Cinema Review - The Great Gatsby 3D

Based on the literary classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby sees bond salesman Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he makes his way through an unbelievable story through the roaring twenties where he befriends his mysterious neighbour, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). As their friendship blooms, Nick uncovers that Gatsby is in love with his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and when the pair are finally reunited, lives change forever.

On paper, Gatsby's cast looks as splendid as a Baz Luhrmann-led party but these thoughts are soon quelled with what can only be described as sub-par performances from some of the best in the business. Whilst DiCaprio occasionally offers glimmers of his Hollywood heydays gone by, Carey Mulligan appears as a mere damsel with little depth and Tobey Maguire remains, as ever, a flea in the ear. As is the constant ramblings of DiCaprio's use of the term 'old sport'; I'm sure this is said around 100 times throughout!

At times, the film does indeed captivate, as it should, with the reuniting of Gatsby and Daisy, as one of the pinnacle moments of the source material, executes a feeling within the audience that really warms the heart only to turn it almost into a parody, playing for laughs when completely unnecessary. It's moments like these where Luhrmann doesn't quite seem to garner the full force of his source material and in turn this results in few truly groundbreaking and memorable instances. 

Where Gatsby does however, flourish, is in its set pieces, costume design and, of course, those party scenes. Vibrant, flamboyant and backed by some intriguing soundtracking, the Australian sure knows how to create some truly stunning visually quests and this is by far one of his best. It's just a shame he hasn't quite got the hang of 3D...

The Great Gatsby is an effort from Baz Luhrmann to bring up-to-date one of the greatest pieces of literature there is and frankly it all seems a bit of a mess. With collectively average performances and few scenes that really stick out in the mind, it lacks that killer punch and is dogged by an insistence in making everything look pretty. If the whole film was a party then Luhrmann would be gaining all the plaudits under the sun but this is one love story he hasn't quite nailed down unlike his previous outings. Should've dropped 'The Great' and simply called it Gatsby, Baz...

Film Rating - 2.5 F's out of 5

Cinema Review - Star Trek Into Darkness

JJ Abrams is somewhat immersing himself in a world of sci-fi and following a second viewing of Star Trek Into Darkness I cannot help feel this was the genre where he was always going to thrive. For now we can look forward to Star Wars' return but at present one must marvel at his latest achievement.

Into Darkness sees the crew of the USS Enterprise return for a mission that takes them on a journey to face their most challenging nemesis yet, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch). With Harrison waging a one-man war against Starfleet it is up to Captain James T Kirk (Chris Pine), his First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the rest of the crew to take him down once and for all.

The magic of Abrams' first Star Trek outing was his appreciation of scale and insistence on forging relationships between his characters, and Into Darkness builds upon those aspects and bring to play something truly special.

Offering up some truly astounding action set pieces and visions of other-worldly planets, including the Klingon homeworld Kronos, Abrams delves deeper into the Star Trek mythos and indulges in yet more thrills and spills with the Enterprise. With the 3D thankfully excelling the pulsating moments, we are thrust into space battles, chased by aliens throwing spears left, right and centre, and witness the aftermath of a jump into lightspeed with a glistening blue shine. 

As for its characters, Pine and Quinto excel as their relationship reaches new ground, and the likes of Saldana, Pegg (in a meatier role this time around), Cho and even newcomer Alice Eve slip into their roles as easily as those red, blue and yellow uniforms. It is Cumbercatch though who comes out on top of the proceedings. His John Harrison proving a hugely formidable foe who oozes danger, charisma and a lurking evil under a steel face. 

Star Trek Into Darkness is a phenomenal event for 2013, serving up on a platter some superb visuals, a pace that never quite lets up and a cast who bring emotions of every kind to play throughout. JJ Abrams has once again steered the Enterprise to astounding realms and has produced the blockbuster to beat for 2013.

Film Rating - 4.5 F's out of 5

Cinema Review - Cloud Atlas

When talk of ambitious projects comes up in conversation then the likes of Life Of Pi, Watchmen and others regularly occur, but now it seems that the most ambitious project of all seems to be making waves, Cloud Atlas. Captivating and awe-inspiring, Cloud Atlas looks into a world where all of our lives are linked in some way and tells various stories of love, life and loss as we span decades to witness various individuals experience life-changing events.

Each story very different from one another yet interlinking with pure genius, Cloud Atlas throws up many a sub-plot all combining to create an unforgettable cinematic experience. Spanning across 1849, 1936, 1973, 2012, 2144 and the very distant future, the stories are each their own fascinating entity. Beginning with Adam Lewing’s (Jim Sturgess) morality-questioning story aboard a ship during the age of slavery, the film then heads into the life of Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw), a talented young musician who falls in love with Rufus Sixsmith (James D’Arcy) and looks to complete his masterpiece, The Cloud Atlas Sextet. Heading further forward, we then track the steps of reporter Luisa Rey (Halle Berry) as she meets an older Sixsmith and finds herself embroiled in the uncovering of a nuclear plot as her life is on the line, with a hitman (Hugo Weaving) on her tail.

Heading into 2012, Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent) hits the jackpot when the author he represents is sent to prison for murder and sales of his books fly high. Unfortunately for him, his lust for money sees violent men on his tail and a prank played on him that will change his way of living forever. Zipping forward to a more futuristic world, the penultimate story takes us to 2144 where we become acquainted with Sonmi-451, a clone working in a restaurant who finds solace in freedom fighter Hae-Joo Chang (Sturgess). The final story is set in The Valley, where human civilisation has been depleted and there are cannibals wreaking havoc. When Meronym (Berry) calls upon Zachry (Tom Hanks) to aid her in finding the Cloud Atlas communications technology, the pair embark on a dangerous mission through the mountains.

Such a blend of differing stories is bound to confuse even the most challenged of minds but to Cloud Atlas’ merit it does a superb job of making things as clear as possible. Initially setting out each story in chronological order, we soon see things blended and mixed up, but in such a way as to maintain a pace and understanding that things don’t get too overwhelming. It is clear that the directing trio of Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer have carefully planned out and dissected the stories from the book to create a marvelous outing.

Of the stories to follow we will all have our favourites, and the stand-outs for me personally are those of Robert Frobisher and the futuristic world of Sonmi; both hugely diverse yet awe-inspiring. In the case of Ben Whishaw, the actor produces a sublime performance and really shows that he is an actor who is heading for all the right places.  

With Tom Hanks on usual top form (look out for his crazy Irish author!) and the rest of the cast very impressive, Cloud Atlas is an awe-inspiring movie that breaks the boundaries of expectations and ambition. It's just a shame that it is let down by its runtime that slightly meanders into overstaying its welcome.

Film Rating: 4 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D

Fairytales have seen somewhat of a resurgence in film over the past year or so, with two Snow White films, a future Jack and the Beanstalk film and now one based on Hansel and Gretel. Released today, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters focuses on the title characters following their encounter with a witch in the famous candy house.

Sworn to protect the people from the witch menace emanating from the dangerous woods, Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) soon find themselves up against an evil witch (Famke Janssen) as children are kidnapped in order for a Blood Moon ritual to be complete. It is up to the brother and sister to halt these proceedings before further terror is unleashed.

Forget those lousy reviews that came from America, sit back, relax and enjoy 90 minutes of pure blood, guts and fucking fun. It doesn't take an expert to realise that Hansel And Gretel isn't going to be a masterpiece, instead far from it, but for what it presents itself as it is a complete and utter riot.

Bringing us a brilliant double act in Arterton and Renner, the film oozes style, with the pair appearing comfortable in their roles and creating that brother and sister bond. They get their asses handed to them plenty of times and come out on top on other occasions, and that is exactly how a film like this should be (certainly not like Alice dominating in Resident Evil).

The premise is pretty simple and the continuation of a much-loved fairytale proves to be well set out and developed with a solid villain in the form of the always sultry Famke Janssen. Wielding their unique weaponry, the siblings unleash an unholy amount of violence upon us in glorious 3D as blood, limbs and arrows fire at us from all directions in what is a decent use of the extra dimension.

In all, Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters proves to be a bloodthirsty treat of a film that clearly doesn't take itself too seriously but also offers up its own stylish swagger. Its leads are hard not to enjoy and one cannot help rejoice at a troll stamping on heads and crushing skulls into a bloody pulp. An absolute riot and a fun frolic of a film.

Film Rating: 3 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - A Good Day To Die Hard

Just when you thought we were free from action stars returning to their roots another Die Hard movie comes along... 

That's right, John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back for a fifth instalment into the Die Hard franchise with A Good Day To Die Hard, and in truth the title is as ludicrous as some of the scenes within the movie.

Taking a vacation to Russia, McClane is on a search to reunite with his son, Jack (Jai Courtney), but when he inadvertently complicates a mission his son is on for the CIA things take a turn for the worse. Cue a carrot crunching villain, attack helicopters and some rather ridiculous slow motion moments.

In essence, the film is somewhat of a hash of an action movie; clichéd from beginning to end, filled with less-than-impressive dialogue, yet featuring some brilliant action scenes early on. Fortunately, the Die Hard films have always been this way and this is what we loved so much about them, but when it enters territory in which John McClane is carelessly jogging away from an attacking helicopter you know the time is up.

That's not to say there aren't good moments in the film. The first half is actually a brilliant spectacle of an action movie, kicking off the adrenaline fuelled proceedings pretty quickly and thrusting us into a breathless car chase. There are explosions, crushed cars and all, and, despite some shaky camera moments that do distract, it provides one of the best chase scenes in some time. Then it all falls apart.

A chief villain who is far from sinister, a plot twist that is simply shoulder-shruggingly uninteresting and Bruce Willis sighing and trudging along like he was forced to be in the movie, much like those in Movie 43. It's all uninspired and doesn't make for a fun watch. Instead it makes you want to rename it A Good Day To Stop A Dying Franchise. 

Film Rating - 2 F's out of 5

Cinema Review - Flight

Consistency is something we rarely see within the harem of actors on screen these days but in Denzel Washington Hollywood has a man who has remained at the top of his game for years on end. From painstaking drama in Philadelphia to vengeance-bringer in Man On Fire, Washington’s work with characters has varied from year to year bringing us a glistening showcase of why he remains one of today’s best acts around. For his latest film, Washington teams with Robert Zemeckis for the director’s first live-action outing since 2000, and it sure is worth the wait.

 

Flight opens with Captain Whip Whitaker (Washington) indulging in cocaine, alcohol and a beautiful woman in a hotel room after what we can imagine was a rather heavy night. Setting the tone for things to come, it is a sign of Whitaker’s vulnerabilities in life and before we know it Whitaker is preparing himself for piloting a flight in rather treacherous weather conditions. Intoxicated and attempting to mask it, the captain soon finds himself thrust into a life-changing incident as the plane fails and he has to step up and pull off a manoeuvre that will save those on his flight.

 

Instantly regarded as hero upon the saving of the majority of the people on the flight, Whitaker is wracked with guilt and soon after an investigation takes place into the cause of the crash. As the authorities delve deeper into the details of that day, the state of the crew, Whitaker included, is taken into account and soon the captain finds himself fighting to save himself from prison following his alcohol-fuelled antics. Taking solace in his second home and befriending a similarly struggling addict, this time with drugs, Whitaker takes a downward spiral into alcoholism as his life around him slowly falls to tatters.

 

Marking the live-action return of Zemeckis, Flight certainly stamps the director’s name back in the limelight and produces one of the most solid and breathtaking performances from Washington in his exceptional career. Where Flight succeeds is in its blend of themes and the sheer splendid presentation of the proceedings. Opening with a glimpse of our main character at his most outrageous, Flight soon descends (literally) into a 15-minute nightmare in which we are aboard a plane that is heading for death and destruction. Of all the plane crashes and disasters depicted on screen this may well be the most harrowing. With every decision made by the flight crew we the audience are holding our breath and the sight of passengers screaming and falling from their seats to deathening thuds on surfaces hits home hard. Zemeckis is never distasteful in thrusting us into this scenario and therefore provides us with an utterly realistic, harrowing and truly gripping opening sequence.

 

Once the spectacular set piece takes our breath away, we are then taken on a journey through the faltering life of a man whose addiction to alcohol and drugs is as heartbreaking as it is unstoppable. As Whitaker lies in a hospital bed insisting that he will longer take another sip of drink we almost know this is going to be a tough journey. Even befriending drug addict Nicole (Kelly Reilly), whom is on the right track to recovery, Whitaker is unable to harness the will to overcome his weakness and we descend into darkness very quickly.

 

In one of his toughest roles of his career so far, Washington is an absolute revelation as Whip Whitaker. An individual wracked with guilt and addicted to alcohol, he is a broken man from the very first moment we clap eyes on him but throughout he is someone we instantly connect to on an emotional level. His struggle through an addiction is at times tough to watch and the influence of his friend Harling (John Goodman), whilst providing well-placed comic relief, adds further fuel to the fire.

 

Robert Zemeckis’s long-awaited live-action return is a beautifully harrowing blend of drugs, alcoholism and religion all depicted with a harsh emotional edge. Denzel Washington’s performance is worthy of the Oscar nomination and the brief glimpses of John Goodman offer light relief in what is essentially a morality film. The plane crash opening is as gripping and tough to watch as any and the story which follows continues to dig deep into the emotional core of the viewer. Flight is a soaring success and one that marks the return of a fantastic filmmaker and the continuation of one of the best actors around.  

Film Rating: 4 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - Gangster Squad

Now, when I first heard of yet another film pairing the beautiful Emma Stone and exceptional Ryan Gosling together once more I couldn't hide my delight. Band them together with the likes of Sean Penn, Michael Pena, Josh Brolin, Giovanni Ribisi and many more, and Gangster Squad looks like the perfect gangster ensemble film. Unfortunately, where the films pack a punch in terms of cast it suffers in content.

Directed by Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer, Gangster Squad heads back to Los Angeles, 1949, and a time when gangster Mickey Cohen (Penn) ruled the criminal underworld with an iron fist. As police chief Bill Parker (Nick Nolte) struggles to gain a foothold on the constant buying out of police officers and level of crime, he turns to one man for a solution.

Sergeant John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) is a dedicated police employee who is married to the job and one of few who is willing to stick his neck out to stop the terrifying reign of Cohen. When he is tasked to leave his badge at home and put together a squad to slowly take down the gangster's growing empire, a plan is set in place and all hell breaks loose.

With such an esteemed cast and a seemingly simple true life story to adapt to screen, you can't help think that Gangster Squad is going to be everything you wished it would be. The ingredients are all there - a moody Josh Brolin leading a ragtag group of individuals each with a special something, a secret romance blossoming between Gosling and Stone, and plenty of opportunities for action set pieces. Unfortunately it all results in a massive dose of mediocrity.

Where director Ruben Fleischer kept Zombieland fresh with some extremely well choreographed sequences, his latest offering keeps rather standard and is at times almost lazy. Admittedly the cast are a joy to behold, Penn has fun in the mould of Cohen, Brolin proves once again his leading man status and the likes of Stone and Gosling ignite with sexual tension. Where the letdown lies is in the scenes where we should be on the edge of our seats. The combat is predictable, slow motion sequences not enthralling enough and the majority proving to be predictable.

Gangster Squad is by no means a terrible film. It packs enough ingredients to be classed as a good gangster film, but good doesn't quite make the cut when you have a cast of such high-end individuals. Sean Penn stands out from the crowd in a role he revels in but with others losing out on sufficient development many of the other characters are easily disposable.

Fleischer has attempted to adapt his style to the time period and it never quite hits that spot, leaving Gangster Squad as a fun yet easily forgettable early year release.

Film Rating - 3 F's out of 5