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Reviewer:
Kevin1075
 
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Reviews:
0
Votes:
641 (72% helpful)

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  1.  Les Miserables

    Posted: 

    I went in to see 'Les Miserables' never having read the book or even seen the stage show or the 1998 film adaptation, so when I did I really had almost no idea what to expect.

    But although I think you could argue that the film is flawed along the way I ended up absolutely LOVING this big, brash and unashamedly emotional tale of love and redemption set against the social turmoil of France with it's big songs, big performances and it's ability to take you for three hours and put you through the emotional ringer.

    As the long struggle between Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) and Javert (Russell Crowe) spans the decades, and as many characters move in and out of their story director Tom Hooper paints a much grander canvas than his previous film, the Oscar winning 'The King's Speech' and goes full throttle to take maximum emotion to his audience of lives begun, ended, shattered and built.

    No single moment possibly encapsulates this better than approximately four minutes of the film, when Anne Hathaway completely shatters you with her 'I Dreamed a Dream' and creates possibly the film's emotional peak and deservedly locked her down for the Oscar she won for the role. In a film filled with emotional crescendo's and despite competition from Samantha Barks later with 'On My Own' Hathaway creates a moment of pure cinema that resonates long afterwards.

    The whole cast is exceptional, and although their singing voices vary (while Crowe was criticised his rough around the edges, throaty vocals seem to fit Javert well) almost all the cast have voices that work just fine even if Jackman, Hathaway, Barks and Eddie Redmayne probably have the best voices.

    Visual effects and stupendous set design help to create the feel of France in the period and this is a film I've been anticipating adding to my home collection ever since I saw it in cinemas. A fantastic piece of entertainment!

  2.  Usual heist shenanigans.

    Posted: 

    Contraband ends up a fairly decent but also typical thriller with enough action to keep the attention.

    When his brother in law fouls up with the locals Mark Wahlberg's reformed smuggler has to return to his old ways to save both himself and his family. From New Orleans to Panama and back as the journey takes him.

    The main action is fine enough but follows a fairly average path, aside from an ill-fitting subplot involving Kate Beckinsale that seems designed more to keep her in the film more than she needs to be.

    Decent enough.

  3.  Flight.

    Posted: 

    While it's notable for a great lead performance and also for being director Robert Zemeckis' first live action film since 2000 there's also no getting away from the fact that 'Flight' ends up the kind of drama about alchoholism that feels very familiar and features a storyline that isn't always hard to figure out.

    After his flight goes down (in a spectacular and frighteningly done sequence that is easily the visual highpoint of the film), Washington's pilot is acclaimed as a hero for saving as many lives as he could. But, the night before the flight he indulged in drink, drugs and sex and wasn't exactly clean when piloting the plane. Forced to look at his life amidst media intrusion and an investigation into the circumstances of the crash, he will face his demons head on.

    Washington's performance is very very good, and he was rightly thrown an Oscar nomination for his work. Several supporting performances are also good even if some are little more than cameos but unfortunately British actress Kelly Reilly is wasted in a role that offers less than it promises as a fellow addict navigating her way (fear not though, being a Hollywood film Reilly never looks anything other than radiant even at the 'depths' of her addiction) through recovery as well. As the story builds to it's conclusions all the beats play out as you would expect in a drama of this nature.

    While it's not in any way an unsatisfactory film, it's also one that maybe isn't as different as it would like to think it is. It's a satisfying enough film to watch once or maybe every few years but not one to watch over and over for me.

  4.  Flight.

    Posted: 

    While it's notable for a great lead performance and also for being director Robert Zemeckis' first live action film since 2000 there's also no getting away from the fact that 'Flight' ends up the kind of drama about alchoholism that feels very familiar and features a storyline that isn't always hard to figure out.

    After his flight goes down (in a spectacular and frighteningly done sequence that is easily the visual highpoint of the film), Washington's pilot is acclaimed as a hero for saving as many lives as he could. But, the night before the flight he indulged in drink, drugs and sex and wasn't exactly clean when piloting the plane. Forced to look at his life amidst media intrusion and an investigation into the circumstances of the crash, he will face his demons head on.

    Washington's performance is very very good, and he was rightly thrown an Oscar nomination for his work. Several supporting performances are also good even if some are little more than cameos but unfortunately British actress Kelly Reilly is wasted in a role that offers less than it promises as a fellow addict navigating her way (fear not though, being a Hollywood film Reilly never looks anything other than radiant even at the 'depths' of her addiction) through recovery as well. As the story builds to it's conclusions all the beats play out as you would expect in a drama of this nature.

    While it's not in any way an unsatisfactory film, it's also one that maybe isn't as different as it would like to think it is. It's a satisfying enough film to watch once or maybe every few years but not one to watch over and over for me.

  5.  Flat and lifeless thriller.

    Posted: 

    I've never read any of the Lee Childs novels on which this film is based so while I was aware of some fan issues around the casting of Tom Cruise as the titular Jack Reacher my review is purely based on the film itself.

    When a public shooting that kills five people seems to be an open and shut case for prosecutors who find their perpetrator quickly and conclusively they are surprised when under questioning the only thing he asks of them is to 'Get Jack Reacher'. But who is Jack Reacher? Turns out he's ex military and living off the grid but who already knows just where to turn up when wanted! So begins an investigation that soon makes everyone realise this case is far from open and shut...............

    The main problem I found with the film was a surprisingly one dimensional performance (based on, in fairness, a thinly written character where depth is supposedly inferred from his extensive abilities and almost nothing else) from Tom Cruise and a plot that whil not especially complicated is nonetheless quite dull actually. In fact, dull is the best word to describe the film overall as it ambles in no particular hurry to a conclusion designed to set up a franchise for Cruise that might help him out when he becomes too old for Mission: Impossible. Except I don't think I'd be bothered if I never saw the character again on film.

    Certainly, it did not do a lot for me.

  6.  Flat and lifeless thriller.

    Posted: 

    I've never read any of the Lee Childs novels on which this film is based so while I was aware of some fan issues around the casting of Tom Cruise as the titular Jack Reacher my review is purely based on the film itself.

    When a public shooting that kills five people seems to be an open and shut case for prosecutors who find their perpetrator quickly and conclusively they are surprised when under questioning the only thing he asks of them is to 'Get Jack Reacher'. But who is Jack Reacher? Turns out he's ex military and living off the grid but who already knows just where to turn up when wanted! So begins an investigation that soon makes everyone realise this case is far from open and shut...............

    The main problem I found with the film was a surprisingly one dimensional performance (based on, in fairness, a thinly written character where depth is supposedly inferred from his extensive abilities and almost nothing else) from Tom Cruise and a plot that whil not especially complicated is nonetheless quite dull actually. In fact, dull is the best word to describe the film overall as it ambles in no particular hurry to a conclusion designed to set up a franchise for Cruise that might help him out when he becomes too old for Mission: Impossible. Except I don't think I'd be bothered if I never saw the character again on film.

    Certainly, it did not do a lot for me.

  7.  Hot gets Hotter!

    Posted: 

    After waiting for ages after Season 1 for this to be released I was delighted to see Season 2 become available.

    Unashamedly a 21st Century 'The Golden Girls' the show has more than enough laughs of it's own as Season 2 kicks off from the first series cliffhanger. Elka's in prison and just as this happens all the other girls realise that's just the start of their troubles!

    While veteran Betty White still gets all the best one liners, the show really settles into a comedy groove this season, finding it's way and consistently delivering the jokes along the way. It's also become a bit of a home for guest appearances from famous faces of the past and near present as well.

    There are no extras here though, aside from a special episode clip show with cast interviews. But the episodes themselves are enough on their own!

  8.  Margin Call

    Posted: 

    An all star cast of established names and up and comers star in first time film director J.C Chandor's fictionalised look at the onset of the financial crisis.

    When a low level employee of a large New York firm (Star Trek's Zachary Quinto) realises the coming storm which will engulf the world he works in he goes to his superiors. Setting in motion a chain of events that will impact many.

    Turning events into almost something like a real time thriller, Chandor starts off slow and then ratchets up the tension as he and his script explore Capitalism, Greed and Corporate mistakes. The cast are all appealing and play well in their parts and while it might not be a forensic level look at things it manages to take a very touchy time and fashion a solidly entertaining drama.

    Worth a watch.

  9.  What is a promise?

    Posted: 

    Micheal Haneke's look at love and old age is a stunningly acted drama and one that could leave only the hardest of hearts entirely unmoved, even if there's a little too much distance between viewer and characters to truly become involved intimately.

    Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) and Georges (Jean Louis Trintigant) are long married and live in a Paris apartment together. Everything has been good in life, until Anne suffers the first in what will become a series of strokes which will leave her a shadow of herself. As Georges abides by a promise he has made to her not to send her back to a hospital the toll of caring for his wife increases.

    With an understatedly blunt depiction of the descent from health to debilitation, and the strains entailed the two actors give perfrormances of quiet brilliance. Especially Riva whose transformation is heartbreaking and terrifying at the same time. Although by the time the film moves to it's final stages it's impossible not to be moved by Trintigant's quiet resilience and determination to do what he can to honour his promise. The only thing I found was Haneke's tendency to keep his camera distant from the characters at times in a way that preventes me from being pulled in quite as deeply as I felt I wanted to be.

    Certainly, in no way a cheery film as such although there is something oddly affirming about watching this story of love and comitment play out it's characters final phase of life, but still more than worth watching for fans of art house cinema.

  10.  Blackly comic trailer park thriller.

    Posted: 

    Featuring a great cast and some deliciously dark twists and turns, William Friedkin's trailer trash comedy thriller serves up enough entertainment to be worth catching.

    When Chris (Emile Hirsch) finds himself out of his depth and owing money he turns to his father with a plan. To hire Killer Joe (Matthew McCaugheny) to kill his mother for the insurance money. Although Joe gets hired the plans inevitably do not go to plan, setting in motion and unravelling of events!

    Not entirely for the prudish or easily offended, this is a trashy fun ride for a couple of hours with a recognizeable cast enjoying getting down and dirty. I enjoyed it more than I expected to.