Snowden

At the beginning of last year, I reviewed the documentary Citizenfour, which was a blow-by-blow story of Edward Snowden that was made by filmmaker Laura Poitras, who was one of the people Snowden contacted to tell his story right. That film was a masterpiece and when I heard that there was a biopic being made about Snowden, I dismissed it straight away, believing that it would not be able to convey the weight of what he did. But after watching it, I realised that the point wasn't to show people what he had done, but rather to humanise him in the eyes of a public who still vilify him as a traitor.

Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a bright eyed young special forces recruit who is hopeful for a career in the military, but after he breaks both legs, he is discharged and looks for a new way to serve his country. He soon comes upon an opportunity in working for the CIA as an intelligence analyst after going through rigorous training under Corbin O'Brien (Rhys Ifans). His various jobs soon take him around the world and he learns that the NSA has a program that allows them to gather information from everyone in the world. Knowing this makes Snowden increasingly paranoid to the point where he clashes with his girlfriend Lindsay (Shailene Woodley) because he wants to protect her. Soon his conscience gets the better of him and he decides to expose the truth to a handful of journalists including Glenn Greenwald (Zachary Quinto).

Oliver Stone is definitely someone who knows how to make a movie that will appeal to a lot of people, which is something that Citizenfour may have been lacking. While it doesn't go into a great amount of detail about what Snowden leaked, it gives a general overview of what the US government was doing (and still is). This works to the films benefit because any in depth analysis would leave audiences confused. Stone's style of over the top filmmaking draws you into the film and makes you feel a lot of empathy for the characters. This is good because the point of the film is to humanise Snowden. A lot of the media around him portrays him as a cold traitor who has no acknowledgement of the danger he caused with his leak. That couldn't be further from the truth and Stone attempts to show that he is really a patriot who was looking out for his fellow citizens. While the majority of performances are good and exactly what you'd expect from a movie this size, the surprising parts come from the cameos that a director like Oliver Stone can get. Timothy Olyphant, Logan Marshall-Green and Nicolas Cage all pop in small roles. The Nicolas Cage cameo is quite surprising because he's the last person you'd expect to see in this film.

Some of the problems I have with this film have to do with the fact that some of the events of the film have been documented in Citizenfour, yet they are shown differently in this film. Snowden's communication with Poitras is rushed and limited to a single email, whereas in reality the communication took place over many months and only after he failed to contact Glenn Greenwald through a secure means. That's a small thing that was jarring for me and I'm sure would effect others who have seen both. Stone also drags the film out by added smaller details (that go into humanising Snowden) which seem irrelevant. Snowden's diagnosis of epilepsy and his relationship problems really slow the film down in some key parts of the film. Also there is too little time devoted to the time he spent in Hong Kong (probably the most important part of the story). The inclusion of the real Snowden at the end of the film also throws some doubt onto JGL's portrayal of him. In his last couple of films JGL has been making some strange vocal choices and after being able to compare his voice to that of Snowden, you can hear the definite difference.

I had thought that Snowden would present the story in an ambiguous way, leaving you to make up your own mind on whether or not he had done the right thing. But now after seeing the film it's clear that Stone has made it in line with his own left-wing leanings. I'm not saying that his own politics had any input on whether the film is good or not. He has made a film that may not stand the test of time, but for time we live in it's a very good movie.

Captain Fantastic

Stories about children being raised outside mainstream society pop up every now and then. In the majority of cases there is a questioning over whether or not what is happening in these places is abusive to the kids. Society tends to look down on them because they happen to take place in far right political communities. Writer/director Matt Ross takes this idea to the other end of the political spectrum to see if we'd be okay with kids growing up in a super intellectual anti-capitalist camp in the woods.

Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) raises his five kids in the woods, teaching them how to survive, but at the same time giving them the education of university students. After discovering that his wife, who had been hospitalised with bipolar disorder, has killed herself, he decides to take his kids to the funeral so that they can act on her final wishes. While the children are thrust into a world they don't fully understand, Ben clashes with his wife's father Jack (Frank Langella) about the right way to raise his kids.

Captain Fantastic is a strange movie to watch. While it has an overall positive and feel good message about doing things your own way, it feels a bit off, almost as if it is not as politicised as it already is (or should be). Probably the best thing about it is the casting. Both Viggo Mortensen and Frank Langella are perfectly cast. Mortensen is the kind of person who you could readily believe that he would be able to survive without modern society, but that probably has to do with the fact that he is always typecast in these type of roles. George MacKay, who plays Ben's oldest child Bodevan, is amazing as the wide eyed teen who has only had small glimpses of the outside world.

I suppose that the biggest fault of the movie is that the main character isn't particularly endearing. He barely shows any emotion until the final moments of the film. This lack of endearment makes the film a bit of struggle because apart from the children, no characters have any redeemable points. The film is a tad laborious for the fact that it doesn't really have enough to say about the world. It only exists because it was made.

Perhaps Matt Ross, who is better known for his roles in American Psycho, Face/Off and, more recently, Silicon Valley, should stick to acting. While this isn't his first hand at directing, it's not a very good result. Reasons to see this are limited to performances from Viggo Mortensen and George MacKay, but that's about it.

Trailers Week 116: 25/09/16

Passengers

First up this week we have the much anticipated Jennifer Lawrence/Chris Pratt space movie about two people who are a part of a deep space mission. They get woken up from their artificial sleep early and must find out why.

Trespass Against Us

Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson as caravan criminals from the north of England? Is that something anyone would say no to?

Mean Dreams

Meanwhile in America, Bill Paxton is a terrifying corrupt sheriff.

The Whole Truth

Normally legal thrillers like this look really classy to me, especially when they star Matthew McConaughey for some weird reason (he's been in quite a few). This one on the other hand looks like it's lacking all the class. We can probably blame that on Keanu.

London Town

Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Joe Strummer in this kind of not quite biopic about The Clash.

The Beat Beneath My Feet

This is a version of that last trailer where the nerdy kid just really wants to play music rather than just listen to it.

Bad Santa 2 (NSFW)

By the look of things, the combination of Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton will be a match made in heaven.

Fist Fight

I would be so scared if I was Charlie, Ice Cube isn't one to mess around with. Oh and Tracy Morgan probably isn't the best person to go to for fighting advice.

Pete's Dragon

A heartwarming tale of a boy and his pet, Pete's Dragon remakes an eccentric piece of Disney canon into a fresh and modern live-action family flick. Despite the story being somewhat predictable and relying on classic tropes from similar stories, Pete's Dragon amplifies the connections felt between humans and their pets into the realm of fantasy, while also staying somewhat grounded with a realistic, modern complication.

Young boy Pete (Oakes Fegley) finds himself orphaned and alone in the forest after a tragic motor accident kills his parents, until he finds and befriends a fluffy green dragon, whom he names Elliott. Years later, forest ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) discovers Pete as she looks to protect the forest's animals and their habitats from deforestation. Soon after, Grace and her future daughter-in-law Natalie (Oona Laurence) discover Pete's secret companion, and look to protect him after locals discover his existence and look to hunt him down.

Pete's Dragon starts surprisingly dark, displaying the car accident which kills Pete's mother and father and leaves him stranded and alone deep in the forest. Through this scene setting, audiences instantly grow deeply sympathetic and compassionate for Pete, and his amiable bond with his dragon buddy becomes justified. Though this quickly peters into a somewhat trademark story of the hunting and protection of an actually harmless beast, this ingrained value of a boy's connection with his pet carries the story forwards and tugs at the heartstrings.

The CGI design of Elliott is stunning, with realistic and believable movement and detailed body design. Oakes Fegley's surprisingly solid acting in cohesion with the CGI dragon lets us closely understand the supposed bond between the two and easily forget that it's simply a child actor interacting with what is probably just a guy in a motion capture suit. Bryce Dallas Howard fits the classic lead of a young, beautiful woman with a unique job perfectly, using her inherent skill in showing emotion to identifiably connect with the deeper themes of love apparent between Pete and his dragon.

Overall, Pete's Dragon is a great example of one of those "Come for the CGI, stay for the story" flicks, with a strong amount of family enjoyment to be had. Adults and children alike can understand Pete's bond with his dragon, just as many people connect with their own pets, and this integral love and affection becomes the driving force for the film's complications. Despite the use of perhaps one too many cinematic tropes, Pete's Dragon is sure to pleasantly satisfy audiences of all ages.

Trailers Week 115: 18/09/2016

Fifty Shades Darker:
The sequel that we all knew was coming but didn't want to have to think about. It just looks like a really really shit Eyes Wide Shut.

Miss Sloane:
Jessica Chastain trying to avoid getting typecast in Sci-Fi by getting typecast in crime. But hey, you can't go wrong with a bit of Sam Waterston am I right?

Nocturnal Animals:
This looks a bit like a mash-up of all the popular psychological thrillers/revenge stories from the past few years, but Amy Adams, Michael Shannon and Jake Gyllenhaal make this one to watch out for.

Moana:
I tend to think that any non-pixar Disney Animation is not worth your time - particularly when "from the creators of Frozen" is a prominent selling point, but they've been proving me wrong recently.

The Bye Bye Man:
How are there so many goddamn horror movies...

Bastards:

There's so much going on in this trailer but one thing stands out, Glenn Close sure does get around.

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Flock of Dudes:
Dude, that's one fiiiiiine barcycle....also damn, Ray Liotta's in this?

Classic Movie Review: Black Swan (2010)

Artistic and unsettling, Black Swan is a prime example of Darren Aronofsky's ability to create an uncomfortable and distressing film experience that audiences simply can't turn away from. Through a twisted and dark artistic lens, this movie asks one important question: how far will someone go for perfection? Through an overemphasized and dark view of the world of ballet, we receive a twisted and psychological flick that leaves us questioning our own emotional and mental states.

Nina (Natalie Portman) is an aspiring and dedicated ballerina whose entire life is ruled by her pursuits in the art form. When her company begins production on Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Nina becomes the front-runner for the role of the White Swan, however her lacking range restricts her from playing the contrasting Black Swan. Competition begins as Lily (Mila Kunis) assumes this opposite role, and we begin to glimpse into Nina's dark emotional distress and mental illness as she vies for perfection in her performance.

An obvious starting point in an analysis of Black Swan is its artistic style. This film is Aronofsky at his best; assuming his token surreal and disturbing style in creating a truly beautiful and dark flick. The style of the film can be seen as a reflection of Nina's psychological distress, and as she spirals further downwards in her mental state, the artistic form of the film follows suit. As the movie progresses it becomes increasingly surreal and figurative as we glimpse deeper into Nina's emotional schizophrenia and anxiety. Basically, expect to come out of this movie questioning whether anything actually happened or not. But not in a clichéd kind of way.

Just as beautiful as the film's style is the acting in the movie, and not without recognition. Natalie Portman's incredible portrayal of the twisted and tormented Nina snagged her the Academy Award for Best Actress, with Mila Kunis also receiving praise for her performance as Nina's twisted counterpart Lily. Natalie Portman's ability to convey such a wide range of emotions in this movie, from love and lust to schizophrenia, ultimately creates an incredibly dynamic and diverse character out of Nina.

Much like Aronofsky's other movies (Requiem for a Dream, Pi), Black Swan is disturbing and uncomfortable, but ultimately impossible to stop watching. We as the audience get to see the dark embodiments of Nina's struggling mental, emotional and sexual states, and respectively feel almost as messed up as Nina by the end of the movie. Grim and beautiful, Black Swan is definitely not just a boring film about ballet. As Nina states at the climax of the movie, "I was perfect". And the film was too.

My Scientology Movie

Last year, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief hit the big screen, challenging almost every aspect of Scientology in a way that only Alex Gibney could. It was so enthralling that it ended up on my Top 5 of the year list. Now, charmingly pressing filmmaker Louis Theroux has released My Scientology Movie, which takes a very different approach - the logical antipode of Going Clear.

After Louis Theroux has multiple requests to cooperate in making his documentary denied by the Church of Scientology, he begins interviewing Mark Rathbun, a former church official who held a very senior position. Mark helps Louis to make dramatic reconstructions of incidents within the church that he witnessed over the years, particularly involving mysterious church leader David Miscavige

The one core element that makes this film work so well is Theroux’s style. His nonchalant manner of provocation not only combats the Church’s aggressive pursuing tactics but provides plenty of laughs, and there sure are a lot of laughs. From dueling camera crews, police encounters, idiotically elaborate security systems and Mark Rathburn hosing down the church’s ‘squirrel busters’, what we get is a familiar mix of dark comedy masked in Theroux’s unique brand of quaintness - always walking a fine line with the subject matter.

Where with others the church’s harassing has completely halted any attempts to defame their name, Theroux plays them at their own game, throwing them the shovel and letting them dig themselves into a hole. Sure it’s unlikely to sway the opinion of Scientologists themselves - from both these documentaries it seems that most members are either mentally unstable or are being blackmailed into not leaving - but considering the reach of Theroux’s other work, this may well be more influential than Going Clear.

Theroux manages to move so seamlessly onto the silver screen in My Scientology Movie by embracing the format itself. From the opening splash-text, to the bombastic soundtrack, to the employed editing style, he’s able to effectively stereotype the basic language of film - which is what allows his plan to reconstruct events that Rathbun has witnessed to work. He takes the core problem to other people’s approach and flips it on its head - if he can’t go to them, make them come to him. The bonus that you don't really see in Gibney's documentary is the multi-faceted personality of Rathbun - due to Theroux's approach, at a few points you question if  Mark might be going to snap. It’s all very intriguing and a completely different approach when compared to Going Clear, which makes it the perfect companion piece.

It’s nigh-impossible to top Gibney’s Going Clear, and Louis Theroux doesn’t try to. He takes a route that’s as uniquely Theroux as Going Clear is as uniquely Gibney, and certainly if you’re looking to get your documentary fix, these two would work perfectly as a double feature. Sadly My Scientology Movie is on extremely limited release, but keep an eye out for it on TV in the future, because this is Theroux at his best.

Sully

Many of Clint Eastwood’s directorial efforts focus on the story of an everyman - someone thrown into a situation where their actions will ultimately define them - and those same themes are very much evident in his latest film Sully, which follows Captain Chesley Sullenberger in the events following his successful water-landing which came to be known as the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’.

It’s January 15th, 2009, and veteran US Airways pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) is flying US Airways Flight 1549 out of New York’s LaGuardia Airport alongside First Officer Jeffrey Skiles (Aaron Eckhart). Three minutes after take-off, a flock of birds strike the plane, disabling both the engines. With no airports in safe gliding distance, Sully performs a risky water-landing on the frigid surface of the Hudson River. All 155 on board survive and the event is heralded as “the most successful ditching in aviation history”. But despite the success and Sully’s new Hero label, an investigation into the flight begins to question if the ditching was necessary and if Captain Sullenberger put the lives of those on board at undue risk.

Eastwood’s past three films (J. Edgar, Jersey Boys and American Sniper) were all biopics and surprisingly underwhelming ones at that. Many would argue that his last truly great film was Gran Torino eight years ago, and Sully unfortunately looks to continue that streak. Where American Sniper ruffled many feathers for it’s uber-conservative, hefty dose of pure patriotism, the problem with Sully lies more with its construction, and how it attempts to turn this amazing but very brief 6 minute flight into a feature. The film excels when we go back in time to the crash-landing sequence, and when we reach the climax of the investigation in the final act of the film, but much of the rest of the run-time consists of Sully engaging in snooze-fest conversations on the phone with his wife (Laura Linney is not given a lot to work with and as such doesn’t give much of a performance), Sully taking runs, Sully having nightmares about the crash, the NTSB holding evil board meetings, and some (not-so) thinly-veiled references to 9/11.

Sully falls into the same trap that Flight did - albeit less so - with just too much of that Hollywood veneer to tell a thrilling story. I kept thinking throughout that if Eastwood adopted more of a documentary style like Paul Greengrass did with the excellent United 93, perhaps the human story would have felt less in your face, and there would have been less padding. If you focus on the 20-30 minutes that covers the accident and the final NTSB hearing, you could probably cut Sully into a really well-constructed 60 minute film, but nobody would be brave enough to produce/distribute it and I doubt many patrons would be willing to pay full price for it.

It won’t surprise anybody to know that Tom Hanks is able to transform himself into Sully with ease - he’s become accustomed to playing an everyman over the years - so let’s just say he’s as fantastic as you would expect and leave it at that. You don’t often see Aaron Eckhart in these more subtle films and he too is excellent. Although I mentioned before that Linney doesn’t have much to work with, and really there’s a surprising amount of dodgy performances and even some overacting in parts of this film. You could chalk this down to Eastwood’s one-take-then-lunch style but I think Todd Komarnicki’s dialogue is probably more to blame. There’s also the NTSB characters who are really just doing their job but seem to be tailored to look unreasonable and arrogant to the audience, then they turn around in a final dislocated moment of nostalgia-overstretch and say “Hey, we’ve always claimed that you're an American Hero”, which takes away some of the film’s credibility.

Sully is an ambitious film that just doesn’t really have enough content to stretch to feature length and remain engaging. The flight sequences are extremely well executed and the Hanks/Eckhart duo bring subtle charisma to the screen, but the padding and less competent supporting performances keep Sully grounded in average territory.

Trailers Week 114: 11/09/16

Mr Church

Eddie Murphy returns to doing movies for grown ups but maybe he's gone a little too far in the direction we're used to. But then again all comedic actors need to show they can do serious every now and then.

Collateral Beauty

Will Smith leads an all star cast in a movie about a man meeting the personified forms of death, time and love after the death of his daughter. It has A Christmas Carol vibes all throughout, especially since it takes place during Christmas.

The Promise
The Armenian Genocide is an incredibly touchy geo-political subject with Turkey still refusing to admit it happened. Don't expect to see this movie if you live in Turkey.

The Free World
I don't know, it seems to me that he's way too trusting of the lady that may or may not have killed her husband. Allegedly.

Gold
Matthew McConaughey is the perfect kind of guy to play a hustler who finds a gold claim.

Free Fire (NSFW
A whole movie about a Mexican standoff is ripe for comedy. Considering this cast, I think it's going to be hilarious.

Live by Night
Unlike that last trailer, Ben Affleck has to make a big deal of his movie being in Boston.

Goat (NSFW)
Hazing is bad, kids. Don't do it.

Ouija: Origin of Evil
Creepy kids and creepy board games. What a great combination!

Underworld: Blood Wars
But if vampires are immortal and werewolves are immortal then who wins.

Blood Father

While everyone is talking about Mel Gibson's upcoming Hacksaw Ridge, it seems like Blood Father has snuck under our radars. Blood Father, directed by Jean-François Richet, provides us with a solid action thriller with just enough emotion and comedy thrown in to make it interesting. Mel Gibson seems to finally be moving into the next logical character stage of his acting career: buff dad. Think Taken, if Liam Neeson found his daughter instantly, and was much, much angrier. 

Recovering alcoholic and ex-convict John Link (Mel Gibson) reconnects with his estranged daughter Lydia (Erin Moriarty) after she gets caught up in the workings of a small Mexican cartel, led by her boyfriend Jonah (Diego Luna). Link, not wanting to lose his daughter again, relapses back into his old criminal ways to protect her.

In any action thriller film, you might expect character and dialogue depth to be lacking; that is not the case at all with Blood Father. Link's explosive actions and gruff speech make him believable as a struggling ex-con, while Lydia totally sells as a confused girl in way over her head. The acting of both Mel Gibson and Erin Moriarty are much to commend for this success, working off each other flawlessly in a messed up father-daughter dynamic, in roles that feel strangely comfortable for both actors. The dialogue between the two is especially well-measured, with just enough emotion and comedy thrown in without feeling over the top.

In this same manner, Blood Father deals with both gang and bikie culture in a way that does not feel forced or excessive, and it creates an interesting dynamic to the film's story. The action sequences and shootouts are believable and ultimately well-shot, utilising the film's use of a mostly mobile camera to create lively and fast-paced scenes. This highly mobile camera feel adds a layer of chaos to the design of the film, mimicking that of the story itself. This is paired with the overall aesthetics of the film being convincing, both in the costuming and makeup of the characters and the locations and designs of scenes. After all, it's difficult for a film set in the California desert to not be beautiful.

Despite some very slight pacing issues, Blood Father is a surprisingly enjoyable action flick and ultimately a  very fun movie. No doubt a role like this would've been hard for Gibson following his own drug and alcohol addictions, but both he and Moriarty are both wholesomely convincing as leads and drive the movie in the right direction. It might be rash to claim this movie as a comeback for Gibson, but it is definitely a start, and the film would not be the same with any other actor in his place.

Don't Breathe

Alrighty kids, time for another round of ‘what illogical trope will this horror film throw at us next?’

Is it:

a) The ‘my gun seems to have unlimited bullets’ trope

b) The ‘white people making bad decisions and moving obnoxiously slowly in situations where adrenaline would’ve been a primary motivator’ trope

c) The ‘Creepy antagonist wants to do something sexual to the main female character’ trope

or d) The old ‘love triangle’ chestnut?

If you guessed all of the above, you’re absolutely correct!

If you’ve guessed I’m horror movie fan who is sick of these tropes, you’re batting two for two!

But in all honesty, it’s not the worst horror movie I’ve seen (side-eyes Incubus).

Don’t Breathe starring Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Stephen Lang is a story about a group of teenagers who are desperately attempting to leave behind their dead-end town in the slums of Michigan. In order to do so however, they turn to breaking and entering the houses of the rich to steal items that can be sold on the black market for cash. Things go awry when Money (yeah, that’s actually the character’s name) gets a tip that a house in a deserted neighbourhood is loaded with vast amounts of cash and reasons that if they can pull off this job, they’d never have to steal again. What the group don’t know however is that the house is owned by an army veteran who, after going blind in battle, has learned to use the rest of his senses as compensation. As the group desperately attempt to finish the heist, they begin to realise that they have sorely underestimated just who they’re dealing with.

The pros: Boy does this film have some heavy themes. Be warned: Its not your average jump scare filled horror, some of the subject matter is genuinely disturbing and will freak many people out. The opening scene in and of itself sets you up pretty well for the tone of the film. That being said, if the film was aiming for that, it definitely hit its mark. The jump scares were well timed and not always obvious, and many scenes left me squirming in my seat and covering my eyes as the characters tiptoed through the house. The best performance by far was Lang’s Blind Man, who delivers equal parts disturbing behaviour mixed with an at times eerily calm exterior, and with almost no dialogue at all provided most of the suspense as I saw the paranoia about being heard begin to extend to the audience and overall loop people into the film. 

The cons: As I mentioned at the start of this review, this film uses a lot of cliché’s and not in the cool way that The Conjuring 2 did. The lack of logic displayed by the characters and the unexplained plotholes just starts to become distracting. A lot of the plot points were easy to see coming, and the overacting by some of the characters at the beginning of the film makes scenes with them uncomfortable to watch. Also, there will come a day when I no longer have to critique the pacing of Hollywood films, but unfortunately today is not that day. The first 25 minutes of this film, we are mostly left to watch the characters tragic backstories unfold, mostly that of Levy’s character Rocky. While its understandably used to set up the character arcs for later, it lacked a sense of urgency typical for a horror movie and didn’t match the tone of the rest of the film. As well as this, it really only set up proper motivations for that one character. Also, just to reiterate: This film has a few disturbing scenes and is much more akin to House of Wax (2005) than to other suspense thrillers like Sleeping With the Enemy (1991). If you think you’re going to get a suspense thriller/horror movie, this isn’t really what you’re looking for, however the ending does set us up for a sequel so maybe it'll be different in 'Don't Breathe 2'.

Although the film has some interesting characters and a relatively new premise, this film is basically if Stick from Daredevil was more of a insane psychopath, and with the money I spent for tickets to this film you could by two whole months of Netflix and binge watch that show which uses the same premise in a better way. I’ve seen swiss cheese with less holes in it, and less competent characters use more logic, but if you’re looking for a decent squirm in your seat freak out your significant other type movie, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

High-Rise

Ben Wheatley's adaptation of J.G. Ballard's classic 1975 sci-fi novel brings up a lot more questions than it answers, although none of them really are about the fate of the characters. The themes revolve around the futility of utopia and how fragile society really is. While these themes are fantastic to explore in a film, the presentation of them seems a little muddled and it takes a while to sort them out through a lot of mess.

Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston) has just moved into a new high rise apartment building which has everything you could ever want contained in a single building. It seems like a perfect place to live, with places to shop, exercise and socialise all in one. After getting closer acquainted with his neighbour Charlotte (Sienna Miller), Laing learns that there is a fragile class hierarchy within the building, with poorer families on lower floors and wealthier couples and singles further up the building, with the architect of the building, Royal (Jeremy Irons), living in the rooftop penthouse. Soon the building starts to fall into disrepair and with that the social structure begins to disintegrate leaving Laing to question the hierarchy and his place in it.

When the self-contained society begins to break down, it seems like a bit of a surprise, almost as if it was rushed in the script. And while signs of the disintegration are all around, it seems like a shock when it comes. The film as a result almost has a delirious quality that has to do with the lack of lighting that comes along when the lights in the building go out. Some of these stylistic choices also make the subtext about the fall of society and class warfare a little hard to make out, which is a shame because that would a really exciting thing to see. The thing I found hardest to keep up with was the characters ultimate acceptance of what was happening around them. There was little acknowledgement that what was happening was so absurd.

The aesthetics of the film were perfect. While it is not exactly set in the future, it does take place in "the future of 1975", as though all the fashion and furniture and vehicles of that decade never went out of style. It definitely adds a level of comfortability in the beginning of the film as this is an instantly recognisable time and place.

I was surprised at the large cast of stars in this movie as all of the actors are quite a draw. Tom Hiddleston shines as Laing and is completely comfortable in the role. This could be the role that nabs him a James Bond bid because he is able to be suave and also take on some more physical action scenes. Jeremy Irons is always great for a sinister authority figure who you're unsure of whether you can trust him. Elisabeth Moss was a surprise to see in this and although she doesn't have a large part, she is totally takes over her character. Supporting roles from Luke Evans and James Purefoy are just a delight to watch. The only performance I wasn't entirely convinced by was from Sienna Miller, who's character was important but she didn't give the character any real interest.

High-Rise has a lot of great things; it's cast, the style and the themes buried deep down are all what I was expecting from this movie, but in the end it wasn't an entirely enjoyable experience. The sloppy way that the movie was put together felt very disappointing despite the fact that it should have been better.

Nerve

Movies that have a focus on the dangers of technology are going to become more and more common as our current technology progresses. This movie takes the idea of online 'game seeping into the real world with disastrous effects and also warns against the dangers of mob mentality. It toys with the fact that online anonymity is the most dangerous thing plaguing privileged white people, so you better think before you post your next antagonistic YouTube comment.

There is a new online game going around and it's called Nerve. People sign up to be given a series of escalating dares for money. When Vee (Emma Roberts) is accused by her friends for not living life to the fullest extent, she is challenged by her friends to join up. When she does, Vee is forced to teamed up with another player called Ian (Dave Franco) by the watchers and soon their dares start escalating to more and more dangerous things to get to the final round.

Nerve is a bit confusing in who is it's target audience. It seems like it is targeted toward teenagers with its social media concepts and risky behaviour, but in its execution it comes of as though it's a movie for adults, showing what the kids are up to these days. It doesn't seem at all surprising that this movie came from Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, who directed both the documentary Catfish and Paranormal Activity 3 and 4. All of those movies revolve around a certain amount of interaction with faceless online users and this seems like the cherry on top of those. I just feel as though the message it's trying to send won't appeal to that target audience.

That's mainly to do with the fact that the movie doesn't really set high stakes for the characters within. We learn that Vee and Ian are going to lose everything if they don't win, but the film doesn't make that feel risky enough. There is an interesting development between Vee and her friend Sydney (Emily Meade) who have a blossoming rivalry in the game, but their feud is solved in a very conventional manner. The performances don't lend anything to the movie as both Franco and Roberts are just not sympathetic or likeable.

For a movie that is trying to warn of the dangers of social media in our current era, Nerve doesn't really do a good job. It's just above those 'prank' videos where people try and show parents that their kids will get in a stranger's car and how gullible the kids are these days. But if it's coming from these directors, that message isn't a surprise at all.

Trailers Week 113: 04/09/16

USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage

You think that a story of this reverence in US history would be deserving of a movie with a lot better visuals. Whoever made it obviously didn't think it should be held to a high standard. That's why they cast Nic Cage in a position of authority.

Certain Women

This portrait of small town women looks like evocative and thoughtful indie film that more people should probably go see.

Max Steel

Movies based on action figures have come around before, but this one seems a little forced. Are people really begging for a movie about a semi-popular action figure from the early 2000s?

Shut In

I know this horror flick has both Naomi Watts and that kid Jacob Tremblay, but I think the real draw will be the older brother from Stranger Things even if he is in a wheelchair.

31

I've never been sure of the target demographic for Rob Zombie's films. Surely not all metalheads also enjoy clown themed torture porn.

Cardboard Boxer

Thomas Haden Church plays a homeless brawler who decides to write letters to a person whose diary he found. I don't think he should expect any back.

Classic Movie Review: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of those kids movie staples that everyone remembers watching when they were younger, but then when you watch when you get older you realise that it's full of dark and delusional material. In fact there's a whole story surrounding this movie that changes your perception of the movie. The movie was actually made as a marketing device to sell actual chocolate bars, but no one expected it to be a hit.

There are dark undertones in this movie and they become apparent when you watch this as an adult. Some of these are quite obvious like that terrifying boat ride (and that is one is still so scary), but there are other more sinister things that really hit home, like the heartbreaking poverty that Charlie (Peter Ostrum) and his family live in or Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson) keeping Charlie in a delusional state of thinking that he is special and unique. I know that sounds cynical, but when you watch it, you can tell Joe is trying really hard to distract him from the poverty that surrounds them. 

Watching the world descend into madness at the beginning of the movie as they try to find the Golden Tickets is quite dismaying to watch. That's because you could see an obsession like that happen in today's society. Not only is the obsession crazy, but the odds of Charlie actually getting one are so inexplicably low. But then again, the supposedly evil Mr Slugworth, Wonka's rival, is present when every one of the tickets is found so then again maybe the winners were picked from the beginning.

For a movie that is remembered as having Gene Wilder's best performance, it's amazing to think that he doesn't appear in the movie for a full forty minutes and when we do finally see him, he appears seemingly fragile, but it is a great piece of improvisation from Wilder. In fact the majority of Wilder's fantastic performance is improvised. He shows so much range in this one role that it's unbelievable. Jack Albertson gives the other amazing performance as Grandpa Joe, a man who recovers from twenty years of bedridden atrophy in about five minutes.

Okay, so aside from all this overanalysis, Willy Wonka is a fun movie with some amazing songs that will stick in your head for years. Granted they're not all memorable, but they are amazingly written. But the real reason to go back and watch this is to watch Gene Wilder's dry, sarcastic, excitable and heart-warming performance.

David Brent: Life on the Road

Ricky Gervais rekindles his series and genre-defining character - this time, in his own movie. Life on the Road looks to revive the quirky and cringeworthy David Brent years after his initial showing in The Office and show how this single character led to an entire stem of modern comedy being created. While this movie brings the awkward humour and British comedy you would expect from Ricky Gervais' series-inspiring character, it sadly does not extend much further than that.

David Brent (Ricky Gervais) finds himself in a familiar mid-life rut long after his time as Regional Manager at Wernham Hogg Paper Company. Unhappy in his position at a low-end cleaning products distributor, Brent decides to chuck all he has (not very much) on the line to pursue his dream and tour with his band.

Life on the Road starts out strong. Gervais instantly looks to remind us of the same old David Brent we all hated to love in The Office. As Brent looks to assemble his band and begin his life-changing journey we experience the same old awkward and almost cringeworthy comedy we have come to expect from Gervais' performances as David Brent. Brent still has his same old nervous laugh, awkward overbite and over-the-top enthusiasm as before, and this is seemingly enough to satisfy audiences with his antics.

Unfortunately, as the movie progresses, this trademark comedy begins to feel routine and repetitive, and the overall feel of the film ends up as just average. While there are some good jokes sprinkled through Brent's misjudged song lyrics and goofy demeanour, some of the punchlines are expected and predictable. While Gervais does this comedy well, and it is certainly in the style which made The Office and David Brent popular in the first place, there is little added to it to spice up Life on the Road.

Stylistically, Life on the Road fittingly brings back the same mockumentary feel as The Office. With a crew following Brent as he goes about his tour, we begin to recognise familiar quick movements and camera glances to make fans of the original series (or the American counterpart) feel at ease. Mimicking this recognisable camera style and adapting it for the big screen does wonders for the overall feel of the movie, creating a familiar atmosphere for those already accustomed to David Brent's awkward antics.

Life on the Road is brings back a lot of what made The Office successful: Gervais' trademark character, the mockumentary style, and almost unbearably uncomfortable yet strangely alluring humour. Strangely enough, this continuity can be considered both beneficial and detrimental to the overall quality of the film. While this familiarity and humour is enough to satisfy audiences at first, the fact that the film doesn't explore much further than that results in a merely average viewing experience. Good for fans of The Office? Definitely. Enough to warrant more David Brent movies in the future? Don't think so.