Tagged with quickie …

Feb 11 2013
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Friends With Benefits

Friends with BenefitsWhen Dylan (Justin Timberlake) moves to New York for a big job, he and his new best friend Jamie (Mila Kunis) attempt to have a purely sexual relationship without any emotional involvement whatsoever. Can they manage it?

Everyone already knows the answer to this question whether they’ve seen the film or not, which is its biggest downfall. Whilst the horrendous amount of product placement is annoying enough, it’s nowhere near as annoying as the fact that Friends With Benefits very nearly managed to escape from the clutches of the middle of the road rom-com that the characters themselves are so keen to avoid, but ultimately ends ups decaying into mediocrity.

There are some genuinely funny moments here and much of the dialogue is witty and delivered snappily by the two leads. There is also a sobering and interesting story arc with Dylan and his dementia-suffering father that probably warranted more screen-time. However, just when you think this could break the mould or even ignore the mould altogether, it delivers exactly what you expect it to with a dulling inevitability. It also ends up feeling like little more than a vehicle for Timberlake, as many an eye is sure to be rolled at him flexing his muscles (vocal and actual) on more than one occasion. Of course, Kunis also manages to forget her clothes occasionally too. All of this doesn’t mean that Friends With Benefits is a bad film, just one that could have been so much more.

3 pigeons

3/5 pigeons

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Dec 28 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Seven Psychopaths

Seven PsychopathsMarty (Colin Farrell) is a screenwriter with writer’s block. However, when his best friend Billy (Sam Rockwell) kidnaps a gangster’s beloved Shih Tzu, Marty becomes involved and gets more inspiration than he was hoping for.

2008′s In Bruges was somewhat of a cult hit, so when writer Martin McDonagh returned with Seven Psychopaths, there was a fair bit of anticipation. Whilst it doesn’t quite live up to the aforementioned Belgium-based rib tickler, Seven Psychopaths still has a lot going for it, particularly its witty script and some excellent performances. Rockwell and Christopher Walken especially give top-notch performances and steal pretty much every scene they’re in. Farrell also seems much more at home in this type of thing than straight up action films.

The story is somewhat scatterbrain with characters and plot threads jumping here, there and everywhere (a metaphor for scriptwriting and writer’s block?), but the interesting characters and sometimes hilarious dialogue keep it glued together. It is a brilliant script that has huge amounts to dwell upon once the credits roll and is a film that almost demands a second viewing. It’s also full of self-referential moments that tread the line of clever and covering up for the odd occasion of lazy writing, but it’s nowhere near enough to spoil what is a worthy follow up to McDonagh’s debut, even if it doesn’t quite hit the same high notes.

Chris

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Nov 04 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: The Sweeney

Jack Regan (Ray Winstone) is an old-fashioned cop who plays by his own rules. He, along with partner George Carter (Ben Drew), are investigating a lead on a bank heist when a robbery and murder at a jewellery store causes them to pull the plug, leading Regan to believe they are connected through old foe Francis Allen (Paul Anderson). Regan tries to solve the crime the only way he knows as his superiors to try to shut him down.

The hardest thing to do when watching The Sweeney is having to suspend your disbelief. It gives the impression of a realistic cop drama but if you go into it expecting that, you’ll be disappointed. That these guys solve crimes with a baseball bat to the cranium makes you wonder why they haven’t been sacked and locked up. This is not The Sweeney of old but a re-imagining for the Danny Dyer generation. However, if you can overlook all that then there’s enough here to enjoy.

The film is much more character driven than one might expect from a film of this nature. As much a crime caper, it’s about a dinosaur of a cop whose methods and way of thinking have become obsolete. This plays into the film’s favour as, in terms of action and story, it blows its load too early, with the best set piece, a shoot out through London, occurring too early and leaving everything that follows a little underwhelming.

It also suffers from a truly awful script – “oi oi savaloy” is just one stereotypical retort embarrassingly wheeled out. Winstone and Drew are decent enough but they’re characters we’ve seen plenty of times before. Despite that, for a couple of hours of mindless entertainment, there are worse films to plump for; just don’t expect anything with brains.

Chris

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Sep 11 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Knocked Up

Knocked UpThere are now certain expectations when you see names such as Judd Apatow, Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill on a film’s billing, but Knocked Up moves away from most of those expectations to present a much more rounded experience that offers drama and sentiment as much as it does comedy.

Layabout Ben Stone (Seth Rogan) lives off compensation he receives for an injury and works on a website with his stoner flatmates that documents when nudity occurs in films. On a night out he meets the career-driven Alison (Katherine Heigl), one thing leads to another and they end up gettin’ it on, so to speak. However, due to a misunderstanding in the bedroom, Ben doesn’t use protection and Alison ends up pregnant. The two of them then have to overcome numerous difficulties to discover a solution that’s best for them and their soon-to-be-born child.

The film’s strength undoubtedly lies in the chemistry between Rogan and Heigl. They work very well together and are able to confidently convey the problems that many who go through such a situation will no doubt experience. Paul Rudd also puts in a shift as Alison’s brother-in-law and there is plenty of crass humour for the Superbad fans from the likes of Jonah Hill and Jason Segel.

However, one of the main problems with the film is that it suffers from some all-too-familiar stereotypes. Essentially, all the women are power crazy nutjobs and the men are idiots who fuck everything up. This leads to a little too much predictability and we therefore end up exactly where we thought we would. Despite that, Knocked Up is light-hearted, easy to watch and provides enough humour and drama to successfully straddle both genres whilst providing a lesson in neither.

Words: Chris Thomson

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Sep 05 2012
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Film Reviews

Film review: Ted

When little John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) makes a wish for his teddy bear to come to life, he’s astonished to find that it actually comes true. The best of friends, Ted (Seth MacFarlane) and John are inseparable. Fast forward and John is now 35 and he and Ted are still best buds, although his girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) isn’t so thrilled with the pairs’ close friendship.

Ted

Ted comes from the creative mind behind Family Guy and American Dad, Seth MacFarlane, and it’s not difficult to see the influence. It very much comes across as a case of trying to make a film for the Family Guy audience without actually making a Family Guy film.

Pretty much everything is present from the crass humour to pop culture references, and as a good handful of the Family Guy voice actors are used, it’s even aurally very similar. However, Ted is deeper than it would first appear. At the heart of the film is a charming story about a man clinging on to his childhood and struggling to take the next important steps in his life.

MacFarlane is clearly a classic storyteller deep down and employs a host of textbook filmic devices throughout, such as the car chase, the fight scene, the sex scene, and plenty more. Whilst nothing groundbreaking, it does all add up to a much more complete cinematic experience than it could otherwise have been. This could also be an attempt for MacFarlane to try and prove that he has more to him than just scripting animated TV shows.

Childhood is a major theme of the film, and MacFarlane’s was obviously a major influence when writing it. There are nods to various films that have shaped many a person’s childhood, including Indiana Jones and Star Wars, as well as smack-you-round-the-face references to others such as Flash Gordon. Whilst this works for those who also grew up with said movies, it can be a little alienating for those who didn’t.

That’s not the only reason that some of the jokes miss their mark, which unfortunately quite a few of them do. Some of the cleverer, more subtle Family Guy humour has been lost and replaced with cheap expletive-based jokes and easy ‘haha-the-bear’s-taking-drugs’ jokes that do get a little tiresome, whilst some are aimed squarely at a US audience, thus becoming a little lost in translation for those of us across the Atlantic. This is a harsh criticism for a film made in America by Americans but it’s still worth highlighting that a chunk of the humour may go over UK audiences’ heads.

Ted is much more than just a Family Guy film and manages to find a nice middle ground between comedy and drama. Those expecting a laugh-a-minute may be a little disappointed, but at the centre of everything there’s a beguiling little story with entertaining performances from Wahlberg and Kunis as well as the wonderfully rendered Ted himself. This is a solid debut feature from MacFarlane and it would be no surprise to see him branch out and move further away from the Family Guy formula for future projects.

Words: Chris Thomson

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Sep 01 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Buried

BuriedAwaking groggy and disorientated, Paul Conroy discovers he has been buried alive following an attack on the truck he was driving in Iraq. With little more than a lighter, a pen and a mobile phone for company, he tries to somehow engineer an escape before time runs out.

A minimalist plot description for an incredibly minimalist film. Buried’s entire 94 minute runtime is set inside the wooden coffin with the increasingly desperate Paul (Ryan Reynolds) as he tries to get out of his wooden prison, and for those who suffer from any kind of claustrophobia, Buried is likely to be a rather unpleasant experience, forcing you to live every second of Paul’s torture. It’s quite a brave decision having one single location and actor, but director Rodrigo Cortés does a decent job of keeping the tension at a high level and manages to keep it from getting too stale.

However, whilst there are some intense junctures, it does fall foul of some rather silly moments that do give you somewhat of a reality check. An incident with a snake is one that stands out as particularly jarring. A slightly stronger script could have turned this into something truly excellent, but a thinly veiled anti war, anti corporate America message ends up detracting a little from the tension.

Ryan Reynolds was apparently the first choice for the role of Paul and he repays the faith in him admirably. He gives an eclectic performance, much more varied than many of his other roles, and one that likely came from the pretty horrendous conditions he was having to work in.

Buried is intriguing and engaging with some excellent moments, but falls just short of the potential it could, and perhaps should, have fulfilled.

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Aug 26 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

When his father, a World War II SS officer, is promoted to oversee the events at Auschwitz, 8 year old Bruno befriends Shmuel, a Jewish boy on the other side of the concentration camp fence.

Shmuel and Bruno

Based on the 2006 John Boyne novel of the same name, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas deals with a subject that has been covered in films countless times, The Holocaust, but does so from a different angle. This is a child’s perspective, and a German child at that. Bruno (Asa Butterfield) is completely oblivious to the horror going on around him, perhaps symbolic of many Germans during the war. Through a child’s innocence, the terrors of Auschwitz seem even greater; each and every detail seeming that more grotesque leading up to the frankly chilling climax.

However, a major downfall of the film is the fact that it’s in English. The filmmakers may have had good reason to make it in English, but it’s a film that is desperate to be made in the characters’ mother tongue. The English accents of the German characters make it doubly confusing when you consider it’s the British that the Germans are fighting against. It detracts from the story somewhat and may confuse slightly younger viewers.

Once you’re over that hurdle, there’s an interesting story but one that suffers from a slightly poor script, particularly in regards to Bruno and Shmuel’s relationship. Considering that’s the crux of the story, there isn’t much progression in their friendship over the shortish runtime, which could have given so much more. Despite that, it’s an interesting take on a WWII story; as viewers with historical knowledge of the situation, we always know more than Bruno, which turns out to be both a blessing and a tragedy.

Words: Chris Thomson

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Aug 24 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Chronicle

ChronicleA group of three high school students discover a mysterious hole in the ground which, when they enter, gives them super powers. Over the course of the film, their powers develop, getting stronger and more varied, but as they do so, they struggle to cope with their new abilities.

With comic book adaptations meaning that superhero films are now an all too common sight in cinemas, Chronicle could easily just get swept away beneath an already saturated tide. However, this isn’t a superhero film at all, but more a realistic (or as realistic as you can get with such subject matter) examination of what might happen should some pretty regular kids with real problems suddenly have extraordinary abilities thrust upon them.

Chronicle is filmed in a shaky-cam, found footage style that has become rather popular over the last few years, with films such as Cloverfield basing their entire filming format around it. It works well enough in Chronicle but, as is often the case, it can become a little disorientating when things get a little more frantic. It also feels, at times, a little unnatural for people to be carrying cameras round at all times – almost a case of shoehorning this into the plot to continue the shaky-cam style throughout.

The three male leads are solid, with Andrew’s (Dane DeHaan) story taking more of a centre stage. With a rather modest run time, this does mean that the other two protagonists, and Steve’s (Michael B Jordan) in particular, feel a little underdeveloped. Despite this, Chronicle offers a decent big screen debut for director Josh Trank and is enjoyable and different enough to distinguish itself from more run of the mill films of a similar ilk.

Words: Chris Thomson

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Aug 09 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Bronson

BronsonNotoriously known as Britain’s most dangerous criminal, Charles Bronson is the ideal candidate for a biopic. Bronson tells us the madman/misunderstood fellow’s story from when he was a child getting in fights at school right through his tumultuous prison life, detailing some of the more famous incidents, although often with some alterations and embellishments.

Told from the perspective of the man himself, we are privy to his various attacks on prison guards, his time in a mental institution and his penchant for getting into fights while completely starkers. However, the film is interspersed with narration told from a stage with Bronson dolled up in makeup (has Bronson’s life become a stageshow?), and certain parts are a little more theatrical than is probably true. This works well enough but may leave those expecting a straight up biopic a little confused.

Tom Hardy is superb as Bronson and many may be surprised by his varied acting range. From psychotic madman to troubled soul to bombastic showman, Hardy shows immense versatility not always seen in his films.

Bronson has been hailed by some as the modern generation’s A Clockwork Orange but such hyperbolic statements should not be taken too seriously. There are parallels between the two films, namely the healthy doses of the old ultraviolence and the exuberant yet dangerous nature of the protagonist, but Bronson lacks the disturbing social commentary of A Clockwork Orange, rather focusing on a single man’s misunderstood twisted troubled mind. That’s not a criticism, just an important distinction between the two films. A Clockwork Orange appalled and upset, but there is little in Bronson that will do the same once the initial shock value wears off, which it does a little too quickly.

Words: Chris Thomson

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Jul 25 2012
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Film Reviews

Quickie: Rampart

'Date Rape' Dave BrownDuring the fallout of the Rampart corruption scandal in the late 1990s, veteran police office Dave Brown is caught on camera viciously beating on a suspect. His life then spirals out of control as he tries his best to keep it all together.

Dave Brown is somewhat of a twisted fellow; he lives with his two exes who happen to be sisters and both of whom he has children with, he reportedly murdered a supposed serial date rapist, and he isn’t shy about whose bed he happens to fall into. To be honest, it’s hard to feel any kind of sympathy or empathy with Brown and as such, it’s sometimes difficult to care about what happens to him. There’s much more to his past (and his present) that we’re not shown and there are suggestions that his two exes aren’t the only members of the household he has ‘been close’ to. Again, this doesn’t sit well with a protagonist the film seems to want us to identify with.

Having said that, Woody Harrelson is excellent as usual. He worked with director Oren Moverman on The Messenger and it’s clear the two work well together. Moverman, on the other hand, does the film no favours with his constant use of over-the-top and disorientating camera techniques. Used in moderation they can be effective but the overuse is a little distracting. One particular scene featuring Harrelson, Sigourney Weaver and Steve Buscemi could have brilliant but the constantly revolving camera succeeds in only detracting from the dialogue.

Rampart isn’t a bad film, it’s just one that doesn’t really do anything new or go anywhere particularly interesting. However, the performances are generally solid, particularly from Harrelson who appears in every scene, but outside of that the film will unlikely stick in the memory.

Words: Chris Thomson

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