The Sitter (2011)
Directed by David Gordon Green this comedy stars Jonah Hill, Ari Graynor and Sam Rockwell. A slacker is stuck baby sitting kids while trying to impress his girlfriend who regularly takes advantage of him.
There is not a huge amount of originality in this film and an occasional tendency towards stereotyping but mostly the film manages to be inoffensive. When it comes to the humour there are funny moments but they are mostly fairly obvious gags and the plot pulls no surprises. What the film could have done with is a bit more depth to the characters who are token efforts for the most part.
2/5
Monday, 31 December 2012
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Don't go into the woods, again
Evil Dead II (1987)
Directed by Sam Raimi this comedy horror sequel stars Bruce Campbell and Sarah Berry. A young man and his girlfriend head off for a romantic weekend at a cabin in the woods only to end up being attacked by evil spirits.
This film functions somewhere between a remake and a sequel as it recycles elements of the first film and does not seem to have any reference to the events of it's predecessor. Certainly the larger budget on this film allows for better effects and more advanced sequences but there is still an element of cheapness about the film. There are some really funny moments but I am not sure there are enough to completely sustain the film which has a minimal plot otherwise.
3/5
Directed by Sam Raimi this comedy horror sequel stars Bruce Campbell and Sarah Berry. A young man and his girlfriend head off for a romantic weekend at a cabin in the woods only to end up being attacked by evil spirits.
This film functions somewhere between a remake and a sequel as it recycles elements of the first film and does not seem to have any reference to the events of it's predecessor. Certainly the larger budget on this film allows for better effects and more advanced sequences but there is still an element of cheapness about the film. There are some really funny moments but I am not sure there are enough to completely sustain the film which has a minimal plot otherwise.
3/5
Saturday, 29 December 2012
Elementry again
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Directed by Guy Ritche this sequel stars Robert Downey jr, Jude Law and Noomi Rapace. The eccentric, genius detective is caught in a dangerous battle of wits with the evil Professor Moriarty.
As with it's predecessor this film's main focus is comedy and action over the more serious elements of the series. The film is good fun and some of the action sequences are really impressive, although not all of them. If you are looking for something more than a little mindless entertainment, however, this is probably not the film for you.
3/5
Directed by Guy Ritche this sequel stars Robert Downey jr, Jude Law and Noomi Rapace. The eccentric, genius detective is caught in a dangerous battle of wits with the evil Professor Moriarty.
As with it's predecessor this film's main focus is comedy and action over the more serious elements of the series. The film is good fun and some of the action sequences are really impressive, although not all of them. If you are looking for something more than a little mindless entertainment, however, this is probably not the film for you.
3/5
Friday, 28 December 2012
Time to question the creators
Prometheus (2012)
Directed by Ridley Scott this prequel to Alien (1979) stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron. A scientific expedition travels to a planet they believe man's creators came from.
I am sort of conflicted about this film as it is one of those that skirts around being a really good film but never gets there despite how great it looks. Nearly all the problems with this film come from it's disjoint nature, the themes have little impact on the story and some scenes are shocking but never referred to again. It also does not help that it seems like so much of this film is set up for a sequel leaving this film to be a bit of a mess.
3/5
Directed by Ridley Scott this prequel to Alien (1979) stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron. A scientific expedition travels to a planet they believe man's creators came from.
I am sort of conflicted about this film as it is one of those that skirts around being a really good film but never gets there despite how great it looks. Nearly all the problems with this film come from it's disjoint nature, the themes have little impact on the story and some scenes are shocking but never referred to again. It also does not help that it seems like so much of this film is set up for a sequel leaving this film to be a bit of a mess.
3/5
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Phenomenon
The Muppets (2011)
Directed by James Bobin this film stars Jason Segel, Amy Adams and all your favourite muppets. An evil oil baron wants to take over the muppet's studio so he can drill for oil, can our heroes save the $10mil needed to buy back their studio?
What this film has going for it is that at no point does it ever take itself seriously, combining the usual silly antics with a great level of self awareness that fits the universe the muppets exist in. The plot is simplistic and largely aimed at younger viewers but there is the odd joke for older viewers that slips through here and there. Overall the personality of the film just about holds it together and while this may not be a classic, it is not a bad watch.
4/5
Directed by James Bobin this film stars Jason Segel, Amy Adams and all your favourite muppets. An evil oil baron wants to take over the muppet's studio so he can drill for oil, can our heroes save the $10mil needed to buy back their studio?
What this film has going for it is that at no point does it ever take itself seriously, combining the usual silly antics with a great level of self awareness that fits the universe the muppets exist in. The plot is simplistic and largely aimed at younger viewers but there is the odd joke for older viewers that slips through here and there. Overall the personality of the film just about holds it together and while this may not be a classic, it is not a bad watch.
4/5
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Blistering barnacles
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)
Based on the famous comics of the same name this adptation from director Steven Spielberg stars the voice talent of Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig. A young reporter buys a model ship and ends up on the trail of lost treasure.
Given all the writing, directing and producing talent involved in this film I found it to be a disappointment that lacks any real heart. At times it seems like you are watching someone else play a computer game switching between cut sequences for the story and mini games for the action sequences. There is also some depature from the souce material which I am rarely a fan of but despire all the underwhelming elements of the film it is still watchable if not as good as it should have been.
3/5
Based on the famous comics of the same name this adptation from director Steven Spielberg stars the voice talent of Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig. A young reporter buys a model ship and ends up on the trail of lost treasure.
Given all the writing, directing and producing talent involved in this film I found it to be a disappointment that lacks any real heart. At times it seems like you are watching someone else play a computer game switching between cut sequences for the story and mini games for the action sequences. There is also some depature from the souce material which I am rarely a fan of but despire all the underwhelming elements of the film it is still watchable if not as good as it should have been.
3/5
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
A clockwork man
Hugo (2011)
Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret this film from diretor Martin Scorsese stars Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley and Chloe Grace Moretz. An orphan that lives at a Paris train station tries to replair an automaton while avoiding the local policeman.
What this film does well is blend fact and fiction to provide a good story that is well executed despite a heavy reliance on CGI. While the plot is a fairly average family piece I did feel it was a little bit self indulgent when it came to the parts on film history but otherwise works well. It is really surprising to find Scorsese directing this film given how much it differs from every other film he has ever made but just shows his mastery of film making, there is also really good supporting cast of nearly all British stars.
5/5
Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret this film from diretor Martin Scorsese stars Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley and Chloe Grace Moretz. An orphan that lives at a Paris train station tries to replair an automaton while avoiding the local policeman.
What this film does well is blend fact and fiction to provide a good story that is well executed despite a heavy reliance on CGI. While the plot is a fairly average family piece I did feel it was a little bit self indulgent when it came to the parts on film history but otherwise works well. It is really surprising to find Scorsese directing this film given how much it differs from every other film he has ever made but just shows his mastery of film making, there is also really good supporting cast of nearly all British stars.
5/5
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)