was shocked when I found the film funny and even up-lifting. The film explores the lives of five single mothers brought together because of their children's misbehaviour in school. As a result, they are asked to help with the organisation of a school event. The women, being from several different backgrounds, obviously clash in the beginning.
As the film develops we get a deeper understanding of each woman's situation and the reasons why they might need each other in their lives. I particularly enjoyed Wendi McLendon-Covey as Jan. She was cold and callous in her portrayal providing fodder for some hilarious scenes. The character is sassy and intelligent with the ultimate 'I don't need a man' attitude. Within a movie that focuses on women without a man, it's so important to emphasise that being a single mother doesn't make their lives worse or lower their status in society. The women end up as equals at the end of the film because of this fact and the understanding that no one woman is above another because of their financial situation. The film also explores the importance of new relationships when you have a child and an ex-husband. Zulay Henao as Esperanza Luego is central to this topic. After dating a man for a year, she is still hesitant to introduce him to her daughter. It's wonderful to see an accurate representation of a single mother's dating life. And I mean accurate in comparison to films that reject single mothers from the dating world and reserve them to a world of loneliness.
The theme of girl power is obviously present in heavy doses. A film with five female protagonist's is of course going to explore the female friendship in detail. And thankfully, race didn't play as big a part as I thought it would. With Tyler Perry films and a mixed race cast, it's always likely that there will be a few race jokes thrown back and forth. Thankfully, The Single Mom's Club limited this and focused instead on partnership, motherhood and friendships. There was a slight hint of PSA about the film as if Perry was trying to raise awareness for a cause but the relaxed nature and smart story quickly made me reconsider this analysis. Whilst it does showcase some of the struggles faced by single mothers, it's also entertaining, heartbreaking and up-lifting. A perfect recipe for a great film. Considering the film jumps back and forth from the different women and their lives, it was smooth to watch and easy to follow. Perry surprised me and has converted me to a fan. It might now be interesting to go back and re-watch some of his other popular films.
I'm always interested when a director decides to put themselves into their own movie. Perry is seen as TK in the film, love interest of May Miller (Nia Long). He's a caring character but I'm confused as to why Perry felt compelled to play the character himself. Normally when we see a director in his own film, it's a cameo or a passing glimpse, not a somewhat central role. Having said that, he does the character justice and doesn't take away from the female characters. And considering the film still turned out to be entertaining and purposeful it's clear that taking on a dual role did not hinder his work.
At the end of the day, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was something different to what I normally watch and did not disappoint. I'll be interested in watching similar titles and work by Perry. Although the story was a little heavy at times, the outcome was up-lifting. If I could have changed anything it would have been the fact that each woman's story was so enveloping. It was sometimes hard to take it all in at once. Perhaps reducing the number of characters with dramatic or depressing storylines could have improved the film.
Christopher Nolan has a cavernous brain of fantastic and intricate ideas. His latest, Interstellar, is no different from his other wonderful work.
The film opens on Matthew McConaughey, his father, played by John Lithgow, and his two young children. We soon learn of the dust and how it's slowly covering their land. The crops are failing and it seems like planet earth is in a slow demise. McConaughey plays former pilot and now farmer Cooper: A single dad with a love for space and science. The film is just under three hours long, so as you can imagine, we're given a real insight to their family life before venturing out into space. We follow along as Cooper visits his kids school, as he downplays the existence of the supernatural to his ghost visited daughter and as he brings down a military drone whilst driving through a corn field. Just your normal day! But soon, things escalate with the weather and Cooper, with daughter in tow, discovers a secret government run base. I wont go into much more detail about the plot because it's fantastically constructed and my words wont do it justice.
Firstly, the film is available in both 2D and 3D. I saw the film in 2D and still had brief moments of motion sickness. There are several moments within Interstellar that involve constant spinning and wormhole light contortions. As you can imagine, this will be heightened in 3D and could leave audiences feeling nauseous by the closing titles! Even in 2D the film is beautiful with sharp colours, wide angle views and beautiful other-worldly landscapes. Even the scenes that were created using advanced CGI technology looked incredibly realistic and were familiar enough to be understood as real. With so many people choosing to watch films at home on smaller screens and on laptops, this film would be wasted anywhere but the wide screen of a cinema.
Undoubtably, like most of Nolan's films, Interstellar has more than a few plot twists and turns! Once in space, the team encounter difficulties with gravity, relativity, fuel and with a particularly suspicious astronaut from a previous expedition. However, I think one of the biggest surprises was the emotional depths that the film explores. I found myself on the brink of tears not once or twice but five times. The film is intense and builds as the minutes tick by. Even in the moments of silence in space, there is an uncertainty that haunts each action on screen. Anne Hathaway, as Amelia Brand, and Jessica Chastain, as Murph(ey) Cooper, provide tender but powerful feminine touches to an otherwise entirely masculine cast. They are both strong characters, one more than the other, who are a representation of the smart and strong willed girls in our society who still have typically 'feminine' emotions that sometimes take control.
The film deals with so many fascinating questions, most notably: Is earth the only planet we can live on? This film will likely spark thought provoking conversations amongst audiences world wide. Are we alone? Can we travel through time and space? It's important for films to open this discussion because it's not only interesting but it could potentially spark a light under a passionate individual who could one day answer these questions for us. Nolan's ability to create such captivating characters and dialogue, opens doors for Science Fiction to further infiltrate mainstream cinema more than ever before.
This film is a must see and will likely win big during award season next year. If the film wasn't three hours long, I'd head back to the cinema now to watch it again!
