This is England '88 (2011)
This 3 part mini series from Shane Meadows is the second sequel to This Is England (2006) and stars Vicky McClure. Haunted by the having killed her father, driven away her long term boy friend and struggling to raise her young child a woman has a bad Christmas.
There have certainly been some big events since the last mini series and the series deals with some dark issues really well. The only real downside is that the sub plot with the original central character from the first film seems a little out of place given the new focus of the series. As always director Shane Meadows provides some nice montages as well.
4/5
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Friday, 30 December 2011
The Final Entry
Naked Gun 33 1/3: the Final Insult (1994)
Changes behind the scenes mean that Peter Segal comes into direct this second sequel which was the last film for O.J. Simpson before his legal problems. Frank is now retired but goes undercover as one last favour for his former colleagues.
This is certainly the weakest film in the series and you can tell the material is wearing a little thin when a lot of the gags are just parodies of other recent films, not even anything connected to the series. Of course a number of the good elements from the previous films remain but the flaws they had are much more clearly highlighted here due to the weaker script and lack of plot. There is still some fun to be had here but it misses the heights of the previous two films.
3/5
Changes behind the scenes mean that Peter Segal comes into direct this second sequel which was the last film for O.J. Simpson before his legal problems. Frank is now retired but goes undercover as one last favour for his former colleagues.
This is certainly the weakest film in the series and you can tell the material is wearing a little thin when a lot of the gags are just parodies of other recent films, not even anything connected to the series. Of course a number of the good elements from the previous films remain but the flaws they had are much more clearly highlighted here due to the weaker script and lack of plot. There is still some fun to be had here but it misses the heights of the previous two films.
3/5
Thursday, 29 December 2011
Bring out your dead (peoples furniture)
Please Give (2010)
This independent film from writer/director Nicole Holofcener stars Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall and Amanda Peet. A woman that resells dead peoples furniture feels guilty about her business while her next door neighbours grand daughters wait for their grandmother to die.
While this film is supposed to be a dark comedy there are not a huge amount of comedic moments in the film and it is more about how people view death of others rather than how we deal with death itself. Given the topic there are a number of films about similar themes and this film does not do a huge amount to make it stand out from the crowd but is still watchable if maybe not fully realised in execution.
3/5
This independent film from writer/director Nicole Holofcener stars Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall and Amanda Peet. A woman that resells dead peoples furniture feels guilty about her business while her next door neighbours grand daughters wait for their grandmother to die.
While this film is supposed to be a dark comedy there are not a huge amount of comedic moments in the film and it is more about how people view death of others rather than how we deal with death itself. Given the topic there are a number of films about similar themes and this film does not do a huge amount to make it stand out from the crowd but is still watchable if maybe not fully realised in execution.
3/5
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Renewable energy?
Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
Three years after the original film Leslie Nielsen returns as bumbling police detectice Frank Drebin. President Bush has hired a professor to advise on the future of US energy policy and the big oil, coal and nuclear companies are out to get him.
It was always going to be hard to keep up with the break neck speed of gags in the original film and while this film still includes plenty of funny moments it does fall short on the quantity. What the film does well is still have a few classic jokes as well as not rely on call backs to the original which is often a problem with comedy sequels. Fans of the first film will certainly enjoy this film even if it does fall slightly short in comparison.
3/5
Three years after the original film Leslie Nielsen returns as bumbling police detectice Frank Drebin. President Bush has hired a professor to advise on the future of US energy policy and the big oil, coal and nuclear companies are out to get him.
It was always going to be hard to keep up with the break neck speed of gags in the original film and while this film still includes plenty of funny moments it does fall short on the quantity. What the film does well is still have a few classic jokes as well as not rely on call backs to the original which is often a problem with comedy sequels. Fans of the first film will certainly enjoy this film even if it does fall slightly short in comparison.
3/5
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
In tents?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part One (2010)
Splitting the adaptation of the final Potter book into two films all the usual talent has returned. Plans for the rise of the dark lord are well on there way now and only Harry and his chums can do anything about it.
There is a lot of really nice scenery in this film which is a break from previous films in the series which were pretty much all based at Hogwarts but apart from that it is hard to find a lot to say about this film. This really does feel like part one of two and really seems to lack a lot of narrative drive, our heroes spend a fair amount of time sitting round in tents for example. I would say this is probably the most average film in the series and could really have done with a bit clearer structure of it's own.
3/5
Splitting the adaptation of the final Potter book into two films all the usual talent has returned. Plans for the rise of the dark lord are well on there way now and only Harry and his chums can do anything about it.
There is a lot of really nice scenery in this film which is a break from previous films in the series which were pretty much all based at Hogwarts but apart from that it is hard to find a lot to say about this film. This really does feel like part one of two and really seems to lack a lot of narrative drive, our heroes spend a fair amount of time sitting round in tents for example. I would say this is probably the most average film in the series and could really have done with a bit clearer structure of it's own.
3/5
Monday, 26 December 2011
By royal command
The King's Speech (2010)
Based on real events this film from director Tom Hooper stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. Prince Albert (the future George VI) suffers from a stammer and seeks help over coming his speech impediment so he can assume a full role with in the monarchy.
There are some really good parts to this film, especially the performance of Colin Firth but also in the growth of the protagonist himself. Unfortunately the script does succumb to diddling history in various places which are not really necessary such as shoe horning in Churchill, changing the reasons for Baldwin's retirement and various other inaccuracies. Where the film does well is hinting at the role of oratory in leadership of a nation and some of the class divide prevalent in inter war Britain.
4/5
Based on real events this film from director Tom Hooper stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. Prince Albert (the future George VI) suffers from a stammer and seeks help over coming his speech impediment so he can assume a full role with in the monarchy.
There are some really good parts to this film, especially the performance of Colin Firth but also in the growth of the protagonist himself. Unfortunately the script does succumb to diddling history in various places which are not really necessary such as shoe horning in Churchill, changing the reasons for Baldwin's retirement and various other inaccuracies. Where the film does well is hinting at the role of oratory in leadership of a nation and some of the class divide prevalent in inter war Britain.
4/5
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Christmas classic
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Directed by Andrew Adamson this is the first in the series of adaptations from Disney and has a cast including Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy and Liam Neeson. Four children are evacuated during WW2 and discover a magic land inside a wardrobe.
There is something about this story that means for a lot of people it will always be associated with Christmas and there are a good number of reasons why which range from the winter setting, the Christian allegory and the references to Christmas in the work itself. Largely faithful to the book this is a good adaptation and probably the best so far in the series. There are a few elements that hint at the film being made in New Zealand rather than England but they are not overly obtrusive.
4/5
Directed by Andrew Adamson this is the first in the series of adaptations from Disney and has a cast including Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy and Liam Neeson. Four children are evacuated during WW2 and discover a magic land inside a wardrobe.
There is something about this story that means for a lot of people it will always be associated with Christmas and there are a good number of reasons why which range from the winter setting, the Christian allegory and the references to Christmas in the work itself. Largely faithful to the book this is a good adaptation and probably the best so far in the series. There are a few elements that hint at the film being made in New Zealand rather than England but they are not overly obtrusive.
4/5
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