cragsby_kellogs Reviews

Still Game: Local Hero (2019) Season 9, Episode 1

Don't get the hate!

[7/10 · 20 March 2019]

First off, I'm a massive Still Game fan whose watched every episode since the beginning.

For me, it's one of the greatest sitcoms ever written and I for one am glad that Ford and Greg decided to bring it back when they did. I would have hated the last episode to have been the Hootenanny trip which I actually don't like as much as some of the newer installments.

That being said, while I agree that the later episodes lack something compared to the old ones, I think the IMDB ratings are a little preposterous.

Heck even the weakest Still Game episodes make me laugh more than most sitcoms these days. It's certainly not gone as bad as Benidorm or Mrs Browns Boys!

This particular outing did make me chuckle a few times with the highlights being Tam's "Robin" comment, Winston losing his rag at the community centre and Jack and Victor's hilarious sobbing video.

Hopefully more international audiences will embrace the new stuff so that the ratings get a little bit of a boost.

So to all the haters....get it up yous!

Suffragette (2015)

Suffragette (2015)

[7/10 · 30 October 2015]

The incredible true story of the feminist movement has never been tackled properly on the big-screen, aside from Winifred Banks' support for the cause in the beloved musical Mary Poppins (1964).

But director Sarah Gavron's take on that dark period in human history is far from joyful as the film presents a gritty picture of just how difficult it was for women in that era. This is captured shockingly in various scenes involving them being punched, kicked, molested and tortured as they struggle in a male-dominated world. If you're expecting a heartwarming British biopic like The King's Speech or Pride, then this probably isn't for you.

All this is in aid of teaching audiences, particularly the younger generation, about the lengths these women went into fighting for what they believed in which is great testament to both Gavron and her screenwriter Abi Morgan. The pair also make the bold decision to create a fictional heroine in Maud who is present at key events in that era but goes through a terrible ordeal that barely gives her any respite.

Through all this, the film's stellar cast give phenomenal performances with the wonderful Carey Mulligan leading from the front. Despite Maud's non-existence in real-life, Mulligan produces a devastating turn as a woman who finds her voice and ultimately ends up suffering for it at the hands of both the authorities and her own family.

Helena Bonham Carter (Edith), Anne Marie-Duff (Violet) and Natalie Press (Emily Wilding Davison) lend effective support as the other key suffragettes with the latter dominating the film's closing act which takes place at the 1913 Epsom Derby, a fateful day that would have a positive effect on the movement.

The male characters don't quite fare well when it comes to the way they are presented on screen though Brendan Gleeson and Ben Whishaw give understated performances while Geoff Bell plays Maud's barbaric boss to perfection.

Special mention must also go to the production team particularly costume and production designers Jane Petrie and Alice Normington whose work deserves some awards attention when capturing the 1910s era.

Admittedly some parts of the film's production aren't quite as effective with the editing being a bit too swift while the camera angles can be too in-your-face and not allow audiences to breath. It's also disappointing that the great Meryl Streep is reduced to one brief scene as the iconic Emmeline Pankhurst though she does take advantage delivering a critical speech.

Suffragette is bound to be a brutal watch for many but the combined work from Gavron and her magnificent cast ensure that this film is a powerful lesson on a bleak period in human history that has thankfully resulted in change.

Philomena (2013)

Philomena (2013) – ★★★★ (1/2)

[26 October 2013]

"The thing is, I didn't even know I had a clitoris, Martin."

In 2002, humiliated BBC Correspondent Martin Sixsmith (Coogan) hears about the story of an elderly Irish woman named Philomena Lee (Dench). As a mature girl living in 1950s Ireland, she conceived a child named Anthony but he was cruelly taken away from her and placed into adoption by the nuns of her convent.

Fifty years on, she has vowed to track down her son and seeks Martin's help in trying to find him. Seeing the chance of a potential headline-making story, Martin agrees to help and accompanies Philomena back to her former convent but they both learn that previous records of the adopted children were destroyed. However the pair later find out about Anthony's possible whereabouts and descend to America not knowing whether he is alive or not with Philomena desperate for a reconciliation.

Delightfully adapted from Martin Sixsmith's acclaimed novel The Lost Child of Philomena Lee (2009), director Stephen Frears and writer Steve Coogan set the tone for this triumphant film with a strong mixture of comedy and tragedy throughout its 110 minute running time. Straight from the outset, the laughs are brought out in the opening scene where Coogan's Martin gives awkward answers about his health and career prospects to a concerned doctor. Humiliated by his own government, this is a man who has become so desperate to avoid the media limelight that he is prepared to write books on Russian history.

In stark contrast, we have poor and weary Philomena looking sad and regretful as she reflects on her troubled past. The moments of trauma are captured effectively by the grainy use of camera-work to showcase 1950s Ireland as we witness the tough and traumatic experience that she had to go through in watching her child be taken from her. Ultimately It takes around fifteen minutes for our two leads to meet on screen (at a Harvester pub of all places!), but once that happens, both actors are able to hit it off from the word 'go'.

What makes the film most successful is the fantastic central relationship between the two leads as Dench and Coogan's on-screen relationship brings about plenty of witty yet touching dialogue. While Philomena is more of a warm-hearted individual, Martin displays cynicism and a bit of arrogance that won't come as a surprise to those who show a dislike to journalists! But as the film progresses, we get to see a stronger bond developed between the duo particularly when they get to Washington DC.

This segment of the film produces several moments of complete hysteria from some of the cracking lines of dialogue from Coogan's script but also instances of utter devastation as the whereabouts of Anthony are finally revealed in heartbreaking manner. Fortunately those raw scenes are eventually cut down by flashes of comedy that completely bamboozles the audiences but enables us to appreciate the dramedy factor of this film. Even when the 'reveal' takes place, the story doesn't finish there as Philomena and Martin continue their quest to uncover more information about what Anthony has achieved throughout his life with Super 8 footage used to capture the realistic feel.

In what is set to be a competitive year for Oscar-worthy performances, Judi Dench truly shines in her touching role as Philomena as she brings endearing warmth to a character who suffers pain throughout but also displays moments of comedy gold through her well-tinkered Irish accent. Following on from his recent success with Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, Coogan continues to use perfect comic-timing to his advantage but also decides to go down the more endearing road of making us root for Martin particularly in the post-America scenes. Other cast members are somewhat sidelined by the two excellent leads though Anna Maxwell Martin is able to display subtlety with her role as Philomena's concerned daughter. Plaudits should also go to renowned composer Alexandre Desplat as he creates a haunting and sombre score that showcases the tone of the film.

What does bring Philomena down a touch is its controversial ridicule of religious authority particularly towards the Catholic Church. While it may lack the shocking depiction that Peter Mullan captured in his gritty film, The Magdalene Sisters (2002), a more crowd-pleasing offering like this one is likely to cause offense as the nun characters are presented as vastly cruel and unsympathetic in both past and present sequences.

The media are also presented as a little too harsh as Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones' Catelyn Stark) bears the brunt as an news-hungry editor who lacks a conscience when interrogating Martin to get more out of Philomena's story.

Nuns won't appreciate it much but Stephen Frears' wonderful film evokes the perfect blend of hilarious charm and harsh devastation in Britain's latest cinematic triumph with Dench and Coogan a pure delight to watch together. If Oscar doesn't reward it, then hopefully BAFTA will!

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Cloud Atlas (2012)

[6/10 · 4 April 2013]

Imagine watching a film that combines various story elements such as a political thriller, a sci-fi adventure or even a British sitcom? That is exactly what you get from Cloud Atlas, the Wachowski sibling's bold and daring fantasy epic which continues their trend of visually-driven films that they previously achieved with The Matrix trilogy (1999-2003) and Speed Racer (2008). While it failed to land any nominations at the recent Oscars, it has quietly gained momentum as an artistic masterpiece that explores the way that souls are connected throughout its several segments. An appealing cast that includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant adds extra spice to this voyage of a film....

Split into six different plot-lines, the film focuses on how the actions of individuals affect one another in the past, present and future. In 1849, writer Adam Ewing (Sturgess) tries to protect a black slave who has secretly boarded his ship that is sailing around America. In 1930s England, homosexual music writer Robert Frobisher (Whishaw) agrees to work with veteran composer Vyvyan Ayrs (Broadbent) as he creates the Cloud Atlas theme. In 1970s America, journalist Luisa Reys (Berry) tries to expose corruption at a nuclear plantation only to be pursued by hit-man Bill Smoke (Weaving). In modern day England, publisher Timothy Cavendish (Broadbent) tries to sort out a massive debt only to be confined to an old people's home by his wealthy brother. In 2144 Seoul, fabricate clone Sonmi-451 (Doona Bae) is rescued from her built-in environment by revolution fighter Hae-Joo Chang (Sturgess). Finally in the faraway future, tribesman Zachary (Hanks) reluctantly helps a modified human named Meronym (Berry) as she tries to track down an ancient building.

Audacious is one way to describe Cloud Atlas as the Wachowskis carefully work hard to make this 'unfilmable' production a reality by adapting it from David Mitchell's best-selling novel. It demands a lot of attention from its curious audiences as they spend the next three hours intrigued and fascinated by this lavish epic and while the story lines are all completely different, the directing trio (including Tom Tykwer) manage to combine and intertwine the plots together rather than playing off each story as an individual one. Fortunately the mood of each part changes throughout as it goes from dark and thrilling to subtle and at times hilarity (especially when it comes to the Cavendish scenes). A sense of 'freedom' also connects the segments and becomes a running theme as we begin to realise that these stories do have something in common e.g. Sonmi's legacy being worshipped by the tribe. But what also makes this film remarkable is the way it merges together a talented group of actors and has them taking on several roles that mostly rely on tons of costumes and prosthetics. It also pulls off the visual effects scenes spectacularly well with the stunning futuristic Seoul sequences baring resemblance to the sci-fi world of Blade Runner (1982). On occasions, the makeup is completely inspired as we barely recognise some of the big names like Halle Berry as the white relative of Vyvyan in the 1930s or Hugh Grant as a sadistic warrior in the final story. While the film stands out as a rich and artistic triumph, the exceptional cast manage to contribute effectively in their multiple roles. Tom Hanks has a lot of fun as his different characters range from a corrupted doctor and a volatile Irishman to a heroic tribesman. Fellow Oscar-winner Berry reclaims some acting versatility from her Monsters Ball days courtesy of her different portrayals including the determined journalist from the 70s segment. Young British actors Jim Sturgess and Ben Whishaw continue to impress with their story arcs while Hugh Grant goes-against-type to play some creepy and sadistic villains who make us detest them whatever story they are in. However the two best performances come from British character actor Jim Broadbent and Asian actress Doona Bae. The former brings humour and weariness to his character Cavendish who is initially portrayed as a buffoon but manages to make us root for him as he finds himself in the awkward setting of an old people's home. Bae on the other hand is immaculate as the fabricate who begins to realise what her life has become and ultimately makes the gradual decision to try and inspire a revolution.

However the problem with a film of this magnitude is that it isn't easy to sit through. Some audiences may find watching the non-linear narratives a struggle to work out especially as you wonder about what exactly links them all (it's best to rely on IMDb for that!). Paying attention to that many story lines definitely requires a lot of patience and understanding even from the most intelligent film fans! While the makeup has its inspired moments, it can also be somewhat laughable and even racist at times particularly when the focus is on the Seoul segment. One can't help but feel sorry for Asian star Doona Bae as she finds herself sharing scenes with non-Asian actors covered in prosthetics who clearly look like they have just stumbled off the set of a Charlie Chan film. But it is poor Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith from The Matrix) who finds himself looking silliest of all not just in that story but also when he is in full-drag to portray the Nurse Ratched-type carer from the Cavendish scenes and his later appearance as a creepy and unnecessary demon from the final segment.

The Wachowski's latest offering is confidently acted, looks majestic to watch and has the potential to be a genre-breaking classic but is flawed by its complicated narrative and (at times) ridiculous makeup. It may take a few re watches to appreciate this one better!

Flight (I) (2012)

Flight (2012)

[6/10 · 4 April 2013]

Over twelve years since helming his last live-action film Cast Away, director Robert Zemeckis has decided to mark his comeback to film-making with a bang courtesy of his new drama Flight. Having dealt with Delorean time-machines, cartoon rabbits and autistic heroes in his previous productions, Zemeckis takes a dark turn with his latest effort as he teams up with two time Oscar-winning actor Denzil Washington to present a film about the temptation of alcohol and how it can affect the life of its central character. While it has been done before in other alcohol-related films like The Lost Weekend (1944) and Leaving Las Vegas (1995), you can't help but be intrigued when you know that Denzil has an Oscar nomination for it….

William "Whip" Whitaker (Washington) is a pilot who has an alcohol addiction. After spending a heavy night drinking and doing drugs, he takes charge of his latest flight despite still being in a drunken state. But when his flight starts to develop problems in the engineering department, he manages to prevent the plane from crashing thus saving the lives of nearly everyone on board. Although he is hailed a hero, the toxicology report reveals he had alcohol in his blood which leaves him in a tough predicament as he faces being investigated over the incident. As he continues to indulge himself to booze, those around him including lawyer Hugh Lang (Cheadle), close friend Harling Mays (Goodman) and former drug addict-turned-new love interest Nicole (Reilly) try to support him.

As soon as the film starts, you know straight away this isn't Zemeckis's usual territory as we see Whip surrounded by empty beer bottles, lines of cocaine and a sexy (and naked!) Latino woman which sets the tone for what the character's life is all about. This allows writer John Gatins (Oscar-nodded for his script) to create a narrative confrontation for viewers as they become immersed in a story of mental struggle. But for the first half-hour, the film is mostly dominated by the spectacular flight sequence which sees Whip having to handle landing the aircraft in its perilous situation. The director has always excelled when it comes to action scenes and here, it is no exception as the camera shakes uncontrollably and leaves us adrenaline-filled. It is edge-of-your-seat stuff for something so catastrophe and should only be experienced on the big-screen. But the film is not so much about the plane crash and aftermath but is more about Whip's addiction. The highest moments of drama actually occur when confronted by the bottle whether it be at his father's farm or a hotel room he stays at near the film's climax. The latter environment sees him face his toughest choice of whether to drink or not even when facing an important event the following day. Most of the time, the bottle wins the war, just as it unfortunately does so with real life alcoholics. Of course, there are those who try to help him throughout the film but his nasty personality overcomes him even to the point when he gains some new romance in his life by hooking up with former drug-user Nicole. Having spent several years starring in average action-flicks, Denzil Washington manages to reclaim responsibility as one of Hollywood's best actors with his stunning performance of a man whose addiction leaves him in a troubled state of mind. Washington is able to mix charisma, aggression and hidden trauma to his performance as he leaves his audience conflicted over whether they should support his battle to recover or loathe him for his selfish attitude. Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood lend effective support as the two authoritative men tasked with helping Whip in his situation but having to put up with his outrageous behaviour while John Goodman stumbles off the set of The Big Lebowski to chew scenery in his limited role as the mouthy but comical dealer. A pleasant surprise in the cast comes from British actress Kelly Reilly as she puts on an immaculate Southern accent in her role as Nicole and provides an emotional and wounded counterpoint to Denzil's Whip.

However Zemeckis does let his guard down with the characterisation and plot structure which is what almost ruined Cast Away in its finale. Though we become fascinated by Whip, we never really find out WHY he is an alcoholic even when we get given some brief details about his family history. When we do see him confronting his ex-wife and son, it comes across as predictable for a man in his state and is a plot cliché that has been done so many times in films and television shows. This also affects the Nicole character as she makes an important contribution to the film's first half only to disappear and then randomly pop up in a contrived manner. Audiences will also find it hard to root for Whip as he is presented as unlikeable for the majority of the film and even when we get to the important courtroom scenes, we struggle to really know whether to care about his fate.

VERDICT: Robert Zemeckis makes a worthy return to live-action films with this gritty but slightly underwhelming character study which is strengthened by an award-winning comeback from Denzil Washington and a mid-air sequence of thrilling proportions.

Lincoln (2012)

Lincoln (2012)

[8/10 · 4 April 2013]

In the midst of the American Civil War in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln (Day-Lewis) looks to try and finally get the Thirteen Amendment of the Constitution granted in order to abolish slavery. However it leads to conflict amongst the rest of the government as his cabinet attempt to land key votes in order to ensure the amendment goes ahead. Amongst those contributing include his former opponent Thaddeus Stevens (Jones) who becomes more supportive about the end of slavery despite his initial opposition against it. But as the war rages on, Lincoln's determination is strained by his personal life involving his wife Mary Todd (Field) and his eldest son Robert (Gordon-Levitt). However he refuses to back away from his audacious plan as he looks to make history.

As with most cinematic biopics, Lincoln continues the trend of focusing on the personal challenges of its central character which the film does very well to highlight. Abraham Lincoln is not seen as this grand statue that historians have associated him as but instead he is depicted as a real man who questions his actions which allows the large ensemble of other characters to advise him about his tactics. In other words, you could say the film is more about the Constitution than of the actual leader which is why Spielberg chose to look at the impact the new regime could have on potential voters. When the Lincoln family aren't on-screen, the attention is switched to the many contributors that try to make a huge difference to the human race. However the theme of family, something which Spielberg has always highlighted in his previous films, is also touched upon as Tony Kushner's majestic (and dialogue-heavy) script gives us a chance to see how it affects Lincoln's personal relationships with Mary Todd and Robert. It is clear that these confrontations affect the President greatly but fortunately Kushner doesn't go too sentimental with that sub-plot and makes the amendment the main priority as part of the engaging narrative. Production value is another key factor of Spielberg's directing craft as his team rebuild a tumultuous period in American history whether it be the old-fashioned costumes or the sight of thousands of men lying dead on the battlefield. A clever piece of misc-en-scene comes from the interior scenes where dark rooms are used possibly as a symbol for the depression that Lincoln went through and some shades of light used to convey the possible hope he has of pushing the amendment. We should also not forget the important contribution of Spielberg's loyal composer John Williams (Oscar-nominated for the 48th time here) as he provides a sombre and engaging score which may not rank amongst his best but shows that he is still a composer at the peak of his powers. Talking of immense talent, Spielberg's overwhelming cast is something to marvel about as the flawless Daniel Day-Lewis delivers another exquisite performance in his titular role as the President. Given the few films he has done in a career spanning almost thirty years, Day-Lewis continues to immerse himself in his character as he inhabits a subtle performance which commands authority and at times, rare moments of anguish during his confrontational scenes with both his cabinet and his family. Sally Field gives fierce support as Lincoln's deranged wife who makes an impact as a loyal woman who struggles to overcome the traumatic loss of her son Winnie and uses that in her personal battle with Abe but also stands toe-to-toe in a more light-hearted scene where she ridicules Tommy Lee Jones's Thaddeus Stevens at a dinner party. As the third Oscar-winning member of the large cast, Jones brings his usual authoritative style to his character but also combines warmth and charisma to a man who changes his opinion on equality through his own personal life which is revealed nicely in the film's closing stages. Given the size of the support cast, there are too many well-known actors to talk about but the stand-outs range from David Strathairn's loyal secretary of state William Seward to James Spader's robust henchman Bilbo. As a fan of American television, it's also refreshing to see actors from two of my favourite shows pop up including Walton Goggins (The Shield's Shane Vendrell) and David Constabile (Breaking Bad's Gale).

A couple of negatives that Spielberg loses focus on is Lincoln's sub-plot with his son Robert and the disjointed ending. With the former, Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues his progress as one of Hollywood's biggest stars but his performance as the President's rebellious son is rather limited and feels more like a filler role which only attracts interest in his confrontational scenes with his father. The final five minutes also threatens to derail the film which could have easily ended with the President walking down his hallway. But instead, Spielberg opts to carry on and show Lincoln's assassination but not the way we expected to which leaves an unsettling feeling that almost takes away the inspirational mood we had experienced a few scenes earlier.

Despite its manipulative ending, Spielberg's fascinating and masterful drama documents a crucial time in American history with Daniel Day-Lewis once again absorbing himself in his dominant role as Lincoln while surrounded by a who's who of versatile cast members.

Django Unchained (2012)

Django Unchained (2012)

[8/10 · 4 April 2013]

Having built himself up as one of cinema's great auteur directors, Quentin Tarantino has struggled to surpass his finest achievement Pulp Fiction which became iconic for its constructive dialogue and fascinating characters when it was first released back in 1994. Though the likes of Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill I & II (2003/04) and Inglorious Basterds were generally well-received, they lacked the audacious elements of his second 'masterpiece' (his first being Reservoir Dogs!). However his latest film, the violent western Django Unchained, manages to reclaim those specific elements as he chooses to revive the 'spaghetti' sub-genre and blend it altogether with gratuitous violence as well as paying homage to several lesser-known westerns. There is also the small matter of its versatile cast which includes Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Di-Caprio and Christoph Waltz while awards recognition has already been sprung on the film including a couple of Golden Globe wins and several Oscar nominations. Mr Tarantino, you had my curiosity, now you have my attention….

In the Deep South of 19th Century America, a slave named Django (Foxx) is rescued from capture by a charming but deadly dentist-turned-bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz who decides to use him as a partner. During their pursuit of a couple of rival bounty hunters, Django reveals that once he is free, he intends to find his beloved wife Broomhilda (Washington) who has been forced to work under sadistic plantation owner Calvin Caddie (Di-Caprio). The pair travel to Caddie's home as they look to try and negotiate with him about taking on a bounty even though their main objective is to rescue Django's beloved from her suffering. However when things turn nasty, our slave-turned-gunslinger instigates one final confrontation to try and save his wife once and for all.

As he did with his depiction of World War II in Inglorious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino presents an equally gritty look of the Old West as he relies on old Spaghetti Westerns to influence his film-making through its plot and misc-en-scene. The latter in particular sees him use a Ennio Morricone-style score that is played throughout the film which lends a nostalgic feel to the days of classic Sergio Leone-type westerns. A running theme that is beginning to occur in the maverick director's filmography is revenge which shows up here again as Django vows to find his wife but decides to take down those who have troubled the pair in the past. This is all graphically conveyed by the violence, a key part of Tarantino's films, as his illustration of brutality reaches an all-time best courtesy of the constant blood and gore which occurs throughout. He also refuses to ignore the shocking treatment that the salves endured as he places the Southern mansions and 'mandingo' fights into the film to remind us that this was a traumatic period for the African-American race and that while things are better now, there is no moving away from what went on all those years ago. But amidst the scenes of violence and long-drawn dialogue from the slick script, we do get some light-hearted relief particularly in one scene where a gang of KKK members (including Jonah Hill in a very brief role) have a frank discussion about the uncomfortable masks they wear. It is these type of moments in the film that makes us realise that the director is having a lot of fun as he did with other comical moments in his past productions. Another key trademark is having a black and white duo as the leading characters which worked out well in Tarantino's renowned Pulp Fiction as the heart-warming friendship between our two heroes allows us to root for the pair as their story progresses. Jamie Foxx has a lot of fun in his role as Django as he mixes empathy and coolness to his portrayal of a man who eventually develops himself as a bad-ass hero. However he is overshadowed by his more versatile co-stars including the recently Oscar-nominated Christoph Waltz who is terrific as the charming but deadly killer who initially starts out as an anti-hero but becomes more compassionate about the mistreatment of slaves in the film's final quarter. A complete surprise is the villainous turn from an-against-type Leonardo Di-Caprio as he tackles the role of the unhinged Calvin Caddie whose vicious and disturbing personality is truly terrifying to watch compared to Di-Caprio's previous on-screen portrayals. Just as tyrannous is Samuel L. Jackson as the vindictive and loyal butler of Caddie who is more prepared to betray his own race rather than to help a fellow 'brother'. The stunningly-beautiful Kerry Washington is sadly reduced to being the helpless victim who uses her facial expressions to show her fragile side and is never given much of a chance to shine but is still an alluring sight nonetheless.

One major criticism that does detract Tarantino's directing style is his excessive use of racial language which is driven to complete overload as the 'n' word gets spoken hundreds of times. While this was a tough period in US history that was blighted by the harsh treatment of African-American people, it is bound to unsettle some audiences who won't be prepared to handle a film which overwhelmingly uses countless racist dialogue. Think of it as a dramatic (and present day version) of Blazing Saddles! The director also makes the bizarre decision to use a strange Australian accent in his short role (something he has done in his previous films) which isn't necessarily needed considering the time the story is set but at least he gets an explosive send-off! Despite its overly use of the 'n' word, the D stands for delightful as Tarantino's latest violent spectacle tackles the Old West with true grit and influential-style while the likes of Foxx, Waltz and Di-Caprio saddle up and give roaring performances.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

[8/10 · 4 April 2013]

Following the tragic events of 9/11, the US government bring in young CIA operative Maya (Chastain) to spearhead their mission to track down Osama Bin Laden and kill him. For the next decade, Maya spends her whole time dedicated to finding this man but faces up to various challenges along the way including intimidation from her male superiors (Chandler and Strong), handling the rough tactics used during intense interrogations with terrorist subjects and her scrap with the odd few bomb attacks. But despite being ridiculed for her obsessive search, she vows to get her man as the hunt becomes more decisive ultimately leading to the crucial discovery of Bin-Laden's secret hideout which gives the Americans the chance to finally close in on their target.

Right from the outset, Bigelow makes it her intent to depict the uncomfortable setting of this film when it opens with a black screen in which we hear phone calls made by frantic and terrified sufferers of 9/11. Though it is chilling, it builds up the tone of the film which becomes more unsettling in the next scene as the Dan character uses methods of torture to interrogate a scared delegate who is linked to key terrorists involved in the event. Controversy has overshadowed the film's reputation especially with its focus on torture which has led to harsh criticisms. The scene itself isn't necessarily shocking to watch and gives a clear message that perhaps the US were right to use such tactics in order to gain crucial information that would help them with this important mission. From then on, Bigelow and Boal are able to craft together a compelling story that captures the stressful period that these American officials went through as the long search provided many high and low points. Having Jessica Chastain's character Maya be the focal point of the film proves a key decision as the situation clearly affects her during these ten years. Chastain's rise from unknown actress a couple of years ago to Hollywood royalty almost mirrors Maya's own character development as we initially see her acting squeamish during the opening torture scenes. However once she encounters a few problems over the next few years, her determination to land Bin Laden becomes borderline obsessive and makes for a fascinating watch. While some critics have complained about the lack of back-story to the character, it is important to show that this woman never gives up in her pursuit of the terrorist and that she is able to stand her ground even when being criticised. But once we get to the final scene of the film, the psychological strain that Maya has gone through is illustrated with emotional intent as she reflects on finally completing her task but tearfully realising that the hunger is now gone and that she must lead a normal life. It proves that Chastain's unquestionable talent as the best actress in Hollywood is something to marvel at as she pounces on her first leading role and makes it a powerhouse of a performance that relies on grounded subtly and minimal showiness. But this doesn't mean that the supporting cast are overshadowed as a host of under appreciated actors get their chance to contribute with Jason Clarke standing out amongst them with his gripping role as the forceful interrogator Dan who dominates the earlier scenes with his torturous tactics. Other recognisable names like Kyle Chandler, Mark Strong and James Gandolfini lend fierce authority to their brief appearances while Jennifer Ehle gives Chastain a bit of female support as her fellow colleague Jessica who gets caught up in a couple of the film's more dramatic scenes. Ultimately when we get to the film's thrilling final half-hour, it is obvious what will happen as Bigelow handles the sequence with nervy precision as the Navy SEALs patiently prepare to raid Bin-Laden's hideout. Having done an effective job with the action scenes in her last film The Hurt Locker, Bigelow carefully adds striking moments to build up the tension of the attack from the amount of doors the team has to get through before coolly taking down servants of the target in order to complete their mission.

What does limit the film is the lack of focus on other characters aside from Maya. Though you have a group of effortless actors playing these roles, most of them don't get given enough time to really make an impact outside of Jason Clarke's character. We don't really learn more about them (though you could argue the same about Maya even if she is the primary lead) as the likes of Chandler and Strong spend most of their time hurling abuse and are occasionally presented as incompetent and one-dimensional. Audiences will also have to deal with the film's lengthy running time of 160 mins which may bore them especially as its more of a talking film than an actual blockbuster.

Kathryn Bigelow's intimate and masterful take on the hunt for Bin-Laden refuses to be dragged down by controversy in this fascinating drama which is driven forward by an astonishing performance from the very gifted Jessica Chastain. All hail Maya!

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight, a comic book masterpiece

[10/10 · 10 February 2009]

From the moment I watched the teaser trailer of The Dark Knight I was drawn into the hype surrounding how brilliantly made it was going to end up being. Even before the tragic death of the late Heath Ledger (The Joker) I was mainly interested in seeing whether this would surpass the previous film. Having watched Batman Begins three years ago I felt the film was too dark for a comic book film compared to other superhero films such as the Spiderman trilogy and Superman Returns. However the minute Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) presented Batman with a Joker card in Batman Begins' conclusion you just knew that the sequel would be better.

The Dark Knight is a haunting, comic book masterpiece which easily is miles better than Batman Begins in terms of story, visually and characters. Once again Christian Bale helms the role of Bruce Wayne who's alter-ego Batman is continuing to rid Gotham City of its criminals and helping Gordon and the new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) make the city a better place. However all hell is set to break loose in the form of the super criminal The Joker (the late Heath Ledger) who's tricks and turns cause havoc for those trying to save the day.

Acting wise Christian Bale is again stern as the millionaire restricted to living in an underground skip but hopes to soon give up his role as Batman for the love of his childhood friend Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes). Gyllenhaal herself has a small role but personally I preferred Holmes who suited the Rachel Dawes character more. Veterans Michael Caine (Alfred) and Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) add experience to the franchise again whilst Gary Oldman continues to rid of his bad boy character image with a good guy character who audiences sympathise for. 80's stars such as Eric Roberts and Anthony Michael Hall also add their own ability to the film. Surprising a few people in this is Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent who seeks to become Gotham City's white knight but is tragically overthrown into having an alter-ego himself with a far more nastier streak.

But unsurprisingly the star of the show is the late Heath Ledger who's haunting turn as the psychopathic Joker is a villain of such integrity who's taunts and ideas leave Gotham in chaos including the deaths of a couple of key characters and wrecking the establishment of major players in the Gotham rank including Dent. Ledger's tragic death is a devastation reflected by what a villainous portrayal he created with an evil character ranked amongst the greats such as Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter. His recent awards success for the Joker is fully deserved and it would be an absolute crime for his performance to miss out at the forthcoming Oscars.

Christopher Nolan's visual style creates a Gothic look for Gotham city in beautiful style and the rest of it deservedly rewarded nominations for art direction, cinematography and editing. The major set pieces show a thrilling tension to the story including the opening bank robbery sequence and the lorry chase as well as memorable one-liners especially from Ledger's Joker including "I believe what doesn't kill you makes you stranger" and "Why so Serious?" Watching The Dark Knight at IMAX was a wonderful experience for me and after the rest of my family watched it they too were impressed and mouth-watered by the whole phenomenon. I hope more people watch it as it is a modern day masterpiece.

Father Ted (1995–1998)

Better than Vicar of Dibley!!!

[8/10 · 22 September 2005]

I've only just bought Father Ted recently on DVD and i'm absolutely hysterical when it comes on. The sitcom is about three different priests who live together with their house cleaner in a deserted fielded island in where else but Ireland.

You've got Ted Crilly (the main character) who though tries to be a true priest can never seem to be committed to religion. His frustrations come mainly from his fellow house mate Dougal MuGuire who has the dumb-witted and naive character of Homer Simpson and never normally understands what Ted is on about on many occasions. The funniest character in the series is probably Father Jack Hakett, an abusive and foul mouthed priest who has become excelled from his original nicer side to become abusive when woken up or pushed around and has normally shouted Feck, Arse, Drink or Girls. The final character is Mrs Doyle who is the maid in the house though she mainly gives tea for the three priests though always manages to get the better of them in the end if they ever refuse a cup-pa.

Other people include priests like the accident prone priest Father Larry Duff who also seems to be involved in a car crash or being attacked by a Stapler. There's also Father Dick Byrne and his priest crew on Rugged Island who always seem to try to better Ted and the Craggy Island folk. The big boss of them all is Bishop Brennan who's loud and scary looking reputation has always bothered Ted but not Dougal who always refers to the bishop as Len while Father Jack has either told him to feck off or punch him in the face.

My favourite episode is probably Speed 3 where Dougal becomes a milkman but the previous milkman has planted a bomb on the milk float so Ted has to convince Dougal to keep driving. Celebrities like Graham Norton and Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew from One Foot in the Grave) have been seen in Father Ted which has become an all time famous sitcom and probably the greatest sitcom to come out of Channel 4.

FIVE favourite Fater Ted moments. 01. Ted attempting to make Jack say the words That and Would 02. Man in crowd mumbling F***in hell after fixing of Sheep Competition 03. Ted and Dougal playing Sherrards 04. Mrs Doyle falling from balcony continually 05. Mrs Doyles tool in my box expression to Ted

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

LORD of the Rings!

[10/10 · 26 August 2005]

Lord of all films-Better than Godfather and Shawshank Redemption.

Oscar dominance-Level with Ben-Hur and Titanic but 11/11. Beat that! Reads like a book-Read the entire book collection especially the hobbit.

Down to 'middle' earth-Brilliant structure and overall editing.

Offers epic battles-Best fight scenes you'll ever see in a film.

Features a brilliant cast-Bloom, Tyler, Blanchett, McKellen, Bean, etc.

Teaches us all friendship-Sam and Frodo, Legolas and Gimli, etc.

Heroic characters-Aragorn, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Eowyn, Faramir.

Even better than first 2-Definetly the best of the trilogy.

Reaches new heights in film-making-Best film crew ever established.

Incredible visual effects-Move over Titanic, Star Wars, Matrix etc.

New beginning for stars-Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, Orlando Bloom etc.

Great directing-Peter Jackson joins Lucas, Spielberg, Wyler, Lean etc.

Seemingly awesome-The greatest film of its generation ever.

Reads like a poem!

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Awesome sequel!

[10/10 · 7 May 2005]

In my view the two towers will go down as my second favourite film of all time behind (obviously) LOTR: Return of the King. The film proved to be a much better film than the fellowship of the ring mainly because of two things. Helm's Deep and Gollum.

Helm's Deep proved to be the most exciting siege film since The Alamo. 10,000 urik-hai against a small guard of farmers, old men and stable boys proved to be like David against three Goliaths. At the end of the battle mass audiences were stunned to witness a battle sequence as stunning as Braveheart in the part where Gandalf rides down the steep mountain with the Rohirrum as they attack the Urik-Hai to win the battle.

This film had a bit of funny moments such as Gimli telling Legolas that he could have picked a better spot to see the mass army. Plus the same two characters counting how many Urik-Hai they were killing during the epic battle scene.

New characters in The Two Towers included Miranda Otto (from War of the Worlds) playing Aragorn's secret love interest, Bernard Hill (Titanic) playing King Theardon and David Wenham (Van Helsing) playing Boromir's brother Faramir.

But the new character who led well was the CGI character Gollum who joined Frodo and Sam on their quest to destroy the one ring. His mutters of 'my precious' had giving cinema a new movie line to join others.

Also impressive where the tree ents who helped hobbits Merry and Pippin to destroy Isengaard with an exciting action sequence.

Overall I preferred this film to Fellowship of the Ring and would say that it is my favourite 'second film' to a trilogy! Awesome!

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

A great start to my favourite all time trilogy

[9/10 · 5 May 2005]

Fellowship of the Ring in my view was a great start to the epic trilogy! I was stunned to learn about how this film got more Oscar nominations than Return of the King (13 to 11) yet Return of the King was the more epic and Oscar sweeping film. Director Peter Jackson opted to go for a more unknown cast with a mix of actors from Australia, USA and The United Kingdom.

Australia's two main actors including Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett (The Aviator) who played elf queen Galadriel and Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith from The Matrix) who played Elrond. Both were good although you would have expected an Oscar nominee for Blanchett.

USA's mix had most of the main characters including Ejiah Wood (Fodo, the main character), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee), Viggo Mortensen (Aragon) and Liv Tyler (Arwen). All four proving crucial in the film's main plot.

And finally UK's actors including Ian Mckellen (The role of wizard Gandalf earned Mckellen an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor), Orlando Bloom from Troy and Kingdom of Heaven (Legolas), John Rhys Davies (Gimli), Christopher Lee (Saruman the evil wizard), Sir Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins) and Sean Bean (Boromir).

The plot was exciting and the cast lead well. The main winners being Wood, Mckellen and Mortensen. You could feel the devastation of The Fellowship following Gandalf's death in a film which provided awesome scenes including the fight scene between Gandalf and Saruman, the Battle of the Last Alliance and the terrifying Nazgul with their loud screeches.

Overall I preferred the other two films though this one would definitely be in my top 10 list.