Film Review Roundup

Tags

adventure, Amy Adams, animation, Bill Murray, Carnage, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Waltz, Fantastic Mr Fox, George Clooney, Hayao Miyazaki, Jason Segel, Jodie Foster, John C Reilly, Kate Winslet, Kermit the Frog, Liam Neeson, Matt Damon, Meryl Streep, Miss Piggy, Owen Wilson, Ponyo, Roald Dahl, Roman Polanski, Studio Ghibli, The Muppets, Tina Fey, Wes Anderson, Willem Defoe

I originally intended this to be a video game review blog with added film and book reviews but thanks to my dedication to review every film I see in the cinema and buy on DVD it’s the film reviews that have taken over. I’d love to give full reviews to every film I see but the workload has been building up and I’ve taken the executive decision to start relying more on roundups like this. I’ll still be doing proper film reviews but only for titles I really want to dedicate the time to.

In Cinemas

The Muppets

Jason Segel, a person not known for his family friendly movies was the man trusted with bringing the wonderful Muppets back to our screens after a long hiatus. The fact that Kermit, Miss Piggy and co have been languishing in obscurity for the last several years is actually rather cannily used as a plot point for this new movie in which Segel stars as Gary whose felt-faced brother Walter is obsessed with the Muppets and campaigns for them to reform. Cue a rich tycoon’s plan to destroy the Muppets’ studios to drill for oil and we have a race against time for Kermit, Walter, Gary and Gary’s fiancée Mary (Amy Adams in full Enchanted mode) to track down the old gang. It’s a real delight to see these great characters back on the big screen and many of the fourth-wall breaking gags and general silliness really hits the spot but the story doesn’t have the high entertainment value of Muppet Treasure Island or The Muppet Christmas Carol. The delegation of screen time for the characters doesn’t quite achieve the right balance (there’s not nearly enough of Gonzo and Rizzo is missing altogether) and some of the songs are overwhelmingly saccharine but that doesn’t matter in this case as much as it otherwise might. After all is there anyone who doesn’t love the Muppets?

Carnage

Two sets of well-to-do New York parents meet to amicably discuss a violent incident involving their eleven-year-old sons but civility gradually descends into childish bickering in Roman Polanski’s often hilarious adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s play Le Dieu de Carnage. The impressive ensemble cast (Kate Winslet, Jodi Foster, Christopher Waltz, John C. Reilly) have a ball with the script, revelling in the vitriol they get to spout at each other and the characters are all perfectly observed. The film’s downfall is its self-imposed limitations brought on by its genesis as a stage play. The single, cramped setting lends a not inappropriate sense of claustrophobia but the single continuous scene inevitably lacks any kind of variety. It’s a fine adap but it couldn’t be more obviously an adap if it tried.

On DVD

Fantastic Mr Fox

Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adaptation of one of Roald Dahl’s best loved stories (and my personal favourite of his) really stands out from the crowd. The idiosyncratically crude animation brings to mind those annoying Compare the Market adverts and the direction and script are wry, whimsical and offbeat. The story of a cocky and anthropomorphic fox (voiced by George Clooney) busting one last heist against the three fattest, shortest and leanest farmers capitalism has ever imagined manages to be both hilarious and touching with rounded character tension and depth. The star-studded cast that includes Bill Murray and Michael Gambon deliver brilliantly confident performances, making the grown-up script sparkle. It’s a cult film and that’s mainly because the script is very mature, loaded with swearing cynically masked by the word ‘cuss’ and a consistently bonkers mood. That this film in which the hero talks about existentialism could be taken on its merits and regarded as an adult’s animation doesn’t really hold water given that it’s adapted from the writings of one of the most important kids’ writers in history and many critics have not wrongly marked it down for this. In the film’s defence I’m sure that the odd tone and general sense of fun will not be lost on young ‘uns and as such it will still find its audience. Purist’s complaints at the story’s Americanisation and relative lack of fidelity is predictable. Maybe someday people will figure out the definition of the word ‘adaptation’ and that’s coming from someone who loved the book. Whatever complaints might be levelled there’s no denying that Fantastic Mr Fox is innovative and memorable

Ponyo

I’m reviewing Disney’s important take on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid soon but first is the matter of this bolder reimagining, Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent directorial feature with Studio Ghibli. Set in a modern day version of Japan that seems unperturbed by giant sea gods Ponyo is the fishy daughter of a powerful oceanic sorcerer who escapes from his supervision to explore the human world where she meets five-year-old Sosuke with whom she forms a strong bond. It’s a more creative vision of the story that paints a vivid and slightly perilous impression of the ocean complete with tsunami made of giant fish. As bold as many of the more exciting scenes are the film is equally strong in quitter moments such as the scene in which the tots enjoy their dinner which is laced with beautifully observed cuteness. The film is primarily aimed at younger kids, but, like with My Neighbour Totoro before it, Ghibli have created a film that should maintain strong appeal for children and adults of every age. The strong English language voice cast includes the likes of Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett and Matt Damon, with the younger siblings of teen stars playing the nippers (Miley Cyrus’ sister, the Jonas brothers’ baby bro) but Tina Fey gets the best results as Sosuke’s hilariously tenacious mum. This is Ghibli very nearly at their best.

Film Review: Midnight in Paris

Tags

comedy, Marion Cotillard, Midnight in Paris, Owen Wilson, Romance, Woody Allen

I’m not going to claim to be a connoisseur of all things Woody Allen, in fact I’m almost sure this is the first film of his I’ve ever seen (unless you count Antz for which he provided his voice). As I understand it Allen writes and directs pretty much the same film every year. His recent efforts have largely underwhelmed but this latest film is being hailed by critics as his lightest, most charming and best in years.

Owen Wilson plays Gil, a Hollywood script doctor with more literary aspirations holidaying with his fiancée and future in-laws in the French capital. Though his lady love Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her right leaning parents seem only interested in shopping Gil is enamoured by the city, daydreaming about living there and yearning for Paris in the twenties, the golden age as he sees it. With Inez disgruntled by his frustrations and paying more attention to her pedantic friend Paul (Michael Sheen) Gil takes a midnight stroll during which he is beckoned into a classical Peugeot and escorted to what seems like a brilliantly realised 1920s theme party. Then he meets Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Midnight in Paris is a time travelling rom-com about nostalgia. It’s a theme that runs through the whole script. Gil’s novel in progress is about the proprietor of a nostalgia shop and the character’s own nostalgia defines him and his motivations and the film’s central examination of the idea is carried through to a satisfying if slightly predictable conclusion. The charm of Midnight in Paris lies in its breezy lightness of touch and the frequent introduction of famous artists and personalities of the past and the matter-of-fact manner of the appearance. Wilson’s reaction to being picked up by T S Elliot one night is priceless.

Inevitably there’s a fair amount of romance to the romantic comedy and Marion Cotillard provides the chief focus for romantic interest as Adriana one of the few characters Gil meets on his frequent travels who isn’t a household name. It’s nicely played throughout but (I’m assured) offers nothing we haven’t already seen in dozens of other Allen films.

If you’ve a mind to it’s possible to rip the film apart, it’s remarkably sentimental since it’s all about nostalgia, Inez’s republican parents, though entertainingly played by Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy are written as one-dimensional ogre stereotypes and it’s really hard to see why Gil and Inez are together in the first place. These criticisms aside the film’s charms are so strong that you’ll struggle to find a more engaging and witty romantic film this year. It’s well played throughout, Wilson channels Allen excellently a makes for the kind of likeable hero you always want to root for, Paris looks absolutely lovely and it’s a joy to tick off the personalities as they come up (look out for Adrian Brody as a potty Salvador Dali).

Verdict

Rom-coms for the educated are a fairly rare breed but this is one of them. The gentle, beautifully presented humour and cinematography will spellbind.

Film Review: Cars 2

Tags

adventure, animation, Cars 2, Eddie Izzard, Finn McMissile, John Lasseter, Lightning McQueen, Mater, Michael Caine, Owen Wilson, pixar

Of all the studio’s output Cars is probably Pixar’s least well thought of film among critics. The concept of sentient vehicles living in a world devoid of humans has always been one of their toughest sells, it’s a gimmick that raises a lot of questions about how such a world could work. How are new cars born? How are the buildings constructed? If there are no humans to drive the cars why do they have things like doors and mirrors? Such observations are a little pedantic after all I’m fairly sure there were some Tex Avery cartoons that presented similar ideas and no-one ever complained about them, after all this is animation and it’s intended for kids. Perhaps Pixar are just victims of their own success. The authenticity of films like Toy Story has led us all to expect a higher level of thought in their films but for once we were being asked to just go along with what we were seeing without thinking too much about it.

The other chief criticism of the film, one I’m more inclined to agree with, is that it doesn’t really do much with its conceit. The NASCAR background makes perfect sense but setting most of the film in a sleepy Route 66 town where the hot-headed race car Lightning McQueen learns some life lessons from a cast of colourful characters. Sure the film is bookended by a pair of thrilling race sequences but it still felt like a wasted opportunity.

In spite of the film’s faults, its moderate reception and relatively disappointing box office takings I have a soft spot for Cars and welcome this sequel which comes as no surprise considering the huge popularity with youngsters the first film and its endless merchandise has found. Best of all the sequel represents a chance for Pixar to get it right at the second attempt.

Cars 2 is a very different film from its predecessor. While the first film was a relatively easy-going story of an overconfident young athlete learning some humility the sequel is a fast paced, action packed and surprisingly complex riff on the James Bond tradition of globetrotting espionage and conspiracy. It’s all about Allinol, a clean, renewable fuel for electric cars that is designed to allow maximum performance for racers. The fuel’s creator, voiced by Eddie Izzard, proposes a Grand Prix series for the world’s greatest race cars using Allinol. Lightning McQueen, by now the proud owner of four Piston Cups, decides to participate in the event after being insulted by an obnoxious Italian Formula 1 car and flies to Tokyo with sidekick tow track Mater and his pit team for the first race. At the same time British spy car Finn McMissile (a gadget packed Aston Martin played by Michael Caine) is on the trail of a shady organisation of old bangers with a vested interest in seeing Allinol fail.

There’s no denying that Cars 2 makes a lot more of its concept than the first film with more races and high octane action all the way through with a constant stream of gags to boot. But it comes with a number of slightly strange decisions. McQueen takes a backseat to Mater this time as the tow truck is mistakenly drawn into Finn and resourceful Bond girl style sports car Holly Shiftwell’s investigations having been reprimanded by the Owen Wilson voiced McQueen for his hillbilly behaviour. The race sequences likewise become less important as they are cut into with action segments involving the three spies as they work against the efforts of the criminal conspirators to sabotage proceedings. It’s quite a full on approach to the set pieces but it feels like we’re being cheated of some exciting racing at times.

Of course the way the movie is organised means you will have to like Mater to get on with it. His screen time is considerable compared to McQueen’s and although I’m generally very patient with characters like Mater I found him starting to grate by the end. The fact is he was originally designed as a comedy sidekick and bringing him to the fore doesn’t work very well. Fortunately there’s enough of the much more entertaining Finn to balance him. On the other side of things McQueen’s rivalry with Francesco the F1 Italian stallion provides consistent entertainment.

As you can expect from Pixar the visuals are superb. An opening sequence with Finn infiltrating an oil rig features some astounding water effects and some of the vistas on show are absolutely gorgeous especially the Italian racecourse. There’s also a catchy little theme tune that strikes up whenever Fin starts getting his Bond on. The script is littered with puns and gags, many of which are a little obvious and the best friends falling out story feels rather tired for family storytelling but other more original aspects of the eventful plot make up for this.

Cars 2 fixes a lot of what was wrong with the first film but can’t avoid raising new ones in the process. The James Bond concept is fun throughout but it creates a slightly jarring departure from the first and the level of action and quick pace does rather invalidate the first film’s message that sometimes it’s best to live life in the slow lane. I realise I’m contradicting myself somewhat to the point at which Cars 2 is damned if it does and damned if it doesn’t but I greatly appreciate the risks that were taken and the spirit of escapism John Lasseter and his team have tapped into here. Like the first film I enjoyed the film immensely in spite of its glaring flaws but like The Tree if Life I sense the film will be divisive. My housemates both hated it as a hackneyed mess that puts its most annoying character centre-stage, a view I completely understand but while those of us more in awe of the brilliance of Wall-E, Up and the Toy Story trilogy will have a problem with these flaws, kids, the film’s primary audience will lap it up and you can’t ask fairer than that.

Verdict

A flawed but fun action comedy that fondly sends up the James Bond genre in unique style. The complexity might be lost on some sprogs but the other ingredients mix together for a breathless and perfectly paced giggle.