2016 Oscars - What will win and what should win?

The 88th edition of the annual Academy Awards have quickly snuck up on us, leaving the anticipated results just a day away. While most of us spend the other 11 months of the year denouncing the importance of awards and declaring ourselves as free spirits able of forming our own perceptions on film, its undeniable that the Oscar hype will inevitably suck you back in to become more invested than is necessary or sensible.

And with that in mind, I've decided to make a list of my predictions of who will triumph at the ceremony tonight and my picks for who should win - albeit in the categories I feel I can actively make a judgement on. Let us begin!

Best Picture

• The Big Short
• Bridge of Spies
• Brooklyn
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
• The Revenant
• Room
• Spotlight

Will win - In one of the strongest Best Picture fields in years, three films appear to be potential winners: The Big Short, The Revenant and Spotlight. All three have won top prizes at the WGAs, the DGAs and SAGs respectively. The tide appears to be leaning towards The Revenant, but I'm going to opt for Spotlight, simply for its important social message. However, I wouldn't be at all surprised if The Revenant won - it might be wistful thinking to think it won't to be honest.

Should win - Ultimately, the film that will be remembered from this list in years to come is Mad Max: Fury Road, an awe-inspiring masterpiece of an action film that was a surprise to see on the list at all, thanks to the Academy's tendency to ignore summer blockbusters. The fact that it was illustrates the impact it has already made. Frankly, I'd be happy to see most of these win, its a good year for film. But Fury Road rides supreme.

Snubbed? - The greatly affecting and gorgeous Carol is an obvious choice for the snub, but it truly deserved a nomination here, as did Inside Out, one of Pixar's best works yet and easily one of the year's best films.

Best Director

• Adam McKay - The Big Short
• George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
• Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
• Lenny Abrahamson - Room
• Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

Will win - The momentum is firmly in favour of Alejandro G. Iñárritu at the end of the race, whose likely to become the first director to win 2 consecutive Director awards in 65 years. The acclaimed product that comes from such arduous production is likely to be the story the Academy looks to reward.

Should win - This one isn't even in question. It's George Miller. An iconic director who came out of the blue to deliver one of the most impressive films I've ever seen on the big screen, truly deserves to be rewarded for his astounding work. There's a small chance, but the sad likelihood is that he'll be passed over for the brutal and unconventional content of the film itself.

Snubbed? - Ryan Coogler's makes a true heart-stopping spectable out of the boxing matches in Creed but also nails the smaller moments, creating a truly great Rocky film that should have earned him a nomination. 

Best Actor

• Bryan Cranston - Trumbo 
• Matt Damon - The Martian
• Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant
• Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs
• Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl

Will win - This one is the biggest lock of the year as there is absolutely no doubt that Leonardo DiCaprio will be rewarded for his performance in The Revenant. The man went through hell and back on the production of this film, acting as hard as he could in frost-bite level temperatures to get that Oscar. Well DiCaprio, your win is the surest thing this year, so you may rest easy.

Should win - While DiCaprio's work is technically impressive, Hugh Glass barely registers as a character enough for me to seriously consider his performance the best of the year. I'm more inclined to plump for Matt Damon's crowd-pleasing performance in The Martian but most of all, Michael Fassbender in the underlooked Steve Jobs. Fassbender is magnetic, developing Jobs with depth and dimension that you both hate and somewhat annoyingly, root for.

Snubbed? - Jacob Tremblay is as good as Brie Larson in Room, which is saying a lot and proving that he was truly robbed a nomination in this line-up and even, a win. Also deserving was Michael B. Jordan who is as important as Coogler in the success of Creed, giving a strong and asserting lead performance that proves him worthy of reviving the Rocky franchise.

Best Actress

• Cate Blanchett - Carol
• Brie Larson - Room
• Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
• Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years
• Saoirse Ronan -  Brooklyn 

Will win - Whilst not quite the lock DiCaprio is - due to the incredibly strong Actress field this year, packed with career defining performances - Brie Larson is a fairly sure bet for the Actress prize, for her work in the tragic yet uplifting Room. She's won almost every other prize leading up to the Oscars and the only doubt of her winning comes from how good most of the other ladies are.

Should win - This one is tough. Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan and Charlotte Rampling are all utterly magnificent in their films and genuinely deserve recognition as well (Lawrence is ok.) I'd be happy to see any of them take the award. However, ultimately my pick lies with the favourite, Brie Larson whose performance in Room is so astoundingly good it reduced me to tears multiple times throughout the film. Its a true breakout performance that should, and will receive the top award.

Snubbed? - Emily Blunt is one of Sicario's strongest assets, turning in some of the best work in her career that has gone sadly unrecognised. But the true snub comes in Charlize Theron's soon to be iconic Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road. She anchors and steals the film, making Furiosa into one of the all time great action heroines. 

Best Supporting Actor

• Christian Bale - The Big Short
• Tom Hardy - The Revenant
• Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight
• Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies
• Sylvester Stallone - Creed

Will win - This year's 'lifetime achievement' Oscar looks to be going to Sylvester Stallone for his strong and understated performance as the iconic Rocky Balboa in Creed, whose momentum has steadily grown over the race. While it may be driven by sentiment for the actor, Stallone is far better in the film than he ought to be and its hard to begrudge him a win for it.

Should win - Ruffalo, Bale and Hardy give flashier performances in their respective films, but my true allegiance for this one lies with Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies. His performance is a masterclass in subtlety and his character is a true highlight in the somewhat underrated Spielberg film. 

Snubbed? - It didn't strike me until someone pointed it out on Twitter during the BAFTAs, but Richard Kind really deserves a nomination for his excellent voice work in Inside Out. Kind's voice makes Bing-Bong is such a delightful, funny and likeable character drenched in such pathos and warmth that makes his ultimate fate truly heartbreaking. Also, Oscar Isaac's unsettling and charismatic villain in Ex_Machina is a standout that I'd have loved to have seen recognised. Oh wait, and Benicio del Toro for Sicario. Damn this category is tougher than I thought. 

Best Supporting Actress

• Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
• Rooney Mara - Carol
• Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
• Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
• Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs

Will win - The tide appears to be in favour of Alicia Vikander who made a breakthrough in 2015, appearing in 12 different films. This award goes for her work in the dubious and misguided The Danish Girl, but I'll just pretend its for her gripping performance in Ex_Machina instead.

Should win - Jennifer Jason Leigh is delightfully visceral and vulgar in The Hateful Eight, truly delivering a scene-stealing performance. But, Rooney Mara is simply magnificent in Carol and category fraud be damned, she truly deserves this win.

Snubbed? - As said before, Alicia Vikander really should have been nominated for Ex_Machina instead, but a more unusual snub could be Tilda Swinton who is deliciously funny and catty as Amy's boss in the summer comedy Trainwreck. Any award for Swinton is one well deserved.

Best Original Screenplay

• Bridge of Spies – Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen
• Ex Machina – Alex Garland
• Inside Out – Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, and Ronnie del Carmen
• Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
• Straight Outta Compton – Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge, and Alan Wenkus

Will win - Spotlight won at the WGAs and looks to be a more traditional favourite against an animated comedy, a sci-fi thriller and a rap biopic. While is not to undermine its strength as a screenplay that remains remarkably withdrawn, gripping and respectful to the victims of the terrible events the Spotlight news team worked to expose. 

Should win - It's hard to begrudge Spotlight this win, but Inside Out or Ex_Machina would be equally deserving of the win for creating original, thrilling and heart-wrenching screenplays that represent the peaks of their genre.

Snubbed? - The Hateful Eight juggles a number of different genre elements and does it with genuine aplomb, always staying engaging and tense. It could be considered a little long, but I think it pulls it off. But honestly, this is a pretty strong category - Compton aside, which I didn't catch - and nothing truly stands out as a snub.

Best Adapted Screenplay

• The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph from The Big Short by Michael Lewis
• Brooklyn – Nick Hornby from Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
• Carol – Phyllis Nagy from The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
• The Martian – Drew Goddard from The Martian by Andy Weir
• Room – Emma Donoghue from Room by Emma Donoghue

Will win - Its hard to see anything but The Big Short winning here, after its WGA win and growing momentum. There's also the fact that its near-miss of 'Best Picture' means that this is likely where the Academy will reward the film.

Should win - Donoghue and Hornby adapt Room and Brooklyn with great faith and make them excellent as properties independent of their novels. But Carol is the screenplay I believe deserves to triumph, with a heartfelt and beautiful adaptation of Highsmith's classic novel.

Snubbed? - Honestly, I'm drawing a blank. There were other films with adapted screenplays that were good or okay, but these do seem like the best five - at least that I'm aware of.

Best Animated Feature

• Anomalisa
• Boy and the World
• Inside Out
• Shaun the Sheep Movie
• When Marnie Was There

Will win - This one's pretty much a lock too - Inside Out is a surefire winner. Pixar's stunning return to form, deserving of a 'Best Picture' nomination (as earlier asserted).

Should win - With such a varied list of excellent animated films, its tough to single a winner out. Anomalisa comes close, but ultimately I'll punt for the favourite, Inside Out, one of my personal favourites of last year that deserves all the love it can get.

Snubbed? - Really this list is pretty much perfect. A great mix of mainstream, indie and foreign animation that shows the medium at its best. One could make a case for The Peanuts Movie - a charming revival of the classic comic strip and TV specials - but I think this list is just right. 

Best Cinematography

• Carol – Ed Lachman
• The Hateful Eight – Robert Richardson
• Mad Max: Fury Road – John Seale
• The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
• Sicario – Roger Deakins

Will win - Emmanuel Lubezki looks set to win his third Oscar in a row, for his stunning work on The Revenant, by far the film's strongest asset. Its truly a beauty to watch in that respect and won't be undeserved.

Should win - My instinct is to go for someone who hasn't already won. Roger Deakins' still goes without a win and probably will again for uniformly fantastic work on Sicario, whilst John Seale plays a big role in the spectacular visuals of Mad Max: Fury Road. But ultimately, its Ed Lachman's stunning, grainy 16mm cinematography on Carol that gets my vote. It creates such a warm atmosphere and setting that is pivotal to the film's beauty.

Snubbed? - Honestly, this is a great field as well. Nothing else I've seen this year quite matches the work on these five films, though I've heard great things about the innovative cinematography on Tangerine, an indie film shot with iPhones.

Best Film Editing

• The Big Short – Hank Corwin
• Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
• The Revenant – Stephen Mirrione
• Spotlight – Tom McArdle
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Will win - The Big Short's snappy editing may seem like a more conventional pick for the win, but Margaret Sixel's fantastic work on Mad Max: Fury Road has won almost every other editing award its been nominated for, including the BAFTA, hopefully suggesting she should ride triumph on the 'Fury Road' - or the red carpet -- at the Oscars.

Should win - Much as I adore Star Wars and consider its editing a strength - Mad Max: Fury Road has this shit owned. Sixel's work expertly and seamlessly crosscuts between different locations and creates always coherent but utterly thrilling action sequences that contribute greatly towards the film's success.

And a round-up on the other awards I have seen too little of or am not particularly knowledgeable about:

• Mad Max: Fury Road should and will sweep much of the other technical awards, such as Production Design, Visual Effects (though Ex_Machina would be equally if not more deserving) and Sound Mixing (though The Revenant may put up an undeserved fight).
• Sound Editing is a hard one. I'll take a punt and say this is where Star Wars: The Force Awakens may be recognized since there must have been a lot of new sounds developed. Yet, I wouldn't count out The Revenant or Fury Road here either. Maybe someone more educated will know.
• Costume Design is a tougher one, as the gorgeous period dressing on The Danish Girl and Carol (my personal pick) and lush dresses in Cinderella seem like more conventional picks. Yet Mad Max: Fury Road cleaned up here at the BAFTAs and so I wouldn't be surprised to see it do the same at the Oscars.
• Make-Up and Hairstyling will probably go to The Revenant and deservedly so mostly, though my love for Fury Road knows no bounds.
• Best Original Score looks to be heading Ennio Morricone's way for his work on The Hateful Eight, a fairly deserved win - though I would punt for Carter Burwell's Carol score.
• Best Original Song will go to Lady Gaga's "Til it Happens to You" on star power alone, though deservedly in this case (not so much that Golden Globe for American Horror Story).
• Best Foreign Language Film appears to be dominated by the buzz for Son of Saul, which I would be surprised to see lose out.
• Best Animated Short Film should and hopefully will go to World of Tomorrow, Don Hertzfeldt's masterpiece of a short film. 
• Best Documentary Feature looks locked to go to Amy, the tremendously moving biopic of the late Amy Winehouse, though I've heard The Look of Silence is the better documentary.
• As for the two remaining categories - Best Live Action Short Film and Best Documentary - Short Subject - I have no idea and shouldn't bother guessing.

Well I hope you enjoyed this long, long prediction post, and let me know your own thoughts on the Oscars below. If you intend to, enjoy the ceremony!

Sicario - Review (Link)

Hello reader!

Thanks to Cineworld Unlimited, I got to see a screening of Denis Villeneuve's latest film, Sicario two weeks ago and I have written a review of it that is published up on a new film site, British Review!

It would be lovely if you could go read it here, or by clicking on the picture below:

And while you're there, check out some of the other great stuff up on British Review. Thanks and stay tuned for my next post!

Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of Autumn/Winter 2015

After a solid summer season of films, the temperature is dropping and it's time to take a look at which films coming out this autumn/winter are getting me most excited! With Oscar season approaching, dozens of films are beginning to hit the limelight, as well as a surprising number of blockbusters. There are so many that I' am eager to see and what better way to narrow it down than by compiling a list of my top 10 most anticipated ones! So without further ado here is my list!

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - Review

2015 has seen a ‘resurgence’ of sorts for the spy movie genre, with the release of such hits as Kingsman: The Secret Service and the rather literally titled Spy, as well as the latest Mission Impossible film, Rogue Nation. The latest addition to this group is Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E., an adaptation of the 1960s TV series that popularized the genre (along with Ian Fleming’s 007 series). Ritchie brings his usual quick-fire pace and style to the film and creates an effective stylish 60s aesthetic that differentiates U.N.C.L.E. from generic action fare. The plot feels inconsequential but the rest of the film is just about fun enough to make up for it, featuring snappy dialogue and great performances from the whole cast.

Set in the height of the Cold War, Ritchie and Lionel Wigram’s script puts CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) together on a mission to prevent a mysterious criminal organisation (led by Elizabeth Debicki) from proliferating nuclear weapons. It’s basically the same template as every other spy movie – Macguffin must be kept from bad guys with little motivation in order to save the world. Thankfully, the character interactions and performances from the cast really help to elevate the material. Cavill is suave, charming and is a master of line delivery, contrasting effectively against his screen partner Hammer, putting an intense, gruff and hilarious performance as Illya. With Alicia Vikander added in as the fiery Gaby, the film is at its best when the trio are bickering and eventually working together on screen.

The opening action set-piece set in Berlin is thrilling, clever and terrifically executed and the zippy first two acts fly by with sharp dialogue and decent action. Ritchie even has the confidence to cut half of a boat chase sequence so that Solo can have a ‘break’ – a move that creates the film’s funniest scene by far. However, this is where U.N.C.L.E. peaks, and once the climax kicks in, the film loses some of the fun conjured up before. Besides the leading pair, the rest of the cast feels underserved and lacking in development. Vikander’s Gaby is engaging but has little agency and isn’t given as much material to dig into like Cavill and Hammer are. Meanwhile, Debicki is wonderfully calculating and wicked for the little screentime she has, but her lack of scenes means that the villains end up feeling rather underwhelming and sidelined. 

Nevertheless, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a breezy, solid romp that continues this year's streak of strong spy movies. It is bolstered by stylish flair – particularly the delightful 60s outfits – and a set of great performances that hide the generic plot and sometimes weak character development. Based on this film, Hammer and Cavill really deserve more plaudits than they've getting based on their previous work. 

★★★

Trainwreck - Review

One of this year’s quickly rising stars has been Amy Schumer, the riotously funny comedienne and actress, currently starring in her sketch comedy show Inside Amy Schumer. Trainwreck provides Schumer with her first starring role in a film and proves her to be one of the funniest and talented actresses working in comedy. Not only does she star, but she pens the film’s screenplay which, combined with Judd Apatow’s direction, packs surprising emotional punch whilst still being extremely funny and full of heart.

Schumer’s self-titled protagonist, Amy Townsend, is a writer working for a men’s magazine (under the glorious title of “S’nuff” with headlines such as “You’re not gay – she’s just boring”) that lives like her father did, having one-night-stands, only casual relationships and drinking to her heart’s content. Whilst dealing with the difficulty of having her father (Colin Quinn) move into an assisted living home, Amy is approached to interview sports doctor, Aaron Conners (Bill Hader) where romance beyond Amy’s typical one-off encounters blooms.

The relationship between Amy and Aaron is at the centre of this film and while it plays out in fairly standard fashion for a rom-com structurally, Apatow and Schumer subvert this by making the emotional beats honest and the characters relatable. The coming together of relationships and later, conflicts in rom-coms often feel so contrived and tepid, but Trainwreck make these characters and their relationship believable while creating genuine flaws that they must grow from to reach their ‘happy ending’. It’s refreshing to see a mainstream comedy feel this truthful. And it doesn’t hurt that Schumer and Hader have tons of charisma, likability and chemistry together.

As is usual with Apatow’s films, this film is packed with hysterical supporting performances and characters, highlights of whom include Tilda Swinton as the salty and blunt magazine editor and boss of Amy, John Cena as Amy’s stacked but sensitive ex-boyfriend and LeBron James giving a masterful turn as the protective best friend of Aaron. Of course the real standout performance belongs to Amy Schumer who is positively hilarious and has amazingly sharp comedic timing. However, what I wasn’t expecting was how good a dramatic actress she is as she brings such depth to her character and delivers one of the most heart breaking speeches I’ve seen in a romance film.

So even with an overly-familiar plot and a few jokes that maybe don’t land, Trainwreck is still one of the strongest romantic comedies to hit cinemas in ages, packing in so many hysterical moments, performances and one-liners whilst still being honest and sweet. It’s Judd Apatow’s best film since The 40 Year Old Virgin and should deservedly shoot Amy Schumer into stardom. 

★★★★

Fantastic Four - Review

Source

There isn’t much to be said about this misguided reboot that hasn’t already been said. It really is as bad as everyone has been saying. Fantastic Four fulfils every pessimistic concern that was debated prior to its release and then some, wasting an extremely talented cast on a script that is almost like two films that have been shoved together – neither being anything good or worthwhile – with a diabolical structure, poor pacing and flat dialogue. Worst of all, all the inherent goofiness and brightness of the original comics has been surgically removed, leaving behind a flat, humourless and dull shell of what a Fantastic Four film should be.

All of the much advertised production chaos of the film really shows, particularly in Josh Trank’s script which has been left a muddled mess with questionable writing decisions and dialogue from the beginning. An hour is spent on endless exposition as Reed Richards (Miles Teller) is recruited from his high school science fair to crack the code to inter-dimensional travel, assisted by the rest of the team – Sue (Kate Mara), Johnny (Michael B. Jordan) and future villain, Victor (Toby Kebbell). Despite this lengthy period, these characters are neither developed as individuals or as a team, despite the noble efforts from the cast. Strenuous connections are briefly hinted at, while flashbacks attempt to develop Reed and Ben (Jamie Bell), but these moments are either never elaborated on or have no real relevance to the overall film. This first act isn’t particularly awful though, it's what comes next.

When the group’s transformation finally occurs after a freak accident at the other dimension – nothing really happens except all structure going out the window. The gang remain locked in a facility where their new-found powers are not explored for more than about a minute per hero, until suddenly Victor is tacked on to play the villain and set up a final big CGI battle that is anti-climactic, rushed and poorly thought out with some very ropey visuals. Even the actors seem done with this film by the end of it, making the big ‘team-up’ feel irritatingly contrived and shoehorned in since the film hasn’t previously done any character work to justify it. The other action amounts to about half a scene (which is actually fairly strong though woefully short) as a result of studio meddling apparently having everything else cut despite advertising heavily featuring one of these cut set-pieces.

As a result, this muddled and poorly executed reboot fails at even being an enjoyable trainwreck. It is instead soul-sucking and dull, not even providing great visuals in favour of ‘grittiness’, a laughable angle to approach this franchise with. Ultimately this foundation of grittiness that was pitched from the beginning is what doomed this film from the start, with what director Trank and Fox did after only making it worse. Fantastic Four could have at least been serviceable with the talent it has on board but at the end of the day, any glimmers of potential are neutered by the hot mess surrounding them. 

★½

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Review

And I'm finally back with a film review. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of regular film reviews, so fingers crossed there'll be a lot more coming. For now though, here is my review of the latest Mission Impossible film!

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation 

Source

It’s nice to have a franchise like Mission: Impossible in a blockbuster landscape becoming more populated with highly serialised ‘cinematic universes’ such as the hugely successful Marvel one. Mission: Impossible seems committed to pulling out thrilling self-contained action flicks that require very little knowledge of each other’s stories to be enjoyed, and Rogue Nation is certainly no exception to this. Director, Christopher McQuarrie manages to maintain the upwards momentum established by the series’ last outing, Ghost Protocol, combining a series of outstanding action set-pieces with a humorous tone along with a set of accessible characters brought to life by an excellent cast.

The main selling point of the Mission: Impossible films at this point tends to be which death defying stunt will Tom Cruise risk his life doing. Rogue Nation fulfils this handsomely by crafting several outstanding action sequences, ranging from a tense-filled and beautifully constructed sequence at the Vienna State Opera to a heart-stopping underwater infiltration to an electrifying chase sequence through Morocco. This is without mentioning the much advertised shot of Ethan Hunt hanging from a plane as it takes off, illustrating this film’s strength as a varied and exciting action flick. However, the final act in London is a step-down from what precedes it as it doesn’t quite keep up the fast pace and spectacle, resulting in a slightly disappointing finale that nevertheless wraps the story up nicely.

The plot and script built around these set-pieces is fairly bog-standard – Ethan and the gang work to stop the threat of the mysterious ‘Syndicate’ shadow organisation and prove their innocence to the CIA after they have the IMF shut down.  There is some intrigue and more sophisticated themes to be seen but not enough is made of them in order to elevate the story past generic territory. Luckily the cast is there to do just that.

Tom Cruise is reliably on-form as leading man, Ethan Hunt and remains one of Hollywood’s best action stars despite now being in his 50s. Out of the returning ensemble members, Simon Pegg as computer genius Benji is the stand out with most of the funniest lines and a winning comradery with Cruise. Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames as Brandt and Luther respectively are underused and sit mostly on the sidelines but still put in strong work, while Alec Baldwin as the brash CIA head manages to add some flair to his stock character.  As is constant in the Mission series, Rogue Nation struggles to build a particularly effective villain though it succeeds further than most of the other entries thanks to Sean Harris’s menacing and cold performance as rogue agent Solomon Lane. 

However, the real standout was Rebecca Ferguson as undercover agent, Ilsa Faust whose performance is akin to Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road as she is a perfect match to Ethan and a classic ‘femme fatale’ who rules the film. As an interesting character with constantly twisting loyalties, Ferguson simply oozes charisma, holds her own in the action scenes and has the acting chops to top it all off. It seems a shame that she is the single main female character in the film and I hope that the next entry gives more great roles to women as the series is clearly capable of it.

Overall, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is another winning entry in the MI series, proving it to be one of the strongest series currently running. It combines some of the previous outings’ best assets to create a satisfying summer blockbuster with some really fantastic action sequences, despite a lagging third act. 

★★★★

Hope you enjoyed the review! Please share your own thoughts on the film in the comments! 

My Week in London - Memphis the Musical (Review)

Last week I stayed in London and took the opportunity to see 3 shows in the West End I'd been wanting to see for ages, of which I have now reviewed to share my thoughts of them. The third show I saw was Memphis the Musical and without further ado here is my review!

Memphis the Musical (Thursday 30th July, 7:30pm)

The third and final that I saw last week was Memphis the Musical, the ‘Best Musical’ winner at the 2010 Tony Awards which arrived in the West End last October. And what a show to close my trip with! Memphis is a truly exuberant and engaging musical filled with exciting production numbers, catchy original songs and a truly outstanding cast, led by Beverley Knight and Matt Cardle.

Set in 1954 America where racial segregation and discrimination was still rife, the story revolves around the rise of black rock ‘n’ roll and R&B music thanks to white radio DJ, Huey Calhoun (Cardle) who exposes it to a mainstream audience and attempts to breach the divide. Despite the fun and numerous joyous numbers, book writer, Joe DiPietro still finds time for poignant and genuinely moving sequences that speak to the deep societal issues of this time period, whilst not feeling preachy or in-your-face.

The show’s main pairing and forbidden love between Huey and blues singer, Felicia Farrell (Knight) is brought to life beautifully by Cardle and Knight who have a great chemistry and provide the backbone to the show. Individually as performers, they are even better. Knight was just golden, knocking every number out of the park without breaking a sweat whilst bringing great personality and heart to Felicia. And Cardle in spite of having no acting experience is filled with charm and has impeccable comic timing as the goofy Huey while his “Memphis Lives In Me” brought the house down.

The supporting cast are just as good; Jason Pennycooke and Tyrone Huntley as Bobby and Gator are reliable sources of humour who sparkle throughout and nail their respective solo numbers, while Claire Machin and stand-in, Mark Carroll bring likability and complexity to Huey’s mother and radio head, Mr. Simmons. Rolan Bell is also hilarious as the biting and protective Delray and kicks the show off in style with his bluesy vocals in the infectious song “Underground”.

It speaks to the strength of David Bryan’s music that Memphis was the only show I left wanting to buy the cast recording for. Every R&B-tinged or rock ‘n’ roll tinged number sounds authentic to the era and is unspeakably catchy (and are made even stronger by the sharp direction and vibrant choreography delivered by the talented ensemble). Several show-stopping ballad numbers – including the previously mentioned “Memphis Lives in Me” and “Coloured Woman” (delivered to perfection by Knight I might add) – round out the score and add the essential emotion to the show.

So all I have left to say is, you need to go catch Memphis before it closes in October.  It is filled with humour, heart and unmissable performances that deserve to be seen and applauded for years to come. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to see one of the best shows currently in the West End!

★★★★½

If you haven't already check out my Billy Elliot review and my Miss Saigon review. Thanks for reading! 

My Week in London - Miss Saigon (Review)

Last week I stayed in London and took the opportunity to see 3 shows in the West End I'd been wanting to see for ages, of which I have now reviewed to share my thoughts of them. The second show I saw was the recent Miss Saigon revival and without further ado here is my review!

Miss Saigon (Thursday 30th July, 2:30pm) 

I managed to get one of the last front row day seats for the Thursday matinee of Miss Saigon, one of
the shows I’ve been most eager to see for years. Thankfully I was not disappointed by this extravagant and harrowing production, led by Eva Noblezada’s stunning performance as Kim.

The production values and technical work on this revival is one of the main highlights of the show, as shown through the numerous ambitious set pieces such as “The Morning of the Dragon” and most notably “The Fall of Saigon” flashback, featuring the iconic helicopter sequence. When backed up by Boublil and Schönberg’s beautiful score, the whole show really feels epic. Yet this is not at the expense of the slower, more dramatic numbers and the performances.

Eva Noblezada brought the audience to their feet at the conclusion of the show which speaks for the strength of her performance. Her voice is just gorgeous and any worries in regards to her acting ability based on the show’s earlier reviews were dispelled by her layered performance combining weariness, innocence and ferocity into the tragic young woman.

Jon Jon Briones is excellent as the sleazy Engineer and almost steals the show, while I could barely tell that Richard Carson and Marsha Songcome were in fact understudies as they both sung and acted incredibly as Chris and Gigi respectively.

While I was blown away by the spectacle of the show, I did not feel as emotionally invested in the central romance between Kim and Chris as I felt I should have. The chemistry between Noblezada and Carson was strong but there was still something missing in their relationship, which is what keeps the show from being truly outstanding for me. Nevertheless, Miss Saigon is a thoroughly impressive production that I’d recommend seeing before it bows out of the Prince Edward Theatre at the end of February. 

★★★★

I'll be posting my final review tomorrow! If you haven't already check out my Billy Elliot review and my Memphis review. Thanks for reading! 

My Week in London - Billy Elliot: The Musical (Review)

Last week I stayed in London and took the opportunity to see 3 shows in the West End I'd been wanting to see for ages, of which I have now reviewed to share my thoughts of them. The first show I saw was Billy Elliot and without further ado here is my review!

Billy Elliot: The Musical (Tuesday 27th July, 7:30pm)

Billy Elliot has undoubtedly become one of the West End’s staple musicals and is currently celebrating its tenth year in London. And even after 10 years, it remains an awe-inspiring production filled with breath-taking dance sequences and both heart-wrenching and warming moments.

Even sitting in the Upper Circle at the beautiful Victoria Palace Theatre gave a great view and fully immersed you in the production. The best way to describe the show would be an emotional rollercoaster (cliché I know). Lee Hall’s book and Elton John’s music takes you through a real wide range of emotions on Billy’s journey to becoming a ballet dancer whilst the struggles of the Miners Strike of 1984-85 affect his family and local community, that left me laughing and crying at various parts of the show.

The Billy I saw, Brodie Donougher, was a terrific performer who embodied the character of Billy extremely well and proved to be strong as a singer, actor and particularly a dancer. His Electricity and Swan Lake numbers were jaw-droppingly good and gained rapturous applause from the audience. Other standouts included Deka  Walmsley as Billy’s father, who perhaps emphasized the ‘rollercoaster’ factor the most through his excellent performance channelling the stern, abrasive father who steadily releases his inner love and care for his son whilst maintaining a wicked comic timing (particularly in the ‘Audition’ scene). Wendy Somerville was a more than worthy alternate to Ruthie Henshall as Mrs. Wilkinson, while Gillian Elisa and Chris Grahamson filled out the primary cast terrifically as the rest of Billy’s family.

Elton John’s music goes from being infectious and toe-tapping (Expressing Yourself) to inspiring (Electricity) to greatly affecting (Dear Billy – both renditions) and the show is at its most impressive when merging singing, dance and dynamic choreography into impressive set-pieces (Solidarity). The only struggle was hearing some of the lyrics over the orchestra, particularly in the opening numbers of the show which felt somewhat overcrowded for lack of a better word.

Nevertheless, Billy Elliot remains an electrifying show in the West End that combines great songs, amazing dancing and an extremely talented cast to bring this inspiring and heart-wrenching story to life.

★★★★½

Check out my review of Miss Saigon here and my review of Memphis here! Thanks for reading! 

Mad Max: Fury Road - Review

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Mad Max: Fury Road is quite simply the best film of 2015 so far, and one of the best action films I’ve seen in years. After being dormant for over 30 years, Fury Road marks a long-awaited return to the iconic post-apocalyptic Mad Max series of the 1970s and 80s and re-establishes the series as one of the best there is. No film I’ve seen in cinemas in years has enraptured me so thoroughly and had me in such amazement from the start. Director, George Miller combines so many elements – action, acting, cinematography, effects and even the story - effortlessly and creates a cinematic experience that simply has to be seen. This all may seem like hyperbole, but it truly is this good.

Miller manages to put every CGI-action blockbuster that currently populate the box office to shame, by staging as many of his intense action sequences practically as possible, only adding CGI to enhance shots and to create sequences that are impossible to achieve in real life – for example, the incredible and beautiful sand storm scene. This combined with his sharp direction and the flawless editing by Margaret Sixel makes every action scene as electrifying and audacious as the last, climaxing in the nail-biting final 20-minute car chase where the two sides collide with each other explosively.

Despite the obvious focus on action, Fury Road thrives in the story department as well. Miller and his co-writers, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris have generated a refreshingly simple plot and a vast world populated by well-defined characters. This time, a traumatized Max (Tom Hardy) finds himself caught in the middle of an ongoing chase while aiding Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and the oppressed five wives in escaping as they are chased by the leader of the only-known civilisation, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who wants his wives back to create children to maintain his rule.

The screenplay constantly subverts expectations, firstly through the fact that most of the character’s backstories and the film’s universe are revealed to the audience solely through implication, relieving the film of the endless clunky exposition seen recently in many action blockbusters. Most significantly, the film arguably makes Furiosa the film’s protagonist, as her actions drive forward most of the film’s story and Charlize Theron completely owns the film and creates an excellent action heroine whose gender is both irrelevant and essential to her motivations and actions as she fights ferociously but in order to liberate the five wives from the oppressive and disgusting treatment they received under Immortan Joe.

This is not to say that Max has been sidelined in the film – as many have suggested – as we see the tortured and almost inhuman Max at the beginning learn to trust and work with others again, somewhat restoring the humanity he once had. Tom Hardy is excellent as the brooding loner, filling the role in a different manner to Mel Gibson’s more charismatic portrayal, while maintaining the intensity of the original character. Nicholas Hoult is similarly superb as war boy, Nux as is Hugh Keays-Byrne as the main antagonist, Immortan Joe, who creates a truly loathsome character to root against.

Mad Max: Fury Road is a film that is not only relentlessly exciting and thrilling in its action, but is also a genuine visual feat – seriously it is one of the most beautiful-looking films I’ve ever seen - and much deeper and subversive in its story and characters than what could be expected. George Miller has created a new benchmark for the 21^st century action blockbuster and it does not look like this can be beat anytime soon. 

★★★★★

Pitch Perfect 2 - Review

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Amongst my particular age bracket, 2012’s Pitch Perfect was easily one of the most popular films in years and perhaps the best received ‘teen’ film since Mean Girls in 2004. Anna Kendrick’s Cups became a viral sensation and the film won most of its audience thanks to its many laughs and catchy songs. Making a sequel to a comedy like Pitch Perfect is risky and often all it dishes up is more of the same but usually in a less appealing manner (Think The Hangover Part II). Other times it pays off and we get a film as good if not better than the first one (Think last year’s 22 Jump Street). Thankfully, Pitch Perfect 2 mostly fits into the latter category.

First time director, Elizabeth Banks delivers solid work in the role, directing the many musical numbers with aplomb – particularly the Car Show number by DSM -  and musically, the numbers themselves are as good as the first films, if not a little less crowd-pleasing. The sequel delivers many great laughs, particularly through Banks and John Michael Higgins who return as acapella commentators and the first film’s breakout star Rebel Wilson. However, some jokes feel fairly uncomfortably offensive (for example: any line from Chrissie Fit’s Flo, whose character begins and ends with ‘immigrant who can do backflips’), others fall flat (most notably, Snoop Dogg’s cameo) and the good ones don’t seem quite as uproarious as some from the first.

With regards to plot, its three years on from the first film and the Barden Bellas crash back to the bottom of the acapella group ladder after Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) suffers a wardrobe malfunction in a performance in front of the President. This accident gets them banned from competing on a national level and so to get this ban revoked, they seek to win the World Acapella Championships. This forms the main backbone of the film and more or less follows the same trajectory as the first film.

Where Pitch Perfect 2 branches out is everywhere else, where the group of girls are all facing graduation and some are dealing with the uncertainty of their future better than others. Beca (Anna Kendrick) is attempting to pursue her music producing dreams but faces trouble along the way, Chloe (Brittany Snow) seems to be in denial about the whole concept (after all she is a four-year senior)  and Fat Amy is running from commitment when her on-off lover Bumper (Adam DeVine) suggests they enter a real relationship. Meanwhile, aspiring songwriter Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) joins the group, seeking to gain the Bella experience her mother did.  Screenwriter, Kay Cannon mostly succeeds with developing these characters using these subplots, particularly with Becas which provides a really great and natural progression for the character. As a result, Pitch Perfect 2 is far less formulaic and more character driven than its predecessor, a welcome and pleasing development.

The rest of the girls remain the one-dimensional stock characters they were in the first film and perhaps have even less time than they did in the first film, likely to make room for Wilson’s increased role as well as Steinfeld’s character, which is a shame considering the talent amongst them. Beca’s love interest, Jesse (Skylar Astin) and their former rivals, the Treblemakers also have significantly reduced roles, allowing the awesome European champions, Das Sound Machine to fill the screen, who contribute several outstanding musical numbers to the film.

Overall, Pitch Perfect 2 is a blast from start to finish and is in many ways better than its predecessor through its better development of characters and slightly less clichéd plot. Its humour and musical numbers don’t hit quite as many highs as the first one, but they are still good enough to guarantee a thoroughly enjoyable musical experience. Finally, its just very refreshing to see a female-led and female-directed film promoting friendship and success from females in the mainstream film industry and being such a huge success!

★★★½

Glee: The Top 10 Episodes

The pop-culture phenomenon Glee takes its curtain call tonight, after 121 episodes and over 700 performances over the course of its six year run. It's no question that Glee was never as good as it was in its first season, and the show began to increasingly create and drop important plots in an episode, write characters in entirely different personalities on a weekly basis and use countless songs purely for iTunes sales, rather than to advance the plot. But for a while at least, Glee was really something special, so in celebration of its finale I decided to create a list of its top 10 best episodes (in my opinion of course).

Four Films in a Day - Part Two (Jupiter Ascending + Shaun the Sheep Movie)

Here is part two! Go read Part One before this if you haven't already!

In celebration of finishing our mock exams, my friend & I indulged a ‘full movie day’ at our local cinema and saw 4 films in a day (basically for free may I add – bless you Cineworld Unlimited!). So here is a review for the last two films I saw that day:

JUPITER ASCENDING

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Jupiter Ascending is the kind of batshit insane, big-budget epic that you cannot believe was greenlit and funded in this day and age. The Wachowskis’ populate their vast worlds with rat, elephant, mole and lizard people, twinky robot lawyers, dragon bodyguards and shapeshifting ‘gollums’ and create truly magnificent space environments for Channing Tatum as a wolf-soldier with gravity boots to run around with Mila Kunis in. The convoluted plot involves a powerful family of technologically advanced humans who ‘harvest’ planets to maintain their youth and are seeking to hunt down a girl (Kunis) whose genetic signature matches their deceased mothers, giving her a valuable inheritance that they all want. And that is the abbreviated version. Regardless of whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny that it’s awesome that a wildly ambitious epic like this can still be made.

The film greatest asset is its frankly stunning visuals, not just with CGI of the vast space environments but with the beautifully detailed backgrounds, costumes and character designs that fill the film and make it a treat for the eyes. The universe-building by the Wachowskis in this film deserves more credit than it has been given and this kind of ambition and flair in a big-budget action/sci-fi flick is something I wish was used more often in blockbusters. 

However, the film suffers from a story that is often repetitive and drills through a few too plots in its running time. The characters are fairly thin and unremarkable and the actors don’t do much to help elevate them, though are generally decent (with the exception of a gleefully awful Eddie Redmayne as the film’s primary antagonist whose obscene scene-chewing is just so much fun to watch). Moreover, Kunis’ Jupiter is too often relegated to a ‘damsel-in-distress’ role, while her romance with Tatum seems to come out of nowhere and is pretty groan-worthy.

While these negatives may seem quite significant, the mad ambition and originality of Jupiter Ascending help to elevate it to a level where it is a firmly enjoyable space opera that I wish weren’t tanking so hard at the box office.

★★★

SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE

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It was a bold move from Aardman to take Shaun the Sheep and his gang from the titular TV series and stretch out the usual 7-minute episodes to an 80-minute feature film. It features no dialogue at all (aside from ineligible grunts by the Farmer) and while it widens the usual scale of the TV series, there are none of the large, action set-pieces that populate many recent family films. However, the Shaun the Sheep Movie succeeds tremendously on its own merits, never having any issue in conveying its surprisingly dense plot and creating some excellent physical comedy.

Aardman (known for creating Wallace and Gromit, amongst films such as Chicken Run) continues to prove stop-motion animation as a format that can be as visually sharp as the computer-animated films that make up most of the mainstream animation industry, but with twice the personality. Their use of humour and quirkiness always make their efforts feel more authentic and charismatic than most other animations and Shaun the Sheep Movie is no exception to this. It transcends its very young target audience with some great gags – including a hilarious commentary on the vapidity of celebrity – and provides a lot of fun for people of all ages. It would be great to see more animation studios that take it down a notch and really focus on telling a great story as Aardman have in this film. 

★★★★

Please leave a comment telling me your own thoughts on these films, and on my reviews of them! 

Four Films in a Day - Part One (Big Hero 6 + Paddington)

In celebration of finishing our mock exams, my friend & I indulged a ‘full movie day’ at our local cinema and saw 4 films in a day (basically for free may I add – bless you Cineworld Unlimited!). So here is a review for the first two of the films I saw that day:

BIG HERO 6

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After the blockbuster success of Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios had a lot to live up to with their next release Big Hero 6, an adaptation of a lesser known Marvel Comics title. Luckily, this animated superhero romp is a real treat that stands among Disney’s strong films. Directors, Don Hall and Chris Williams fill the film with excellent action sequences, great humour and colourful & memorable characters.

The plot shines when focusing on the heartfelt relationship between protagonist, Hiro and the huggable healthcare droid Baymax, invented by his deceased brother, Tadashi, finding real poignancy in Hiro’s status as Baymax’s “patient”. His belief that going on adventures and spending time with his friends will help Hiro deal with his unresolved grief offers an unsentimental look into mortality and how it can affect young people, proving Disney’s readiness to tackle serious issues in their blockbusters. However in the film’s third act, this heart is lost slightly due to a descent into the more formulaic waters of a typical ‘team-up’ superhero movie with a fairly unremarkable villain and large action set-piece. It’s a shame but luckily doesn’t take away the impact of the film’s earlier themes.

Overall, Big Hero 6 is a fun and well delivered family film. The city of San Fransokyo is gorgeously animated and designed to combine elements of Japanese and American culture while the central friendship of Hiro and Baymax provides a genuinely heartfelt backbone to the film that is unfortunately diminished by the slightly more lacklustre and unoriginal final act. 

★★★½

PADDINGTON

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Out-of-nowhere, Paddington has become one of the highest grossing and best received films of 2014 in the UK and after finally seeing it, it’s not hard to see why. Adapted from the classic Paddington Bear stories, this is an effortlessly charming and delightful family film, filled with wit and fun that while targeted towards a younger audience, is sprinkled with knowing gags for adult audiences that truly make it a film ‘for the whole family’.

Director, Paul King (of The Mighty Boosh) and co-writer, Hamish McColl update the original stories into a modern London setting, with mild satiric undertones critiquing the xenophobia and anti-immigrant beliefs that are all too common in British society. King’s imagining of London somewhat resembles Wes Anderson’s quirky style and creates a lovely – though sadly monocultural – depiction of the city, while the film’s cast of great British character actors - including the likes of Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins as the Brown parents, with Peter Capaldi and Julie Walters in supporting roles – are great fun in their roles.

In conclusion, Paddington is simply a family treat. It may not be pushing many boundaries with its plot but its charm and good-hearted nature has deservedly won audiences over.

★★★★

'Part Two' will be up tomorrow, featuring reviews of Jupiter Ascending and Shaun the Sheep Movie! Also, please leave a comment telling me your own thoughts on these films, and on my reviews of them! 

The Fault in Our Stars - Review

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At the beginning of the film, the narrator Hazel tells us that this tale is the real 'truth' - no sugarcoating and no bad situation that can simply 'be fixed by a Peter Gabriel song'. However, The Fault in Our Stars (based on the best-selling novel by John Green) fails to back this claim up as it often falls victims to the tropes it attempts to set itself apart from. There are still the 'long gazes at each other from the across the room'. The 'dazzling first kiss' in a public area (that for some reason gains applause - am I the only one who would roll my eyes and awkwardly move away?). The 'constant waiting for him/her to call them'. Luckily, the film does deploys enough of the wit and genuine emotion of the source material to avoid sinking too far into being a generic teen romance and is strengthed further by its generally stellar cast.

X-Men: Days of Future Past - Review

The 'X-Men' film franchise is one of the longest-running series in recent cinema history, clocking in 7 films (including 2 solo Wolverine films) over 14 years. This is rather impressive considering how it has often been overshadowed by the likes of the Spider Man series, Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and the growing Marvel Cinematic Universe (including The Avengers). However this long run comes with a price as most would consider a series like this to be settling into 'franchise fatigue' with tepid quality and dropping value at the box office as viewers tire of the characters and plots. For a while, that belief may have been correct (I'm looking at you The Last Stand and Origins).

Luckily 'X-Men' has proved this wrong with the new sensational entry to the series, 'Days of Future Past', which is set to become the best grossing film in the series as well as the best received and not without credit either. 'Days of Future Past' focuses round a dystopian future where the characters of the original trilogy are fighting for survival at the hands of the mutant-killing Sentinel robots. Wolverine (played again by Hugh Jackman) is sent back in time in order to change the past so that this terrible future is prevented from ever happening, by teaming up with the younger Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) to prevent the assassination of the Sentinel creator, Bolivar Trask (Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage) at the hands of Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence).

The film is set the difficult task of weaving the two running timelines of the series (from the original trilogy and X-Men: First Class) together using a time-travel plot device whilst still forming a cohesive narrative. Thankfully, director, Bryan Singer & screenwriter, Simon Kinberg do so with aplomb, creating a well-paced and thrilling installment that balances creative action sequences (including the utterly inspired 'prison break' at the Pentagon sequence, featuring Quicksilver [Evan Peters]) with satisfying character arcs and emotional beats very well.

The stars of the film with the most screentime are undoubtedly Jackman, McAvoy, Fassbender and Lawrence, who inhabit their characters vividly and give terrific performances in their roles, adding new layers and development to the characters they had previously played (particularly McAvoy, whose wounded and weary take of Xavier is powerful and greatly affecting). The rest of the cast aren't given much to do, which is a shame considering the pedigree of some of the actors (Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Ellen Page amongst others) though they make the most of the material they have and it is a delight to see them on screen again.

Overall, X-Men: Days of Future Past is a triumph for the X-Men series, and for superhero films in general, bringing the beloved comic book story to the big screen with justice though with several plot inconsistencies (that is almost to be expected with the series at this point). It also reinforces my belief that the real strength that comes with this series is the depth it brings to its universe and characters, like not many other superhero films do and hopefully means that the X-Men will be sticking around for many years to come.

4.5/5 Stars (haven't found the appropriate star symbol yet)

Ramblings:

• Hallelujah to see a superhero movie that isn't loaded with explosions and things falling out the sky. Yay for actual stakes and motives that aren't 'take over the world'!
• While Quicksilver is regularly being cited as the breakout character of the film (and rightly so), I would like to talk about how incredible Blink was. Her powers were depicted just amazingly and I need to see her return in future films.
• Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde was also a stand-out in the supporting cast, adding great humility to Kitty in her scenes that enhanced the urgency and trauma that this future brought to the characters.
• It's a shame Rogue's subplot got cut, if only because I wanted to see Stewart and McKellen doing more in the film (Makes me eager for the blu-ray release). 
• Tears were brimming in my eyes during the final sequence. I won't spoil, but it's really great.
• The post-credits scene featuring (SPOILERS) Apocalypse has made me really pumped for the next X-Men in 2016. Hopefully we'll get a lot more Quicksilver and Cherik ;)

(Also, please give feedback so I know what to improve on and stuff. Hope you enjoyed and byeee!)