Guardians of the Galaxy

When Marvel announced the release of Guardians of the Galaxy, there were some concerned looks. People were indeed anxious with the lack of star quality in the Guardians own line up, and that the source material that the story is derived from was limited and little known. However, the reality is that Guardians showcases Marvel’s versatility, their ability to create instantly likeable characters and their capacity to create a fun, humorous story to add to their back catalogue.

When petty thief Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) steals a mysterious orb, events are set in motion which pits the empires of Kree and Xandar on the warpath, in spite of a recent peace treaty.  Quill’s subsequent imprisonment in a high security prison sees him draw an uneasy alliance with super assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the titular Drax (Dave Bautista) and the unique double act of Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel). From here these ‘heroes’ soon discover that they could be the only people who save the universe from the nefarious Ronan (Lee Pace).

Looking at the Guardians themselves and it is abundantly clear that Marvel still has the ability to introduce new, interesting characters to the fold. Chris Pratt’s ‘Star Lord’ is the studios’ most instantly likeable and charismatic lead since Tony Stark back in Iron Man I, and the rest are just as captivating. Gamora acts as the perfect foil to Quill’s flamboyance whilst the fact that Drax can only take things literally is a fountain of comedy throughout as well as showcasing an excellently subtle amount of character progression as the film progresses. However it is the almost Han Solo-Chewbacca axis with Groot and Rocket that provides the most laughs as well as emotional depth. Groot is incredibly lovable, if challenged linguistically, and Rocket is the pessimistic, criminal genius that proves that this band of heroes isn’t quite as squeaky clean as Marvel’s earlier characters.

The whole film almost feels like an open love letter to the most famous space-based sagas of the last 40 years. The cavalier attitude of the Guardians feels very Star Wars, whilst even the guns that Quill uses could have come from the arsenal of the U.S.S. Enterprise. This is a gentle nod to the pioneering sci-fi of the late 70s and 80s and the way fact that most of the films’ most serious moments are undercut with humour is also so refreshing. There has been a tendency in recent years to make superhero films go darker and darker a la Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. Now, I loved that trilogy, but it’s so good to see a film that puts sheer enjoyment first. Indeed, the bad guys in the piece don’t have a great deal of light to their considerable shade, with Ronan, as well as his sidekick Nebula (A shockingly de-gingered Karen Gillan) staying firmly in the Nasty Bastard category throughout. But all of this doesn’t really matter, as they both do this to great effect. Moreover the stunning visuals as well as excellent sound track keeps the pace bouncy and fun. 

Is it perfect? Well no, but there are only a few minor things. As I’ve said, you could ask for a bit more depth to the bad guys’ characters, but that isn’t too distracting. Benicio Del Torro’s ‘The Collector’ however was a small point of annoyance for me though, as he and his servants seemed to be a rushed plot device to try and add a bit of context to the film. Finally, (minor spoiler warning) the aerial finale is one that is strikingly similar to The Avengers, as well as this year’s excellent The Winter Soldier. Does that make it less enjoyable? No not really, but this repetition could just be the only side note of caution from what is otherwise a brilliant couple of hours of entertainment. 

Therefore Marvel’s biggest risk could just turn into its biggest success. Guardians is the fun ‘heads’ to The Winter Soldier’s serious ‘tails’ on the Marvel coin of films, with both showcasing the remarkable ability for the studio to reinvent itself and not to stagnate. Stick with the sombre 10 or so opening minutes of the film and you’ll be rewarded with two hours of unadulterated entertainment that flies by. The presence of ‘big bad’ Thanos, who we saw at the end of The Avengers, in this film further suggests that this rag tag group of unpolished heroes is here for the long haul, with this film acting a the near perfect meet and greet for them and the audience.  

90/100

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

When ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ (Mercifully known hereafter as ‘Rise’) hit the cinemas in 2011, it was a certainly a surprise critical and public hit. What ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ (Dawn) does so well is that it takes the poignant, human side of the first film and expands it, whilst also creating a sprawling action thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

So, 10 years have passed since the Simian Flu that we saw at the end of ‘Rise’ was first leaked into public domain and in that time it has destroyed civilisation as we know it. Only a pocket of survivors, led by Dreyfus (Oldman) and Malcolm (Clarke), exist in what is left of San Francisco, and they’re running out of oil. Meanwhile, a Utopian Ape paradise is thriving under the leadership of Caesar (Serkis) yet when a stray group of humans reach this paradise, high tensions and an energy crisis put these two sides on an unavoidable collision course. 

The star of this show is without a shadow of a doubt Andy Serkis’ Caesar. The character himself is a much more complex ape than we saw in ‘Rise’. He has to balance Vito Corleone-esque family duties with an at times burdening leadership, whilst also having to contend with the mesmerisingly malevolent Koba (Kebbell). The range of emotions that Serkis is able to portray through the magic that is Mo-Cap is incredible. After a while you forget that each of the Monkeys that we see are all men clad in green morph suits and laden with small sensors. This could be the film that makes Mo-Cap relevant in the same way that the superlative Avatar made 3D a serious concept in Hollywood. Fortified by Caesar’s brilliance, I don’t think it’s too far a stretch to say that this form of production is the future of special affects, as it’s allowing acting to make a comeback after over a decade of computer generated monopoly. That being said, the actual action sequences are stunningly executed and are rich with tension from beginning to end and there are times when this feels more like an action thriller than a sci-fi.

Less convincing are the humans in the piece, as well as a slightly predictable main story. Malcolm, played by the ever dependable Jason Clarke, is perhaps the only human who is allowed a back story and enough time on screen to grow and show some depth. His chemistry with Caesar really drives the story onwards, but the rest of the human cast seem somewhat underused. The epitome of this is the brilliant Gary Oldman, who is only afforded a small amount of back story and time on screen and I feel like that’s a waste. Moreover, Clarke’s new family just seems like a very blatant attempt to force the viewer to see the overriding similarities, not differences, between the apes and the humans. However none of this ever really annoys to any great extent as the mixture of the Apes and the action remedies any minor problems.

Therefore when you look at this as a whole it is simply fantastic. It’s a sprawling action epic laced with heart, tension and deceit and builds upon ‘Rise’s’ positives. Towards the end of the film the sun does indeed rise and the light of dawn floods through San Francisco. Of course when you look at the film trilogy (with a third installment expected in 2016) this does represent the birth of a new Earth and the start of a war but it may just signify the latest evolution to sci-fi and visual effects. Hail Caesar!

89/100

100 Word Reviews: Captain Phillips, Pain & Gain, We're the Millers

Captain Phillips

Plot – Captain Phillips (Hanks) tries to prevent the capture of his ship by Somali pirates.

100 Word Review – Those with a nervous disposition should maybe stay clear of this film. There are layers upon layers of anticipation and tension, yet this is the film’s greatest asset and is what makes it so good. Cinematically it is shot almost like a documentary which adds to the real-life feel which is integral to the movie. Barkhad Abdi is a revelation in his first major film role as Muse. His steely determination is sometimes expressed by a single stare or look. However Hanks is the star of the show in a role that showcases what a diversely talented actor he is. 91/100

Pain and Gain

Plot – Body builders Lugo (Walberg), Doyle (Johnson) and Doorball (Mackie) use the American Dream as inspiration for a kidnapping.

100 Word Review – Forget roids, it feels like the film itself has taken Speed. The pace is frenetic, the range of shots is diverse and the tricky job in balancing a crime caper with a comedy is frequently mastered. There are laughs throughout, which perhaps comes from the ludicrous nature of the TRUE story that this film was inspired by. The Rock steals it for me, as he fleets from the forgiving nature of a born again Christian to Tony Montana-ian levels of cocaine addiction. At times messy but a thoroughly enjoyable film nonetheless. P.S. It’s also a gold mine for inspirational quotes. 79/100

We’re the Millers

Plot – Small time pot dealer David (Sudeikis) gathers a rag tag group, including a stripper, runaway and loser, to pose as a family in order to smuggle drugs from Mexico.

100 Word Review – A fresh and original comedy that doesn’t overly rely on cliché. Although perhaps the ending is a bit predictable, the main bulk of the film feels different. Each member of the ‘family’ offers something new. David is cuttingly sarcastic whilst Rose (Aniston) is equally feisty (as well as proving that Aniston still has it). Casey (Roberts) is perhaps underdeveloped as a character but is still the epitome of an angsty teen, whereas Kenny (Poulter) is a brilliantly awkward addition who creates the most humour. Yes, the concept is utterly ridiculous but it tries to be different and supplies consistent laughs. 83/100

New to DVD: Dallas Buyers Club

It’s very easy to idly assume that any film that features the men who took the ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ awards respectively at the Oscars must be a good film. Thankfully though, Dallas proves this mantra correct once more, as the performances of Mathew McConaughey and Jared Leto prove to be funny, deeply moving and perfectly acted, which in turn makes this film a triumph.

To set the scene, McConaughey plays Ron Woodroof; a drug injecting, money squandering, lothario of a Cowboy in Texas. Ron’s a typical man from a conservative state that happily still abhors gays and disregards the growing storm of HIV-AIDS that rocked the world in the 1980s. But when Ron is found to be HIV positive and told he has only days to live, the protagonist gallantly decides that there “ain’t nothing that can kill Ron Woodroof in 30 days” and delves into the shady world of untested drug treatments in order to survive. He flies all over the world to do so as well as becoming a de facto dealer for fellow AIDS sufferers, including Leto’s transvestite character Rayon. Thus, the Dallas Buyers Club is born. The main plot strand of the film is Ron’s fight against not just the illness but also his fight against the doctors and corporations that were giving the drug AZT to existing patients. As a result, it casts light on the callous nature of the big bad corporations who seemed to only want money from their part in fighting the epidemic – with the patients becoming collateral damage. All of this makes you appreciate the film on a grander scale, as you can see that it isn’t just the story of one man’s fight.

However let’s start with the two leading men. Both underwent huge physical changes to make the parts look authentic, with Leto donning some garish woman’s clothing and McConaughey losing sufficient weight to look gaunt and frankly ill. However, more than the aesthetics, the two actors cover the whole emotional spectrum with their parts. Woodroof is a man whose bigoted views are turned on their head as he becomes ostracised by his friends yet he still has that casual cockiness that we see at the onset. Then there’s Leto; for all of Rayon’s (real name Raymond) outlandish bravado there are some gut-wrenching scenes that capture the deep despair that the illness must have brought to hundreds of thousands of people. The chemistry between the two creates both humour and a sense of camaraderie in the face of long odds.

Beat for beat the film never gets bogged down in detail which is, in the main, a good thing. It fleets from day to day, sometimes with whole months left out, but all of this makes the film flow. There’s a beautiful irony in the fact that the film never wastes time nor takes it for granted, as this is exactly how Ron himself acts. He’s a man who lives in the present, as the future bears no security for him. But that’s not to say that there isn’t humour present. Dressing up as a priest in order to smuggle drugs across the border may not be moral, but it’s certainly entertaining. The only problem is that besides these two, and the amicable doctor Eve, there’s not a lot of meaty support cast to carry the plot onwards or give it another angle. Moreover, there are times when you almost need a little more explanation and depth to the story, as otherwise you have to join up the dots and come to the one sided conclusion that all doctors and pharmaceutical agencies must be horrible bastards.  

That being said, there is so much to admire here. Ranging from the brilliant acting to the stylistic way in which the film is put together. It’s the crowning glory of the ‘McConaissance’ and is yet another brave piece of film making. When you look at three of last year’s most successful films – This, 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street – the common denominator is that they’re tackling voodoo subjects that have previously been swept under the rug. That alone deserves credit, yet they would mean nothing if they weren’t excellently put together. This is a film bristling with hope, despair, comedy and drama and is certainly worth a watch if your revision schedule allows.

90/100

New to DVD: The Wolf of Wall Street

Picture the scene, quite literally. You’re sitting down to watch this film that you've heard is nearly three hours long; you expect a slow burner, a slow build up featuring pages and pages of dialogue in true Scorsese style. However low and behold, within three minutes you've seen it all; strippers, marching bands, flying midgets, the works. This is Stratton Oakmont, and this is the riotously magnificent Wolf of Wall Street.

The story covers the rags to riches and back to comparable rags story of Jordan Belfort, a man who was, in his own poetic words “shit out” by Wall Street on Black Monday. Nevertheless, he gets back on the saddle and has soon made his own firm dealing with, and manipulating, what are referred to as ‘penny stocks’. Things escalate and whilst Belfort, Donnie Azoff (Hill) and the rest of his friends are living the high life, they inevitably catch the eye of every financial regulation agency under the sun as well as the FBI. To all intents and purposes, the last hour is a Wolf hunt.

Critics with much more of a sense of morality than me said that this film glorified excess, and that was a bad thing, but I think the opposite. The parties and antics the characters get up to are hedonistic to the extreme, and you never see the lives that these brokers undeniably destroyed. However, when you take it for what it is, it’s impossible to not enjoy this film. DiCaprio as Belfort is majestic, with all the superficiality of Jay Gatsby and the immorality of a common crook you shouldn't like him, but he’s so overwhelmingly charismatic that he’s just a joy to watch. The speeches that he gives on the trading floor are inspirational to say the least (the “nobility in poverty” speech is incredible) and when you couple that with the excellent comedy throughout it does create what talent show contestants would refer to as an ‘emotional roller-coaster’.  You go from the heights of comedy to the emotional depths of a man whose crown is slipping at the end – which in turn perhaps conjures up the most shocking scenes.

First and foremost this is a comedy, and it delivers throughout. It ranges from slapstick humour (usually Hill) to cutting wordplay. The support cast supply most of the laughs, with Hill on fine form in particular. However the small role of Mathew Mconaughey as Mark Hanna is quite brilliant. He, in just 5 minutes or so reflects the utterly insane nature of Wall Street and gives the young Belfort a glimpse into the future. There’s enough flesh on show to make Game of Thrones look like prudish, particularly coming from the stunningly incredible Naomi (Margot Robbie), and enough narcotics to make Heisenberg blush. Throughout you get the feeling that all of Belfort’s bravado is there to stick the proverbial two fingers up to the Street that dashed his dreams and in another pair of hands that could get repetitive; not Scorsese’s and DiCaprio’s.

The film is long, no doubt about it, but the pace of the action doesn't make it feel boring or drawn out. A few scenes are perhaps a bit too wordy and long, however the overall picture flows beautifully. It’s one of the bravest films to come out of Hollywood ever, a glamorisation of all of the vices and financial immorality that has caused a stir even as recently as the 2007/8 crash. But overall, you will love the antihero, you will marvel at the decadence, you will howl (get it) with laughter and finally you will find yourself uncontrollably humming and banging your chest for weeks to come. AWOOOOO.

92/100

The Amazing Spiderman 2

To all intents and purposes, this is the fifth outing for Spiderman in recent years, as Sam Raimi’s trilogy had barely gathered any dust by the time the reboot came along in 2012. Clearly, the director, Marc Webber, is trying to up the ante this time round, filling the film with more action and more ‘baddies’ than the predecessor. Although at time these juggling balls may drop, the overall picture is one that is freshly entertaining.

So, Spidey is now inevitably the most famous Spider-human cross breed in the World (Not the hardest accolade, but still). He’s web slinging his way around town and is naturally attracting public adoration and media scorn, whilst still trying to maintain his relationship with Gwen (Stone). When saving the lovably nerdy Max Dillon (Foxx) on one of his escapades, you’d think he’d be grateful, but, when Dillon accidently dices with death he becomes the main villain of the piece; Electro. The shady Oscorp gets a new owner, none other than Peter Parker’s (Garfield) oldest friend Harry Osborn (DeHaan). However this isn’t perhaps the reunion Pete was hoping for and it sets Harry on his way to becoming yet another villain. The high voltage finale brings all three players together for a battle royale, but in turn leaves the door wide open for the sequel, due in 2016.

It seems only right to start with what makes this film live up to its title; amazing. The whole look and tone of the film is somewhat lighter than the Avengers canon, yet just as enjoyable as a spectacle overall.  The action sequences are much more vibrant than say Captain America, but that doesn’t make them look less impressive or less realistic. The whole tone reflects the franchise’s Comic Book origins which in turn makes its fresh and bouncy. At the centre of it is the incredibly charismatic Garfield playing the lead role. It may seem obvious, but the film is at its best when he is on screen. His chemistry with real-life girlfriend Emma Stone as Gwen is constantly fizzing and thoroughly entertaining. This is certainly a character who is more comfortable in their own suit as it were and it really shows. He strikes the balance between cockiness and geekiness brilliantly and really dictates the pace of the film when he’s on screen. The depth added to the story at the start of the film is worthwhile and gives you a bit of context and meaning as to why Peter was abandoned by his parents all those years ago.

However, not everything in the film is as enjoyable. The middle section feels slightly bloated and fleets between story lines in the vague hope that we’ll tie up the loose ends. The two villains are both good, but you perhaps lack a degree of empathy with them, which makes them lack depth. Don’t get me wrong, both Foxx and DeHaan do superbly with the content that they've got, with DeHaan really growing into the sinister role of the Green Goblin that was so brilliantly executed by Willem Dafoe in the first of the Raimi trilogy, but they sometimes fall foul of an erratic script that tries to cover too much ground too quickly. On occasion the score for the film and choice of music is slightly off putting at best and irritating at worst. The use of classical music in the Electro-testing scene seems completely bizarre and that particular scene is made even worse by the most comically clichéd evil German doctor I've seen. (Seriously, they may as well have put a swastika on his breast pocket and be done with it). That one gripe aside, and the rest is perfectly enjoyable, with most of the highlights coming at the start and at the climax of the film.  

Therefore, this second instalment averts complete villain overload and in the main is incredibly enjoyable. The format isn’t your typical superhero film which is something that certainly deserves a lot of credit. The ending gives the franchise a lot of room for manoeuvre; Spiderman has room to grow even more, and is a changed hero by the end of the film, whilst the growing supervillains club is receiving applications left, right and centre. It’s certainly worth a watch and although it’s not perfect, there’s enough ‘amazing’ in it to justify the title. 

83/100

2nd Time Lucky: 5 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original (No.2)

2 – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Plot: The Fellowship is broken after the events of the first film and the story follows the path of the three, now separate, groups. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli have entered Rohan, a sprawling kingdom ruled by a King whose mind isn’t his own. Merry and Pippin are trying to escape their Uruk-Hai captors and Frodo and Sam are moving ever closer to Mordor with the help of the shady Gollum. All of this culminates in a barnstorming battle at Helms Deep, an Entish insurrection at Isengard and the obliteration of Osgiliath.

Why is it Better? A few weeks ago I argued that The Hobbit’s second adventure was much better for being ‘Ringsier’ in tone and I feel that this film defined the mood and feel of the trilogy more than the ‘Fellowship’ did. ‘The Two Towers’ was a benchmark, in a similar vein to Star Wars’ ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, and became a checklist for what films in Middle Earth should resemble. The separate plot lines offer a richer narrative, and whilst I do agree that I much preferred seeing the Three Musketeers getting Medieval with the bad guys to the ever-so-slightly melt-ish character of Frodo whining about his mission, the complete package is balanced perfectly. 

There’s enough clashing imagery and subtle allegory to make an English Teacher get hot under the collar. However let’s set one thing straight, this film is brilliant because it offers action scenes that have seldom been repeated in terms of downright awesomeness. Helms Deep is one of the best set pieces in cinema in my opinion, with a monumental scale peppered with heroism, loss and a layer of humour that is always amusingly ridiculous. Who would have thought that using a shield as a surfboard or chucking a Dwarf across a gorge could be so engaging? That’s not to say that the acting isn’t top notch as well; Théoden’s speech before the battle is positively Shakespearean and there is a sense of danger for the main characters throughout which makes this film more compelling than the first. The fact that teenagers like myself are still just as enthusiastic about this film as they were when it came out almost 12 years ago (yes, 12 whole years), suggests that Jackson’s formula was so entertaining that it has ensured that this film doesn’t just go down as an epic, but also a classic of modern cinema.