Guardians of the Galaxy

This is undoubtedly the biggest risk in Marvel’s arsenal so far. Amid their seemingly unstoppable run in the cinematic universe and now just one stop away from the big one, Age of Ultron, we have found this Star Wars-like action superhero film. We were sceptical at first, did we really need to introduce another set of heroes this close to the climax of the last three years’ worth of films, it just felt like an unnecessary blip on the radar. However, as snippets began to come through we appreciated the colour and other-worldly feel that was present there, it would obviously further expand the Marvel universe and Bradley Cooper as a talking racoon, it doesn’t matter how many times you say that, it never loses effect, Bradley Cooper as a racoon.
So what is it then, this mad, visual, heartfelt and action packed blockbuster. It’s about as far as you can get from anything that will be appearing in cinemas this summer. It’s packed full of strange stuff but Marvel is in perfect territory there, but this film perfectly embraces the absurdity and uses it to their own advantage. It’s nice to finally have a fun-loving blockbuster again, what they used to be before they became dark and Nolan-like, it’s no use to try and take a concept like this and try to make it super serious. Instead they have fun with it, and good for them.
The story relies very heavily on the characters, people who the film itself describes as ‘a thief, two thugs, an assassin and a maniac’. They are all drawn together to track down a mysterious and powerful orb before it falls into the wrong hands. The chemistry between them is some of the best I have seen in recent film history. We see the Avengers having small tiffs but getting over it, these five however… even the character that can only say one line somehow gets involved in arguments. Imagine if you took Han Solo and split the scoundrel’s personality into five different aspects, and put them in a room together. Watch the sparks fly, that’s all I can say to describe it.
But looking at the acting individually is an entirely different matter. Starting with Chris Pratt I can say that the star of the Lego Movie has moved to physical acting in flying colours, all of the charismatic voice talent that we saw earlier is still there but he has the screen presence to match. Sorry to bring up everyone’s favourite smuggler again but he resonates the spirit of Han Solo more than any other character in the film, and I love it. Cooper seems to have found new life (not implying his other one has ended) as a voice actor. In the same way that Pratt gains screen presence from physical acting, Cooper loses none in voice for this role. Vin Diesel is immensely enjoyable as Groot, and strong performances from the other Guardians only help to cement this team’s appeal individually ind as a group.
Perhaps it risks being too overstuffed with action and excitement at times. But the tone is kept fairly light and that works heavily to its advantage to remember that not everything in the film needs to be taken too seriously. It certainly doesn't feel forgettable in any way. The characters and imagination more than make up for any hyperactivity by carrying this film into the stars. Perhaps they'll need more serious stuff for any possible sequels, but for now everything works brilliantly.
Visually this is the biggest film Marvel has made, even bigger than the Avengers, for one simple reason. However hard you try the Avengers is still mostly rooted on Earth, but here we ae shown the cosmos and beyond. It disbands the usual superhero genre which allows the makers to just throw us into the mad world they’ve created. It’s much easier to look at this as full on science fiction rather than superhero, but it has the attitude and richness combined with the humorous and slick style that we have come to expect from all of their films. As ever of course, the effects are all up to the standard that both enthrals us in the story but avoids overshadowing it.
This film has succeeded in expanding the entire Marvel universe in ways which Thor and Avengers have only been able to offer us a glimpse of. Far from our original beliefs it has proved to not be an obstacle in the way of Age of Ultron, instead they have perfectly set up a much larger set of stakes for our existing heroes and a new set of characters to intertwine with them. Marvel continues to stun and captivate with this Star Wars-like take on the superhero.
Result: 8/10

Joe

Good news, Nicholas Cage is back on form after so, so long. I am going to say immediately that his performance in this drama is his best since Leaving Las Vegas. Before I describe in detail why he’s managed to do this I should probably lay out the scene for what this film is about. Based on the novel of the same name by the late Larry Brown it tells the story of an ex-convict Joe Ransom who is given a new lease in life when he finds out that he has an illegitimate son and must become a reluctant father. The son in question is a troubled fifteen year old Gary.

So without any delay, Mr Cage. I was completely stunned at this performance, in the last couple of years Cage has been in no shortage of bad films, as well as outlandish ones that polarize everyone. But this powerful and emotional performance not only demonstrates his own ability, but also helps to secure the entire film and makes it incredibly realised. Not to say that Joe(it might be difficult to know whether I mean the character or the film, in this case the film)  relies heavily on his performance though. In fact it is the opposite, the rich atmosphere that Joe (film) displays draws you in instantly.

But simultaneously, the grotesque nature of the environment in which the film is set helps you stay with the plot through the entire film. The murky side of backwoods areas is clearly shown and used to great effect. Joe (character) works to get rid of old trees using poison to make room for saplings. That’s a brilliant metaphor, for what exactly, try the substances that have effected and claimed so many older lives in the South and are now inevitably spreading to claim the younger citizens that initially take the place of the elders.

This does make a very good understanding of the film. But that’s not surprising as there is a great mix of director and source material. David Gordon Green has deep roots within the Southern communities in which Larry Brown’s novel is set, so he should know exactly how to present the images that Brown painstakingly crafts within his book. They both understand the people that live there and understand why this story has to be told. With such a relatable story of himself, how could Green ever fail to make it a great piece of filmmaking.

Of course when he finds out that he’s a father, Joe (character) is very reluctant, and also sees a younger version of himself in this damaged teenager. It would be easy to turn his back on him but instead the title character takes it upon himself to try and improve his son’s life. It’s this kind of moral decision that makes him a rather indisputable hero in his own story. He doesn’t go looking for trouble, trouble finds him.

So this film works like a well-oiled machine. More than that though, it has the heart and soul combined with a great full, yet repulsive cinematography to convey the environment that was established in the writings of Brown. If you’re nt a fan of him then Joe (film) will make you wish you are.    

Result: 7/10

Summer Blockbusters

Well School’s out for Summer, at least it is now over in Britain. That’s right my friends across the pond we have much shorter holidays. So I have decided to use this opportunity to pick five films that I think will be topping the film charts over the next six weeks. Some of these films have already come out but have not yet reached huge heights, but I think they will inevitably, so here we go and we start with…

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes: This is a film that I am hugely excited about and as I said in my review it is brilliant so it has a very strong bet on being a big hitter. Admittedly it is far from a family friendly film, a little too dark and serious and all children will cry at the sight of monkeys being killed. But teenagers, adults, fans of the original and newcomers will all have a very good viewpoint of this film and it holds a lot of potential.

Transformers: Age of Extinction: I have made it no secret that I despise this film, it’s just a mess of loud noises and random explosions. And that is exactly why it will do well this summer. I really wish I could say no, give earnings to a good film, but this will easily come under the ‘what shall we do today, what about the cinema, isn’t that new Transformers film out?’ category of high grossing. Even if you know it’s bad, the Dinobots are in it, they were what made my result 1/10 instead of 0/10.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Finally Michael Bay is doing something else, and I am cautiously optimistic about this new project. Every single person who watched the cartoons and read the comics (myself included) will want to see this film. But it’s also being made for kids and hopefully it will get a PG rating so parents won’t be hesitant about taking them to watch it. It should appeal to both sides of the target audience, providing that it’s good (you can do it once MB).

How To Train Your Dragon 2: It’s been out for a few weeks now with a slow start, but hopefully now the kids are out of school it will see a huge increase in viewers. The first film was very successful and many people now want to see it move past the origin story and into a wider world which I can confirm it does very well. It also shares themes and excitement which parents and kids will love it so families can go together. Also, it’s the only mainstream animation this summer so there is little competition.

Guardians Of The Galaxy: A big gamble for Marvel, but I’m confident it can pay off for them. So many fans of marvel looking for clues to Avengers 2 will want to see this, as well as casual viewers and families can see it. It may get a 12a rating but Marvel is so associated with superheroes that parent will simply see this as another one of those, whether it turns out to be different or not. Most importantly, with Star Wars fever hyping up every day now until December 2015, this science fiction adventure could help scratch those itches until that day.

Do you agree, or is there a film coming out this summer that you think will prove to be a success. Leave a comment below if you think so and be sure to recommend this site on google.     

Top 5 Science Fiction Sequels

With Dawn of the Planet of the Apes proving to be a massive success with critics and audiences it looks set to join that illustrious group of science fiction sequels that are better than the first instalment. This raises a good question, what are the best science fiction sequels of all time. Well wonder no more because these are my top five best science fiction sequels.

5: Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

Before Mel Gibson became… well you know, he starred in this brutal apocalyptic film about a man named Max who is Mad and drives about destroying things. That’s all the information you should need to start watching this film. Road Warrior was what the original should have been with a bigger budget, scope, cast and everything else. Fearlessly exciting and intense, the Road Warrior helped define the entire genre, it is petrol fueled classic.

4: Aliens (1986)

Ridley Scott’s original Alien was a claustrophobic masterpiece, but when James Cameron took the reins of the franchise and injected it with a shot of action by introducing more aliens and Space Marines, creating years of inspiration for both films and video games. The only survivor of the first film is now thrown into an all-out war between humans and aliens. As well as being thrilling and terrifying at the same time, it cemented the Xenomorph as one of the most iconic film creations.

3: Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

He said he would be back. Interestingly, the concept for T2 was originally made for the first, but James Cameron’s idea was not physically possible with the effects of the time. Several years later he reinvented the concept for this sequel that proved to be brutal and shocking with one thrilling chase after another as well as containing a larger than life Arnie as the ultimate anti-hero.

2: Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kahn (1982)

Improving upon the first Star Trek film was not hard, with shell suits and their voyage to confront… a cloud? But Wrath of Kahn is considered as the best of the franchise for a reason. Not only did it have the best villain of the series but excellent pacing, epic space battles, more mature themes and a heroic death. Interestingly Kirk and Kahn never meet face to face in person, but it still works beautifully, their duel through space forms the backbone of a great film.

1: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The film that cemented the concept that sequels have to be darker featured the ruthless Galactic Empire return to, well, Strike Back. It built upon, and was better than, the original in every way. It featured a much more rapid pace and a far more complex story. the internal struggle and emotional depth of every character was increased as well as the action and humour that made this film dazzling to watch. Not forgetting of course, cinema’s greatest twist, in one of its greatest films. 

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

2014 really is shaping up to be the year of the sequel. We’ve seen the equivalent of the Godfather Part 2 and Empire Strikes Back in comedy and superhero with 22 Jump Street and Days of Future Past. But now we are faced with a Science Fiction sequel that is also a remake. Excluding Days of Future Past, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was probably the film I was looking forward to most of all this year for two reasons. We’ve now reached a very rare stage where there are two remakes of the same film in the space of less than ten years. Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes remake (horrible and thankfully forgettable) and Rise of the Planet of the Apes which was stunning, I was completely blown away by the visuals and the emotional depth, everything seemed to work. And there was plenty of room for expansion so I was very pleased when a sequel was announced.

Some will argue that this is not a remake, it is a prequel. But those of you who are familiar with the original franchise will know it is a reboot based upon Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. That brings me on to my second point as this latest films is based upon Battle for the Planet of the Apes which is certainly the worst film of the franchise (apart from Burton’s, sorry Tim). So if they can successfully remake this then I have very high hopes for this reboot series.

So, if you can keep up with all of these …of the Apes titles (we’re on Dawn of by now) I will state my opinion instantly. This is absolutely brilliant. As we follow the struggle between the human and Ape colonies that teeter on the edge of war yet still have one last chance for peace, both still face internal problems within. The threat of a conflict would mean disaster for both species, so naturally we want to avoid it, and that is a fact that we are constantly reminded of. This creates fantastic amounts of tension throughout. They are consistent and repeatedly effective on the same level as Jaws or Psycho, it really is that good. There are some moments of relief, my heart needed them, and it just further emphasises the action and intolerance of this constant paranoia felt by the central characters. A standoff between Caesar and the humans, the supreme Ape trying desperately to explain his intentions for peace to distrusting enemies as the Apes that follow begin to doubt their leader is just one terrific example from this two hour thriller.   

It also does the absolute best thing a sequel can do, goes to the next level for scope and exploration into the world established. The true extent of the carnage caused in Rise is clearly shown and the stakes have never been higher for both sides. Like the previous film it expertly displays the sympathetic and deplorable sides of both species. The emotional depth of every character, displayed by two strikingly different yet similar tribes is not left out for a single second. This another reason why you feel so tense over a potential war because you feel the emotions of both species, and a war would result in annihilation for one or both.]

The character interaction is also breathtakingly seamless. I mean of course the expert motion capture technology that makes the Apes. It is truly stunning, this could be the first time that motion capture is truly viewed in the same light as live action. Gary Oldman is fantastic (as ever) but the true star of this film is Andy Serkis. His ability to make these inhuman creatures look so, well human through his movements, remembering that he will not be able to look back on his own acting as a finished product until it is too late to redo them is absolutely astonishing.

The intelligence, patience and engagement is highly admirable in the film. Similarly to Rise, Dawn is refreshingly serious for a film about monkeys taking over Earth. Don’t panic though, it also manages to avoid falling ill with Nolan syndrome, there are great moments of fun and enjoyment, a nice relief of tension. The plot runs smoothly, with acting and effects to match it. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is truly the best science fiction sequel since… there are too many good ones to make an effective point, you get the idea anyway, it’s chest-pounding-inducing brilliance.

Result: 9/10    

Top 5 Shakespeare Adaptations

William Shakespeare is 450 years old this year! I have always been a huge admirer of his works and it seems that there are others who take their admiration a step further by translating it to the big screen. Whilst there are countless versions available I have narrowed down my favourite five in this list.

Let me lay down a few ground rules first. I am only counting films that are self-declared adaptations rather than sharing themes and taking inspiration from Shakespeare, so no West Side Story’s and Lion King’s will be appearing here. Also there are to be no films about Shakespeare as a person, so do not expect to see Shakespeare in Love or Infamous. Without any further delay we go once more unto the breach.

5: Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Everyone knows the story to this, two lovers from opposing families are caught in a battle of loyalties. Baz Luhrmann managed to do several extraordinary things with this film, he modernised the classic tale as well as introducing a good classical element. This is mainly due to the fact that unlike the 2013 adaptation he kept the original dialogue, as well as introducing fantastic energy and pace to the way the lines were spoken. It makes the play as accessible as it can as well as using some rich cinematography and helping the characters resonate even more with audiences.

4: Henry V (1989)

I often find that this play resonates with young people more than any other from Shakespeare. The character ark of a drunken slacker who becomes a victorious monarch is clearly relatable from the standards that are set by society. This version seems to take a more nuanced and revisionist approach to the character and story. More than any other adaptation it demonstrates the real consequences of actions in the play beyond those that Shakespeare wrote.

3: Macbeth (1971)

A tragedy rooted in the influence of supernatural, it makes you wonder why no one has tried to adapt it recently. Until then this is by far the best in my opinion, it manages to make the scenes genuinely terrifying when they need to be and certainly depicts Macbeth as a sympathetic character, something that a surprising amount of versions have failed to do. The character development is also beautifully presented which further emphasises the tragedy of the story, which is what Macbeth is.

2: Titus (1999)

Surprised, well you shouldn’t be. Titus took one of Shakespeare’s less popular plays and breathed great new life an energy into it in terms of character development and visual nature. One of the best things about Titus is the fact that the visuals perfectly match the rather abstract script that it was based upon. It only emphasises the emotion of the characters and manages to be surreal and tense simultaneously whilst paying homage to the genius himself, Shakespeare.

1: Hamlet (1996)

Arguably the finest play from Shakespeare and for me the best adaptation as well. The performances are immensely enjoyable even if you’re not a follower of the play the film is based upon. Amazingly it utilizes just one set and the time period matches the style of Hamlet itself really well, it’s difficult not to admire the intelligence behind the project. Like the best adaptations they make the characters more understandable whilst adding an element of irrational behaviour that makes us realise their transformation.       

Begin Again

A question that I’ve often thought about when writing a review is should the title of the film effect my opinion of it. If so then I’m sorry to say that based on the title alone this would be a very generic and clichéd film, Begin Again formerly known as Can A Song Save Your Life. If they’d stuck with that title it would be an answer to the question, can a title sum up the film in one sentence? Because that is what this film is about, people with problems who play instruments to solve them. Or to go into greater detail a failing musician Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo) befriends a heartbroken songwriter and singer Greta (Kiera Knightly). The pair then decide to set up a creative project as a cure for their blues.

However, I am knit-picking because this is a step up from the usual kind of style that these films are laid out in. Begin Again features a rather impressive cast, a nice mix of British and American talent, we see both James Corden and Kiera Knightly trying to launch their careers in the good old US of A and this is a good way to start. The Incredible Hulk has also joined in to benefit some of the many successful roles that have been offered to all of the Avengers cast after the battle of New York.

But no amount of obscure references will distract me from reviewing this film. The structure of the film moves surprisingly smoothly considering that we know exactly what happens during the first half an hour. That is of no fault of the film itself, it’s just that this genre in general suffers from it, the story of the film would be prohibited if the first half an hour did not take the turns that it does. However wait around and you’ll see that this manages to keep us guessing despite the fact that it follows a normally formulaic plot. Normally these films follow a story of success, but you won’t have to look very hard at Begin Again to find a deeper message.

Plot aside and focus on the main selling point of this film the music. And it’s very enjoyable in that factor. Not only that but I can guarantee that unless you lack a soul then you will leave this film feeling happy and rhythmic, if not a little bitter sweetened (spoiler). You may call this film light hearted, but that’s what it sells itself as. I would object to the tone of it if Begin Again was presented as a hard hitting drama but instead it openly advertises the comedy and musical elements so you feel as if you’ve gotten your money’s worth and that is a very underrated feature of films now.

But at the same time it manages to avoid being labelled predictable, like I said before there are a few plot turns that you will not expect. So it’s immensely enjoyable but nor predictable, that is a triumph on its own, combine it with some great performances and a charming script result in a surprisingly fantastic film, even if the title is not.

Result: 7/10