Creed

I knew that this review would be hard to write for several reasons. One, I've never seen any Rocky films. Two, I thoroughly dislike the likes of Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Rourke. Not because I think they are bad actors, but because I feel like their time has passed and I feel like they're delusional to believe that they're not a faded, decrepit version of their once great selves. And three, boxing films have never been at the top of my 'must see' list.

All of that aside, I saw the newest Rocky instalment, Creed, today. Happy as I am that the film has taken on a new name despite being an obvious follow on from previous films, I still left feeling entirely unsure. Spin-offs and sequels like this are rarely popular but with the recent success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I was willing to give the film the time and energy I would dedicate to any other cinema experience. Directed by Ryan Coogler, who is also the concept creator for the film, Creed follows the life and training of Apollo Creed's son with the help of a very weathered Rocky Balboa. The redeeming qualities within the film were resting on the shoulders of new title character Adonis Johnson Creed portrayed by Michael B. Jordan.

Jordan was the best part of this film. He was dedicated (clearly he worked incredibly hard to get into shape for this film), believable and actually had me enjoying large chunks of a film that I thought I would hate. I didn't think that I'd seen any of Jordan's previous works until it clicked on the way home from the cinema - Friday Night Lights. I binge watched the show last year and fell in love with (several of) the characters. Jordan played Vince, someone who would probably empathise a lot with Adonis. Once I started looking through the rest of his IMDB, I realised that Michael B. Jordan has a history of impressive and compelling work. He's a talented actor and hopefully he won't slip into the trap that action films can sometimes be. I'd love to watch him continue to stretch himself physically and emotionally to become a better and more noteworthy actor. 

The fight scenes, which some would argue is the focus of any good boxing film, were captivating. I was incredibly surprised at how much I loved these scenes, considering my predisposition of disdain towards boxing/fight films. But watching Jordan and his opponents go head to head in clearly, physically demanding, precisely choreographed scenes was hypnotising. My first thought throughout these scenes was that the training for this film must have been exhausting and that it was SO worth it. I'd love to know a little more about the preparation that went into these scenes and how they were shot/directed by Coogler. 

As I mentioned above, I left the cinema unsure. I felt like there were many areas that the film could have succeeded and propelled itself out of the shadows of its predecessors but instead it was almost stagnant. Creed should have developed itself as a step forward and then quickly ditched its attachment to Balboa. It's a horrible thing to wish on someone, even a fictional character, but I felt like Rocky should have died in this film. When he was diagnosed with cancer and initially refused treatment, it was my hope that he would die either just before or just after the fight. It would have been the perfect catalyst for Adonis to fight harder and would have solved the whole Stallone problem. The problem being he felt unnecessary. The film could have succeeded without him in my opinion.

Regardless, I think if Creed is to continue on to a sequel, I'll venture out again into the world of boxing. I did thoroughly enjoy Jordan's performance and his portrayal of this role. So, if you love boxing - go and see it. If you don't - maybe see something else. I can't say for certain whether or not this film was a hit or a miss. 

Room

Emma Donoghue's award winning Room has finally been adapted for film! The 2010 novel won over critics and global readers for it's unusual yet captivating plot told from the perspective of young Jack, a boy born in captivity. Jack and Ma live in the claustrophobic confinement of 'Room' until Ma is able to convince their captor, Old Nick, that Jack is deathly ill. A close escape follows and Jack is able to lead the police back to his mother and the two are freed. From this point onwards, the story focuses on recovery and is quite overwhelming.

The film adaptation follows the novel's storyline nearly exactly, which is to be expected considering Donoghue was the film's screenwriter. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, the films aesthetics clearly captured Donoghue's vision and her intentions for the visual representation of her world. Abrahamson's previous works are similarly groundbreaking with the focus being primarily independent film. Other than his film Frank, with writers Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan, Room is likely to be his biggest success due to it's existing following since the release of the book.

Starring Brie Larson as Joy 'Ma' Newsome and Jacob Tremblay as Jack, Room has some of the best performances I've seen in some time. Larson in particular is compelling in her role. She truly encapsulates the frustration of the character both inside and outside of 'Room'. In particular, her interactions with Jack are challenging yet confirming in order to help him develop within such a small space. Larson seemed stretched at times when trying to accurately portray the mental struggle of her character, yet prevailed in becoming one of the strongest performances within the film. Her ability to portray such pain and helplessness will no doubt serve her well as she moves on to new productions in 2016.

As for Jacob Tremblay - such a young talent that I'm sure will continue to blossom. Not only has this young actor taken on an incredibly challenging role but is also taking on a role that has been established for the last five years by a top selling novel. Absolutely the shining beacon of light within this film, Tremblay was one hundred percent committed to his role. His interpretation of Jack was hard to watch at times as we witness him grow separately from his mother after they are freed from captivity. To take on the role of a character who has never known the world that Tremblay himself lives in, is challenging. But his performance was everything it needed to be. His soft facial features combined with the soft spoken nature of his character was a wonderful match. He was realistic in his portrayal and didn't overact the part which lead to a seamless transition between pre-world Jack and post-world Jack. 

There is no surprise that this film is gaining the attention of film critics and film lovers worldwide. With a Golden Globe already won, Room is hopefully going to collect a few more accolades as the 2016 award season continues.