Cinema Review - Kick-Ass 2

In a world where Marvel have taken comic book movie domination to a whole new level, it was great to see Mark Millar's Kick-Ass spring onto the scene a few years back. Now, with a reputation to withstand as somewhat of an underdog in the comic world, Kick-Ass 2 hits our screens with new director Jeff Wadlow handed the reins from Matthew Vaughn.

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has fully embraced his alter-ego as crime fighting Kick-Ass, and in representing good in the city, soon finds that more costumed heroes are out there fighting the good fight. But as Dave joins forces with Justice Forever, led by Colonel Stars And Stripes (Jim Carrey), Mindy McCready (Chloe Grace Moretz) looks to hang up her cape as titular hero Hit-Girl.

With Kick-Ass teaming up with his new gang of superhero friends, Mindy experiences the tough reality of high school as she butts heads with the popular girls, an experience she is far from familiar with. Meanwhile, the villain formerly known as Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is determined to kill Kick-Ass once and for all, creating himself a new persona as The Motherfucker. Hankering for a slaughter, the self-proclaimed 'world's first ever villain' creates his own team, The Toxic Mega-C*nts and sets out to wreak havoc.

Kick-Ass 2 is certainly a return to familiar territory for fans of the original, with the stakes and the character numbers heightened. In doing so, director Jeff Wadlow slightly lets the ball slip but it would be very unfair to say this sequel is one that is far from its predecessor in terms of quality and its all-important fun factor.

Filled to the brim with belly laughs, outrageous violence and projectile vomiting, Kick-Ass 2 is a brilliant continuation of the series and produces yet more magic from its leads in Johnson and, without a doubt, Moretz. In fact, this is very much Hit-Girl's show, with Moretz returning to bring yet more obscenities and over-the-top youth violence, with her slashing her way through leagues of villains in some of the best action sequences in the film.

That's not to say Kick-Ass and the rest of the gang don't have their fair share, much to the contrary as a great array of new colourful characters add depth to the proceedings. Carrey may be slightly underused but he utilises his screen time well and the likes of Night Bitch (Lindy Booth) and Doctor Gravity (Donald Faison) offer up new and refreshing servings. On the villainous side, Mintz-Plasse hams it up just as he should do but Mother Russia (Olga Kurkulina) is the beast that towers above all both physically and in her performance. A truly formidable foe if there ever was one.

Kick-Ass 2 may not quite be as good as its predecessor but Wadlow knows how to make his audience tick and manages to forge together elements of the first film along with some new ideas to create a riotous affair. Kick-Ass may be around for one last bow but it's certainly Hit-Girl who we want to see more of.

Film rating: 4 out of 5 F's

Review - The Conjuring

My blog has been out of action for a few months now so I thought it best to revisit this barren wasteground with some new reviews. First up is James Wan's frightfully brilliant, The Conjuring.

The Conjuring continues James Wan's rich vein of form as one of horror's best directors around today. Based on true events, we follow paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson) as they enter the home of the Perron family. 

Mother Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and father Roger (Ron Livingston), along with their five young daughters, begin to experience strange goings-on within the house as it becomes apparent that paranormal entities are running rife. As the experiences become worse, the family, along with their aid begin to uncover further secrets within the house.

The Conjuring is quite simply one of the most terrifying horror experiences you will have this year, but not quite as you would expect it to be. While many directors within the genre rely upon cheap jump-scares, James Wan cleverly weaves a web of intrigue as he walks the corridors and rooms of its focus house and ramps up the tension throughout. Never does he indulge in these often overused ploys to get audience reaction, favourably choosing the pulse-pounding terror of silence and visuals to really hit home hard.

It's easy to stick to clichéd realms of paranormal activity in films and, whilst it does feature many of what we've seen before, Wan delivers everything with a great poise and certainly stamps his own unique mark on the genre. Coupled with his fantastic direction, both Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga prove their metal with superb performances, along with the rather larger-than-usual family featured in such films. 

Tense, eerie, heart-pounding terror the way horror should be done, The Conjuring is without a doubt one of the year's best horrors so far and if Wan continues this way then Insidious: Chapter Two will be brilliant. Here's hoping...

Film rating: 4 F's out of 5 

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