Movie Review - The Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)

The Wolverine (12A)

Bless Hugh Jackman. It�s his sixth outing as the mutton-chopped, muscle-popping mutant and you can understand the Oscar-nominated actor is keen as mustard to bring a little more depth to the role.

He spent 12 years earnestly producing this X-Men spin-off which, as every Marvel fanboy knows, is based on the 1980s Samurai mini series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller (who also wrote The Dark Knight Returns).
For the rest of you, this is the one where Wolverine goes to Japan to say goodbye to an old friend, who is actually scheming to get his mitts on the genetic secret of the Wolverine�s superhuman self-healing powers.

There are fights, there are special effects, there are more ninjas than sense, there�s glorious rolling acres of Jackman torso and there is an awesome fight atop a speeding 300mph bullet train. But yet� it somehow manages to be pretty much a yawn fest.

�This Wolverine is more interior, more restrained � a little darker,� Jackman has said of a film where Wolverine spends a good 40 minutes stumbling around in a beard attempting to look vulnerable (a tall task when you look like a small fortress built from 100 per cent prime beef), being tortured by nightmares about his dead beloved (Famke Janssen in a floatie nightie) and longing to join her. When will folk learn that �dark� doesn�t necessarily mean �profound� � just �profoundly dull�?

Director James �Walk The Line� Mangold sucks Jackman�s screen presence of its natural expansive charisma. Where�s the warmth? The heart? Or any sense of wit? A multimillion dollar pile of tedium.

27.10.2011- Film Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love

Crazy, Stupid, Love is a film which is pretty tricky to categorise. Part romantic comedy, part relationship drama, the narrative centres on down-on-his-luck Cal Weaver (brilliantly played by Steve Carell), who discovers his wife Emily has been having an affair with one of her work colleagues. Devastated when Emily asks for a divorce, newly single Cal heads to a local bar, contemplating his failings as a father and husband over a vodka and cranberry. Enter professional ladies man Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling), who makes it his mission to transform Cal from a trainer wearing loser with a habit of buying suits two sizes too big into a stylish, confident bachelor (much like Jacob himself.) Introduce a parallel storyline with the charming Emma Stone and you've got a recipe for cinematic success.

The most memorable element of Crazy, Stupid, Love for me (with the exception of that 'photoshopped' scene) was the dialogue. Dan Fogelman's script is simultaneously funny and deeply sincere, and the situations which he creates on screen are grounded in a reality which the audience understands, allowing us to really connect with the characters. The funny moments (especially Emily's Twilight admission and Cal's encounter with Marisa Tomei's maniacal teacher) aren't knowingly funny either, which makes them laugh-out-loud hilarious. In short, the comedy is so successful because it has been brilliantly observed, but also because it is perfectly balanced with moments of pathos which aren't overly sentimental or gushy.

The performances too, make the film a real joy to watch. Steve Carell is completely believable as the hapless Cal, and we root for him throughout. Julianne Moore is as radiant as ever as Emily, and it's a testament to her sensitive performance and the quality of the writing that we never see her as the villian of the piece for cheating on her husband. Ryan Gosling excels as lovable rogue Jacob, and Crazy, Stupid, Love looks set to be the film which cements his mainstream appeal (I can't wait to see him in The Ides of March, either). On paper, Jacob could come across as a shallow and highly unlikeable womaniser, but in the hands of Gosling the character is both charming and attractive. However, the revelation of this film for me was Emma Stone, who plays hapless Hannah, a trainee lawyer who is seriously unlucky in love until she catches Jacob's eye. Her performance is endearing, intelligent and she brings a real lightness of touch to the piece.

Overall, if I were to sum up Crazy, Stupid, Love in one word, it would be charming. Unlike so many films which fall under the 'rom-com' umbrella, it doesn't patronise its audience, and allows us to connect with an ensemble of characters who are both likeable and utterly believable. The unexpected (yet somehow everyday) nature of the comedy combined with the completely sincere relationships at the heart of the film really reminded me of Little Miss Sunshine (one of my all-time favourites). It's proof of the strength of the script that I didn't see the twist towards the end of coming at all, and, much like Little Miss Sunshine, Crazy, Stupid, Love is a film which I'm sure I'll never tire of watching.

Have you seen Crazy, Stupid, Love? If so, what did you think?

(Image credit: Google Images.)

17.05.2011- Film Review: New York, I Love You

I'd been eagerly anticipating the release of New York, I Love You since seeing its predecessor, Paris, Je T'aime a few years ago. After a long wait for the DVD release, I finally got round to watching the film, which encompasses a series of shorter stories set against the bustling backdrop of New York City. Although it could be argued that a film made entirely of shorts makes it harder to engage with the characters and the stories being told, the beauty of New York, I Love You lies in the continuity which arises from setting each story in the same place; the film is, after all, as much about the relationships the characters have with New York as it is about the relationships which they have with each other. Some of the characters also make repeat appearances in other stories, which is a cohesive lovely touch. My favourite story of the entire film was written and directed by Joshua Marston, and captures beautifully the endearing relationship between elderly couple Abe (Eli Wallach) and Mitzie (Cloris Leachman) as they take a walk to the beach. Another standout short was the one created by Natalie Portman, who also stars in another segment directed by Mira Nair. Portman's film focuses on the relationship between a father (Carlos Acosta) and his daughter, highlighting the issue of family separation and the prejudices faced by single fathers. I won't spoil the end, but suffice it to say it is very touching.

One of the more abstract segments was written by the late Anthony Minghella and directed by Shekhar Kapur. Starring Julie Christie, John Hurt and Shia LaBeouf, the piece is beautifully shot and acted, particularly by Christie, who plays a woman who can't help but reminisce about the past. Featuring a stark colour palette, the cinematography perfectly captures the mood of the piece, even if the narrative itself is a little ambiguous. I also really enjoyed some of the funnier shorts, particularly Shunji Iwai's, featuring Orlando Boom and Christina Ricci, which muses upon our interaction (or lack of interaction) in a world saturated with technology.

Overall, I really enjoyed New York, I Love You. If you've visited the city like I have, chances are you'll find the film even more endearing (and, if you're as much of a geek as I am, you'll probably try and play 'spot the location' as you watch.) Even if you haven't been to New York, you're bound to identify with the stories and the characters as they navigate their way through relationships and love in the Empire State. Put simply, New York, I Love You offers a series of portraits which are as diverse, entertaining and charming as the city itself,  presents a series of stories in which nothing is as it seems and captures the beauty of everyday life and love in New York City.

Have you seen New York, I Love You? If so, what did you think?

(Image credit: Google.)

08.08.2010- Film Review: An Education

An Education (2009), directed by Lone Scherfig.

Last weekend I finally got round to watching An Education, after snapping it up on DVD at a bargain price (£8!) The film, based upon the memoirs of journalist Lynn Barber, tells the story of Jenny (played by Carey Mulligan), a young girl on the cusp of adulthood who is preparing to begin a degree at Oxford University. Jenny's parents (more specifically her father, played brilliantly by Alfred Molina) are in the midst of coaching Jenny for the start of her academic career when their lives are invaded by mysterious stranger David (Peter Sarsgaard). David seduces Jenny with expensive gifts, glib persuasion and a 17th birthday trip to Paris, the bohemian paradise of her naïve dreams. As he infiltrates Jenny's comfortable suburban life, she begins to reconsider her priorities and question whether she should follow the path to Oxford or shun University completely. Indeed, in one telling scene, Jenny's father even discourages her from going, in favour of her being financially supported by David after the two become engaged. As Jenny is further exposed to the charmed yet morally bankrupt life David leads, she encounters two of his close friends, Danny and Helen, portrayed by Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike respectively. Cooper, as always, charms, much as he has done since his breakthrough in The History Boys, but it is Pike who is the true scene stealer of this film, thanks mainly to the comic potential of the character she has been gifted with. Helen is essentially the antithesis of Jenny; a woman who lacks ambition or a great deal of intellect, and who is happy to be supported by her boyfriend whilst quaffing champagne adorned in designer clothes. Just as the truth about David's luxurious living and deceit is revealed, Jenny neglects to take her A-Level examinations and is ultimately left to rely upon herself to make the biggest decision of her young life.

I found An Education extremely enjoyable, and in places very funny. The script, written by Nick Hornby, possesses true British wit and heart, and the cinematography, which encapsulates the rainy pavements of Twickenham and the romantic Parisian sunset, is beautiful. In places, I did find the plot quite predictable, but I put this down to Sarsgaard's performance; he does such a brilliant job of making David slightly creepy and unnerving that it was obvious from the outset that he was not all he seemed and would ultimately leave Jenny broken-hearted. The film also features some brilliant supporting performances, specifically from Emma Thompson and Olivia Williams, who, as Jenny's teachers, do all they can to dissuade her from her association with David. The costume designs of Odile Dicks- Mireaux also deserve commendation, as they place the film perfectly within the 1960's and evoke a decadence which begins to seduce the audience just as it seduces Jenny. As the film concludes, we bear witness to a cautionary tale of the price of being too trusting, and, much like Jenny, are reminded of the valuable lessons that life, as well as school, can teach us.

Have you seen An Education? What did you think of it?

(Image credit: Google.)

04.08.2009- Film Review: Man On Wire

'Man On Wire' is an award winning documentary which tells the audacious story of Philippe Petit's daredevil wire walk between the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. As well as charting the build up to the walk, the documentary illuminates Petit's accomplishments (and several arrests) in the build up to scaling the iconic Manhattan landmark(s) in 1974, including walking between the two towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and traversing a wire rigged between two pylons on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia.

Wire walking is Petit's vocation in life; the documentary more than demonstrates this when he professes that the freedom he feels when on a wire in incomparable to anything else he feels in life. The sheer preparation involved in his World Trade Center stunt demonstrates his passion; the event was eight months in the planning, and had to be orchestrated meticulously in order for this milestone achievement to work successfully.

This film is filled with humour, however dark it may be, and more than once when watching it, I have to confess I questioned Petit's sanity. But as he rationalised: 'If I die, what a beautiful death', I understood that for him, to die in the act of doing something he loves is enormously preferable than to die always wondering 'what if?'

(Photo credit: Google, video credit: here).