Category: Reviews

David Cronenberg’s latest film is a dark and intelligent look at the violence that lurks in small town America.

Like his previous film Spider it is more low key and restrained work than previous efforts like The Fly or Crash but it still packs a considerable punch, even though the latter stages have an uneasy, almost comic tone. It is as arresting and disturbing as his early films, but moves at a deceptively slower pace, making the violence – when it happens – all the more shocking.

Guy Ritchie’s return to the gangster genre is a confusing, incoherent mess.

What should have been a return to the kind of films that made his name after the embarrassment of Swept Away is actually something equally bad. Although it bears the hallmarks of Lock, Stock… and Snatch (flashy editing, cockney geezers, stone faced hard men) it features a plot so tortuous and confusing you have to wonder if the whole project is some kind of elaborate new-age joke.

Although it bombed unexpectedly at the US box office this Depression era boxing drama is an accomplished and moving depiction of James Braddock’s extraordinary career.

The story of US boxer James J Braddock reads like a fairy tale. During the Great Depression in New York he was forced into a series of menial jobs and struggled to hold his family together in the face of terrible poverty. However, chance and opportunity combined to give him a chance to return to the ring and get his life back on track, even leading him to a shot at the world title.

Tim Burton�s adaptation of Roald Dahl�s much loved children�s book is a surreal delight.

For all of its enduring popularity as a book, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory has never really received a satisfactory adaptation on TV or film. Until now, the darker edges of Dahl�s imagination have probably put off studios but with the success of the Harry Potter films, children�s books seem to be back in vogue. Step forward Warner Brothers and the director who was born to make this film – Tim Burton. Add in Johnny Depp, the actor who has collaborated with him on his best work (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood), and you have an extremely tempting prospect aswell as a chance to finally lay to rest the problems that dogged the over praised 1971 adaptation that Dahl reportedly hated.

The biggest blockbuster of the summer is a thrilling but surprisingly bleak affair filled with post 9/11 angst.

Nearly 30 years on from depicting aliens as friendly visitors in Close Encounters of the Third Kind Steven Spielberg has fashioned a very different alien invasion movie. Despite all the negative pre-release publicity surrounding its star Tom Cruise and an embargo on reviews till the release date suggesting something bad was afoot, it is a surprisingly lean and subversive summer blockbuster. Adapting the themes of H.G. Wells’s original novel to contemporary America, Spielberg and screenwriters David Koepp and Josh Friedman explore the fears of the most powerful nation on the planet whilst also crafting an exciting and absorbing drama.

The big budget resurrection of the Batman movie franchise is a smarter than average comic book adaptation but despite the gritty feel and some heavyweight acting talent it doesn�t quite match up to the recent X-Men and Spiderman films.

The recent glut of Marvel comic book adaptations makes it easy to forget that the two trailblazing superhero films of the modern era were both from the DC Comics stable. In 1978 Superman showed that the character could be believable on a big screen, whilst Batman in 1989 was similarly successful. But after director Joel Schumacher took over from Tim Burton in the 90s the films descended into campy fiasco of 1997�s execrable Batman & Robin. That effectively killed off the franchise but with Warner Bros keen to cash in on the current superhero frenzy they opted to refresh the Batman story with a new approach and a different kind of director. Their choice was Christopher Nolan who made his name with the brilliant Memento in 2000 and he brings a refreshing approach to the Batman character.

Despite the relentless tabloid gossip and negative buzz that has surrounded it, Mr & Mrs Smith is actually smarter and more entertaining than you might have been led to believe.

In a summer dominated by films like Revenge of the Sith and War of the Worlds, Mr and Mrs Smith was clearly designed to be a low tech alternative to the special effects driven blockbusters that usually dominate the season. The concept of the film is to mix a smart romantic comedy with a spy caper and despite the media gossip about whether the two leads did or didn�t fall in love during filming, it is a surprisingly smart and enjoyable ride. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie display enough chemistry to keep us interested in the romantic side of the film and Doug Liman brings the same leftfield sensibilities to the action genre that made his name with films like Swingers and Go.

The final film of the Star Wars saga is the best of the recent prequels but still lacks the charm and wonder of the original films.

Since George Lucas decided to make the three prequels to his original Star Wars trilogy, critical opinion has been divided and fans of the first three films have had much to fret over. It would be fair to say that the The Phantom Menace was one of the most eagerly awaited films in recent times in 1999 but the flat story line and annoying CGI sidekicks disappointed many despite the film�s commercial success. Attack of the Clones in 2002 was an improvement with more engaging action sequences but it still suffered the same problems. Revenge of the Sith still has the same problems as it�s predecessors but nonetheless provides an agreeable bridge between the two Star Wars trilogies.

Despite the obvious pedigree behind the camera and some impressively staged battle scenes, Ridley Scott�s latest epic lacks the human drama and visual invention of his previous work.

The critical and commercial success of Gladiator in 2000 kick started the recent revival of �sword and sandal� epics. Now things come full circle with the same director helming the latest in the genre, an epic tale of a blacksmith who is drawn into the Crusades and the battle for Jerusalem in the 12th century. To make a large scale film about Christians invading the Middle East might seem a provocative move given current world events, but in truth the film is a fairly routine example of the epic genre. Like Gladiator we see a mournful protagonist drawn into a wider conflict in which he emerges a heroic warrior. But unlike that film Kingdom of Heaven tries to encompass so many points of view that it ends up being a diluted and underwhelming experience.

Despite some impressive acting and a fascinating subject matter this drama isn�t quite as powerful or involving as it should be.

Sometimes real life events are more extraordinary than anything dreamt up by screenwriters. The real life events that form the basis for The Assassination of Richard Nixon are as extraordinary as the fact that it actually got made. In the aftermath of 9/11 it seemed inconceivable that a film about a man planning to hijack an airliner and fly it into the White House would make it to cinema screens. However, time and the support some major Hollywood talent have made the film a reality. But whilst the material is undeniably intriguing and benefits from a fine central performance, it never quite becomes the gripping drama it promises to be.

Featuring an outstanding performance from Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler, Downfall is a gruelling and compelling depiction of the final days of the Third Reich.

The lack of German films about Adolf Hitler is a striking hole in post-war German cinema. Nazis have featured in many films and tv shows but often appear as comedy sidekicks in TV shows like Hogans Heroes, one dimensional villains in films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, or more usually as distant enemy figures in more conventional war films like Saving Private Ryan. Few have dared to seriously examine the Nazi regime and place them centre stage. What is so striking about Downfall, the latest film from director Oliver Hirschbiegel, is that it provides a stark and unflinching gaze at the Nazi high command. Disturbingly, the film forces us to look upon figures such as Hitler and Goebbels with a new eye, judging them as rounded human beings rather than the caricatures they have become.

Despite having the director of the original Ring films at the helm this sequel to the 2002 remake is a lacklustre affair with only a couple of cheap shocks to recommend it.

Hollywood has an impressive track record of screwing up remakes of decent films so when The Ring came out a couple of years ago the omens were not good. The 1998 Japanese original, entitled Ringu, was highly effective and compared favourably to the flabby self regarding horror films that US studios were churning out after the success of the Scream films (does anyone remember Valentine?). Despite losing the raw power of the original, Gore Verbinki�s remake was surprisingly good and its financial success inevitably led to this sequel.

A very British attempt to emulate the success of recent animated hits, Valiant is amusing and affectionate WW2 pastiche that amuses and entertains but never quite hits the heights it aims for.

Is it me or are there more animated films about than there used to be? Last week saw Robots open at the cinemas and The Incredibles come out on DVD, whilst only a few weeks ago saw the arrival at local multiplexes of Spongebob Squarepants and The Magic Roundabout. Now we have a home-grown animated film featuring the voices of some heavyweight British talent including Ewan MacGregor, John Cleese and Ricky Gervais. Whilst some of it looks nice and some of the gags hit home it is a bit too slight to rank with some of the better animated films of recent years.

With an intriguing conceit and some good performances Woody Allen�s latest film is a welcome return to form despite never reaching the heights of his best work.

It is still remarkable to think that, like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, a Woody Allen film comes around once a year. It has almost become a truism in recent times to say that his latest work is a disappointment and things have got so desperate that some (Hollywood Ending) couldn�t even find a British distributor. Those that did (Curse of the Jade Scorpion) came a year late and his most recent effort (Anything Else) was too slight but Melinda and Melinda marks his best work since 2000�s Sweet and Lowdown. While its not a patch on the heavyweights in Allen canon it still offers up some solid laughs for those who lost faith in his creative abilities way back in the early 90�s.

Containing scenes of undeniable power and an excellent central performance Maria Full of Grace is a solid but ultimately unremarkable portrayal of an individual caught up in drug trafficking.

One of the big surprises when this year�s Oscar nominations were announced was the inclusion in the Best Actress category of Catalina Sandino Moreno, an unknown Columbian actress, for her performance as the eponymous Maria in Maria Full of Grace. Despite being filmed almost entirely in Spanish it is actually the feature film debut of an American, writer-director Josh Marston and was funded by HBO (the US cable channel). On the one hand it is a bold attempt to examine the drug trade from a different perspective yet on the other it never really catches fire and suffers from the occasional lapse into clich�.

A tired and unnecessary sequel that�s as bland and clueless as the airhead beauty queens it tries to lampoon.

Last summer saw something unusual at your local multiplex � sequels that were actually very good. Spiderman 2 and The Bourne Supremacy managed to please audiences and studio chiefs by improving on the original films and still make a lot of cash. But if you thought this was the beginning of a new dawn then think again. Last week I had the misfortune to catch three sequels in two days and all of them were considerably worse than the original films. The other two will remain nameless (for now) but Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous was one of them. Given that the 2000 original was only just passable, I didn�t have much hope for this one. My pessimism was justified.

The latest pretender to the Pixar throne is beautifully designed but lacks the wit and invention of recent animated films.

Animated features used to be the kind of films that kept children happy during the school holidays, but in the last ten years they have become an entirely different proposition. In 1995 Toy Story began a trend that saw animated films migrate from hand drawn kiddie fare to computer-generated blockbusters. Finding Nemo and Shrek 2 have grossed spectacular numbers and it was only a matter of time before other big Hollywood studios got in on the act. Fox�s first forays into this market were mixed � Titan A.E. failed to find a big audience – but with Ice Age grossing nearly $400 million worldwide another big animated feature was always on the cards.

Whilst this gleeful satire on the �War on Terror� featuring marionettes instead of actors has some hilarious moments, the film as a whole doesn�t quite match the brilliance of the initial concept.

When the trailers first appeared for Team America: World Police it seemed that Matt Stone and Trey Parker (the creators of South Park) had managed to achieve the impossible. They had seemingly convinced a major Hollywood studio (Paramount) to fund a riotous satire on the foreign policy of the current US administration – with puppets. Could it be true? Given the current political climate Stateside you would think it unlikely at best. And you would be right. Well, sort of. Whilst the the film does take aim at the patriotic fervour lying at the heart of recent conflicts it also reserves plenty of venom for the liberals who have denounced such adventures.

It may not be the masterpiece some US critics have suggested but Clint Eastwood�s latest film is a moving and refreshingly restrained boxing drama.

Continuing a trend in Eastwood�s recent career, Million Dollar Baby seems to be a subconscious subversion of his earlier career. In the early 90s Unforgiven re-examined the violence of the Westerns that established him as a star, whilst last year�s Mystic River was a cop drama that turned the revenge themes of the Dirty Harry movies on their head, with its focus on victims over heroes. Continuing the trend Million Dollar Baby seems to be a more serious revision of Every Which Way But Loose, the critically reviled hit that had Clint fist fight his way across America with a pet orang-utan. Instead broad comedy we have a much more serious examination of the highs and lows of boxing.

Mike Nichols must have seemed the perfect choice to direct the film version of Patrick Marber�s play, a funny and sharp exploration of modern relationships. But despite the pedigree behind the camera and a terrific cast, the end result is cold and curiously lifeless.

The story involves two couples whose relationships intersect over a four-year period in London. When Alice (Natalie Portman), an American stripper, meets a journalist called Dan (Jude Law) they strike up a relationship. A few years on Dan meets a photographer, Anna (Julia Roberts), and decides to flirt with her. She initially rejects his advances and instead ends up going out with a dermatologist called Larry (Clive Owen). Undeterred, Dan meets up with Anna a year later at an exhibition of her work and they begin cheating on their respective lovers.

Mike Leigh�s latest film is a beautifully crafted and heartbreaking tale of a cleaner leading a secret double life as an abortionist in 1950s London.

But if you are expecting a preachy film on the issue of abortion then you will be mistaken. Instead we have an engrossing study of characters caught up in events out of their control. It�s portrayal of working class Londoners is detailed without ever being patronizing and it skilfully focuses on the emotional fallout created by the abortion laws rather than the legal question itself. Viewers are confronted with the issue but not necessarily from the angle you might expect.

Whilst it may not be the complete disaster US critics have suggested, Alexander is riddled with flaws and suprisingly for an Oliver Stone film curiously dull and lifeless.

With the worldwide success of Gladiator in 2000 it was only a matter of time before Hollywood turned to the story of Alexander The Great. His extraordinary life seemed perfect for the big screen and so when Oliver Stone started this film before Baz Lurhmann�s rival project it seemed a mouth-watering prospect. However the final result is a crushing disappointment. The film tries to cover the whole of Alexander�s life and his story is narrated via flashback by the older Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). We see him as a young child learning how to tame a horse and being tutored by Aristotle. It then follows his life as he struggles with his two bickering parents Philip (Val Kilmer) and Olympias (Angelina Jolie) and leads his kingdom into a sprawling military crusade through the Ancient World.