Though Rob Reiner's The American President is a decent romantic drama in its own right, it remains most notable today as something of a dress rehearsal for screenwriter Aaron Sorkin's acclaimed political drama The West Wing. With Sorkin penning, the script boasts all the recognisably smart wordplay and clever exchanges you might expect, whilst there's also an idealised government with a liberal agenda, some recognisable sets and some of the same actors (the most obvious......Want To Read More?
Aside from some inevitably dated alien effects, Men In Black holds up impressively as an entertaining snapshot of nineties sci-fi comedy. Looking back, you could pick holes in the plot (planetary destruction looms and two agents are on the case, one of whom is a days-old rookie), but it’s energetic, lean and still lots of fun to watch. Very loosely based on a little-read Marvel comic (essentially just borrowing the concept and agent wardrobes), cinematographer-turned-director......Want To Read More?
Boasting a fantastic ‘80s premise (New York is a prison! The President has crash-landed somewhere inside!) dystopian thriller Escape From New York remains one of John Carpenter’s best films. Gritty, urgent and cool as hell, it’s more of a suspenseful rescue mission than an out-and-out-actioner, brimming with the sort of seedy atmosphere which only Carpenter at his peak was capable of. In truth, the story never quite lives up to the concept and the final act isn’t......Want To Read More?
While much of the hugely-favourable pre-release buzz has described The Raid (or, The Raid: Redemption as it's sometimes called) as an Indonesian Die Hard, there's not much in the way of genuine comparison. Well, aside from the fact that we've got shooty action set in a high-rise building. No, in actual fact the movie is closer to the Asian ass-kicking of Ong-Bak by way of a John Carpenter siege movie and classic Bruce Lee. A balletic martial arts fest which offers some of......Want To Read More?
Like a number of franchises over recent years, American Pie: Reunion attempts to recapture the spirit of its still-superior original by reuniting its cast and largely ignoring the naff sequels. After all, while American Pie was a hugely successful balance between smut and heart which remains a satisfying teen comedy, the second felt like a repetitive copy and the third devolved into an overly-gross joke which wasn’t funny. Thankfully then, the fourth slice of pie, while......Want To Read More?
Despite being one of the most iconic and popular comic characters in existence, after a TV show, an extended-length feature and four major movies Batman had yet to receive a screen adaptation which did him justice. The Adam West-starring series and movie, while huge fun, were all tights, high-camp and kapow-ing; Tim Burton’s gothic take had him play second fiddle (or sometimes third) to the villains; and Joel Schumacher nearly buried the caped crusader altogether with......Want To Read More?
Despite being developed by writers known for their work on 24, Homeland isn’t another fast-paced action ride full of explosions, shootouts and interrogation torture. Okay so some of these ingredients are present, but Showtime’s terrorist drama is actually a surprisingly superior psychological thriller, more concerned with secrets, lies and surveillance. Based on Israeli series Prisoners Of War, it’s an addictive and refreshingly intelligent story which has become a......Want To Read More?
Following the success of his terrific crime thriller debut Thief, filmmaker Michael Mann shifted gears slightly for his second picture. To this day, The Keep remains Mann's only foray into supernatural territory and horror (unless you count Manhunter as the latter?), sticking out like a sore thumb on his crime-filled, perennially un-fantastical CV. Easily the stylish filmmaker’s least successful film, it was a critical and commercial failure beset by production problems......Want To Read More?
Though Rob Reiner’s The American President is a decent romantic drama in its own right, it remains most notable today as something of a dress rehearsal for screenwriter Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed political drama The West Wing. With Sorkin involved, the script boasts all the recognisably smart wordplay and clever exchanges you might expect, whilst there’s also an idealised government with a liberal agenda, some familiar faces (the most obvious being Martin Sheen, although he’s not playing the President here) and even a few of the same sets. Accordingly, we also occasionally ...
Read More Film ReviewAside from some inevitably dated alien effects, Men In Black holds up impressively well as an entertaining nineties crowd-pleaser which provides an excellent mixture of sci-fi and comedy. Looking back, you could pick holes in the plot (planetary destruction looms and two agents are on the case, one of whom is a days-old rookie), but it’s energetic, lean and still lots of fun to watch. Very loosely based on a little-read Marvel comic (essentially just borrowing the concept and agent wardrobes), cinematographer-turned-director Barry Sonnenfeld delivers a knowing romp which is ...
Read More Film ReviewBoasting a fantastic ‘80s premise (New York is a prison! The President has crash-landed somewhere inside!) dystopian thriller Escape From New York remains one of John Carpenter’s best films. Gritty, urgent and cool as hell, it’s more of a suspenseful rescue mission than an out-and-out-actioner, brimming with the sort of seedy atmosphere which only Carpenter at his peak was capable of. In truth, the story never quite lives up to the concept and the final act isn’t really sure where to go, but the genre filmmaker does a fantastic job ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile much of the hugely-favourable pre-release buzz has described The Raid (or, The Raid: Redemption as it’s sometimes called) as an Indonesian Die Hard, there’s not much in the way of genuine comparison. Well, aside from the fact that we’ve got shooty action set in a high-rise building. No, in actual fact the movie is closer to the Asian ass-kicking of Ong-Bak by way of a John Carpenter siege movie and classic Bruce Lee. A balletic martial arts fest which offers some of the most brutal and authentic combat you’ll ...
Read More Film ReviewLike a number of franchises over recent years, American Pie: Reunion attempts to recapture the spirit of its still-superior original by reuniting the cast and largely ignoring the naff sequels. After all, while American Pie was a hugely successful teen comedy which captured a satisfying balance between smut and heart, the second felt like a repetitive copy and the third devolved into an overly-gross joke which wasn’t funny. Thankfully then, the fourth slice of pie, while still going overboard with the odd ridiculous situation, is charming, funny and far better ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite being one of the most iconic and popular comic characters in existence, after a TV show, an extended-length feature and four major movies Batman had yet to receive a screen adaptation which did him justice. The Adam West-starring series and movie, while huge fun, were all tights, high-camp and kapow-ing; Tim Burton’s gothic take had him play second fiddle (or sometimes third) to the villains; and Joel Schumacher nearly buried Bat films altogether with his second attempt, the universally-trashed Batman And Robin. Indeed, you could almost hear Alan Partridge ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite being developed by writers known for their work on 24, Homeland isn’t another fast-paced action ride full of explosions, shootouts and interrogation torture. Okay, so some of these ingredients are present, but Showtime’s conspiracy-flavoured terrorism series is actually a superior psychological thriller, more concerned with secrets, lies and surveillance. Based on Israeli show Prisoners Of War, it’s an addictive and refreshingly intelligent story which has become a deservedly huge hit, thanks to its morish blend of tense spy thrills, compelling human drama and a riveting central concept. Yes, for ...
Read More TV ReviewFollowing the success of his terrific crime thriller debut Thief, filmmaker Michael Mann shifted gears slightly for his second picture. To this day, The Keep remains Mann’s only foray into supernatural territory and horror (unless you count Manhunter as the latter?), sticking out like a sore thumb on his crime-filled, perennially un-fantastical CV. Easily the stylish filmmaker’s least successful film, it was a critical and commercial failure beset by production problems (studio-enforced editing, the untimely death of special effects supervisor Wally Veevers), leaving us with a decidedly uneven result. But ...
Read More Film ReviewAs a sci-fi series which revolves around an island-based mystery, stars Jorge ‘Hurley’ Garcia and employs the consistent use of flashbacks, it’s hardly surprising that Alcatraz was quickly (and predictably) compared to Lost. But while it’s also produced by JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot company and handled by a few of the same individuals (co-created by staff writer Elizabeth Sarnoff, scored by composer Michael Giacchino and regularly directed by Jack Bender), Fox’s SF-tinged prison drama is certainly no Lost. Not by a long shot. Surprisingly listless, given the talent involved, it’s ...
Read More TV ReviewAfter inventing the slasher sub-genre and delivering what is arguably the greatest horror movie ever made with Halloween, horror supremo John Carpenter opted for a slight change of pace with a nautical-flavoured ghost story of sorts. Following an intriguing prologue where a salty old sea Captain regales us with crucial back-story round a camp fire, The Fog starts slowly and carries on rather sluggishly for a while, with lots of long establishing shots where characters take forever to walk across the frame from place to place. But while Carpenter admitted concern about the tempo ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile the original American Pie was a charming and satisfying teen sex comedy which achieved a near-perfect blend between rude gags and sweet moments, the sequel offered a much lesser follow-up which strained to recreate what worked so well before. Unfortunately, this third instalment devolves things even further, with new director Jesse ‘Son Of Bob’ Dylan and returning writer Adam Herz providing something which plays more like a series of convoluted sketches than the rites-of-passage story we once enjoyed. And, aside from missing the opportunity to revolve things around the ...
Read More Film ReviewAfter the deservedly huge success of American Pie, you can understand why the sequel attempts to repeat the same trick. But while the creative team sticks rigidly to the same recipe and ingredients (too rigidly, truth be told), the result is nowhere near as satisfying or filling. In fairness, it’s commendable that they’ve brought back the whole cast (even if some, IE the female characters, are largely sidelined), but too often it feels like American Pie 2 is straining to recreate what worked so well last time. Of course, sequels ...
Read More Film ReviewArguably the movie which kick-started the modern wave of teen sex comedies, American Pie remains enjoyable and highly satisfying thanks to the near-perfect balance it achieves between smut and heart. A balance, it should be noted, that the vast majority of its successors and cop-cats have tried – and failed – to replicate. Much more than just the “Porky’s Of The ‘90s” as it was quickly and lazily labelled, in between all the jizz gags and pastry shagging is a sweet centre, likeable characters and relationships we can actually care ...
Read More Film ReviewBringing the second of his three popular personalities from Da Ali G Show to the big screen, talented and opinion-splitting comedian Sacha Baron Cohen scored a hugely-successful mega-hit with Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan (yeah, let’s just refer to it as Borat). But despite such overwhelming success which saw many of the titular character’s catchphrases infiltrate the public consciousness almost overnight (during its release you couldn’t move without hearing “Niiiiice!” or “Hiiiiiigh five!”), Cohen’s divisive brand of comedy still won’t appeal to everyone. ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite being generally slammed upon release, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was a surprisingly huge hit which catapulted rubber-faced comedian Jim Carrey (then known best as ‘Fire Marshall Bill’ from TV series In Living Color) straight into Hollywood’s A-list. The funnyman’s feature film debut, the plot is largely unimportant and exists merely as a clothesline for Carrey to hang his manic bag of tricks on. The gurning facial contortions, the loose-limbed goofing, the madcap impressions – we’re essentially watching The Jim Carrey Show by way of Doctor Dolittle, a few crazy ...
Read More Film ReviewSince Jason Statham movies have essentially become their own sub-genre, you should pretty much know what to expect from Safe. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing mind you, as the former athlete and all-round growly geezer is often capable of elevating straight-to-DVD material into watchable territory through sheer presence alone. As for his latest thriller, despite not living up to the early promise which teases a gritty, bleak and above-average effort, we soon shift into reliable head-kicking mode where the basic plot of Bruce Willis’ ’98 vehicle Mercury ...
Read More Film ReviewFor some of us, the very notion of The Avengers (or Avengers Assemble, Marvel Avengers Assemble or whatever the hell it’s been unnecessarily re-titled as) was always going to be a tough sell. After all, it’s tricky enough to do justice (league) to one hero’s character journey while balancing all the accompanying super-action, but five or six? Good luck with that. As such, some of us have remained sceptical since day one (including, you guessed it, this writer), and after four years and five movies of feverish build-up, the task of ...
Read More Film ReviewOften hailed as the peak of British kitchen sink drama, Kes remains a timeless landmark of social realism and humanist cinema. Based on Barry Hines’ novel A Kestrel For A Knave, it was only the second feature by acclaimed socialist filmmaker Ken Loach, despite boasting many of the trademarks we now associate with his work. The naturalistic, semi-improvised feel; the accurate portrayal of the working class struggle; the bleak and gritty realism punctuated with moments of beauty… his recurring motifs are all present and correct. Admittedly, it’s a difficult movie ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite having to live up to the runaway success of its deservedly Emmy-winning first season, the sophomore year of Modern Family is every inch as funny, smart and addictive. Wisely offering up more of the same, showrunners Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd (no, not that Christopher Lloyd) continue to play with the familiar stereotypes and sitcom tropes they employ. True, there’s still no real ongoing plot-arcs and the show is hardly a game-changer comedy-wise, yet each episode is so consistently witty and well-written that it doesn’t matter one bit. The ...
Read More TV ReviewEssentially a seamless continuation from the classy and critically-acclaimed first season, Mad Men’s sophomore year happily offers us the same intoxicating cocktail of glacial pacing, mesmerising atmosphere and subtle storytelling. Again, creator Matthew Weiner and his team score big with both style and substance; with both the gorgeous visual sense and underplayed, impeccably-crafted drama combining to hypnotic effect. The sort of deep show where there’s always something going on beneath the surface, Weiner finds neat ways to parallel the character’s own plots with historical events (such as Marilyn Monroe’s death ...
Read More TV ReviewIf done properly, the bodyswap movie can wield results which are funny, interesting and moving. But despite boasting two of the most likeable and naturally gifted comic performers the mainstream has to offer, The Change-Up’s main contribution to the subgenre is the addition of hip R-rated ‘comedy’. Opening with baby poo to the face (yes, to the face!) and consistently punctuated with crass gags, the rude and sweary antics are clearly designed to attract audiences who flock to the likes of The Hangover (which is unsurprising, seeing as the screenplay ...
Read More Film ReviewTelling the tragic true story of Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man is commonly cited as one of the saddest films ever made – and with good reason. Tender, poignant and undeniably moving, it was the second feature from surrealist filmmaker David Lynch, with ‘producer’ Mel Brooks (yes, that Mel Brooks) hand-picking him after seeing his difficult, perplexing and, quite frankly, bonkers feature debut Eraserhead. Happily though, The Elephant Man is a much more accessible experience, and not nearly as surreal or strange as the majority of Lynch’s work. As his ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile television was once seen as cinema’s lesser cousin, the idiot box is now able to attract some major talent. Take Boardwalk Empire for example. The pilot was directed by Martin Scorsese (who stayed on as executive producer); the impressive ensemble remains headed up by veteran character actor Steve Buscemi, and the whole shebang is orchestrated by one of The Sopranos‘ key writers, one Terence Winter. Arriving with a similarly-impressive line-up, HBO’s horse racing drama, Luck, opens up with an episode helmed by Michael Mann (who also serves as co-executive ...
Read More TV ReviewBack in the late seventies, science fiction was all the rage. But while the genre was taking off thanks to the serialised adventures of George Lucas’ Star Wars and the nostalgic wonder of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, British auteur Ridley Scott opted for a darker, grittier approach. Pitched somewhere between 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, his 1977 space chiller is as much a horror as it is sci-fi (if not more so), placing emphasis on mood and atmosphere as opposed to spaceship ...
Read More Film ReviewThough Armando Iannucci’s sublime political satire suffered a potentially fatal blow when its BAFTA-winning lead Chris Langham was arrested under controversial circumstances, the two hour-long specials filmed without him are, arguably, the show’s best yet. Every inch as smart, scarily plausible and magnificently written as the two previous mini-seasons (if not more so), Rise Of The Nutters and Spinners And Losers neatly explain away Langham’s absence (having his hapless minister Hugh Abbot out of the country on business) while introducing the opposition. Happily, expanding the playing canvas is a great ...
Read More TV ReviewSo bleak, harrowing and, ultimately, depressing that you may never want to see it again, Requiem For A Dream is arguably the most potent anti-drugs movie ever made. The second picture from acclaimed arthouse filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (after his monochromatic indie debut triumph Pi), it’s an unrelentingly grim portrait of how lives and dreams are shattered by addiction. Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., the descent into drug hell offers us a familiar story (including the obviously ill-advised ‘trying out the merchandise’ moment), yet the result is a ...
Read More Film ReviewOne of this year’s foreign language movies which has managed to penetrate the mainstream, Headhunters is an accomplished thriller which deserves the critical praise it’s being afforded. Adapted from Jo Nesbø’s international bestseller, the killer central premise is both fresh and reminiscent of something the Coen brothers might cook up, given the offbeat blend of deceit, black humour and ruthless, generally-unlikeable characters who’re forced into increasingly desperate situations. That said, those who aren’t quite in awe of Joel and Ethan will be pleased to know that any thematic similarities are ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen it comes to comic book adaptations, the second instalment is typically where the series peaks. X2, Spider-man 2 and The Dark Knight all being prime examples. As such, the prospect of a follow-up to Iron Man was particularly tantalising, given how smart, sassy and satisfying the original was. Frustratingly though, whilst returning director John Favreau maintains a consistent tone and takes largely the same approach, Iron Man 2 is undeniably disappointing by comparison. Certainly, it’s not bad, but Favreau misses the opportunity for greatness as his sequel could (and ...
Read More Film ReviewFollowing Planet Of The Apes and The Omega Man, Soylent Green completes a loose trilogy of dystopian, post-apocalyptic sci-fi for Charlton Heston. Sitting somewhere between the two (vastly inferior to the former and slightly superior than the latter), Richard Fleisher’s adaptation of Harry Harrison’s novel paints an effective and relevant warning of an oppressive future, yet it’s frequently too sluggish and uneventful to prove satisfying. Heston plays his usual cynical anti-authoritarian – all take-charge attitude, weary existentialism and a natty neck-tie – thus cementing himself as the premiere, go-to leading ...
Read More Film ReviewCreated by key Sopranos writer Terence Winter, boasting a top ensemble cast, bolstered by the input of acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese (who helmed the pilot) and frequently directed by Tim Van Patten (who fits between all the finest shows on TV), no one could accuse Boardwalk Empire of lacking pedigree. But yet, despite all the undoubted talent and ambition, the first season of HBO’s lavish period piece never quite felt like the finished article and lacked that crucial spark. For all the intelligent writing and dense plotting, the deliberately-unfolding narrative ...
Read More TV ReviewAfter penning two of the biggest and most popular blockbusters of all time with The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders Of The Lost Ark, the unjustly-underknown Lawrence Kasdan decided to revitalise film noir in his steamy directorial debut. Though not an out-and-out classic like the two aforesaid megahits, per se, Body Heat is a stirring and sensual neo noir which takes all the crucial elements of the shadowy genre (sex, murder, guilt, amoral characters, cold-blooded crime) and transplants them seamlessly into the ‘modern day’ eighties. Boasting great dialogue, laced with ...
Read More Film ReviewAttempting to pay tribute to his late friend Hunter S. Thompson – the notorious creator of stick-it-to-the-man journalism – you really can’t fault producer-star Johnny Depp’s effort. Having persuaded Thompson to publish his long-forgotten manuscript in the first place, Depp (who befriended the author while playing him in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas) has been pursuing a cinematic adaptation for roughly a decade and finally persuaded fellow outsider Bruce Robinson, writer-director of cult favourite Withnail And I, to return to directing after 17 years away to bring it to ...
Read More Film ReviewA shining example of how to remake an already-outstanding movie, Philip Kaufman’s chilling 1978 update of Don Siegel’s eerie 1956 classic (itself adapted from Jack Finney’s novel The Body Snatchers) is among the best sci-fi movies of the seventies. Gradually building a potent sense of paranoia and unease, Kaufman’s initially unhurried approach eventually pays dividends as his measured opening soon blossoms into an increasingly terrifying nightmare. After opening with skin-crawling shots of alien spores drifting towards Earth (which we never saw last time), we – and the characters – slowly ...
Read More Film ReviewAs an action-caper which sees a reformed master thief pulled back into what he does best to save his screw-up brother, Contraband is essentially Gone In 60 Seconds (which also starred Giovanni Ribisi) minus the cars. Throw in The Italian Job remake (which also starred Mark Wahlberg), and you’re pretty much there. Sure, it’s noticeable grittier and much less glossy, yet the result is a similarly serviceable – if somewhat unremarkable – heist thriller which is perfectly watchable despite how familiar it all feels. That said, the plot features some ...
Read More Film ReviewNotable as Steven Spielberg’s first ‘proper’ feature (after the successful made-for-TV thriller Duel), The Sugarland Express helped catapult the 27-year-old director from television talent to fully-fledged filmmaker. Staying on the open highway, it’s a simple chase movie which veers between light comedy and serious character drama, while ushering in the end of the anti-establishment era with its outlaws-on-the-run plot. Though well-made and full of promise, Spielberg’s debut is perhaps more ordinary and unremarkable than one might imagine, as the cautious beard-to-be searches for his directorial voice. Of course, a few ...
Read More Film ReviewA surprisingly entertaining triumph, Marvel’s first self-financed project takes a B-level hero the masses were unfamiliar with and blasts out a sassy, satisfying megahit. Granted, the appointment of funnyman John Favreau in the director’s chair was somewhat leftfield, yet despite his lack of action credentials (or, one might argue, because of them), the actor-come-filmmaker proves a great choice. Wisely employing a smart, realistic and modern approach (which transplants the story from the original ’60s Vietnam setting to the current situation in Afghanistan), Favreau get the tone just right for the ...
Read More Film ReviewI covered the Game Of Thrones season two opener for Empire Magazine, so march on over there for the full piece. Whether you read about it in Empire, overheard whispers at King’s Landing or received word via raven, you probably already know that the eagerly-awaited second season of Game Of Thrones has marched back onto our screens. Having quickly proven itself as an ambitious, densely-plotted classic-in-the-making, the first season of HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s popular fantasy series earned a solid fanbase and bags of critical acclaim, meaning that many ...
Read More BlogOver at Empire Magazine I reviewed the Mad Men season five opener. So head on over there to read the full article… Accompanied by a widespread, everywhere-you-look publicity blitz, the long-overdue fifth season of AMC’s Mad Men finally sauntered back onto our screens after an agonising 18-month absence. But like Don himself, who often arrives at client meetings late before rescuing them with a seductively-persuasive pitch, it was worth the wait. Despite rumours of budget disputes (which allegedly affected fellow AMC tentpole The Walking Dead) and contract negotiations with creator ...
Read More BlogEasily one of the weirdest and most perplexing movies you’ll ever see, David Lynch’s first feature-length movie has baffled and polarised both audiences and critics since its release in 1977. A nightmarish, surrealist horror which was shot over five years, Eraserhead continues to split opinion to this day as viewers debate what the hell it actually means (a debate which has not been helped by Lynch’s utter refusal to provide any answers). Some (mostly arty cinefiles) hail it as a strangely-beautiful dark masterpiece which deserves its position as a revered ...
Read More Film ReviewAdapted from a popular novel, loaded with a controversial subject matter and boasting an award-friendly cast, Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close was being touted as a serious Oscar contender even before arriving in cinemas. But while such talk is hardly surprising given its credentials (Forrest Gump‘s screenwriter adapts Jonathan Safran Foer’s source novel), the overriding reaction has split opinion strongly. Proving extremely divisive and incredibly polarising, some will find an effective study of loss and grief, while others will dismiss it as a heavy-handed melodrama which shouldn’t be anywhere near ...
Read More Film ReviewPart contemplative road movie, part tentative romance, the somewhat-misleadingly-titled Monsters is likely to throw many a viewer. Nowhere near the action-filled explosion-fest many might be expecting, it’s actually an unhurried, thinking man’s sci-fi piece which exists at the opposite end of the genre spectrum to the slam-bang, set piece-focused blockbusters which Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich regularly churn out. With languid pacing, downbeat realism and largely-improvised dialogue which was shot in random locations on the hoof, the reality is closer to what might happen if Mike Leigh made a science ...
Read More Film ReviewWhilst Modern Family might seem like just another standard family comedy on the surface, there’s actually much more to it. Admittedly, the traditional sitcom formula becomes apparent after watching multiple episodes of the 24-instalment first season back-to-back (at 20 minutes apiece, it’s easy to fire through), yet it’s so well-written, consistently funny and likeably-acted that you don’t mind. Combining the family quirk of Arrested Development with the mockumentary-style to-camera interviews popularised by The Office (which proves very effective, despite never being explained) ABC’s Emmy-winning hit makes up for in laughs what it perhaps lacks in innovation. But ...
Read More TV ReviewDespite how divisive Quentin Tarantino is as a filmmaker (celebrated auteur or overrated fanboy? Discuss), Jackie Brown may well be his most opinion-splitting movie to date. After announcing himself to the world with stripped-down thriller Reservoir Dogs and essentially defining nineties cinema with Pulp Fiction, Tarantino’s much-anticipated third film as a director wasn’t a success (in Quentin’s terms) and a great many found it underwhelming by comparison. On the other hand though, others still argue that it remains an underappreciated gem worthy of re-evaluation, preferring how the writer-director toned down ...
Read More Film ReviewDescribing the series to newcomers, co-showrunner David Benioff jokingly referred to it as “The Sopranos in Middle Earth”. But while comparisons with The Lord Of The Rings are inevitable, given the fact that we’re dealing with an intricately-detailed fantasy universe adapted from a popular novel series (George R.R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire), Game Of Thrones is actually closer to the former. A densely-plotted ensemble saga which requires patience due to the multitude of characters and plot-threads, HBO’s ambitious opus-in-the-making is more top-drawer television which will prove popular ...
Read More TV ReviewI reviewed the season two finale of The Walking Dead for Empire Magazine. So to read the article, amble on over there: Like the show as a whole, the second season of AMC’s The Walking Dead has split opinion. But whether you hold the series as a compelling zombie drama or a dragging talk-fest, there’s little doubt that the finale delivered a gripping example of how good it can be with the best instalment since the cinematic, Frank Darabont-directed feature-length pilot. As Hershel’s amusingly-isolated farm was finally overran by hordes ...
Read More BlogQuite rightly considered by many as one of the very best shows on TV (if not, the best), Breaking Bad continues to stretch the limits of what a television series can accomplish in season four. Whilst many fans were concerned with how unhurried the opening run of episodes were (even by BB’s normal standards), by the jaw-dropping finale there’s little doubt that Vince Gilligan and his team have, once again, provided a shining example of what serialised storytelling should look like. A consistently engaging blend of compelling family drama, tense ...
Read More TV ReviewAfter the back-to-back disappointments of Vanilla Sky and the widely-panned Elizabethtown, the release of a new Cameron Crowe movie is no longer the eagerly-anticipated occasion it once was. Even though, lest we forget, this is the writer-director who previously gifted us the impossibly-likeable Jerry Maguire and the terrific, largely-autobiographical love-letter to music that was Almost Famous. As a comeback of sorts, We Bought A Zoo lies somewhere in between, as a middle-of-the-road rom-com which is more enjoyable than the aforementioned duds yet far from the filmmaker’s best. Though based on ...
Read More Film ReviewIn order to bring Herge’s popular Belgian comic series to the big screen, there was no shortage of talent assembled. Aside from the fact that the director’s chair would be filled by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg (whom the late Herge pegged as the man for the job), Peter ‘Lord Of The Rings‘ Jackson stepped in as producer, his acclaimed company WETA were tasked with handling the effects and the glorious Brit-trio of Steven Moffat (Doctor Who), Edgar Wright (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz) and Joe Cornish (Attack The Block) ...
Read More Film ReviewBefore the much-anticipated second season of The Walking Dead have even ambled back onto our screens, the show was dealt a major blow. Amid rumours that AMC had enforced major budget cuts despite doubling the episode load (seriously), passionate showrunner Frank ‘Shawshank Redemption’ Darabont walked off halfway through production and passed the torch to second-in-command Glen Mazzara. Whilst we probably won’t feel the full-effect of his resignation till next year (IE, the first full run without him), season two proved to be a game of two halves, but not necessarily ...
Read More TV ReviewEssentially introducing the Western world to the Japanese style of animation known as Anime, Akira is widely regarded as the one of the greatest animated movies ever made – and it’s not difficult to see why. Adapted from his own Manga series, visionary writer-director Katsuhiro Otomo takes the sprawling story and condenses it into a stylised cyber-punk epic which would go on to influence genre favourites like The Matrix or TV series Heroes. Much more than a sexy ‘cartoon’, it’s a violent, densely-plotted affair which juggles various weighty themes (social ...
Read More Film ReviewA no-budget mathematical thriller shot in grainy black and white, Darren Aronofsky’s feature debut, like the vast majority of his work, isn’t for everyone. Though comparable to the early work of both David Lynch and David Cronenberg (given the twisted mix of psycho-drama and body horror), Pi stands as a distinct calling card for the avant-garde filmmaker’s opinion-dividing style. Typically intoxicating and characteristically surreal, some will find a stylish and intellectually-stimulating mind-screw; while others a strange and maddeningly ambiguous indie movie about maths. Still, there’s little doubt that the narrative ...
Read More Film ReviewThe latest mega-franchise-in-waiting based on a popular series of young adult novels, The Hunger Games arrives with plenty of expectation. Adapting the first of Suzanne Collins’ three best-selling books, this dystopian sci-fi is very likely to become the new teen phenomenon, even if the result is – unfortunately – rather flat and unremarkable. Nowhere near as ‘smart’ or ‘dark’ as some early reviews have suggested, it might boast the same DNA as The Running Man (contestants forced to battle others for a futuristic game show), Battle Royale (kids killing each ...
Read More Film ReviewThief might be Michael Mann’s first feature, but it’s a highly-assured debut which introduced many of the stylish filmmaker’s recurring trademarks. A terrific, refreshingly-intelligent thriller and key text for anyone interested in heist movies, Mann’s directorial voice arrived fully-formed straight out the gate, showcasing all the significant elements we’ve come to expect. Starting with a lengthy, dialogue-free sequence, there’s the moody atmosphere and style, the neon-lit night moves, the synthy score (a typically luscious effort from Tangerine Dream) and the undercurrent of existential soul-searching. Then there’s the meticulous attention to ...
Read More Film ReviewWhilst the plot boasts certain similarities to Clash Of The Titans (as a God-like quest based loosely on Greek mythology), Immortals‘ mix of hyper-style, hacking violence and bronzed-up, impossibly-chiseled warriors is inevitably designed to attract fans of Zack Snyder’s 300. But while filmmaker Tarsem Singh provides a similar visual experience (saturating the screen’s colour, capturing the slicing-dicing in slow-mo), the result isn’t as visceral or memorable. In fairness, there’s mildly diverting action amidst all the gold-sheened graphic-novel-come-to-life aesthetics (such as Theseus single-handedly taking on a dozen or so of Hyperion’s ...
Read More Film ReviewAs Michael Bay’s loud, crash-bang Transformers series has proven time and time again, adapting a popular toy-line to the big-screen can easily meet with disastrous results. With G.I. Joe though, filmmaker Stephen Sommers had an ideal blueprint to follow in the form of Bryan Singer’s X-Men, which took a similarly huge roster of colourful characters in potentially silly uniforms and produced a satisfying franchise-starter. Sadly though, Sommers is no Singer, and the result is every inch the freewheeling, adolescent-orientated CGI-fest cynics might be expecting. Of course, given that he helmed ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen the subject of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino comes up among film fans, even though many of us would contend that his lean, stripped-down debut Reservoir Dogs remains the writer-director’s ‘best’ work, few would disagree that Pulp Fiction is the one he’ll be remembered for. An appropriately pulpy and highly-stylised crime thriller, Tarantino’s second feature swiftly embedded itself deep into popular consciousness – cementing his reputation in the process – and remains the pinnacle of the nineties ‘Indiewood’ scene. Looking back, it’s still hugely iconic (see John Travolta’s dancing, Uma Thurman’s ...
Read More Film ReviewAdapted from a hugely-influential pulp novel series which is now nearly 100 years old, John Carter faces a somewhat unique problem. With Edgar Rice Burrough’s A Princess Of Mars first hitting shelves in 1917, everyone and their dog has since pinched various elements from it, meaning that the popular likes of Flash Gordon, Star Wars, Superman and Avatar have already stolen Burroughs’ big-screen thunder in one way or another. As such, to do the novels justice means being derivative on purpose (!), while it’s utterly inevitable that unknowing audiences will ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile we now ungratefully expect Pixar to provide high-quality movies which speak to both adults and children, WALL-E is arguably the first that is actually geared more towards the former. Although we’re greeted with a welcoming vista of starry space and a jaunty tune from Hello, Dolly! (which our eponymous ‘bot watches repeatedly), as the camera descends into the desolate, post-apocalyptic Earth and the song fades we’re suddenly struck by how bleak and hopeless the atmosphere of this family fare has instantly become. Given that the opening 35 minutes or ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite having received multiple screen adaptations over the years, it was just about time for another take on Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale. That said, when news surfaced that said take was to be helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson, a man known for poorly-received video game adaptations and the Resident Evil franchise, excitement was hardly palpable. And the result, while hardly hateful, is a predictably bland and needlessly over-styled affair which essentially lobs Dumas’ timeless plot out the window in favour of steampunk action, Resident Evil-style booby traps and giant, retro-futuristic ...
Read More Film ReviewThough most film-fans credit Pulp Fiction as Quentin Tarantino’s finest achievement, many of us prefer and actively lean towards Reservoir Dogs. An intelligent, stripped-down heist thriller, Tarantino’s first movie behind the camera remains fresher, edgier and less try-hard than anything he’s done since – which includes the pulpy, widely-adored former. An attention-grabbing debut which essentially announced its writer-director (and ‘star’) as an instant talent to watch out for, suddenly a self-educated cinephile who’d learned his trade working in a video store (and had recently managed to write screenplays for True ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though nostalgic fans saw remaking the eighties ‘classic’ Clash Of The Titles as sacrilegious, it was actually an ideal property to be revisited. After all, while fondly remembered as a retro favourite of sorts, the original was stilted, completely uninvolving from a dramatic viewpoint and hugely dated, whilst Ray Harryhausen’s legendary (and undoubtedly pioneering) stop-motion animation there hasn’t endured nearly as well as some of his other work. Far from a masterpiece, it was well-placed for a modern day makeover. Frustratingly though, Louis Leterrier’s remake misses the opportunity to do ...
Read More Film ReviewThe Woman In Black might start with Daniel Radcliffe taking a train to a distant place where supernatural events occur, but there’s no wands and wizardry in store this time. Instead, it’s a refreshingly scary and consistently chilling affair which both starts Radcliffe down his post-Potter career track and cements the revival of Hammer horror studios. Boasting enough genuine jump-scares to put audiences on edge (and keep them there), director James Watkins and fast-rising screenwriter Jane Goldman take the stately menace of Susan Hill’s novel and translate it into what ...
Read More Film ReviewBefore making a name for himself recently with the surprisingly-impressive blockbuster reboot Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, British filmmaker Rupert Wyatt debuted in equally impressive style on a much smaller scale with The Escapist. A lean, stripped-down prison-break thriller with minimal dialogue, Wyatt keeps things interesting by cutting back and forth between Frank preparing for the escape and the actual escape attempt itself. Arguably, it’s perhaps too lean in some ways (we never find out why any of the gang are in prison and there’s little in the ...
Read More Film ReviewThough held in high esteem as a retro favourite of sorts, the original Clash Of The Titans hasn’t aged well. The last picture to feature the infamous stop-motion animation of legendary effects man Ray Harryhausen (known for his ground-breaking work on the Sinbad movies, One Million B.C. and Jason And The Argonauts), it’s one of those movies which is fondly remembered despite not being that good when you cast an eye back. Sure, there’s an epic fantasy adventure for anyone willing to approach it as a nostalgic slice of campy ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though FX’s Sons Of Anarchy doesn’t get the attention or hype so often afforded to the likes of Mad Men, True Blood or Boardwalk Empire, it’s quietly become one of the most compelling and addictive shows on the box. Better yet, creator Kurt Sutter raises the bar with the second season – even though it’s essentially the same pulpy, Shakespearean-tinted blend of family-drama and crime-thriller as the morish first – by expanding the Sons’ world and bringing in new threats. Admittedly, the melodrama occasionally borders on soap opera territory ...
Read More TV ReviewIt seems that each new trailer for The Avengers – or, as it’ll be known in the UK, Marvel Avengers Assemble – gets bigger and more actiony. Personally, the idea for a super team-up flick has never excited me (given that it’s hard enough to do justice to one or two character arcs while trying to balance all the accompanying super-action, let alone five or six), and this footage hasn’t changed my mind. Importantly, writer-director Joss Whedon has a knack for group banter and witty, snappy dialogue, but all that we ...
Read More TrailersThough The Devil’s Double boasts an intriguing central premise, it sadly misses the opportunity to do anything interesting with it. Instead of exploring the psychological side of Latif’s impossible situation – stuck impersonating a wealthy and combustible psycho who won’t let him go – or delving into issues of identity, director Lee Tamahori fashions an undemanding, Scarface-flavoured thriller which largely operates on the surface level. Admittedly, having our protagonist start to like Uday’s world and gradually become the person he’s imitating would’ve been the obvious way to go, but the ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though the first season was consistently amusing and often laugh-out-loud funny (not to mention a success in terms of viewing figures), An Idiot Abroad wasn’t the best platform for Karl Pilkington. No question, his cynical rants frequently provided us with giggle-worthy genius, but the funniest thing about the Manc moaner – as fans of the brilliant, record-breaking podcasts will tell you – is how Ricky and Steve react to his bizarre theories and oddball ramblings. As such, it’s just not the same when his persistent whinging and abstract musings ...
Read More TV ReviewUndoubtedly, Safe House boasts an intriguing premise which brings with it plenty of potential. But while said premise – which sees an ambitious ‘housekeeper’ agent saddled with a master-manipulator in a secure location – should’ve been used as the basis for a mind-game thriller, all we end up with is a loud, generic actioner. Spending such little time in the titular establishment that the tile could be deemed misleading, the plot is little more than a clothesline upon which to hang a series of deafening shootouts and underwhelming car chases. ...
Read More Film ReviewI recently reviewed the pilot of HBO’s new horse-racing drama Luck for Empire Magazine. In short, it’s a slow, difficult watch, but one which might blossom into a classy winner. We’ll see. While television was once seen as cinema’s lesser cousin, the idiot box is now able to attract some major talent. Take Boardwalk Empire for example. The pilot was benevolently overseen by Martin Scorsese (who stayed on as executive producer); the impressive ensemble remains headed up by veteran character actor Steve Buscemi, and the whole shebang is orchestrated by ...
Read More BlogWe’ve come a long way since we first met the mild-mannered, ‘tache-toting chemistry teacher Walter White. Whilst we began with a hard-hitting human drama about a luckless father breaking the law in order to provide for his family, the show has gradually become more immersed in the crime-thriller side of things as that man continues to vanish into the darkness. Quite rightly, there’s been critical love from the start, but the third season of Breaking Bad is arguably the best and darkest yet, as we delve deeper into the shadowy ...
Read More TV ReviewEven though the first season was cut short by the writer’s strike, AMC’s award-winning Breaking Bad quickly established itself as superior viewing. A skilled, refreshingly-unpredictable mix of crime thriller, black comedy and family drama, it offered up a superb slow-burner which occasionally exploded in truly gripping fashion, while playing out in a manner which was both more accessible and exciting than the likes of The Wire or Deadwood. Thankfully, this longer, thirteen-episode second season is a consistent and confident follow-up chapter which expands the world creator Vince Gilligan introduced us to, ...
Read More TV ReviewEven though The Artist arrived with an overwhelming tidal-wave of gushing critical praise, it was always going to be a tough-sell trying to convince the masses to see it. After all, while film-fans and culture-buffs were excited about the arrival of something this diverse and different, mainstream audiences weren’t about to flock to a French-made, black-and-white silent movie with no dialogue. They just weren’t. In a day and age where the box-office is ruled by CGI and 3D, a monochromatic, arty-flavoured throwback to the ’20s was hardly the most commercial ...
Read More Film ReviewAppropriately for a movie concerning a treatment named “the talking cure”, A Dangerous Method is a decidedly talky affair. Based on the play by Christopher Hampton (who provides the screenplay), the film’s stage roots are fairly evident, while director David Cronenberg moves even further away from his body-horror roots and omits his usual taste for visceral violence. But whilst the filmmaker’s last two thrillers – A History Of Violence and Eastern Promises – were both successful and as accessible as anything he’s ever made, this third offering in his Viggo trilogy ...
Read More Film ReviewQuite rightly heralded as one of the best indie movies of the year, Take Shelter is a terrific, slow-burn psychological drama, which is much more involving than one might initially imagine. On the surface, sure, it starts out as a low-key character piece which flits between mundane day-to-day events, but what draws you in is the ominous undercurrent of mounting dread which is impressively-sustained by writer-director Jeff Nichols throughout. Visually, the film occasionally resembles the work of Terence Malick with its sporadic flashes of haunting scenery porn (some leaves blowing ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite joining the infamous likes of Snakes On A Plane with regards to its what-you-see-is-what-you-get title, Man On A Ledge isn’t actually two hours of, well, a man on a ledge. After quite literally positioning itself in the same minimalistic concept arena as Phone Box (a man’s life is at stake in public, crowds amass to watch, a media circus ensues), the second half surprisingly veers into something of a heist movie. In itself, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but whilst better than expected overall, what should have been ...
Read More Film ReviewAs brooding teen-bait which adapts the story of supernatural hunk romancing a normal girl from a popular book series, D.J. Caruso’s I Am Number Four has understandably been compared to the unfeasibly-popular Twilight saga. But yet, while further comparisons could be made, it’s actually closer in tone and feel to TV show Smallville, given that we’re dealing with a lonely, human-looking alien refugee with blossoming super-powers who exists as outsider at a small-town high school. Of course, this is hardly surprising since the screenplay was penned by the show’s creators, Miles ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite combing two of the most well-worn genres of recent years – the superhero origin story and the found-footage picture – Chronicle manages to produce something which is fresh, edgy and interesting. Based on a concept by first-time feature director Josh Trank, the narrative combines elements of Misfits (normal kids who don’t become ‘heroic’ after gaining powers), Cloverfield (the recorded-footage format) and Carrie (unhappy social outcast exacts revenge with telekinesis), yet rarely feels derivative. Frequently involving and occasionally stunning, it’s a hugely assured debut from Trank, and one which – ...
Read More Film ReviewWhilst the first season of Community took time to find its identity, it soon blossomed from a quirky comedy into the best sitcom on the box for film buffs. With season two, the good news is that instead of trying to broaden its appeal to the masses, Dan Harmon and his writing staff decided to concentrate on everything fans enjoyed last time, meaning that there’s more movie references, clever homages, perceptive in-jokes and knowing meta humour. Unashamedly aimed at TV junkies and those of us who frequently quote from movies, ...
Read More TV ReviewThe fifth season of Dexter might have been the most successful in terms of ratings, but it received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Though some maintained that it was just as addictive and gripping as ever, many of us – this writer included – felt that HBO’s flagship series was beginning to feel tired and that the central premise had grown stale. Whilst there was definitely reason to feel optimistic with long-time writer-producer Scott Buck taking over as showrunner (he was easily the most natural choice), season six ...
Read More TV ReviewThough still known to many for its record-breaking soundtrack and Whitney Houston’s enduring, lip-quivering ballad, The Bodyguard remains a satisfying guilty pleasure which is much more entertaining than most give it credit for. Part popcorn romance, part nineties thriller, it’s the sort of movie which stuffy film-fans won’t admit to enjoying and very much a product of its time, back in the hazy days of cinema when Kevin Costner was Hollywood’s go-to leading man. Originally intended as a project for Steve McQueen and Dianna Ross in the seventies, the script ...
Read More Film ReviewAfter the pleasant surprise that was Zombieland, the re-teaming of director Ruben Fleischer and leading man Jesse Eisenberg was a very promising one which had many of us hoping for another funny, free-wheeling affair. Unlike its slacker protagonist though, 30 Minutes Or Less (somewhat ironically) fails to deliver, with Fleischer offering a surprisingly slight and curiously underwhelming caper comedy which isn’t nearly as funny as it needs to be. Whilst the pace is zippy and the likeable, straighter-haired Jesse Eisenberg is watchable as always (despite a complete lack of chemistry ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile some superheroes lend themselves to big-screen adaptations which can remain reasonably realistic despite their powers (like, say, Batman, Spider-man, Iron Man), others are a much harder-sell (like, say, the Hulk, Green Lantern, Thor). As a flaming, leather-clad skeleton who rides an also-flaming motorbike and wields an also-flaming chain, it’s safe to say that B-list hero Ghost Rider definitely falls into the latter camp. But while the character’s inherent silliness arguably prevents Ghost Rider from ascending to the heights of the genre’s best, the result is a clunky, generic and ...
Read More Film ReviewThough not quite worthy of the inevitable comparisons with Shaun Of The Dead (which essentially gave birth to the rom-zom-com and still exists as the genre leader), Zombieland is a funny and occasionally thrilling effort from first-time filmmaker Ruben Fleischer. Whilst there’s gruesome executions, gorey flesh-chomping and a few suspenseful scenes, it undoubtedly leans closer to comedy than it does horror, with Rhett Reese and Paul Wenick’s script demonstrating a sly sense of humour and some whip-smart, zombie-savvy touches. Starting strongly, Fleischer bursts out with the gates with an energetic ...
Read More Film ReviewLong before the likes of Fargo, The Big Lebowski and, more recently, No Country For Old Men earned them a faithful following, the Coen brothers arrived on the scene with pulpy, low-budget thriller Blood Simple. A dark and hard-boiled neo noir, it remains one of the duo’s most ‘serious’ pictures with far less quirk than usual, despite the presence of their usual offbeat sensibilities. Directed by Joel, produced by Ethan and written by both of them, it’s a hugely confident and assured debut which lays the foundations for the sibling ...
Read More Film ReviewThe first trailer for The Bourne Legacy has debuted online and, whilst it’s decent, has done little to make me more excited. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the The Bourne Identity, but felt the second and third instalments were much less involving given how they were less character focused. Maybe it was a Paul Greengrass thing (as he didn’t direct the first), but this attempt to keep the franchise going seems to me like exactly that – an attempt to keep the franchise going. For me, the story has ...
Read More TrailersDespite originating from the same Marvel stable as the majority of other big screen comic book adaptations, Hulk isn’t really a superhero film. Sharing aspects of King Kong (a huge creature being hunted down), Jekyll And Hyde (scientists trying to improve upon humanity) and Beauty And The Beast (a creature in love with a woman), it’s more a tragedy or monster movie than it is a typical caped-hero adventure. But whilst arthouse darling Ang Lee deserves credit for admirably aspiring to create something different (which he undoubtedly accomplishes), the result ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite its admirable intentions, Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk was an unsatisfying beast which left audiences divided and killed off the franchise quicker than you could say “Hulk Smash!”. Five years later and with enough time having passed to return to the not-so-jolly green giant, Marvel re-calibrated their Gamma machine for a reboot which wisely decided against telling the origin story again. But while the announcement of an action director and a marquee star didn’t inspire many of us with confidence (this writer included), Louis Leterrier and Ed Norton collaborated to ...
Read More Film ReviewAnother full-length trailer for The Amazing Spider-man has swung its way online and I have to say – at the risk of jinxing it and getting my expectations up too high – I’m very excited. Very. Here’s the trailer: Love how there seems to be a mystery element to the story (what happened to Peter’s parents, how his father was involved with Connors…), love how there appears to be more practical effects thrown in (Garfield and / or a stuntman flipping about as opposed to the increasingly CG-orientated nature of ...
Read More TrailersSome viewers will see District 9 as a sci-fi actioner with social commentary undertones, whilst others will view it as a political allegory with lots of science fiction – but either way it works. Shot partly in mockumentary style, newcomer and Peter Jackson protégé Neill Blomkamp expands his short film Alive In Joburg into a thrilling and attention-grabbing feature debut, which fuses a bundle of influences into something refreshingly different. Indeed, while blending together the body horror of The Fly, the alien integration of Alien Nation, the docu talking heads ...
Read More Film ReviewAiring during the Super Bowl last night (or, this morning, if you want to be anal), we saw another teaser trailer for the hugely-anticipated team-up flick, The Avengers. To be honest, my views remain unchanged: Joss Whedon’s character dialogue looks excellent (“I have an army”… “We have a Hulk”) but I’m worried it will devolve into a comicy, actiony CG-feast. Plus, while I LOVE Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, I don’t see why there’s been ravings about the Hulk online when it hardly seems any different to the previous movies. ...
Read More TrailersGiven how widely panned his buddy-cop comedy Cop Out was amid reports of studio meddling, one might’ve expected writer-director Kevin Smith to retreat to to the cosy comfort of something more indie-flavoured. Back to his roots, perhaps even another slacker-com with pop culture references, that sort of thing. With follow-up Red State, the spirit is certainly independent once again (made and delivered in five months on his smallest budget since Chasing Amy), yet the genre is entirely new, with the controversial, tweet-happy filmmaker (who likened the aforementioned pannings to the ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite the obvious intrigue of seeing House and Cuddy (or ‘Huddy’, as the kids are calling them) getting together, season seven is curiously one of the show’s least memorable years. Crucially, the series hasn’t jumped the shark just yet (as many are claiming), despite a shocking, did-they-really-just-do-that climax which leaves next season with an almighty narrative problem to write itself out of (good luck with that). But even though it’s marvelous to have come this far at all (how many shows do you know which have maintained their quality for several ...
Read More TV ReviewFollowing on from the surprising success of the Beeb’s revitalised Doctor Who, showrunner Russell T. Davies decided to branch out with a darker and sexier spin-off. Though set in the same Whouniverse (Captain Jack popped up during Christopher Ecclestone’s run), Torchwood’s appealing remit – according to Davies – was to offer a grittier, more adult alternative for those who find Who too childish. But while undoubtedly more sweary, violent and sexual, the result sadly isn’t the grown-up substitute some of us were hoping for. Regardless of how hard Torchwood tries, ...
Read More TV ReviewThe latest small-screen must-see from choice network HBO, Boardwalk Empire is event television which arrived with such impressive credentials and pedigree that it was worth shouting about. For one, the pilot was directed by celebrated filmmaker Martin Scorsese (who also weighed in on casting decisions and contributed creative input at weekly meetings) and for two, showrunner Terence Winter was one of David Chase’s key writers on The Sopranos. As such, many were expecting another mob masterpiece which would finally fill the vacant throne left by Chase’s seminal mob series. But ...
Read More TV ReviewOne of the most ludicrously-enjoyable and purposefully-naff genre pictures captured on film, Starship Troopers is a knowing B-movie with an A-movie budget. Though the cinematically uneducated will assume that it’s a dumb and genuinely terrible slab of science fiction ham (which, on some levels, it is), this is all intentionally part of the charm, with director Paul Verhoeven playing the whole thing as a thinly-veiled satire on war, action flicks and military propaganda. One of the few so-bad-it’s-good experiences to achieve such a result on purpose, it fuses cheesy Melrose ...
Read More Film ReviewOkay, so it’s February and the vast majority of these lists came online in December, but there were still one or two movies I wanted to check out first before deciding on my ten. To be honest, there’s still a few I haven’t seen and (obviously) I didn’t catch every film released in 2011, as I’m just one man and (sadly) this isn’t my job. I managed to watch 152 films in 2011, but whilst that might not sound like a lot to some cinema geeks, I reviewed each and ...
Read More FeatureThe Descendants is the kind of movie which sneaks up on you. At first, you’re not really sure where it’s going or if all the festival circuit, award season hype is justified, but soon Alexander Payne’s adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemming’s novel proves itself to be an involving and worthwhile experience. Though straightforward enough that there’s few narrative surprises in store, Payne’s first film in seven years is still up there with his finest, even if some fans have complained that it’s less cynical and more accessible (oh no!) than ...
Read More Film ReviewFrom the outside, The Help seems like an uncomplicated, heart-warming and old-fashioned woman’s melodrama – and that’s exactly what it is. Based on Kathryn Stockett’s bestseller, Southern-born actor-turned-director Tate Taylor captures the chicken-frying, pie-baking flavour of civil rights-era Mississippi flawlessly, while periodically pushing our emotional buttons without it feeling manipulative. Truthfully, the overlong running-time could use some of its fat trimmed away and the narrative here occasionally feels a tad bland given how straightforward it is, but still this sticky-warm period piece provides some stirring moments (see Allison Janney’s hugely-affecting late ...
Read More Film ReviewOne of the few out-and-out action stars left wandering Hollywood, you roughly know what you’re going to get from a Jason Statham movie. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing mind you, as the Stath’s inimitable brand of stubbly head-kicking has almost become a genre in its own right. And whilst Elliott Lester’s Blitz occasionally veers between different tones – an up-tempo actioner, a gritty killer-thriller, a reflective drama about about a female copper (up-and-comer Zawe Ashton) – it’s still an oddly entertaining and perfectly serviceable slice of Statham ...
Read More Film ReviewA curious Scandinavian oddity which has infiltrated the mainstream, Troll Hunter proves that there’s still life left in the well-worn found-footage monster movie – when it’s done right. Of course, comparisons with the likes of The Blair Witch Project (which remains the sub-genre’s key text) and Cloverfield are as inevitable as they are just, whilst director Andre Ovredal also infuses his shaky-cam mockumentary with a Nordic fairytale vibe and moments which are reminiscent of Jurassic Park. Overdal, a former student filmmaker himself, admirably plays the whole thing deadly straight, though ...
Read More Film ReviewMore than just another British council estate drama to add to the collection, Tyrannosaur is a tough and powerful piece of filmmaking which is certainly worth the praise it generated on the festival circuit. Importantly though, while the violence here isn’t presented in a graphic or excessive manner (mostly occurring off-camera), prospected viewers should prepare themselves for a grim and consistently bleak experience, which many will find to be a harrowing watch. A first-date movie, this definitely isn’t. What it is though, is an assured and impressive directorial debut from ...
Read More Film ReviewDemonstrating how to get the tricky horror-comedy balance just right, Craig Gillespie’s Fright Night is an unexpectedly pleasant surprise which offers a welcome antidote for anyone who’s fed up with the recent trend of brooding, misunderstood bloodsuckers. The prospect of remaking Tom Holland’s dated ’85 cult favourite might’ve struck some fans as unnecessary, but the result is far more involving and enjoyable than initially expected. Admittedly, the opening, character-establishing ten minutes aren’t as engaging as what follows, but from here it’s a fun, stylish and progressively-morish ride. Though consistently eerie ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen plans for an Inbetweeners movie were first announced, many of us were understandably not sold on the idea. No question, for three seasons the show had blended puerile schoolboy humour with an undercurrent of friendship and poignancy to result in one of the best and most popular Brit-coms in years, but was a big-screen offshoot the best idea for a post-series coda? After all, aside from the fact that it sounded like a cynical excuse to squeeze extra cash from the property, even the likes of The Simpsons, The ...
Read More Film ReviewMuch more engrossing than a movie where characters mostly stare at computer screens, make telephone calls and discuss numerical values should be, Margin Call is a talky, grown-up thriller in the finest sense. Comprised of a series of tense one-on-ones, boardroom debates and all-night meetings, it’s a dramatic and genuinely gripping affair which often feels like a stage play given how the story is dialogue-driven and unfolds almost entirely (save for a couple of scenes) in one location over a compressed time period. Arguably what’s most impressive though is how ...
Read More Film ReviewAside from the fact that many potential viewers weren’t sold on the idea of a two and a half hour movie about a horse – even when told by storyteller extraordinaire Steven Spielberg – War Horse received early criticism for its sentimental and emotionally-manipulative approach. Thing is though, while undeniably sentimental and emotionally-manipulative (helped no end by John Williams’ frequently-swelling score), it’s more involving than you might initially imagine, with the bearded filmmaker conjuring up a sweeping family spectacle. Undeniably, Spielberg often dips his toes into corny waters (such as ...
Read More Film ReviewArriving on our shores accompanied by some very enthusiastic word of mouth, Animal Kingdom is a based-on-a-real-case Aussie crime drama which had all the critics talking. Though not quite as brilliant as some would have you believe, it’s a consistently tense and progressively affecting slow-burn thriller which merges unpredictable violence with Shakespearean family tragedy to solid effect. With its sweaty, lived-in ambience and bleakly oppressive atmosphere we’re held at something of a distance, but debut filmmaker David Michôd uses the sombre tone to keep us on our toes, while the ...
Read More Film ReviewThough the casting of Mel Gibson brought with it enough controversial baggage to potentially engulf the project in negative publicity, it’s hard to think of a better choice. No question, it was a brave move by director and long-time friend Jodie Foster, but given that the formerly-beloved Lethal Weapon star has seen both his family life and career implode after a series of well-documented troubles, he was perhaps the perfect person for the job. A broken man trying to resurrect himself playing a broken man trying to resurrect himself – ...
Read More Film ReviewFeaturing both an alien invasion and a post-apocalypse Earth, The Darkest Hour merges two popular filmic trends in recent years. But while we’ve been treated to more than enough interesting and worthy genre efforts to keep us going through all the clunkers, Chris Gorak’s soviet spectacle isn’t another one to add to the list. In fairness, it’s refreshing to have the action play out in Moscow as opposed to a typically-generic American city (even if nearly every Russian stereotype is reinforced in the process), but the result is still a ...
Read More Film ReviewWith the likes of I Am Legend, The Road and The Book Of Eli all released in the last few years, we’ve hardly been short on post-apocalypse moviemaking. But whilst Stake Land contains ingredients from all three as an apocalyptical road movie with mutant vampires, it’s an excellent and very worthy addition to the genre which offers one of the most engrossing horrors in recent times. Persistently dark, occasionally thoughtful and refreshingly unpredictable, it’s an assured and edgy indie piece which is undoubtedly low-budget and downbeat, but not nearly cheap ...
Read More Film ReviewFor those who fancy reading my thoughts on the final instalment of season two of Sherlock, head over to Empire’s blog: It returned to our screens a mere three weeks ago, but that’s it for season two of the Beeb’s utterly-brilliant Sherlock. Mirroring the superlative first season, the second began with a dizzying, Moffat-written opener, dipped slightly in the middle with a self-contained mystery and finished with a tantalising, event-packed finale which will have us formulating theories in our mental palaces until next year. Although for all the high-functioning sociopaths reading ...
Read More BlogWhile Real Steel is unquestionably a movie where big robots bash and pummel the scrap metal out of each other, there’s a little more going on than just a series of steel-punching dust-ups. Predictably labelled as Rocky meets Transformers, it might not be in the same weight class as the former, but, importantly, it’s got much more heart than the latter, with director Shawn Levy purposefully structuring the familiar boxing underdog narrative around a sentimental father-son dynamic. No argument, it’s cliched and predictable (film fans will be able to guess ...
Read More Film ReviewNo matter what your personal politics are or what you think of her, Margaret Thatcher is undeniably a fascinating person upon which to base a movie. After all, while passionate divides remain drawn between those who’ll never forgive her for certain contributions during her time in charge (IE the poll tax) and those who still admire her bold, uncompromising leadership style, there’s zero doubt that she’s one of the most controversial, divisive and iconic figures in British history. As such, the woman known as the Iron Lady (a moniker which ...
Read More Film ReviewEvery mother’s worst nightmare, We Need To Talk About Kevin revolves around the child from hell. In her third and long-awaited feature, Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay crafts Lionel Shriver’s novel into a challenging, unsettling and thought-provoking experience which will get in your head and stay there. Both an independently-spirited arthouse drama and an eerie slow-burn horror, it’s admittedly the sort of movie which is hard to love and, at times, more uncomfortable viewing than it is enjoyable, but one which is hugely affecting and progressively compelling. While the book read ...
Read More Film ReviewIf those fluffy, glossy, happy-ending romances which clog up multiplexes occupy one end of the spectrum, then Blue Valentine exists firmly at the other. As far from the idealised fairytale which Hollywood sells us as possible, it’s a hugely-authentic and relentlessly-realistic portrayal of how relationships really are (well, most of the time). Though the credits normally roll after the guy and girl have gotten together, here the happily-ever-after illusion is shattered as we flip back and forth between the exciting early days of dating and the bitter final days where ...
Read More Film ReviewEarlier in the week I reviewed the second episode of Sherlock‘s second season for Empire magazine. Hop over there to feast your filmic eyes. So last week I thoroughly enjoyed the marvellous season two opener of Sherlock, which welcomed the Beeb’s modern day story of Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary sleuth back to our screens with assurance. Like the first season’s opening instalment, it was penned by co-creator Steven Moffat and offered a frequently-breathless plate-spinning act of knotty plotting, dazzling dialogue and Watson-impressing deductions. Admittedly, there were one or two niggles (as ...
Read More BlogDespite the fascinating Twilight Zone-ish premise about the discovery of another Earth which is populated by our exact doubles, Another Earth is not really a sci-fi fantasy. Instead, it’s decidedly low-key drama about two very damaged characters, with the spectre of this science-fiction occurrence hanging hauntingly in the background. As such, it’s definitely one for the indie crowd, while despite the tiny budget and, arguably, over-gloomy mood, former documentary man Mike Cahill imbues his feature debut with a few striking visuals and an ironically-otherworldly ambience. The sort of quiet and ...
Read More Film ReviewBoth a melancholic black comedy and an offbeat Irish crime flick, The Guard is a somewhat similar experience to In Bruges. Aside from the central casting of native Brendan Gleeson, similarities shouldn’t be particularly surprising given that writer-director John Michael McDonagh is the brother of Bruges helmer Martin, meaning that sweary, occasionally-violent Connemara-tinted capers clearly run in the family. Again, it’s a divisive sort of movie, where the sense of humour won’t be for everyone. Simultaneously profane, broad and eccentric, it’s all very knowing though, and you get the sneaking ...
Read More Film ReviewThough Paul reunites Simon Pegg with his comic partner and real-life best-bud Nick Frost (whilst also offering their first script together), it does so without usual collaborator Edgar Wright – the other third of the creative-trio responsible for the seminal sitcom Spaced, as well as both Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz. As such, anyone expecting another Shaun or Fuzz sadly won’t get it, since Wright’s distinctive style, visual trickery and surreal flourishes are all noticeably absent. Not that this is necessarily the fault of replacement director Greg Mottola, ...
Read More Film ReviewYet another new interpretation of Charlotte Bronte’s enduring romance, this Jane Eyre offers a decent – if not overly memorable – adaptation which focuses primarily on the love affair angle. Despite all the windswept moors and gloomy castles, it’s strikingly shot by filmmaker Cary Fukunaga for the most part, who ensures the sullen vibe of his occasionally-stirring period piece rarely boils over from introspective brooding into downright depressing territory. Whilst Fukunaga arguably underplays the intriguing mystery element (a midnight noise here, an unexplained fire there) in favour of the romantic ...
Read More Film ReviewNeds, which stands for Non-Educated Delinquents, is a Scottish terms used to describe hoodlums. Different places have different names for them (see also ‘chavs’ or ‘pikeys’), and we’ve seen plenty of movies on the subject before, most notably from social realist filmmakers Ken Loach and Shane Meadows. In his third feature as writer-director, familiar Scottish actor Peter Mullan might tread on this well-worn ground, but he does so in a way which is often gripping, unexpectedly cinematic and with enough surreal flourishes for it to stand out. Claiming that ...
Read More Film ReviewUnderstandably, many questioned why we’d be seeing a mainstream remake of a European hit merely two years after it was released to widespread acclaim. After all, aside from how well-received Niels Arden Oplev’s 2009 Swedish-language adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s best-seller was, Noomi Rapace had already provided a somewhat definitive portrayal of the eponymous heroine. But while an English-speaking version initially reeked of cynical cash-grabbing, this Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a worthy addition to the phenomenon and certainly not a Hollywood hack-job which has been needlessly spiced-up for the ...
Read More Film ReviewGiven that his career output over recent years has swung between well-received returns to form (Kick-Ass, Bad Lieutenant) and misfires so poor that they’re becoming a genre in their own right, you never really know what you’re going to get with a Nic Cage movie. But while reuniting with Gone In 60 Seconds director Dominic Sena for a supernatural fantasy about witch hunts during the Crusades was a reasonably intriguing prospect, the end result is unfortunately closer to the latter end of his spectrum. Often playing like a buddy movie ...
Read More Film ReviewAs most guys who grew up during the 1980’s will passionately attest, the hugely-popular He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe animated cartoon was childhood-defining stuff. As a result, many of us embraced the live-action adaptation through boyhood and re-watched it to the point of wearing out our cherished VHS copies. Looking back, it’s undoubtedly more of a dated cult favourite than an enduring classic which holds up well, the sort of retro fantasy-adventure which modern audiences will inevitable dismiss as a silly, unintentionally-funny experience. But yet, while occasionally cheesy ...
Read More Film ReviewEssentially a continuation of the superb first season, the second is another three-episode run which thankfully provides more of the same. Again, each instalment is filmed with mockumentary realism and revolves around ministerial mishaps which spiral from throwaway incidents into media-worthy disasters, while creator Armando Iannucci and his writing team (which includes Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche and Peep Show’s Jesse Armstrong) offer the cleverest swearing on the box. Like before, it’s a sharp, funny and worryingly-plausible political satire which will have you in hoots of laughter even if you have zero ...
Read More TV ReviewWhere Guy Ritchie’s first Sherlock Holmes was something of a gamble (a director known for geezery gangster movies adapting literature’s most celebrated detective?), its success means that the second arrives as a bolder, more confident affair – and it shows. That said, although slightly better than last time, it’s essentially more of the same; a busy, action-packed blockbuster which is full of hectic set-pieces and mostly enjoyable thanks to the cheeky chemistry between the two bickering leads. No doubt, there’s nothing new here to convince the purists who were previously ...
Read More Film ReviewNo matter how hard the stubborn Arnie die-hards dismissively argued, Conan The Barbarian was an ideal movie and property to be remade. After all, even though John Milius’ original is held as a sword-and-sorcery classic of sorts, it’s a frustratingly slow and overly-ponderous experience which mostly remains notable as the film which propelled Arnold Schwarzenegger to the next level, while the sequel – despite its charms – is nothing more than a standard fantasy-adventure quest. Unfortunately though, whilst director Marcus Nispel is no stranger to re-imaginings (having helmed the Texas ...
Read More Film ReviewOver at Empire Magazine, I took a look at the first episode of Sherlock‘s second season. Even though Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes sequel A Game Of Shadows has been receiving positive-enough word of mouth, for many of us the real return of literature’s most iconic sleuth was always going to be the second season of Sherlock. Co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, it was an intelligent, playful and brilliantly-written take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories which seamlessly transplanted the high-functioning consulting detective from the Victorian era to the ...
Read More BlogThough the plot features a similar disavowed-team angle to that of Brian De Palma’s knotty, espionagey first instalment and Cruise has the same billowing hair as he did in John Woo’s over-styled second, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is happily a closer cousin to JJ Abram’s pulsing third. Like Abrams, franchise newbie Brad Bird avoids the overly-complicated plotting that let De Palma down and (thankfully) the slow-motion excess with doves which bloated Woo’s take, in favour of a playful thrill-ride which is primarily concerned with elevating the pulse. And while ...
Read More Film ReviewAnother of 2011’s genre mash-ups, the much-championed Kill List is a home-grown thriller-horror which offers an unsettling marriage of Ken Loach, the Coen brothers’ early work and The Wicker Man. The second feature from promising British filmmaker Ben Wheatley after his little-seen domestic crime drama Down Terrace, it’s a nightmarish and increasingly-uneasy experience, but one which ultimately proves fascinating in the way that it constantly takes your expectations and abruptly tosses them out the window. Simmering and unpredictable, Wheatley consistently catches us off-guard with his unconventional lane-changing, shaking things up ...
Read More Film ReviewEven for those with zero interest in politics, government or current affairs, The Thick Of It offers one of the sharpest, funniest and smartest (not to mention, sweariest) shows on the box. A brilliantly-biting political satire from talented Scottish comic and I’m Alan Partridge co-creator Armando Iannucci, it was shamefully hidden away on BBC2 upon release, but has since found its way to award-winning status and is now held in high regard among tasteful viewers. Though initially only given the budget for a single pilot, Iannucci somehow shot and completed ...
Read More TV ReviewFor a big, blockbustery summer popcorn flick, Cowboys & Aliens had enough potential and talent to get excited about. Okay, so the say-what-you-see title was the very definition of uninspiring, but we had an interesting, genre-mashing premise, the director of Iron Man and two leading men who, between them, have essayed the iconic likes of James Bond, Indiana Jones and Han Solo. Throw into the mix a trio of creative producers (Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer) and this was one which fanboys were going to check out, kiddie-ish name ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though it’s about a weary has-been and a ragtag bunch of misfits who rise up against the odds after hitting rock bottom, Moneyball isn’t a traditional ‘sports movie’. Wisely restricting the actual sport to a handful of brief, well-chosen moments, we don’t follow the familiar series of big games, but a quietly-intelligent study of what happens behind the scenes when someone attempts to change the game. More of a talky backroom drama, you don’t necessarily have to know anything about baseball to get swept up in the story (which ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile the plot might sound like a ready-made recipe for an actiony event movie, Contagion lies somewhere in between a thriller and a horror. Unlike the similarly-themed and, frankly, underrated Outbreak (which also starred Gwyneth Paltrow), director Steven Soderbergh isn’t interested in adventurous heroics, dodging helicopters or finding that save-all monkey – just in a chilling and scarily plausible ‘what if?’ scenario. Here we don’t have brave military men saving towns from being nuked, just a rapidly-spreading epidemic and cold, self-preservation until the science bods find a cure. If, that ...
Read More Film ReviewAccurately described as the modern generation’s equivalent of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Terence Malick’s highly-anticipated The Tree Of Life is a similarly polarising big-budget arthouse piece which is certain to divide audiences in its contemplation of mankind’s place in the grander scheme of things. Sure, the philosophy lecturer-turned-visionary filmmaker has attempted important issues before, but here he seeks to capture the meaning of human life and existence. Presented through a frequently-wondrous portrait of American boyhood, it’s a deeply introspective and intermittently thought-provoking piece which takes on some weighty existential questions. ...
Read More Film ReviewAnother arty auteur who quietly slipped into Hollywood’s mainstream, Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn has divided audiences since veering into more commercial territory with his Kubrick-esque biopic Bronson and trippy Viking journey Valhalla Rising. Another multiplex movie infused with his arthouse sensibilities, Drive is destined to be a similarly divisive experience. Having roared out of Cannes and the festival circuit to widespread acclaim, it’s since been enthusiastically championed by critics while leaving popcorn audiences somewhat underwhelmed. Infused with distinctive ‘80s stylings (check out the title art) and a retro synthy ...
Read More Film ReviewAs the eighth and final instalment in the phenomenally-popular series which has spanned ten years, seven previous movies, four directors and, well, a lot of money, there was an almost unparalleled amount of pressure facing Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Expected to provide a payoff befitting such a long-running build-up, juggle all the remaining plot-arcs and finish a story that’s been a decade in the making, returning director David Yates (who’s handled each Potter since he took charge of The Half-Blood Prince) and his team faced a ...
Read More Film ReviewTo answer an obvious question which potential viewers might be wondering first, you don’t need to be interested in (or care about) motor racing to enjoy Senna. Even if all that F1 means to you is the noisy roar of turbo engines on Sunday afternoon television, it’s a compelling human drama from director Asif Kapadia, a filmmaker known for arthouse work making his documentary debut. Impressively, there’s a huge amount of material available. From his early career to his infamous rivalry with one-time teammate Alain Prost (the film’s most engaging ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though the final movie won’t be with us until next December (SIGH), Peter Jackson has got us all excited already with the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. There’s a slightly (key word) more comic feel to parts of it (which presumably take place at the start of Bilbo’s journey), but on the whole it has the same look and feel. Which is, of course, awesome news. Martin Freeman looks like superb casting (bravo), Richard Armitage is a great fit and all the old faces slot in ...
Read More TrailersWhile news of Sherlock Holmes’ overdue return to the big-screen was a welcome and appetite-whetting prospect, many film-fans were understandably not sold on the appointment of Guy Ritchie as director. After all, as harmlessly-fun as the likes of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch were, a man known for geezery gangster Brit-flicks was hardly the ideal choice for literature’s most cerebral sleuth. But yet, having apparently grown up listening to Holmes’ stories through the loudspeakers of his boarding school dormitory, Ritchie’s own take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s legend ...
Read More Film ReviewGiven the explosive popularity of Mixed Martial Arts over recent years, it was inevitable that a film revolving around the sprawlin’-brawlin’ world of cage-fighting was going to arrive at some point. More ‘when’ than ‘if’ really. But as a happy surprise though, while Warrior undoubtedly treads the well-worn ground of many sports movies that have gone before, it is surprisingly – and pleasantly – not content to merely cash-in on the latest sub-culture fad. Having provided crowd-pleasing sporting heroics before with Disney’s Miracle and handled strained family dynamics with underrated ...
Read More Film ReviewSo after months of posters, on-set photos and the recent six-minute IMAX-only prologue, the much-anticipated first full-length trailer for Chris Nolan’s Dark Knight Rises is finally with us. To borrow the words of Quantum Leap’s Sam Beckett, Oh boy… The start is a tad jarring in that’s it’s probably not what you expect from Nolan’s Batman (a shot in the broad daylight), but Nolan has stated his desire to take the Caped Crusader out of the shadows more this time around. Soon Hans Zimmer’s familiar score kicks in and it’s ...
Read More TrailersThough roughly every third movie which Woody Allen has released over the last decade or so has been dubbed as a ‘return to form’, Midnight In Paris is easily one of the highlights of this inconsistent run. On par with the likes of Match Point and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, it’s not as sharp or incisive as his earlier work, but exists as a light fantasy romance which is also, quite easily, the neurotic filmmaker’s most charming ‘comedy’ in years. Exploring themes of nostalgia and modernism via time-travel (IE, have you ...
Read More Film ReviewOpening with an operatic, unexplained and surreal ten-minute stretch of images, stills and paused scenes which are accompanied only by Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde theme, viewers will quickly have some idea of what to expect from Lars von Trier’s latest. Crucially, Melancholia isn’t the most challenging, difficult or in-your-face piece that the Danish director has unleashed on us, but it’s certainly another curious, cynical and confounding arthouse experience. Though revolving around the end of the world (quite literally), it’s foremost a haunting portrayal of depression (which both von Trier and ...
Read More Film ReviewGiven that he’s known for costume-clad, literary-adapted period dramas like Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, it’s fair to say that Hanna is not the sort of picture many of us expected next from filmmaker Joe Wright. A throbbing chase thriller filtered through his arthouse sensibilities, it’s a leftfield experience likely to split opinion among the predictable blockbuster crowd. But while you can imagine those looking for a conventional actioner will be left disappointed, those in the market for something more intelligent will find a superior, well-crafted and good-looking piece (the ...
Read More Film ReviewAmbitiously telling the complete story of the Arthurian Legend, many consider Excalibur as the definitive screen adaptation of Thomas Malory’s La Morte D’Arthur. But while its grand scale is admirable, managing to incorporate every essential element of the iconic myth (the Lady In The Lake, the Sword In The Stone, the Knights Of The Round Table, the Holy Grail), John Boorman’s fantasy adventure is a muddled and uneven affair which unsatisfyingly focuses all its attention on the story, and none on the characters. Notable for a cast which features a ...
Read More Film ReviewBoth his first kid’s film and foray into 3D, Hugo is something of a departure for critic’s favourite Martin Scorsese. Adapted from Brian Selznick’s children’s novel The Invention Of Hugo Cabret, it’s certainly new territory for the man whose cinematic flair shines brightest when detailing stories about organised crime and stylish violence, yet one which shouldn’t be that surprising given the versatility of his output. But while the end result is every inch as good-looking and exquisitely-shot as you’d expect from the influential filmmaker, it’s never nearly as compelling as ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen you think about it, it’s surprising that there aren’t more university-set comedies on television, given the potential provided for comic material. That said, while quickly labelled as a uni version of The Inbetweeners (a label reinforced by the casting of Joe Thomas), the hope for Fresh Meat was that co-creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain would do for the student experience what they did for twentysomethings with their consistently-sublime cult-favourite Peep Show. Here though, after Armstrong and Bain’s widely-praised first episode (which they penned), it slowly becomes clear that ...
Read More TV ReviewWhile certain to generate a fair amount of Oscar buzz and likely be involved come awards season, My Week With Marilyn is a more crowd-pleasing affair than the dry, blatant trophy-bait you’re probably expecting. Less stuffy and buttoned-up than The King’s Speech – a film to which comparisons will inevitably be made – it’s a light and likeable piece which is poignant, nostalgic and frequently involving. Based on two memoirs from protagonist Colin Clarke about the filming of Laurence Olivier’s forgotten-about comedy The Prince And The Showgirl (the first ...
Read More Film ReviewOpening with an intense, attention-grabbing hook where a tied-up Ethan Hunt is given till the count of ten before his wife is shot in front of him, new franchise director JJ Abrams wastes no time letting us know that he’s here to play. Head-hunted by Cruise after the megastar-come-producer was impressed by Abrams’ popular spy-fi series Alias at two in the morning, his mission – which he chose to accept – was to try and invest some humanity in the super-agent while reintegrating some of the original show’s team-trickery. Admittedly, ...
Read More Film ReviewEven from the outside, it’s easy to understand why critics are deservedly heaping praise on Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. An intelligent, subtle and impeccably-crafted spy thriller with a classy cast comprised of Britain’s finest talent, it’s a movie which reviewers will rightly endorse. That said, it’s also important for prospective viewers to note that it is not the sort of experience which mainstream audiences will respond to. Relentlessly low-key, requiring patient concentration and featuring almost no ‘action’, it’s a talky, grown-up yarn which will likely bore and confuse the popcorn ...
Read More Film ReviewIf you classify yourself as a clued-up film-buff or avid TV fan (which is fairly likely since you’re reading this review) and haven’t seen Community yet, then chances are you’ve just found your latest obsession. While criminally unknown and existing as another brilliant show which perpetually teeters on the precipice of cancellation, Dan Harmon’s geek-friendly college ensemble is the smartest and most innovative sitcom since the rightly-acclaimed (and undeservingly-axed) Arrested Development. While similarly self-aware and self-referential, further complimentary comparisons could also be made to cult Britcom Spaced, given the occasional ...
Read More TV ReviewTelling the story of a young boy who is whisked away to the North Pole in his dressing gown on Christmas Eve, The Polar Express is the sort of experience which will mesmerise younger viewers. Adapted from the beloved Children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, acclaimed filmmaker Robert Zemeckis really captures the wide-eyed wonder of Christmas and the exhilarating, ethereal magic of the night before. Rendering a landscape blanketed in majestic snowfall and bathed in an otherworldly midnight-mood, writer-producer-director Zemeckis perfectly encapsulates the enchanted fairytale atmosphere of December 24th, and ...
Read More Film ReviewLooking back at Star Trek, it’s easy to mock the retro naffness and poke fun at how dated it is. The alien costumes are often like bad Halloween outfits, the acting frequently veers into hammy territory and some of the alien planets are blatantly obvious as semi-disguised sets differentiated mainly by their different coloured skies. But yet, while cheapened by an obviously-minimal budget and made during the prehistoric age of special effects, Gene Roddenberry’s camp science fiction series was nothing short of pioneering, giving birth to a near-unparalleled cult phenomenon, ...
Read More TV ReviewGiven that Brian De Palma’s knotty original was criticised due to its overly-plotted narrative, star-come-producer Tom Cruise faced a difficult challenge with the sequel. But then, as Anthony Hopkins’ bossman memorably puts it; “This isn’t mission difficult, it’s mission impossible. Difficult should be a walk in the park”. Recruiting stylish Hong Kong director John Woo to give his take on the seminal ’60s series, the result is everything the original wasn’t: a high-tempo action ride with straightforward plotting. This time, it’s an assault to the senses, not the mind. Arguably, ...
Read More Film ReviewThough easily one of the most intriguing projects that Nicholas Cage has taken on in years, Knowing has proved an audience-dividing experience. Some still argue that it’s an underrated sci-fi thriller in need of re-evaluation, many remain disappointed and a small group passionately label it as a notably-awful failure. But yet, while the majority of viewers tend to fall into the latter categories, it isn’t as bad as certain parties have suggested. The second big-screen science-fiction blockbuster from stylish filmmaker Alex Proyas’ after his disappointingly-commercial Will Smith vehicle I, Robot, ...
Read More Film ReviewEver felt really frustrated that life is working against you? That some higher power is constantly conspiring to thwart you? That the fates won’t let you get what you want? Where you want? Who you want? If so, The Adjustment Bureau is a film that will speak to you – and then some. If not, it’s still a very satisfying, well-made movie, and one which deserves more than the criminally-lukewarm response that it’s getting. Arguably, this is attributable to the clever misdirection of the marketing and trailers which somewhat inaccurately ...
Read More Film ReviewIt might be a low-budget black and white science fiction flick from the 50s, but the original Invasion Of The Body Snatchers remains a nightmarish and affecting genre classic which is worth revisiting. Based on Jack Finney’s enduring novel and directed by a pre-Dirty Harry Don Siegel, it all rests on a brilliantly spine-chilling premise: that instead of showing up in spaceships for a battle, aliens decide to take our planet by gradually working themselves into our society so that by the time we’ve noticed – it’s too late. The ...
Read More Film ReviewEver since they revolutionised the comedy landscape with their seminal mockumentary The Office and followed up in style with industry send-up Extras, talented co-creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have been gradually introducing the world to Karl Pilkington. First meeting at XFM radio station, the duo initially dismissed him as a dim producer who merely ‘pushed the buttons’ for them, before growing to love his unique mindset, bizarre theories and oddball ramblings, all the while slowly realising that they’d struck comic gold. Mentioning Karl in stand up, affording him small ...
Read More TV ReviewNowadays, many of us tend to write off the majority of studio-based sitcoms on TV, understandably viewing the accompanying audience laughter as an old-fashioned, distinctly-Americanised trait that was phased out in Britain years ago. The argument being, of course, that any form of inserted laughter has long since become an overused tool used to ‘tell’ us what is funny and when to laugh. But yet, while CBS’ Big Bang Theory is one such show, it’s smarter, funnier and more likeable than you’d probably imagine. Admittedly, the comedic wheel isn’t being ...
Read More TV ReviewAs any sci-fi fan worth their cinematic salt will tell you, writer-director Andrew Niccol is one of the most imaginative and talented filmmakers working today. From his compelling feature debut Gattaca to the wonderful Truman Show (which he ‘merely’ wrote) to the underrated likes of S1m0ne, Niccol has proved himself time again as a premier purveyor of conceptual, thought-provoking science fiction. As such, given that In Time was both his first project in six years and another high-concept genre piece, it was a prospect that many of us (this writer ...
Read More Film ReviewFrom the outside, The Debt appears like a solid, if somewhat unremarkable, Cold War thriller with an A-list cast – and that’s exactly that it is. Solid, yet unremarkable. Admirably placing suspense over action, it’s well made and well directed by filmmaker John Madden (still known best for helming Shakespeare In Love), if not particularly memorable. Though based on the 2007 Israeli film Ha-Hov, the similarities in plot (Mossad spying) and themes (guilt, isolation, questions of morality) will draw inevitable comparisons with Steven Spielberg’s Munich, despite not existing in quite ...
Read More Film ReviewTwo years before he revitalised the flailing British film industry with era-defining tour de force Trainspotting, acclaimed filmmaker Danny Boyle also gave it a swift, much-needed kick up the backside with his feature debut Shallow Grave. Teaming up with the creative collaborators who would inform his early career (writer John Hodge, producer Andrew McDonald, star Ewan McGregor), Boyle’s graduation from television might’ve been a low-budget independent picture, but it was a notable success in both critical and financial terms. A grisly thriller marinated in dark, gallows humour, it might look ...
Read More Film ReviewRegularly named as a contender for the greatest comedy ever made, Monty Python’s Life Of Brian is often cited as the pinnacle of the surrealist troupe’s work. Their second ‘proper’ movie after Monty Python And The Holy Grail (debut And Now For Something Completely Different doesn’t count as a compilation of re-shot sketches), it famously originated when Eric Idle flippantly responded at a press conference that their next project would be called ‘Jesus Christ – Lust For Glory’. While some find Holy Grail a funnier experience (including this writer), The ...
Read More Film ReviewThe Monty Python troupe’s surrealist humour isn’t to everyone’s tastes, but for those who ‘get’ it, their bonkers brand of comedy remains up there with the best. Influential enough to earn them comparisons with the Beatles, the cult comic group – comprised of John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones – found fame with Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a television sketch show where the gang acted as a self-contained team responsible for both writing and performing. Cracks began to show after a mere three ...
Read More Film ReviewWhile BBC’s Merlin is still too family-orientated to fully become the show you want it to be, the second season is thankfully a touch darker than the frustratingly-light first. Before you get carried away, it’s still largely more of the same overall (the Arthurian legend meets Smallville), but the lighthearted episodic fantasy finds slightly more time for adult themes and genuine character drama than before. Deepening the relationships, the likeable cast continue to be the series’ main selling point, while the steadily ongoing (or, some might say, slow) development of ...
Read More TV ReviewSo, after only one episode of Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant’s new comedy Life’s Too Short, the critics are already on its back. Hugely predictable if you ask me, since as soon as the whole Ricky Twitter debacle began, you could almost hear the snipers sharpening their knives in an I’ll-show-you kind of way. Now, while I’m not willing to get drawn on the whole ‘mongs’ debate (aside from adding that far too many people take political correctness over the top), that has no bearing on the show – and ...
Read More BlogOkay, get your head round this one. A Cock And Bull Story is a movie within a movie. Actually, it’s more a movie about a film crew making a movie. To confuse matters further, there’s narration to camera and a few dream sequences dotted throughout. And, to make things even worse, many will be expecting the result to be an out-and-out comedy – which it’s not. Instead, Michael Winterbottom’s strange mockumentary works best as a behind-the-scenes look at how farcical making a motion picture can be. For most of the running ...
Read More Film ReviewModern audiences might scoff, but Halloween undoubtedly remains the father of modern slasher movies. Despite only having two films behind him at the time – expanded college project Dark Star and siege classic Assault On Precinct 13 – John Carpenter’s third feature changed the genre forever and remains one of the most important horror experiences of all time. Arguably, the impact might have diluted thanks to ironic tributes (Scream), blatant spoofs (Scary Movie) and countless copycats, but despite an obviously low budget (shot for $300,000), Carpenter’s iconic masterpiece still offers a primal, genuinely terrifying experience. Chilling ...
Read More Film ReviewIf you’re thinking that The Mechanic looks like another Jason Statham flick not dissimilar to the likes of Crank and The Transporter, then bingo – you’re spot on. Hell, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing either, as it means Stath fans get another watchable and competent (if ultimately unsatisfying) actioner with everyone’s favourite Brit hardman. It’s also not necessarily a great thing though, as director Simon West (of Con Air and Tomb Raider ‘fame’) doesn’t offer explosion fans much new to chomp on. In all fairness mind you, this loose ...
Read More Film ReviewAnother retro flicks that ’80s kids still love, Gremlins is both dated and timeless. Like both Back To The Future and The Goonies, it’s also blessed with that Steven Spielberg touch of magic, the beard lending his golden touch as producer to director Joe Dante’s offbeat horror-comedy. Throw into the mix kid’s movie specialist Chris Columbus (Adventures In Babysitting, Home Alone) as writer, and you’ve got yourself quite a creative team. So what to expect? Well, with the wide-eyed and impossibly-loveable Gizmo, there’s fuzzy cuteness. With a snow-covered small town in ...
Read More Film ReviewWhether you thought The Hangover was the best comedy of recent years or an overrated crude-fest, its runaway, all-conquering success ensured we’d be seeing a sequel at some point. Regardless of which group you belong to though, you can’t really blame director Todd Phillips for re-teaming with his bearded, break-out star Zach Galifianakis and sticking to the same broad brand of juvenile humour for an eagerly-awaited follow-up to keep fans amused until the Wolf Pack returned. But while this looked like a sure-fire recipe for another mega-hit on paper, Due ...
Read More Film ReviewAs is the case with many nostalgic retro favourites, time hasn’t been especially kind to Logan’s Run. Though cutting-edge back then and still something of a curious proposition overall, Michael Anderson’s dystopian sci-fi thriller can’t escape it’s kitschy seventies roots, while the fact that a only year after its release George Lucas changed the game and raised the bar immeasurably with Star Wars can’t have helped. But yet, while more of an important artefact than a timeless classic, Anderson’s adaptation of William F Nolan and George Clayton Johnson’s novel remains ...
Read More Film ReviewThough the heavy overdoses of rampant sleaze, sweaty sex and jiggling nakedness ensure that HBO’s latest big hit certainly isn’t Twilight: The Series, audience lapped it up anyway. That being true, this fantasy-drama-comedy from Alan Ball (the man behind Six Feet Under) isn’t worth all the rabid hype, as ironically, there’s not much soul underneath all the filth, shagging and boobies. On the plus side, this guilty pleasure adaptation of Charlaine Harris’ book unfolds nicely over 12 serialised-episodes and offers some intriguing cliffhangers. Whist the swampy Southern backwater setting is ...
Read More TV ReviewWhat’s most frustrating about Devil isn’t that it’s bad. In fact, it’s a perfectly watchable thriller. Instead, what really frustrates is that considering how tantalising the premise is (five people stuck in a life and one might be… Lucifer himself!), the result isn’t nearly what it could be. Or should be. Whilst there are moments of atmosphere, tension and claustrophobia, that’s all they are. Moments. And, even though the much talked-about M. Night Shyamalan isn’t writing or directing, as the first in his Twlight Zone-ish ‘Night Chronicles’ (he produced and ...
Read More Film ReviewQuestion: aside from a tasty baguette, what else is long, French and tastier than it looks? Answer: A Prophet. Whilst the fact that it wowed festivals and smashed the box-office in France likely won’t impress your average movie fan, this is a crime thriller well worth seeing. Chances are, you’ve probably never heard of international director Jacques Audiard’s past two efforts (2001′s Read My Lips, 2005′s The Beat That My Heart Skipped) but this prison drama is the latest foreign movie that it’s okay to like. Undeniably, the 155-minute running-time ...
Read More Film ReviewGone Baby Gone is many things. It’s an accomplished, hard-hitting movie about a missing child. It’s a striking ethical dilemma that will surely start debate. It’s also a reflective, intelligent and thoughtful drama that’ll stay with you. But more than all of this, it’s a personal triumph for Ben Affleck (yes, that Ben Affleck) in his directorial debut. Despite deservedly winning an Oscar for co-writing Good Will Hunting, people wrote him off as the grinning, paparazzi-fodder boyfriend of J-Lo. Irrespective of some great performances (like the small, show-stopper in Boiler ...
Read More Film ReviewThe latest hip indie film to infiltrate the mainstream, Submarine is the debut feature film from cult-favourite comic actor Richard Ayoade. Though widely known as uber-geek Maurice Moss from channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, there’s a few strings to his bow (he appeared in and edited scripts for The Mighty Boosh, co-created the criminally-underwatched cult spoof Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, directed music videos for a number of top indie bands) – and this might be his truest calling yet. Writing and directing, the familiar coming-of-age narrative isn’t ground-breakingly original, but ...
Read More Film ReviewIn movieland, we’ve seen the wronged-man-on-the-run before, but rarely the wronged woman. We’ve also seen girl agents kicking ass before, yet mostly on the small screen (see JJ Abrams’ Alias or James Cameron’s Dark Angel). Interestingly though, whilst Salt provides both with a female Jason Bourne of sorts, this surprisingly isn’t the main selling point. Instead, what’s most intriguing is that where the Bourne franchise had a central character who didn’t know who he was, here it’s us – the audience – who don’t know… Is she a double-agent? Or ...
Read More Film ReviewIt’s hard to imagine now, but Steven Spielberg was once a young twentysomething upstart who jumped at the chance to direct a Movie Of The Week. A small budget made-for-TV film shot over an estimated 13 days, it was Spielberg’s first professional feature – and his first big success. Though built around an ultra-lean premise with hardly any dialogue, it’s a masterclass in generating suspenseful terror from a basic story, and has since gone on to become one of the most well-regarded small-screen thrillers in history. Undoubtedly, it’s a sparse ...
Read More Film ReviewThe first feature from British comedian-turned-filmmaker Joe Cornish (most famously known as one half of The Adam & Joe Show), Attack The Block arrived on a wave of high expectation after a relentless advertising campaign. As a low-budget British horror-comedy which poked fun at genre conventions while involving both Nick Frost and Edgar Wright (who executive produces), it was quickly and inevitably labeled as the next Shaun Of The Dead. But while Cornish’s debut is a hugely confident and accomplished effort which provides welcome nods to classic horror flicks, it’s ...
Read More Film ReviewBefore changing the face of cinema forever with his soaring Skywalker space opera, visionary filmmaker George Lucas had to start somewhere. That somewhere was THX 1138, the bearded Father of the Force’s first full-length feature, which grew as an extension of his award-winning USC student short film, Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB. Though a commercial failure upon release (and re-release), it enjoys a position as essential viewing of sorts being Lucas’ debut, existing more as a curious look at his early work than a movie in its own right. Crucially, ...
Read More Film ReviewWith Lesbian Vampire Killers, the trick is to go in expecting the worst. Met with overwhelmingly negative reviews and a largely apathetic response, this shouldn’t prove too difficult mind you. Despite having won us over in the delightful, deservedly BAFTA-winning British drama-comedy Gavin & Stacey, likeable double-act James Corden and Matthew Horne were suddenly everywhere (hosting chat shows, popping up on sketch shows) and their over-publicised leap to feature films didn’t look too appealing. But yet, approaching the project with low hopes should yield the best results, as it’s not ...
Read More Film ReviewMature, polished, accomplished… you could describe George Clooney’s fourth film as director the same way you would the man himself. Adapted from Beau Willimon’s stage play Farragut North – which is based on real experiences - The Ides Of March is a logical choice for activist Clooney, taking us behind the curtain of an electoral campaign and into the nitty-gritty. Admitely, it does so without offering many exceptional revelations or big insights that we didn’t already know (all politicians have dirty secrets, all inevitably disappoint, all eventually compromise or become cynical) – but ...
Read More Film ReviewThe first season of Luther certainly didn’t offer us the most original crime show we’d ever seen, but it was surprisingly entertaining and, at times, utterly gripping. While our eponymous detective was a cocktail of familiar cop clichés (a brilliant, obsessive, on-edge maverick separated from his wife) and the plotting occasionally worthy of eye-rolling given the logic leaps, it somehow worked and the larger-than-life glitches were kept plausible enough thanks to a brooding, magnetic central turn from Idris Elba. Back for a second helping, it’s largely more of the same, ...
Read More TV ReviewUndeniably, Luther isn’t the most original of police shows. A maverick, loose-cannon copper who’s on the edge, separated from his wife and battling personal demons? Yes, we’ve seen this sort of thing before. But yet, for all the well-worn cop clichés and familiar stereotypes, the Beeb’s psychological detective drama is surprisingly worthy and very watchable. Created by Spooks lead writer Neil Cross (who pens each instalment) and starring in-demand Brit talent Idris Elba, this six-part series rises above its generic storytelling ingredients to provide entertaining escapism which veers between guilty ...
Read More TV ReviewFor many fans and critics alike, From Russia With Love is often hailed among the series’ best instalments. Debuting a year after the franchise-birthing success of Dr No and chosen for adaptation when President John F. Kennedy named Ian Fleming’s novel among his top ten books, this second cinematic outing deserves such standing and offers superior, vintage Bond – if you can get past how dated it is at times. A high point in most respects, returning director Terence Young ups the action and establishes a tight, espionage-focussed plot, while ...
Read More Film ReviewAlthough the last decade has seen many cherished classics, cult favourites and established franchises receive belated and often unwanted sequels, Tron was an ideal property to revisit. Reason being, that whilst it was undoubtedly groundbreaking at the time, Steven Lisberger’s original now exists as more of a rusty pop culture touchstone and technological turning point than a timeless retro masterpiece. If we’re honest. Looking back, the visuals stand up surprising well and the still-exciting light cycle race fully deserves its iconic status, but the storytelling is as basic as ever ...
Read More Film ReviewEver dug out an old games console and been a little disappointed at how it wasn’t quite as good as you remember? Well, that’s what revisiting Beverly Hills Cop feels like. Sure, it’s a still entertaining and arguably helped set the template for a decade of action-comedies, but looking back Martin Brest’s eighties staple feels more broad and predictable than nostalgic memory dictates. Of course, if breezy comedy-flavoured actioners where substance isn’t a priority are your thing and you don’t mind jarringly-dated pop hits, then you’re in for a treat. As an obvious ...
Read More Film ReviewAlthough The Kids Are All Right revolves around two lesbian same-sex parents, that’s not the be-all and end-all. Importantly, in the same way that Brokeback Mountain was more about forbidden love than gay cowboys, this character-based drama isn’t just about lesbianism – it’s about how hard marriage and family life can be. And, while you might be imagining dry, blatant Oscar-bait, director and co-writer Lisa Cholodenko crafts an indie-mainstream hybrid that will delight both snobby critics and tasteful mainstream audiences. Given that Cholodenko also became pregnant via a sperm donor, there’s ...
Read More Film ReviewSince the underrated Robin Hood wasn’t the ratings success that the BBC were hoping for, the search was on for another Saturday night family-orientated drama. Wisely, co-creators Julian Murphy, Johnny Caps and Julian Jones turned to the timeless Arthurian legend, which boasts a similar vibe (swords, forests, knights, castles, ye olden times setting) but offers a much more fantastical slant. After all, if the Lord Of the Rings trilogy and the Harry Potter series have proved anything, it’s that fantasy isn’t exclusively for geeks anymore… However, whilst undoubtedly similar to ...
Read More TV ReviewThough coming decades after the golden age of animation which gave birth to most of Disney’s most memorable pictures (from, roughly, 1937 – 1967), The Lion King remains one of the most popular and beloved hits that the Mouse House has ever produced. Arguably the peak of the ‘90s animation renaissance, the studio’s 32nd feature was a mega hit at the time and currently sits as the highest-grossing hand-drawn film in history. Is it as good as fellow animal kingdom-set yarn The Jungle Book as it often disputed? Well that’s ...
Read More Film ReviewAssault On Precinct 13 isn’t one of John Carpenter’s very best movies, but it’s certainly among his most important. After polarising space satire debut Dark Star and before finding a knack for horror with a run of stone-cold classics, this second feature is – in the director’s eyes – his first real film, and the one that deservedly got him noticed. Openly transplanting Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo into the urban jungle whilst taking influence from George A Romero’s zombie-defining Night Of The Living Dead, it’s lean and brutal genre filmmaking ...
Read More Film ReviewLast week I went to see Steve Merchant’s new Stand-Up act in my hometown of Edinburgh, and wrote a write-up for Empire Magazine online. As such, here’s a link to the piece, in case you want to race over there and read it: So the other night I went to see Stephen Merchant’s stand-up gig Hello Ladies, and it was surprisingly excellent. Now, when I say ‘surprisingly’, this isn’t because I doubt the man’s comedic talent – quite the opposite. Even as someone who openly loves Ricky Gervais, I’m always quick ...
Read More BlogGiven how masterfully he translated a retro television favourite to the big screen with his soaring tour-de-force The Untouchables, Brian De Palma was a great choice to adapt Bruce Geller’s seminal spy series. A ‘new Hollywood’ director specialising in Hitchcockian thrillers, he crucially takes the material seriously and treats the show with respect, despite somewhat surprisingly opting for a largely one-man-mission instead of the usual team-orientated trickery. Sitting restlessly in between an action blockbuster and a cold war-flavoured thriller, it’s both genuinely exciting and appropriately paranoia-tinged – but yet not ...
Read More Film ReviewPart man. Part machine. All ’80s cult classic. Though those who haven’t seen Robocop could be excused for expecting a dated and silly shoot ‘em up, it’s actually a clever sci-fi actioner that’s still very watchable. Whilst it was also explicit filmmaker Paul Verhoeven’s first (and, arguably, best) studio picture before the likes of Basic Instinct, Showgirls and Starship Troopers, it’s still 100% his sort of movie: gory, gratuitous and ultra violent. And, as ever with Verhoeven, there’s liberal doses of biting social commentary spliced in between the blood-spraying carnage. Despite being ...
Read More Film ReviewQuite simply, Taken is exactly the experience you’re expecting. A relentlessly straightforward thriller (plot? There’s no time for that!), the action crowd will undoubtedly eat it up and defensively tell anyone who doesn’t offer a glowing recommendation to “accept it for what it is” or “stop looking too deeply”. Playing out like a middle-aged version of Bourne with more than a few hints of 24 (invicible spy Dad torturing, growling and kicking-ass till he gets his little girl back), fans of brainless actioners will love it. And then some. On the other hand, those who ...
Read More Film ReviewRegardless of his level of day-to-day involvement, any show co-conceived by the mind of JJ Abrams is certain to draw the attention of genre fans. With Alias, he created a compelling spy-fi saga where missions-of-the-week were elevated to near-greatness by a sprawling mythology, and with Lost he helped give birth to television that has become the very definition of serialised, can’t-miss-an-episode viewing. But importantly (and disappointingly), after musing on the difficulty of attracting mainstream viewers to densely-serialised TV, Abrams and his co-creating duo of Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci were ...
Read More TV ReviewIt seems amusingly unthinkable now, but there was a time when hardly anyone knew who James Bond was. Today of course, he’s one of the most recognisable characters in all of fiction and the protagonist of cinema’s most enduringly popular franchise (spanning 22 official movies over nearly 50 years at the time of writing), but back in the early sixties he was merely a fictional spy in British author Ian Fleming’s novels. While the first of these, Casino Royale, was unsuccessfully adapted for television in 1954 (with a hero named ...
Read More Film ReviewSmallville finished ages ago in the States (and if you, ahem, download), but the final season is coming to a close on British TV so thought I’d link to a review I wrote about the long-awaited finale. As mentioned in the piece itself, it contains major spoilers - so if you’ve not seen it yet then probably best to wait till after watching to have a read. If you have though, then for the full article you’ll need to fly up, up and away to Empire Magazine online… So here we are, ...
Read More BlogOver at Empire Magazine online, I’ve penned a piece debating what the best show currently in production is. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for some time, so decided to put pen (thought) to paper (Microsoft Word). Admittedly, the picture above is a bit of a spoiler, but it’s worth a read anyway. Well, in my humble opinion… Last year, we bid farewell to the mysterious hatch-filled island of Lost. Year before that, we waved goodbye to the good ship Battlestar Galactica (so say we all) for the last time. And, in ...
Read More FeatureThe first decent-length trailer for Marvel’s giganta-normously anticipated team-up movie The Avengers has landed online, and it looks pretty exciting in a so-good-so-far kinda way. As previously stated, I’ve been sceptical about the multi-hero idea since day one (it’s hard enough to craft a good storyarc for one character, let alone five or six), but then again Joss Whedon pulled off that particular trick before with Firefly, so let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. We don’t see much here that we didn’t know story-wise, but the action effects ...
Read More TrailersAre you a fan of David Chase’s seminal mafia masterpiece The Sopranos? What about HBO’s sprawling city-wide epic The Wire? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions and are in the market for a similar show now that both have departed stage left, then look no further than Showtime’s Brotherhood. Though cancelled itself after only three seasons due to tragically (yet predictably) low viewing figures, Blake Masters’ mixture of family drama and crime thriller will appeal to similar audiences. Indeed, as a densely plotted, intelligently crafted and flawlessly-realistic saga of ...
Read More TV ReviewBreaking Bad isn’t just the best show under the radar that many aren’t watching - it’s one of the best shows on TV full stop. Created by veteran X-Files producer and writer Vince Gilligan (geeks in the audience will note the Erlenmeyer Flask in-jokery), it’s a compelling mix of human drama and crime thriller, all laced together with wonderfully unpredictable writing, well-measured pinches of black comedy and impressively natural acting. Though the first season was sadly truncated to a mere seven episodes by the writer’s strike (meaning the finale doesn’t feel particularly ...
Read More TV ReviewSomewhat ironically, the decision to split JK Rowling’s final Harry Potter book into two movies has proved divisive. But while the more cynical viewer will argue that it’s an obvious attempt by greedy suits to milk their cash cow once more before the franchise is gone (which, to be honest, is likely the case), it’s also understandable from a storytelling point of view. After all, in the past Potterites have passionately objected to any instalment which didn’t cleave close to the source material, so why not take the time to ...
Read More Film ReviewBack in the ‘60s, you were simply never going to compete with James Bond in the super-spy stakes. At this point, the franchise was a handful of movies in and really hitting its stride en route to pop culture immortality, while Sean Connery’s iconic mix of unparalleled presence, purring virility and deadly cool was busy redefining the genre permanently. As such, when Bond supremo Harry Saltzman decided that one successful espionage-based franchise wasn’t enough for him, he hired Sidney J Furie to adapt the first of cook-turned-author Len Deighton’s cold ...
Read More Film ReviewAt first, you’d have been forgiven for approaching a modernisation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic sleuth with a certain level of scepticism. After all, aren’t the horse-drawn carriages, gas-lit lamps and cobble-stone streets of the Victorian era integral ingredients to the very essence and make-up of Sherlock Holmes? Well, as it turns out, no, not necessarily. Guy Ritchie’s still-fresh-in-the-memory cinematic adaptation might’ve kept the familiar Dickensian decade, but this mini-series of three 90-minute instalments is where the game is really afoot. Smart, inventive and fun, Sherlock was an instant, ...
Read More TV ReviewWith his surprisingly worthy Dawn Of The Dead remake, Zack Snyder proved himself able to successfully adapt another man’s existing work. With style. For his second feature, Snyder stays within the realm of adaptation, this time working from literary source material in the form of a limited-series graphic novel from seminal comic scribe Frank Miller (who, reassuringly, is involved as producer). Unlike the enthusiastic director’s well-received update of George Romero’s horror classic though, 300 isn’t a re-envisioning, re-working or re-jigging – it’s a straight-up translation. Only with an operatic nu-metal ...
Read More Film ReviewGeorge A Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead might be a black and white ’60s horror flick with a budget on par with your average home movie, but it essentially invented the zombie movie as we know it. His belated ’70s follow-up Dawn Of The Dead inevitably isn’t as important or iconic, but remains an equal in overall quality and, arguably, a superior in terms of sheer watchability. As for this third instalment in his seminal Dead series, while many critics hold it as an underappreciated and mistreated fellow classic, ...
Read More Film ReviewDespite sharing the same title as Stanley Kubrick’s swords and sandals Kirk Douglas-starring classic Spartacus (give or take a sub-title), the Starz Network’s slashing series takes a different approach to the historical legend. Indeed, almost immediately Spartacus: Blood and Sand literally carves itself out as a visceral hybrid of 300 and Gladiator. On one hand we’ve got the ultra-stylised hyper-violence of Zack Snyder’s Spartan actioner, achieved with copious slow-mo and frequent flesh-slashed blood-spraying. On the other, the inaugural stages obviously echo Ridley Scott’s gladiatorial epic, with an honourable soldier betrayed ...
Read More TV ReviewLooking back at Night Of The Living Dead now, it’s easy to imagine modern audiences impatiently (and predictably) writing it off. A black and white sixties movie with an amateur cast and a budget not far above a home movie? No chance. But yet, as the cinematically educated will tell you, without George A Romero’s ghoulish and shadowy debut, the zombie sub-genre as we know it might not exist… Of course, it’s no secret that Night is raw, rough around the edges and far from a polished classic, but its ...
Read More Film ReviewDon’t let the generic and questionably-punctuated title put you off, as Crazy, Stupid, Love isn’t just another average, instantly-forgettable romantic comedy. In truth, it’s not a revolutionary, game-changing one either, as the framework is pure rom-com 101 while the potentially top-drawer premise is occasionally let down by out-of-place broadness and a cloying sentiment. But yet, in only their second time in the directors chair, co-helmers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (who co-directed I Love You Phillip Morris and co-wrote Bad Santa) have combined with writer Dan Fogelman (Cars, Tangled) to ...
Read More Film ReviewBefore making her name with macho actioners like Point Break and tension-pulsing thrillers like The Hurt Locker, artist-turned director (and former Mrs James Cameron) Kathryn Bigelow started off like so many helmers do – in horror territory. Sadly though, her vampire-western debut was criminally overlooked at the time in favour of cult-favourite The Lost Boys (released a few months earlier) and still doesn’t get the credit it deserves. After all, long before Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez popularised the now-familiar notion of vampires dwelling in dusty desertville, Bigelow had the ...
Read More Film ReviewIn all likelihood, Valhalla Rising isn’t what you’re expecting. For starters, anyone hoping for a Braveheart-ish actioner with pillaging in horned helmets will be sorely disappointed, since this isn’t a ‘normal’ genre movie by any stretch, but a near-silent, arty existentialist trip. While some might have expected fast-rising Danish auteur Nicholas Winding Refn to go more mainstream after making a name for himself with the gritty Pusher trilogy and British debut Bronson, this is as un-Hollywood as you can get. As such, it’s the sort of acquired-taste moviemaking that very ...
Read More Film ReviewA loosely-told biopic about a highly-unpredictable real-life thug…. so far, so Chopper. Right? Well yes, but when it comes down to it, Bronson is actually much closer in spirit and tone to Stanley Kubrick’s controversial opinion-splitter, A Clockwork Orange. How exactly? Well, for one, it’s about an ultra-violent delinquent who the system tries to deal with. For two, it’s so arty and stylised that many viewers will find it more than a touch weird (Bronson narrates the movie, sometimes directly addressing the camera, sometimes on stage in make-up to an ...
Read More Film ReviewMisunderstood genius or overrated lunatic? That’s a question which has persistently hung over the late Stanley Kubrick and his opinion-splitting works throughout the seminal filmmaker’s career – and beyond. Based on Anthony Burgess’ novel, A Clockwork Orange is another polarising oddity; at once easily one of his most important contributions to cinema and yet boasting little to win over those unable to connect with Stan’s acquired-taste sensibilities. Shrouded in notoriety and tarred with controversy from the off, it’s typical Kubrick: stylish, essential cinefile viewing which wraps around issues and ideas ...
Read More Film ReviewAnd you thought 2001: A Space Odyssey was weird. Before he was gifting us with unforgettable horror classics like The Thing And Halloween, John Carpenter began his directing career with – wait for it – a comedy. Although crucially, even sharp viewers might not realise that Dark Star actually belongs in the comedic genre. For sure, it’s plenty bonkers (there are talking bombs and an alien beach ball with feet), but the end result is more weird and eccentric than actually amusing. Plus, for long stretches it feels like we’re watching ...
Read More Film ReviewAlthough we’ve already had a sex buddy movie this year with Ivan Reitman’s Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman-starring No Strings Attached getting to cinemas first, this was the one we wanted to see most. Not just because its two hotter-than-the-sun stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis radiated enough natural chemistry in the trailer to power Times Square, but because director / co-writer Will Gluck was responsible for last year’s better-than-expected Easy A. After all, if he could liven up the cliche-ridden teen High School movie, surely he could do the ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though the teen High School genre is overcrowded with formulaic duds and cheap cliché-fests, every now and then we get a pleasant surprise. An American Pie, for example. A Mean Girls, for instance. And now, joining the disappointingly-short list of above-average modern teenage flicks, Will Gluck’s sunny comedy stands out from the crowd – which is ironic, considering the plot – thanks to an enjoyable blend of sharp wit, knowing dialogue and likeable sass. Truthfully, it’s made up with many of the usual staples (twentysomethings playing teens, house parties, ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen word surfaced that George A Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead was going to receive a modern update, many of us – horror aficionados in particular – weren’t so much expecting disappointment as resigned to it. Reason being, while remaking a movie is a tricksy enough prospect in itself, remaking a classic is almost always a no-win situation. And, when it comes to zombie movies, the second in Romero’s rightly-celebrated Dead series is a (literally) stone-cold classic, having mashed satirical digs at consumer culture with disturbing, living dead gore. Yes, ...
Read More Film ReviewDated though it may be, George A Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead is among the very best zombie movies to have ambled about in film land. An overdue follow-up to his seminal first ‘Dead’ movie, Night Of The Living Dead (black and white, downbeat ending), this second instalment might not be as significant or important, but it terms of quality it easily equals and, in many ways, even surpasses the original. Interestingly, it’s also not a direct sequel, with overall events continued from last time (an unexplained phenomenon is causing ...
Read More Film ReviewHaving arguably sparked the big bang of modern fratboy-flavoured bromances with the overrated Old School, director Todd Phillips returns for more. Taking inspiration from a real event (producer friend Tripp Vinson reportedly woke up in strip club with a huge bill), the writer-producer-director sets up a ‘Dude, where’s my stag?’ scenario – and the result is his biggest hit yet. Importantly though, for those of you who were objective enough not to buy into all the overly-recommended hype, The Hangover isn’t the five-star experience that the resoundingly-positive word of mouth ...
Read More Film ReviewThough Tron undoubtedly enjoys a cult-favourite status among certain groups, it’s arguably more of a pop culture touchstone and technological turning point than an out-and-out retro ‘classic’. Released at a time years before computers were commonly used at home and when the internet was but a twinkle in the digital era’s eye, it’s perhaps no surprise that this Disney-produced ’82 adventure failed to set cinemas alight – especially considering that sci-fi classics Blade Runner, E.T. and The Wrath Of Khan also came out in the same year. But yet, whilst ...
Read More Film ReviewEven though widely acknowledged as Britain’s greatest horror, The Wicker Man isn’t a particularly scary movie. Instead, it’s a progressively unnerving experience which plays more like a gothic mystery or psychological thriller, where the eerie atmosphere and folksy oddities are designed to make you feel uneasy – not so you jump out your chair at random intervals. But while not a ‘horror’ in the conventional sense, by the time the genuinely chilling story has played out, you’ll be hard pushed to name a more horrifying film experience. Indeed, from the ...
Read More Film ReviewA rightly-treasured, sparkling prize jewel in the gleaming crown of Ealing Studios, The Lavender Hill Mob is another quaintly-British, lightly-satirical comedy among their very best. Which, of course, is saying something. Produced in the middle of what many consider to be the studio’s peak years (the post-WW2 period from 1947 – 1955), it has the spark and zing of a creative team on a white-hot run of can-do-no-wrong form, with director Charles Crichton and Oscar-nabbing screenwriter T.E.B. Clark concocting a likeably amoral crime caper. The latter adds a sense of plausible ...
Read More Film ReviewIt’s easy to look back now and scoff, but before the likes of 300 and The Two Towers, Zulu was the ultimate outnumbered, under-siege battle epic. Like many classics, younger viewers probably won’t give it the time of day, let alone a proper viewing. But while the first hour or so drags and requires patience as director Cy Endfield builds tension amongst the ranks, when the swarming, spear-chucking Zulus begin attacking in inventive waves, it’s surprisingly stirring stuff. Importantly, Zulu‘s impact on you will depend directly on your viewing experience ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen it was first announced that the Planet Of The Apes franchise was to be resuscitated (again), many of us justifiably rolled our eyes in cynical dismissal. After all, though Franklin J Schaffner’s 1968 original remains a seminal, thought-provoking sci-fi classic, the four throwaway follow-ups offered little more than varying levels of inessentiality, while Tim Burton’s 2001 widely-panned re-imagining was only noteworthy for Rick Baker’s superb simian make-up work. But then, as trailers and footage surfaced, this uninvited reboot suddenly looked, well, quite good, and evolved from curious cash-in to ...
Read More Film ReviewArguably, Diner could be considered the trend-setting grandfather of the bromance genre. A movie about real guys and their friends, modern audiences will likely be put off by the fact that it was made in the early eighties and set in the late fifties, but open-minded males might find that the material speaks to them. Informing the likes of Swingers and Entourage, it’s an accurate depiction of male friendship which captures the essence of guyness to a tee. It’s raw, rough, dated and a bit flat at times, but undeniably influential and ...
Read More Film ReviewAs utterly predictable and repetitive as it is to say, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is another dark instalment in the ever-maturing series. In some ways, yes, it’s also lighter than the last few outings, with returning director David Yates (who’ll also take the franchise to a close with The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2) infusing the most romance we’ve had thus far and a middle section he likens to – wait for it – a romantic comedy. But whilst not as consistently intense as his excellent ...
Read More Film ReviewFor anyone tired of conventional superhero movies, The Green Hornet looked to provide something out of the ordinary. For starters, this hero didn’t originate from the pages of a graphic novel – but a 1930s radio serial which was later revived as the cult ‘60s TV show (itself a straighter cousin to Adam West’s Batman) that gifted the world Bruce Lee. For seconds, the duel appointments of creative quirk-maestro Michael Gondry as director and cuddly comic bloke Seth Rogan as star, respectively, didn’t so much suggest this was going to ...
Read More Film ReviewIn a day and age where the majority of television is frustratingly geared towards impatient audiences and the lowest common denominator, a show like Mad Men is a refreshing experience to be grateful for. Absolutely no question – it’s not for everyone, with its unhurried pace and complex, un-rushed approach to subtle storytelling ensuring that it’ll lose many viewers quickly. However, for those with a preference for smart, layered and intricately-plotted television which plays the long-game, AMC’s period drama will prove compulsive, essential viewing… Of course, this should come as ...
Read More TV ReviewThe brilliant first season of The Inbetweeners flew under the pop culture radar, before enthusiastic word-of-mouth, hotcake-like DVD sales and a Bafta nomination (!) ensured it found an audience. But while everyone starting talking about it during the just-as-good second season, it wasn’t until this much-anticipated third that its popularity exploded and the fanbase escalated like one of Jay’s clunge-based fibs. With viewing figures rocketing (rising from 200,000 when it first aired to a record-breaking 2.3 million for this year’s opener), it confirmed what some of us already knew – that ...
Read More TV ReviewFor many film fans, the prospect of JJ Abrams making a movie with Steven Spielberg (wearing his producer cap) which openly aims to recreate the spirit and wonder of the bearded one’s classic works, is an exciting one. It was also, in an increasingly-soulless age of over-actioned, production line-churned blockbusters, a refreshing one, under the passionate eye of the perfect man for the job. After all, in a way Abrams has been preparing for this all his career, having nabbed a job at the age of fifteen (!) with collaborating ...
Read More Film ReviewWhatever your thoughts on the opinion-splitting Conan The Barbarian – brutal fantasy classic or overly-slow chore to sit through – it was a huge success that introduced the world to Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, with director / co-writer John Milius unavailable to return, genre veteran Richard Fleisher (20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Vikings) was brought in to provide the next cinematic instalment of Robert E Howard’s pulp comics to life. As such, the result is a softer, more standard, run-of-the-mill swords and sandals ‘epic’, which is simultaneously better and worse… ...
Read More Film ReviewAfter nabbing roles in a few naff, post-bodybuilding flicks (Hercules In New York, Stay Hungry) and before the career springboard that was James Cameron’s Terminator, Arnold was introduced to the world as Conan. Adapted from Robert E Howard’s pulp ’30s comics, it was the perfect break-out vehicle for the ambitious and then-unknown (think of that, a world before Ar-nuhld) muscle-bound Austrian, who suited the requirements of oozing physicality while appearing literally monumental. But yet, while held as a cult fave among many and still heralded as one of the more successful ...
Read More Film ReviewRemakes are a tricky prospect at the best of times, but when the original is a stone-cold, seminal sci-fi classic? Franklin J Schaffner’s 1968 Planet Of The Apes, which remains an influential genre masterpiece to this day, spawned four markedly-lesser sequels, a live-action TV series and a Saturday morning cartoon before the phenomenon hobbled off into obscurity during the mid seventies. Did we really need – or want – a remake then? Well, with the Terminating team of Jim Cameron and Arnold briefly attached some interest bubbled to the surface, ...
Read More Film ReviewThough the first season largely flew under the pop culture radar, following strong DVD sales, a Bafta nomination (!) and plenty enthusiastic word of mouth, viewers flocked like top lezza models to one of Jay’s self-aggrandising fantasies. Happily, season two keeps the high standard up, with the same morish recipe that blended the sex-questing of American Pie with the sense of humour and setting of a younger, fizzier Peep Show. Seamlessly continuing where we left off, it’s more like a Part II than a separate season, instantly reassuring you that ...
Read More TV ReviewBefore surfacing as the runaway hit that everyone you knew was watching and discussing on Facebook, The Inbetweeners flew largely beneath the pop culture radar. Though appearing like just another substance-less attempt to cash in on younger audience’s tendency to devour any TV that remotely related to their lives, it was a happy surprise to discover a wonderfully-observed rendering of adolescence which boasted a constant flow of well-drawn, that-happened-to-me moments. No doubt, today’s youngsters will enthusiastically lap it up too, but many twenty and thirty-somethings will arguably appreciate it even more, ...
Read More TV ReviewForget about the four naff follow-up movies, the short-lived TV series, the Saturday morning cartoon and (especially) Tim Burton’s surprisingly-disappointing remake – the ’68 original is the only Planet Of The Apes instalment worth giving a monkeys about. Despite being over forty years old, Franklin J. Schaffner’s game-changing adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s French source novel remains an iconic, enduring genre classic to this day. While some occasionally dated moments and its general ‘oldness’ will inevitably put off younger, CGI-favouring audiences (sigh), the film holds up remarkably well, offering important, intelligent ...
Read More Film ReviewFrom the outside, Entourage probably seems like a shallow, superfluous and overly-glossy celebration of fame. So let’s make one thing crystal-clear right now: it’s not. One of the best kept secrets on TV, writer-creator Doug Ellin’s effortlessly-charming dramedy is Diner or Swingers for the FHM generation, a wildly-addictive and morish ride that navigates us through the hottie-swarming parties of Tinseltown, while remaining – above all – a character-based journey about male friendship. For some, it might take a few episodes till the contagious fun takes hold (hitting stride with the ...
Read More TV ReviewLike many comic properties, translating the Star Spangled Avenger to the big screen seemed like a tricky prospect. Not as hard a sell as, say, Thor – where we’re dealing with a flying God Of Thunder from another dimension who controls lightning with an enchanted hammer – but tricky nonetheless. Whilst the popcorn masses embraced avenging teammate Iron Man and have always loved The Hulk, in comparison to a charismatic playboy and a cursed scientist you could imagine them dismissing the uncommonly-idealistic Cap as a boring square. Worse still, it ...
Read More Film ReviewOn paper, Horrible Bosses promised to be a cut above your average seen-it-before comedy. The premise, which cross-breeds the bullying-boss drudgery of Office Space with the murder-exchanging angle of an openly-referenced Strangers On A Train, is brilliant in it’s relatable simplicity. After all, how many of us hate our own bosses? Then, throw into the mix some comic talent spearheaded by the always-funny Jason Bateman, a few bona fide a-listers and a genuinely hilarious, interest-peaking trailer, and we were preparing for an average-transcending gag-fest. Knees, it seemed, were ready to ...
Read More Film ReviewWe weren’t really sure until now, but this confirms that Zack Snyder is definitely, 100% and unequivocally shooting his Superman movie, The Man Of Steel. Here, for the first time, is a genuine shot of Henry Cavill in the costume, looking nothing short of, well, super. The look on his face, the costume, the crumpled bank vault, the jawline (particularly the jawline)… all spot-on. Okay, so the hair is more Dean Cain slicked than Reeves’ kiss-curl, but this looks like Superman. This looks iconic. So far, many of us (including ...
Read More BlogFor years, debate raged as to whether Lost creators Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse were making things up as they went. In reality, what most of us are fairly sure of is that they and JJ Abrams (who helped conceive the show, then left after season one) definitely had a bigger picture, but adapted certain elements over the years. For instance, Michael Emerson’s scheming Ben Linus was initially only intended to appear in a few episodes, but was then made a central player. Nothing wrong with that, after all, planning every single ...
Read More BlogWhile The Dark Knight Rises films in Pittsburg, some sneaky so-and-so has taken pictures of Tom Hardy’s Bane standing on, what appears to be, Batman’s new Tumbler. Interestingly, it also looks like Bane has ripped up a picture of Harvey Dent. Does this mean he knows the truth about Dent as Two Face? Many have speculated that the movie would see Bane break out of Blackwell prison, and that final picture at the bottom also seems to confirm that. Oh, and who’s the prison dedicated to? Mr Dent. Seems that Chris Nolan ...
Read More BlogIn one of the most spoilerific marketing moves ever, Marvel have released a teaser trailer for The Avengers… which basically gives away the end of Captain America: The First Avenger. Which has only been released in the UK for a day or so. What the huh? While not a huge spoiler for anyone familiar with the character, for those wishing to watch Captain America spoiler-free, either fast-forward the clip 35 seconds in (which takes you to the non-cap, Avengers bit), or avoid altogether. Anyway, here it is: For those who ...
Read More TrailersEven since its release, Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns has split the opinions of super-fans like a shard of Kryptonite. Some vocally disliked it, some were disappointed and some (including this writer) absolutely loved it. Many complained that it was dull because of the lack of fighting (sigh), but it was more soulful, personal, realistic, beautifully-shot and lovingly crafted than 90% of other comic adaptations. But regardless, anyone that has any love for Kryton’s Last Son is sure to be interested in seeing the never-before-seen opening of the movie, which has ...
Read More BlogHaving wowed at Sundance, writer-director J.C. Chandor is ready for the world to see his feature debut Margin Call. How so? Well, ‘cause the trailer’s been released. Here it is: Now, while a ‘financial drama’ might sound like a snooze-fest to many, this trailer begs to differ. As well as promising us a thoughtful examination of the calm before the world’s biggest financial storm of recent times, it also looks to be doing so by way of a tension-filled thriller. Like if you put Wall Street and 24 in a blender. ...
Read More TrailersAMC have released a four-minute trailer (yes, a whole four minutes!) for the eagerly-awaited second season of their smash-hit, The Walking Dead. Here it is in all its zombie-wandering glory: First impression is that it looks like more of the same, which is both a positive and a negative. How so? Well, while season one was undoubtedly a popular smash-hit, some of us found it to be an occasionally frustrating experience that didn’t quite live up to the sum of its parts. It started brilliantly, with showrunner Frank Darabont’s masterful opening ...
Read More TrailersPremiering at the San Diego Comic-Con, the Beeb have debuted a trailer for the second half of Doctor Who‘s already-excellent sixth season. Here it is: Great huh? There’s a tonne of talking points here, including Rory decking Hitler, a middle-aged Amy and … actually there’s just too many. You gotta love how Moffat continues to bring back seemingly unimportant characters (James Corden’s flatmate) or those who appeared like one-episode-only types (Ian McNeice’s Winston Churchill), as it gives the show a bigger, inter-connected feeling. Still, while we’re eagerly awaiting the climax to the certain-to-be mind-blowing ...
Read More TrailersAt the risk of sounding like a broken record, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix is the darkest instalment yet. Okay, so this obligatory statement is made each time a new Potter is released, but since the series has gotten progressively darker, it’s also always been true. Certainly, we’ve come a long way since the novel-recreating wonder of Chris Colmbus’ kid-friendly first couple, with Alfonso Cuaron’s Prisoner Of Azkaban injecting autumn-tinted style and Mike Newell’s Goblet Of Fire introducing hormonally-charged teens. Stepping in to the position that’s changed ...
Read More Film ReviewRecently, action-helmer extraordinaire Michael Bay earned some cool-points by admitting that his widely-panned second Transformers flick Revenge Of The Fallen was, in the director’s own words, “crap”. Okay, so we all knew that anyway, given how smack-you-in-the-face awful it was. But it was refreshing candour from the bombastic master of explosions (or a reverse sales pitch, you decide), who also assured us that the third would atone for the sins of part two. Big words certainly, and ones that many of us swiftly dismissed in anticipation of another brainless, bot-bashing blockbuster. ...
Read More Film ReviewWith Michael Bay’s Transformers, there wasn’t more than meets the eye. A predictably opinion-splitting experience, action fans lapped up the comfortable clichés, high-budget effects and generally-brainless mayhem, while anyone who likes to engage their cranium found nothing more than a noisy and unsatisfying, explosion-filled blockbuster where big robots fought other robots. Regardless though, as an enormously-popular, box office-conquering monster hit, production on a follow-up started almost immediately after the original was upon us. Striking while the Ironhide was hot, so to speak Instead of addressing the flaws of the first ...
Read More Film ReviewWhat is it with big trailers being leaked just now? In the last week alone we’ve had poor quality, pre-release teasers for both The Dark Knight Rises and, what some are speculating to be, The Avengers (which is more likely to be the Captain America post-credits scene). While the leaked version of The Amazing Spider-man was swiftly yanked, here’s a better version to feast your eyes on: Well, in a word, amazing. The first thing to note is that, regardless of what Marvel bigwig Ari Arad and his team have claimed, this is most ...
Read More TrailersNow, before anyone gets excited, this is purely just a piece of wishful thinking at this stage. Actually, make that very wishful thinking. While doing the rounds recently to promote his highly-anticipated Captain America (check out Flix Capacitor’s preview thoughts from a few months back), director Joe Johnston let slip that he’d love to make a Star Wars film based solely on fan-favourite Boba Fett. That noise you just heard was fanboy heads everywhere exploding with excitement. Giving this idea true weight, Johnston actually began as a storyboard artist for George ...
Read More BlogWell we’ve seen the poster, now time for the teaser. There have been several bootleg copies leaked on the ‘net, but here at last is the proper quality version: While the title links to The Dark Knight, the material here mainly harks back to Batman Begins. Unsurprising really considering the inclusion of Ra’s Al Ghul, and further evidence that Chris Nolan will be going full circle with his story. Of course, the most interesting footage is where Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon is lying bed-ridden (does he get his back broken ...
Read More TrailersShorter, less volume, an overdue change of style to last year… but enough about Adrian Grenier’s new buzz-cut. What about the seventh instalment of Entourage? Well, as fans know by now, each seasonal chapter of the show loosely sees the boys either cruising on an upswing (enjoying the town, girls and glamourous lifestyle) or facing a testing downturn (where it all threatens to fall apart). And, since season seven is unquestionably the latter, your take will depend on whether your preferences veer towards the latter or not.Though similar to the polarising, up-swinging sixth season ...
Read More TV ReviewWith Entourage gearing up for its final season (with a possible movie after that), HBO have released a full-length trailer. For those as excited as this writer, here it is: So what do we make of it? Well Vince is out of rehab and has written a script (surprising), Drama’s new show is a success but he’s quarreling with a co-star (unsurprising) and it looks like E gets dumped by Sloan (did NOT see that coming). Ari meanwhile, is still struggling with his separation from Mrs Ari (will he ever ...
Read More TrailersWhen the trailer for Bridesmaids debuted, many of us were anticipating another disposable entry into the generic wedding-com canon, along with the lines of Bride Wars, Made Of Honour and 27 Dresses. Albeit, one with some actually-funny laughs. Then, as word-of-mouth trickled back surprisingly positive reports, it suddenly seemed like we’d been mis-sold. That this was actually a better-than-expected crowd-pleaser, destined to sit proudly among the comedies of the year and – best of all – guys would like it too. And the reality? Well rather inevitably, the end product ...
Read More Film ReviewReleased with the final Harry Potter flick, the long-awaited trailer for John Carter (apparently no longer called John Carter Of Mars) has landed. For those unaware, John Carter is not the story of ER‘s most popular Doctor – it’s Disney’s big screen adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ pulp novels. Taylor Kitsch (from Friday Night Lights and X-Men Origins: Wolverine) stars as the titular hero and – best of all – Finding Nemo‘s Andrew Stanton is directing. Here it is: The story sees US Civil War veteran John Carter mysteriously wake up on ...
Read More TrailersSo here we are with the fourth cinematic chapter in the phenomenally-popular Boy Wizard series. How time flies when you’re on a broomstick conjuring up a spot of Expecto Patronum. Though Chris Columbus’ child-friendly, book-recreating first two instalments admirably set the scene (little Harry finds out he’s a wizard, trots off to magic school and solves mysteries), they also threatened to get formulaic quickly. Alfonso Cuaron’s Prisoner Of Azkaban then wisely decided that cramming in as much of the novel as possible wasn’t necessary, while upping the style, darkening the ...
Read More Film ReviewApple have released the first trailer for Sherlock Holmes sequel A Game Of Shadows and you can feast your eyes on it below: Yeah, pretty much more of the same isn’t it? Like the original, this promises to offer a breezy and stylish mixture of big, actiony set-pieces while not taking itself too seriously. If at all. Of course, director Guy Ritchie returns (prepare for slow motion shots!), as do stars Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law. So, in short, if you liked the first, chances are you’ll be getting ...
Read More TrailersSay what you want about the American version of The Office. Say that it started as a pale imitation of the British original (it did). Say that it’s gone downhill in recent years (it has). Say that you’ve never watched out of some misplaced loyalty to Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant (your loss – they endorse it). But yet, while undoubtedly not the show it once was, Greg Daniels’ americanisation is the only comedy ever to be successfully remade in the US – and remains one of the wittiest on ...
Read More TV ReviewThe first poster for The Dark Knight Rises was released today, and it’s every bit as brilliantly-teasing as we’ve come to expect from the five-star comic adaptation series. You can see it above, but scroll down for the full thing… Of course, it doesn’t show much – but then that’s part of the charm. Both Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins and The Dark Knight tantalised us with truly cracking marketing (the latter in particular), full of stylish one sheets and excitement-building viral campaigns. The crumbling buildings of Gotham shot from a low perspective, ...
Read More BlogFinally, a full-length trailer for The Inbetweeners movie. And it looks… well, check it out for yourself: Looks good, huh? Not a huge amount of laugh-out-loud moments (save for Jay’s genius “the gash isn’t gonna fuck itself you know” line), but amusing and a must-watch nonetheless. At the moment, I’m still not sure that having the story continue (or finish?) via a film is the best one, given that moving from a familiar TV set-up (half an hour format etc) to a full-length movie doesn’t have a great track record. See The X-Files ...
Read More TrailersWe open with the flicker of light in a dark place. We then zoom in through Harry’s bedroom window to see him underneath the bedcovers playing with his wand (his actual wand – stop sniggering). The young boy wizard then finally stands up to his mean, adoptive relatives and stomps out. It’s barely five minutes in and already one thing is glaringly clear: with Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron taking over, the unstoppable Potter franchise is ready to grow up… No doubt, previous helmer Chris Columbus deserves credit for bringing JK ...
Read More Film ReviewUnlike the titular Chamber, the fact that we’d be getting a second cinematic instalment in the Potter series was never any form of secret. In fact, given the unfeasibly-popular nature of JK Rowling’s source novels and the ka-ching success of first adaptation, The Philosopher’s Stone, a sequel was as inevitable as Ron exclaiming “bloody hell!” when the Shazam hits the fan. Okay, so part one wasn’t exactly a game-changing five-star classic, but Chris Columbus’ take was faithful, likeable and offered enough adult material that the non-kids didn’t slump into a bored-coma for two ...
Read More Film ReviewTalk about pressure. Despite already possessing a handily built-in audience, the task of bringing J. K. Rowling’s phenomenally-popular boy wizard series to the screen was no easy gig. After all, adapting a novel is a tricky enough prospect at the best of times (some smug smart-arse will inevitably chime in with the pointless “it’s not as good as the book” argument), but the hugely-beloved Harry Potter? This brought with it more weight, expectancy and responsibility than a first year Hogwarts’ student thrust into his debut Quidditch match. Chosen over the much-rumoured ...
Read More Film ReviewRight from the opening episode’s climax, you get the feeling that there’s going to be something different about Entourage‘s sixth season. As Vince returns to the gang’s unusually empty mansion and finds himself alone (while The Verve’s Lucky Man strums poignantly in the background), the penny drops as to what it is. After five very enjoyable years of girls, parties, booze and more girls, it’s time for the gang to grow up. With a shooting delay leaving Adrian Grenier’s chiselled superstar shagger with nothing to do but boff hotties and ‘hang’, the focus shifts ...
Read More TV ReviewUnlike the cult Hasbro toys of the ‘80s that it’s based on, there isn’t more to Transformers than meets the eye. Big, noisy, and with enough explosions to rival Arnie’s back-catalogue, it’s a purposefully brain-free summer blockbuster which revels in over-stuffed CG spectacle. Loud, bombastic and more interested in cool cars or blowing things up during orange-hued sunsets than ensuring the sketchy plot makes sense, it’s arguably Michael Bay’s most ‘Michael Bay movie’ yet. Which, is really saying something. And, it’s also exactly the predictably opinion-splitting experience that you’re expecting. ...
Read More Film ReviewHmmmmmmmmmm. Personally, I loved JJ Abrams’ third Mission Impossible and felt like it was a perfect send-off for the franchise. Not as connvoluted as Brian De Palma’s espionage-y original and legions ahead of John Woo’s slow-mo-obsessed, often-ludicrous sequel, M:I:III was an exciting mix of spy thrills and Alias-like plotting with the Cruister running (and running and running) himself into his perfect farewell to the action scene. But here we are regardless, with a fourth instalment, the interestingly-titled Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol (because nowadays, it’s not a real movie unless its got ...
Read More TrailersAs far as movie ideas go, they don’t come much more bonkers than this. Not content to merely present an animated take on Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedy (which, alone, is fairly high up the bonkers-scale), Gnomeo & Juliet does so by way of warring garden gnomes and an Elton John soundtrack. But yet, while the concept is a quirky, eccentric delight, the film itself rarely feels like anything other than a run-of-the-mill animation. You know, of (ahem) garden variety standard. Despite beginning with a clever visual to-be-or-not-to-be gag (brilliant), the ...
Read More Film ReviewSome tragic news for TV fans everywhere as Peter Falk has tragically died at the age of 83. To some movie fans, Falk will be known as the kindly Grandfather in Rob Reiner’s cult-favourite ’87 fairy tale The Princess Bride, but to the world he was – and always will be – Lieutenant Columbo. And, if you didn’t know that, well you’re definitely on the wrong site. Nowadays, I’m not a fan of TV shows which stick to the same formula week-in, week-out, but growing up there was something spellbinding about the ...
Read More BlogNowadays, every second show with a serialised format and an ensemble which dabbles in criminal activity is compared to The Sopranos. However, while creator Kurt Sutter designed Sons Of Anarchy with such a tragic Shakespearean flavour that it’s often appropriately hailed as “Hamlet on wheels”, this time such comparisons are understandable. Part crime-thriller, part family drama, Sutter’s biker series is a compelling and morish ride once you get past the introductory first few episodes, which require slight patience as the pieces of the puzzle amble together. Inevitably, it’s not nearly as ...
Read More TV ReviewSix years in and you’ve got to wonder how much more mileage the yanks can get out of office life. After all, Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant decided to call it a day after only 12 episodes and a Christmas special of the original. But then, Greg Daniels’ Americanisation has been a different photocopying-beast ever since it (wisely) moved away from its rightly-adored British predecessor in season two, and has stayed consistently funny ever since. Happily, the sixth season proves Daniels and co won’t be getting their P45 yet… Is ...
Read More TV ReviewAll things considered, Green Lantern was always going to be a tough sell. After all, flying men and billionaire vigilantes are one thing, but a galaxy-travelling space cop with a ring that can create anything, is quite another. Then there’s the fact that DC’s emerald hero has always resided firmly, like most of his fellow Justice League members, in the towering shadows of the twin icons that are Batman and Superman. So yeah, even Dell Boy would’ve had a hard time shifting this one. But still, here we are. Despite being responsible for pinnacle genre efforts like Dick Donner’s ...
Read More Film ReviewMoneyball is a movie I am now very much looking forward to seeing. Firstly, despite the fact that it’s retro baseball movie, it has a very Social Network feel to it (stay with me here). There’s the haunting score that strains poignancy, there’s the nice mix of quirky humour with human drama and – most importantly – the fact that it’s co-written by Aaron Sorkin. AKA the best writer in the business. If you ask me. Also, as a big fan of both Robert Redford and his modern day equivalent Brad Pitt, ...
Read More TrailersRyan Reynolds in a box… for an hour and a half. Yup, that’s pretty much what we’ve got here. Whilst you might think that Phone Booth had a tough job sustaining tension with its simple one-man-in-a-phone-booth plot, Buried is a step further. Even more low-budget and minimalistic (taking only 17 days to shoot), Rodrigo Cortes has crafted a Hitchcockian masterclass in tight-spot, survivalist horror that burrows under your skin and stays there for days… We’ve seen premature burial on screen before of course (The Vanishing, Tarantino’s CSI episode, his Kill ...
Read More Film ReviewAt this point in the X-Men’s filmic evolution, you’d be forgiven for lacking enthusiasm. After all, despite the pedigree of Bryan Singer’s original and still-peak sequel, the mutant franchise has progressively fallen from its position at the top of the comic class. Firstly with Brett Ratner’s over-stuffed X-Men: The Last Stand, and then with Gavin Hood’s muddled X-Men Origins: Wolverine. As for this fifth instalment, while the initial ‘mutants at high school’ pitch hardly got our x-genes flowing with excitement, there was also the dawning realisation that since Hugh Jackman’s vest-totting badass was off on his own adventures, this would ...
Read More Film ReviewSince Russell T Davies rescued Doctor Who from the tele scrapyard in 2005, its been an inconsistent hit that hops between over-the-top silliness and occasional brilliance. Though constantly undone by loose logic, ludicrously big stakes and eyebrow-raising climax-cheats, every now and then we’d get an episode that was surprisingly dark, complex and creepy. The kicker? That 90% of these were written by the same scribe – one Steven Moffat. So while Whovians vocally grieved over the departure of their beloved David Tennant, season five also brought reason to celebrate, as ...
Read More TV ReviewAs anyone past their mid-twenties will tell you, a hangover tends to get worse as the years go by. In terms of the film franchise however, The Hangover: Part II is pretty much on par with 2009′s insanely-popular, overly-recommended, mega-hit original. Interestingly, without the surprise factor, many of those who championed the first will possibly dismiss this as a lesser experience. For those of us who didn’t agree with the five-star hype though, it’s an entertaining enough sequel, in a dumb, offensive kind of way. As the trailer hinted, we ...
Read More Film ReviewFollowing the gigantinormous, box office-slaying success of the first Pirates Of The Caribbean, director Gore Verbinski was tasked with shooting back-to-back sequels. As such, this third instalment predictably, inevitably and understandably plays like the second half of Dead Man’s Chest, in that it continues all the plot threads that were left dangling like Davy Jones’ tentacles. For the majority who loved the breezy, lightweight charm of the stand-alone (and somewhat overrated) original, this is bad news. But for those of us who preferred the darker and more complex part two, ...
Read More Film ReviewNo, it’s not Pixar, but Rango isn’t just another animated picture. Far from it in fact. Firstly, there’s quirk-master Johnny Depp doing animation (and reuniting with Pirates Of The Carribean director Gore Verbinski in the process) which is a selling point in itself. Secondly, it’s both funny and smart. Thirdly, we’ve got George Lucas’ effects company ILM providing the consistently-gorgeous and, at times, staggeringly impressive visuals. And fourthly, there’s the fact that this ‘kid’s movie’ is brave enough to tackle that deep existential question that everyone asks themselves at times – what kind of person are we ...
Read More Film ReviewFollowing the surprising success of the somewhat over-rated original, many felt that Cap’n Jack should’ve then sailed his own way. With the overly-plotted plotting of the sequels straining more and more each time to bring everyone back, the idea some suggested was to drop the rest and let Depp mince about on a new, unrelated adventure. Now, with Disney’s mega-franchise returning after a four year absence, he gets to do just that. And, quite honestly, we’re none the better for it. But then as some of us have always known, ...
Read More Film ReviewA movie about the creation of a website shouldn’t be this engrossing. It really shouldn’t. But then Facebook (or The Facebook as it was originally called) isn’t merely a website – it’s a social experience. An obsession. A stalker’s dream. And, as you well know, the ultimate time-wasting tool. As a film subject, it’s an unusual choice for David Fincher (who’s known for far grittier fare), but yet his collaboration with celebrated writer Aaron Sorkin (whose scripts made the West Wing so morish) results in a dazzling movie which will have ...
Read More Film ReviewWhen Thor was first announced, you had to question how on Asgard it could work. After all, the big blond avenger isn’t some relatable everyman who gets special powers by accident – he’s a flying God from another dimension who controls lightning with an enchanted hammer. While Marvel are busy positioning all the necessary players for 2012′s mega-team, crossover flick The Avengers (which unites Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor and others), this was easily their biggest hurdle. Was it too fantastical to translate? Could the guy from Home And Away pull ...
Read More Film ReviewLet’s not tip-toe or pirouette gracefully around it; Black Swan will split opinion. On one side, the majority of reviewers and art-film enthusiasts will hail it as a hypnotic masterpiece that deserves a place among the best motion pictures of the year. On the other though, your average cinema punter is more likely to find a weird movie with a shit load of ballet dancing. Being objective, both sides have valid points. From a reviewer’s perspective, Darren Aronofsky’s fifth feature is a dark, intense and intoxicating experience that is both ...
Read More Film ReviewAside from a few posters and publicity shots, we’ve seen very little of Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn… until now. The movie is about… oh you just want to see the trailer? Well here it is then: Looks great huh? Short yes, but great. Most obviously, the animation from Peter Jackson’s WETA Digital is really impressive and occasionally seems photo-real, especially in the shadowy shots. Sure it’s obviously CGI, but this seems like the right way to bring Tintin to the big screen. And, ...
Read More TrailersThough the overly-titled Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl was based on a Disney theme park ride, it was a huge hit. Largely over-rated for sure, but a huge, mega box-office-dominating hit nonetheless. Whilst a follow-up was therefore inevitably inevitable, returning director Gore Verbinski was actually hired to make another two instalments back-to-back, as the story was deemed too big for one motion picture. Its interesting then, that said story actually ends up being too big for two motion pictures. The 155-minute running time feels a tad overlong, the plot seems more complicated than it actually is and there’s ...
Read More Film ReviewWhat words would you use to describe the FF franchise thus far? Fast? Too right. Furious? Goes without saying. Subtle? Not so much. Loud? Sorry, didn’t hear you there for all the engine-revving. Shrewd? Well, it’s not an obvious one, granted, but in moving away from a pure car culture towards more crime-orientated action, the term arguably applies. Playing out like a heist movie, the fifth instalment is like Ocean’s Eleven with faster getaways, bigger triceps and tighter t-shirts. Those boy-racers sweating in panic right now can calm down, as ...
Read More Film ReviewWell true-believers, by now we’ve seen footage for all of 2011’s major comic book movies. Teasers, trailers, an extra four-minutes designed to win-back despondent naysayers, at this point we have a rough idea how each of the four big-hitters is shaping up. Expectations are starting to form, appetites are beginning to whet and reservations are being made. As such, I did what I do each year with regards to upcoming superhero flicks as a fully-functioning kidult: ranked them in order of my excitement. But what’s that you say dear reader? ...
Read More FeatureIronically, we’ve seen movies and shows about time-hopping plenty of times before. For the most part, they remain (wait for it) timeless, even though the concept has been tweaked and re-jigged more often than David Bowie’s wardrobe. As such, it’s a delight to report that in only his second film (!), David’s son Duncan Jones has used the fresh (ish) premise to fashion a smart, exciting and deeply involving thriller. Sure, there’s elements of past classics here, but Jones combines them to fashion something all his own. It’s familiar, yet original. Classic but new. Or, as Jake Gyllenhaal’s ...
Read More Film ReviewNew pictures from the set of The Amazing Spider-man were revealed today, and there’s certainly some food for thought. First of all is the site of Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker wearing glasses. Is this a flashback to before Peter was bitten by the mutated spider? Or is there another eyebrow-raising reason? Interesting. Very interesting. Also interesting is the site of Hearst Tower being used as Oscorp – despite the fact that it’s fairly certain neither Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe in Spider-man and Spider-man 2) or his son Harry (James Franco ...
Read More BlogFor sci-fi fans, an alien invasion TV series is reason to celebrate. However, an alien invasion TV series produced by Steven Spielberg? Now that’s really something to celebrate. Anyway, a five-minute preview (yes, a whole five minutes) has been released for your viewing pleasure. Here is the footage: Now, even though we don’t actually see that much, it’s hard to be as excited as you’d like. Since the alien street chase / blaster avoiding footage feels like a mixture of ‘80s cult-classic V (currently being re-made itself) and Independence Day, let’s just hope ...
Read More TrailersSpeaking recently at the Kapow convention, co-creator / writer / actor Mark Gatiss revealed how season two of Sherlock is shaping up. The three parts will modernise Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Scandal In Bohemia (the one with Irene Adler), The Hound Of The Baskervilles (arguably the most famous tale) and The Final Problem (the one with Holmes against nemesis Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls). He explained: “Having had a successful first run, we knew that the natural order would be to do the three most famous things, so we’re doing a ...
Read More BlogWell now we’re just being spoiled. After a reasonably-worrying start (a noticeable lack of footage, some of the worst poster photoshopping in memory), Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class is shaping up to look, well, first class. The third trailer has arrived and despite starting off like previous ones (“Before he was Charles…he was Xavier” etc), there’s loads of new footage. But enough of that chat, here’s the trailer: So, where to begin? The play on history looks good and fits well. Plus, with the Cuban Missile crisis showdown presumably offering ...
Read More TrailersThe first full trailer for the third instalment in Michael Bay’s robo-bashing franchise, the interestingly-titled Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, has hit us. ‘Hit’ being the operative word. Being honest, I can’t say I’m exactly keen for another chapter in this saga, given that the first two were essentially big robots fighting other robots. “But the effects were good!” I hear you cry. Yes. Yes they were. But there’s more to movies than good CGI. That all being true, Bay recently earned some cool points candidly discussing the “mistakes” of ...
Read More TrailersWell, The Avengers started filming last week, and to start tantalising us already (expect this to continue), Marvel Studios gave Entertainment Weekly the first official snap. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, it’s a set off chairs. Yes, some chairs. To be fair, as far as movie chairs go, they’re pretty high up the cool scale given that they’ve got iconic character names on them. One question though, why isn’t the Hulk’s either huge or broken to bits? If you don’t know what it is by now (come out from under that filmic rock), The ...
Read More BlogZombie movies might not be in short supply, but a TV series? Now that’s something to get excited about. With The Walking Dead though, there’s extra reason to be, not least that Frank ‘Shawshank Redemption’ Darabont is at the helm. Whilst the end result might not quite live up to the promise, Darabont and co-runner Robert Kirkman (who wrote the comic this is based on) craft a high-quality drama well worth chewing on. And it starts out brilliantly. Just brilliantly. Written and directed by Frank himself, the extended-length pilot is ...
Read More TV ReviewOn the surface, The Lincoln Lawyer seems like a straightforward legal thriller. And, for the first half hour or so, it pretty much is; playing out like one of the many John Grisham adaptations that we saw in the ‘90s. But then, just as you’re starting to wonder why this sort of flick is making a comeback, newbie director Brad Furman reveals what he saw in Michael Connelly’s titular novel and turns a run-of-the-mill courtroom drama into something more. Only something slightly more, but more nonetheless. The shift occurs when ...
Read More Film ReviewWow. Talk about a great premise. Adapted from Alan Glynn’s novel The Dark Fields (which gets a nice, fleeting reference), Limitless centres around the tantalising idea of what you could (or would) do if you became the best possible version of yourself. What could you achieve? What kind of difference would you make? And, if you were as impossibly-handsome as Bradley Cooper, how many chick-filled bars would you head to pronto? Now, while not quite living up to its own potential (that sound you can hear is the irony alarm ...
Read More Film ReviewSometimes, a TV show just feels like it’s missing something. ABC’s re-imaging of the ‘80s favourite had all the ingredients to create a new sci-fi favourite (great premise, built-in fanbase, Lost’s smoking-hot Elizabeth Mitchell), but the first season felt strangely empty. It left us somewhat unsatisfied. Perhaps this was due to behind-the-scenes ‘creative problems’ (The Shield’s Scott Rosenbaum’s replaced Scott Peters as showrunner during an extended hiatus early on). Perhaps not. Frustratingly, the sophomore year isn’t able to fix these problems. Cleary, Rosenbaum and his creative bods have listened to ...
Read More TV ReviewSo, you’re Hollywood, and you’re running out of ideas. Or, more accurately, you’re running out of places to ‘borrow’ them from. Books? Done that. Television? Been there, got the T-shirt. Comic books? Yeah yeah yeah, every third event movie has a costume. But then, some bright spark suggested looking to a popular Disneyland ride (which was either supreme lateral thinking or a happy accident) and the rest is plank-walking, timber-shivering history. Looking back, we now know that despite coming from a theme park attraction, the overly-titled Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse ...
Read More Film ReviewYou’re probably thinking that a show about politics would be boring as hell. A dry, snooze-fest. Changing legislations, creating policies, yapping on about the constitution… it could so easily have been a one-way ride to dullsville. Instead, what we got when it debuted back in ’99 was a smart, savvy, funny and insightful drama which, despite a few signs of dating, still stands among television’s finest. So who to thank? Well there’s so many (we’ll get to that cast in a minute), but the main praise should clearly be laid at the feet ...
Read More TV ReviewSomewhere in Paper Man, there’s a good movie. Possibly even, dare it be said, a great one. The central premise is genius (a grown man who’s never managed to leave behind his imaginary superhero friend who offers advice), but frustratingly, Kieran and Michele Mulroney’s offbeat drama rarely lives up to it. Despite offering a handful of touching moments, their quirky indie effort feels a bit messy and never really finds it’s rhythm. The cast are excellent mind you, especially both the ever-reliable Jeff Daniels and current it-girl Emma Stone. They both play variations of ...
Read More Film ReviewHouse without vicodin and attempting to be a better person? Say it isn’t so! But yet, after last season’s jaw-dropping finale where everyone’s favourite grumpy Doc checked himself into a crazy ward to kick his pill-popping drug habit, that’s the prospect we were left with. Happily though, like previous years the potentially game-changing cliffhanger doesn’t alter the show for the worst – it merely adds a new layer. Our stubble-wielding, sleuth-like diagnostician might try out new means to stifle his recurring leg pain (including, wait for it… cooking), but he remains one of TV’s most watchable enigmas. If not, TV’s most ...
Read More TV Review
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