Hi ho Silver, away! And please take The Lone Ranger with you…

Peculiar…and then some – that’s how I would describe Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger (2013). This is one remake starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer which tends to lose you in places and surprise you in others, but on the whole it leaves you with one big question mark.

I couldn’t really tell you much about the plot if I tried – it was a little all over the place, but needless to say Depp made a great Tonto and there were some laughs along the way with John Reid (Hammer) and Silver, but there was no real ‘meat on the bones’ of this one.

The Lone Ranger abandons its audience very early on and creates confusion with its jumbled plot. A classic case of style over substance. ** (2 out of 5 stars)

I was also disappointed that the classic William Tell Overture didn’t make an appearance until towards the end of the film – this music is the best!

Helena Bonham Carter helped to keep things interesting by playing the role of Red Harrington, a madame of a brothel and the owner of one very deadly ivory leg-turned-gun!

There are some good fight/chase scenes and Tonto’s strange ‘trades’ offer up a few laughs, but on the whole this film left me deflated as I expected so much more. Disney was behind this one – could this be why it was lacking so much of the Western edge and pace it so desperately needed?

Further reading:

Who was that masked man?

Espionage you say? Meet the Kingsman

I thoroughly enjoyed Kingsman: The Secret Service despite having some reservations that a) I might be ‘too old’ to get the teen humour and b) some of the gags shown in the trailer looked a little bit ‘ha ha’ as opposed to ‘ha, ha, ha, ha, ha’ etc…you catch my drift!

And what I thought was going to be quite a boring plot was, in fact, just brilliant; Colin Firth shone as the typically British, old school spy Harry Hart who embodies the phrase ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’. His combat scenes are effortless, especially when taking on a gang in a pub with nothing more than an umbrella and some memorable phrases such as “manners maketh man”.

If you haven’t heard of Taron Egerton, you soon will! Cast as Eggsy, a kid from the streets who is lacking a direction in life, this cheeky chappy was the perfect ‘ying’ to Firth’s ‘yang’. Gutsy and streetwise, it doesn’t take long for Eggsy to find his feet in the eccentric, hidden world of secret agents. At times, the film appears to wear many hats, from the Harry Potter-style luxury tailor’s shop in Savile Row which hides the secret service HQ to the X-Men inspired villain with sharp, silver spears for legs (Gazelle) and a Tarantino-style execution scene which sees Firth murder an entire congregation of brainwashed worshippers. Bit of a mixed bag really!

If you’re looking for a James Bond spoof to stand the test of time, Kingsman: The Secret Service is the real deal. A fun, fresh and vibrant comic book-style film that should not be underestimated. **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Definitely worth a watch this one, especially if you’re a pug lover as there’s an adorable little fella called JB who Eggsy becomes responsible for as part of his transformation into a crafty spy. Also keep your eyes peeled for a fantastic scene featuring Samuel L Jackson (as the villain Valentine); a great musical score helps to recreate a Fantasia moment, where bursts of rainbow colour replace the spot where people’s heads are exploding in a lively firework fashion. Sounds bizarre, but it’s hilarious!

Further reading:

Kingsman: The Secret Service, the Review

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman (2015, Matthew Vaughn)

American Sniper makes for uncomfortable viewing

American Sniper is perfectly cast, with Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller giving one of the most notable performances of their careers. Despite Chris Kyle‘s wife Taya having expressed some understandable reservations about the film, I doubt she could have faulted Cooper and Miller’s sensitive on-screen portrayal of a personal story of war and its after effects.

I would be uncomfortable labelling this film as ‘good entertainment’ and would instead encourage you to view it as a thought-provoking comment piece on the horrors of modern war. It makes for some intense, scary and brutal viewing. Some controversial decisions are made, risks taken and lives lost. Clint Eastwood does a good job of allowing you to ‘walk in Kyle’s shoes’ as he embarks on tours of Iraq.

The only other film I can compare this to in terms of its gritty portrayal of ‘life on the line’ is Lone Survivor (2013), set during the war in Afghanistan. I would award both films 5/5 stars for making you witness events you would normally wish to forget.

Further reading:

American Sniper: The Review

American Sniper Review

“American Sniper” – – Movie Review

Scares aplenty with The Woman in Black: Angel of Death

If you’re looking for a good old fashioned haunted house horror then The Woman in Black: Angel of Death should be right up your street. Where, in my opinion, the first Woman in Black (starring a rather wooden Daniel Radcliffe) failed to make a lasting impression, this sequel has you sitting uncomfortably from the start, in part thanks to a much better lead actor (Phoebe Fox).

There’s plenty of suspense and scares to keep you entertained, and it was good to see the talented Helen McCrory (better known as Aunt Polly in BBC 2’s Peaky Blinders) cast alongside her younger colleague Eve Parkins (Fox) as a stern and unforgiving school principal who does not believe in ghosts. Needless to say, her opinion changes towards the end of the film. During one particularly terrifying scene in the darkness of an underground bomb shelter, the two teachers desperately try to ensure that all the children in their care keep their eyes shut in order to avoid the horror and curse of seeing the woman in black. But Jean (McCrory) fails to do so and receives the fright of her life!

Stylish, dark and creepy. Woman In Black: Angel of Death is a chilly fairground ride with lots of scares, twists and turns. Mind your back, she’s watching. **** (4 out of 5 stars)

It has to be said that the child actors in this film deliver fantastic performances and as the woman in black starts to pick them off one by one, you’re left crossing your fingers and toes in the hope that Eve can save little Edward from an untimely death. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re treated to a third helping of this vengeful spirit as the ending hints that everything is far from over…

It’s great to have you back Hammer Horror!

Further reading:

The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death – Review

The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2014)

Prepare yourself for 200 jump scares in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death

Sometimes good things don’t come in threes – better give Taken 3 a miss then

So I really enjoyed Taken, quite liked Taken 2, but Taken 3 was…shall we say…a bit of a pooper! We were promised that “it ends here”, but I have a sneaky suspicion a fourth instalment will be next, centred around Bryan Mills’ (played by Liam Neeson) first grandchild.

Poor old Liam is getting on a bit now – his joints aren’t as agile as they used to be and his athletic on-screen sprints are now more of a creaky, Gollum-like run. From the very start, this film does little to grab your attention and when Mills disappears down to the safety of the “rabbit hole” to grab an array of weapons and change into a rather fetching leather jacket, I knew that it was not going to live up to the hype.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a BIG Liam Neeson fan and the Taken films are known for their predictable plot lines and “tough talk”, but this film just didn’t work…and don’t get me started on Forest Whitaker and his cat and mouse chase with Neeson. You’ll be sick of seeing elastic bands and a loose chess piece which Whitaker carries around with him right up until the end of the film!

Forgettable and lacking in stamina, Taken 3 fails to make an impact with its poor storyline and lazy script. Can I have my money back please? ** (2 out of 5 stars)

The villains were OK, the chase scenes were OK, but the ending was far from OK…what was writer Luc Besson thinking? Besson, who was the brains behind fantastic films such as Leon, could not have been happy with such a sickly sweet, cheesy ending surely?

Oh well, at least there’s a couple more kills to add to the amazing Liam Neeson Kill Map – check it out if you haven’t done so already!

Further reading:

One Mann’s Movies Film Review: Taken 3

Review: Taken 3, 2015, dir. Olivier Megaton

Taken 3 (2015)

Unbroken – separating mice from men

As soon as I saw the trailer for director Angelina Jolie’s new film Unbroken, I knew this was one I had to see. English actor Jack O’Connell gave, in my opinion, the performance of his young career thus far; his portrayal of Olympian Louis Zamperini was heartfelt – you felt every word, punch, bruise and scar as Louis hung onto life with both hands through some truly horrific circumstances.

This film had me gripped from the start; you’re given a front seat aboard a World War Two US Air Corps B-24 Liberator bomber as it goes into battle against a Japanese-held island. It felt as if you were part of the crew as you’re given access to all areas of the bomber, with bullets whizzing by just inches from your ears. The film is perfectly paced and gives you a chance to get to know Louis before his trials and tribulations begin; Louis and a member of his crew survive 47 days in a life raft after their battered B-24 crashes into the Pacific. As if this wasn’t harrowing enough, what follows really does separate the mice from the men – a Japanese P.O.W. camp governed by the notorious Mutsushiro Watanabe (played by Miyavi – keep your eyes on this one, he may be new to acting but he certainly has a talent for it).

Powerful, inspiring and a privilege to watch, Unbroken is a film which occupies your thoughts long after the credits have ended, just like all great biopics should. ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

I was saddened to hear that 97-year-old Louis passed away in June 2014 and never got a chance to see the film that he had been consulted on. He really was an inspiring and courageous man; and the world is all the poorer for losing him. Biopics are powerful at the best of times, but this one is definitely a front runner. Forget physical strength, Louis shows that mental toughness is what gets you through life – especially when you feel like you’re running on empty. There’s also a lesson here on the art of forgiveness.

Watching this film was a privilege. If you get a chance, visit www.louiszamperini.net for more information.

Further reading:

Unbroken (the movie)

Unbroken (****) is a fitting tribute to the spirit

Unbroken – an absolute triumph

Got that sinking feeling? Black Sea is a film of hidden depths

Now here’s a film which was certainly let down by its trailer – shame on them! Black Sea starring Jude Law is one adventure film you can’t afford to miss and who doesn’t enjoy a treasure hunt?

When I first caught a glimpse of the trailer at the cinema I didn’t really bat an eyelid; just some submarine expedition with a couple of middle aged blokes led by a moody Scotsman (Law). How wrong was I? I happened to take a punt on this film and went in with very little expectation…but I was gripped from the start!

Firstly, it was nice to see Law cast in a non-romantic film and given a gritty role which he could really get his teeth into and show the audience that he means business. While the plot was fairly simple, the acting was far from it and each and every cast member gave a sterling performance.

Inevitably, things do go wrong in the depths of the Black Sea and the crew starts to diminish as the hunger for gold weakens the men’s allegiances. But just when you thought you had it all figured out, more drama unfolds and you’re left wondering if anyone is going to get out of this submarine alive?

Black Sea may have all the trademark signs of a typical underwater thriller, but it delivers so much more; think you know the hidden depths that man will go to to get gold? Think again. **** (4 out of 5 stars)

I read that the film was originally planned for Channel 4, and I can’t help thinking that this might have been a better place for it, if only to give it a chance to stand out from the crowd.

I found myself holding my breath on a number of occasions, particularly during the scene where some members of the crew leave the submarine to take unknown steps across the ocean bed to find the sunken Nazi U-boat. Director Kevin Macdonald does a brilliant job of allowing you to get to know the characters, and he delivers a film which quite literally keeps you on the edge of your seat (and absent mindedly reaching for your life jacket)!

Don’t give up on this one – it won’t let you down.

Further reading:

One Mann’s Movies Film Review: Black Sea

Review: Black Sea

Recent Releases – Black Sea

Keeping up appearances – The Imitation Game shines a light on a lost hero

Well I don’t know about you, but when I first watched the trailer for The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch, I didn’t quite know what to think about it…I wasn’t convinced of the need to go and see it, but I’m so pleased that I did! Alan Turing’s story was crying out to be told and I left the cinema deeply moved; this man was treated badly just because he was gay and, as a result, he was driven to commit suicide. Why on earth doesn’t everybody know his story? This was the question Benedict kept asking during the press tour for the film.

The man who cracked the German Enigma code is, I believe, one of our greatest heroes. The father of modern computing, Turing was ahead of his time and thank heavens we had him on our side – imagine if this great mathematical brain had not been part of the Allies, I dread to think! Last year, the Queen granted him a posthumous pardon for the conviction of ‘gross indecency’. It followed a long campaign and a petition signed by more than 37,000 people.

I couldn’t think of a better actor to play the part of Turing than Benedict. Witnessing the rise and fall of this great man required a sensitivity which Benedict brings to the role. It could be his best performance to date aside from the Sherlock TV series. It’s often said that the greatest geniuses in this world possess a streak of madness or an obsession of some sort and this could be said of Turing and his dogged determination to crack the code. Nothing was going to stand in his way.

A film of many layers, The Imitation Game gives fresh understanding to a previously misunderstood character. A sensitive portrayal of a tortured genius who will never be forgotten. ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

I for one never learned about Turing at school as part of lessons on World War Two and it got me thinking if this is still the case? After doing some research, I stumbled across this code breaking competition which was open to seven to 11-year-olds in the North West to help mark the centenary of the birth of Turing in 2012. What a fantastic idea and a great opportunity to ensure future generations do not forget the life and research of Alan Turing.

Further reading:

The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game: The Code of Genius

Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing wins The Imitation Game

So I went to see The Imitation Game…

Life of Pi serves up a dollop of truth that packs a powerful punch

A visual masterpiece that feeds the soul, Life of Pi is the one to beat!

Since its release in December 2012, I struggle to name any other film over the past year that can match the sentiment and outstanding cinematography of this one!* But then again, having Ang Lee as director was always going to be a winner! The special effects are works of art and you are treated to the most amazing scenery; bursts of colour light up the screen and catapult you to another world filled with beauty and wonder. But Pi’s journey from childhood to adulthood is both testing, gruelling and terrifying all at the same time, however it is his faith and a willingness to learn and embrace the world around him that ultimately keeps Pi from death.

Mesmerising and thought-provoking, Life of Pi brings out the survivor in all of us and takes us on a journey driven by hope and faith. ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

What I found so clever about this film was the way in which it left you with two versions of the same story, both of which had the same ending, but presented life differently. The reality is that most of us would prefer the animal story…Richard Parker the Bengal tiger, Orange Juice the orangutan, an injured zebra and a hyena. But here’s where the questions begin: if the tiger is Pi, the orangutan – his mother, the hyena – the cook and the zebra – the sailor, could that mean that the boy (Pi) who survived with the tiger is actually God? Or is Richard Parker representative of Pi’s animal instincts in times of severe stress? After all, the tiger lies silent/hidden under the tarpaulin of the boat for quite a while and it is not the first animal to attack the rest…

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on what the ending might mean, which is why this film (and story) work so well! I will never get sick of watching this film, there’s too much to keep you occupied!

*I’ve had a further think on this…I recently saw Gravity and I was left speechless by the quality of the visual effects which allowed you to experience the helplessness of space (minus the loss of gravity!). The plot wasn’t as special as Life of Pi, but it is worth a watch!

Fanning the flames of success – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Comparisons have been drawn between The Hunger Games trilogy and Battle Royale; both are adapted from novels and both depict a life and death scenario, but I would say that the former is worthy of acknowledgement in its own right, particularly since the 2013 release of the second part of the trilogy – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

There’s something so refreshing about Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of the ‘heroine’ Katniss Everdeen. Despite her young age, (17 according to the books written by Suzanne Collins) she seems wise beyond her years and has the inner strength of an ox. Her challenge this time round however is tougher than the first and Katniss enters The Quarter Quell with the horrors of the previous Hunger Games still fresh in her mind.

The film cruely dangles the Capitol’s manipulated vision of Katniss the warrior in front of the broken inhabitants of the coal mining town of District 12 (Katniss’ home) and Katniss is once again forced to leave her mum and sister behind to a fate no-one knows…

A gripping ride through a MAD world which places the audience at the heart of the action…hold on tight! **** (4 out of 5 stars)

The action seems more gritty and fast-paced this time round, which is welcomed as it gives the film a slightly more adult edge as you accompany Katniss and her ‘lover’ Peeta on a blood sport they’d rather forget. Old friends are lost and new ones are made, but the treacherous game of who to trust forms the backbone of the whole film and threatens to topple Katniss and Peeta in the blink of an eye. The ‘Mockingjay’, however, is a force to be reckoned with and at the close of the film Lawrence leaves you with a hunger for more: what is she going to do next? Who is on her hit list? Will she be triumphant?

I’ve just started reading Mockingjay, the last book  in the trilogy, and I have to say that Lawrence’s portrayal of Katniss seems pretty spot on! If the next film can beat the splendour of the second, I will be impressed! I’m also thinking that Katniss Everdeen could be the one to topple her oppressive adversary President Snow and break free from the control he has had over her life. Back in 2007, I wrote a dissertation on strong, female leads such as The Bride (Uma Thurman) in Kill Bill and Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in Terminator which asked the question: “The Fighting Female: A Woman Beyond Male Control?” At the time, I came to the conclusion that ultimately, the fighting female struggles to break free from the males that ‘made her’, but I believe Katniss could be the one to topple that theory and prove her metal. From what I’ve seen, she’s quite capable of holding her own and her fighting skills and intelligence pit her way above her male counterparts. One thing’s for sure, we’ve all got our eyes on this fiery character – Vive la Revolution!

Further reading:

Battle Royale

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) Miller-Meter-8/10