Jason Bourne

The last movie in this series The Bourne Legacy was considered to be a disappointment by some fans due to the fact that despite his name being in the title, the movie distinctly lacked everyone's favourite amnesiac super weapon. There's no such confusion with this movie however, as you can't name it Jason Bourne and not have Matt Damon front and centre. This return to the character we know and love is all well and good, but it still follows the exact same formula that we saw in the original three movies.

Jason Bourne (Damon) has finally recovered from his amnesia, but is trying to live a quiet life under the radar. He is forced out of hiding however, after his old ally Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) has hacked into the CIA database, taking files about all the black op programs that the Agency has run in the past and ones they will run in the future. A team is assembled to hunt for Parsons and, by association, Bourne and is led by Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander), a young agent working in the Cyber Ops Division. She is overseen by the new Agency head Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones), who is keen to protect his new Iron Hand program, even if that means sending an assassin (Vincent Cassel) to kill indiscriminately.

This is the first film in the series in which Tony Gilroy has not been involved in the writing process, but unless you know what to look for, the story doesn't seem like it has changed much. It does take into account the new world in which we live and while Bourne isn't trying to expose anything, he does get caught up in a new program which involves tracking everyone's social media posts and looks at the argument of giving up privacy for security. This storyline does take a back seat and while it is interesting, there isn't a lot of time given to it.

The action is everything we've come to expect in a Paul Greengrass movie. Lots of short choppy hand to hand combat, something that Bourne is an expert with. However, some shots of the action felt a bit off. There is a scene where Bourne falls off a rooftop and is aided with some CGI. This feels really out of place in a movie series that is reliant on all the action being done for real. The car chase at the end of the movie went way over the top too, for the level of plausibility we've come to expect. While the movie does talk about emergent technologies that can help in the intelligence field, the ones they take for granted seem extremely advanced. It's not that easy to gain access to a Berlin CCTV system from all the way in the US, but this movie shows us that anything is possible if you tap at a keyboard.

The characters were interesting enough for me, but again they were following in the footsteps of the same characters we've seen before. Control room woman backed by shady older man in charge of ruthless agent who tries to stop Bourne. While Vikander and Jones played their parts well, it just seemed like a paint by numbers. I will say however that Vincent Cassel was a standout as the ruthless assassin, but only because he seems like he does that as a side job (that or the professional thief that he was in Ocean's Twelve). I will say that Riz Ahmed was a standout in this movie, not just because his character was new or topical, but because he was very believable as the tech company head that he was playing.

So, is Jason Bourne worth seeing? I know that I have just gone on and on about how it's the same movie we've seen before, but it's still very good. The action sequences are beautifully choreographed (yes, they can be even when the camera is bouncing around) and the spy stuff feels genuine enough. It's a great two hours to sit down and try to make sense of the story (it's not that confusing) as Bourne retraces yet more steps to discover more of his past.

Classic Movie Review: The Informant! (2009)

Steven Soderbergh's dark comedy The Informant! is one of those movies that has all the hallmarks of being a big blockbuster, but somehow failed to engage with audiences on the level it should have. Matt Damon was at the height of his late 2000's fame, having just finished doing the Bourne movies, but this character driven flick couldn't be more different from those movies.

Mark Whitacre (Damon) is a executive for the food processing corporation Archer Daniels Midland who is unhappy about a price fixing scheme that his employer and their competition are engaged in. The FBI is contacted after a blackmail attempt is made by a Japanese competitor and Mark reveals his true intention of being a whistleblower to Special Agent Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula). Mark soon embarks on the task of making a series of audio tapes that detail the nature of the price fixing scandal. But once the investigation is finished, it is revealed that Mark had also been embezzling ADM of millions of dollars and the numbers rise and rise as he struggles to keep up with the lies he has been telling.

The most enjoyable part of this movie is watching the character of Mark get more and more flustered as he goes from one lie to another. He thinks that he has everything in control and in his narration, he often alludes to the fact that he thinks he is the hero in some spy thriller. His stream of consciousness narration reveals that inside his head are just the most bizarre and abstract thoughts and we see that he has them during either important business meetings or meetings with the FBI. The character is made all the more effective from Damon's superb performance. This is mainly due to his preference for serious roles (I don't consider The Martian a comedy, but his roles in Kevin Smith's movies are pretty funny), but here he is absolutely silly and that's made more evident by the fact that the other actors are playing their roles with the utmost seriousness.

The supporting cast is phenomenal as well. Scott Bakula, known for his science-fiction TV outings more than anything, plays one of the most sympathetic law enforcement officials I have ever seen. You just feel for the guy as you see how betrayed he becomes after hearing about his actions. Melanie Lynksy is fantastic at playing Mark's strong yet long suffering wife. The rest of the cast is padded out by comedians playing the straight role. These include Joel McHale, Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tomkins, Tony Hale, Andrew Daly and Scott Adsit.

Legendary composer Marvin Hamlisch lends his talents to make the score for this movie and it's safe to say it's a doozy. He manages to place long, dramatic, thoughtful pieces in succession with short choppy pieces that bounce along. There is also a track that complements an FBI raid in such a way that you think wouldn't go well with the theme of the scene, but he manages to pull it off. In a way though the soundtrack really represents the character of Mark quite well because it is just as all over the place as he is.

The Informant! is a fantastic character study about a guy who believes his own lies. And after watching it, you believe that fat Matt Damon is the only actor who could pull off such a delusional character. A must watch for people who see Damon as that good-looking guy who everything goes well for.

The Martian

    "I'm Mark Watney and I'm still alive...obviously"

The red sands of Mars have settled following a forceful storm, the sky is a healthy red, the Sun bearing down on the rocky mesa's of the Martian landscape. One certain mound of sand is disturbed by the twitching movements of a man laying prone, waking from unconsciousness. His orange-and-white space-suit is both punctured and sealed by a small piece of debris shallowly embedded in his stomach. The debris, leftover from a destroyed long-range communications satellite, is not the only problem the astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) now has to face as he scans the nearby arid landscape. Close by is the habitat Mark and his team have occupied on the planet for the eighteen days preceding the storm and the remains of the launch pad of the team's only rocket back home, which has long since departed with Mark's colleagues believing him dead. Alone on Mars with no communications and limited food, Watney resolves to sustain himself, to communicate, to survive, or as he puts it to "science the shit outta this."

The Martian, Ridley Scott's latest, distances itself from the last decade of epics from the prolific director (Robin Hood, Prometheus, Exodus: Gods and Kings and Kingdom of Heaven) and also, perhaps especially so, from the recent survival dramas of Everest, All Is Lost, Interstellar and the powerhouse Gravity, most notably through the solid writing from Drew Goddard (Cabin in the Woods, World War Z, Cloverfield, Daredevil). Goddard's writing of the characters in the Martian is a blend of Aaron Sorkin's jargon-fuelled relentlessness and Joss Whedon's comical perfection and wit, which has a wonderful effect on the film's tone. Unlike Gravity's direct minimalism, Everest's biopic cliches and Interstellar's cold, Doctor-Who-eyness, The Martian thankfully manages to keep a keen sense of humour to balance out the drama and despair. And this is sold by an ensemble cast of both dramatic actors and practiced comedians including Damon and Jessica Chastain of Interstellar, Benedict Wong of Prometheus, and Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Sebastian Stan, Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover, Kirsten Wiig and Sean Bean (who delivers a silly and charming Lord of the Rings gag).

                        "Every human being has a basic instinct: to help each other out."

Visually, The Martian is pretty, even with it's occasionally questionable computer effects and over-use of Go-Pro footage. The production design is obviously (and smartly) adapted from Prometheus and at times the score the soaring French horns of that score threaten to burst onto the soundscape here. The obligatory Chinese pandering scenes of The Martian are perhaps even more contrived than those in Trans4mers, and even the Chinese Space Agency exterior is the same as the Chinese corporate headquarters in Age of Extinction. But in summation, The Martian is a sci-fi survival story that is slightly more fun than it is tense, but with a strong ensemble, capable lead, balanced writing and solid production. It all comes together to make NASA's perfectl, pretty and impeccably fashioned geek army and the film's two-and-a-half-hour run-time downright fun.

War Movie Month: Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan, one of several Spielberg war films that we'll examine this month, has been heralded for its incredibly realistic portrayal of combat, and for its harrowing performances from cast members, including of course, Tom Hanks. However it has also come under the scrutiny of veterans and filmmakers alike. It's a film that can be quite unnerving to watch, but ultimately can stand up against some of the greatest war movies made thus far.

After a present-day prelude, we are taken back to June 6th 1944, the D-Day invasion on Omaha Beach. Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) leads the 2nd Ranger Battalion up the beach and toward German defences as severe carnage ensues around them. Several days later, after the situation is more controlled, Miller learns that his company is to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), a missing-in-action soldier and the last remaining of four brothers fighting in the war. 

Saving Private Ryan is well known for its realistic representation of combat conditions, especially in the opening scene of the landing on Omaha Beach. Just as Oliver Stone aimed to represent his experiences in Vietnam in Platoon, so did Spielberg strive for accuracy in his representation of the landings. The 27 minute sequence cost millions to make and wasn't even storyboarded, with Spielberg preferring to move the camera freely to capture the action. The horrific details of seasickness, machine-gunfire, bloody water and limbs being torn off make for some difficult viewing, with some WWII veterans regarding it as the most realistic representation of the events that they have ever seen. The power of the film rests in this realism, and the relatable characters  that are placed within this insane situation, on a controversial mission that will cost several lives just to save one. If I have one criticism, it's that at times, it becomes overly patriotic to the point that it can come across as less about the men using their allegiance to grapple with the situation, and more as a justification for their actions.

Whilst receiving critical acclaim both on release, and since, Saving Private Ryan has also had it's critics, one of which being the aforementioned filmmaker and veteran, Oliver Stone, who believed the film's patriotic and violent representation of WWII may have inadvertently fuelled America's love of war. Although Brian De Palma (Scarface) suggests otherwise, stating that the level of violence is Spielberg "trying to show something about the brutality of what happened". Be that as it may, it's an interesting point about the influence of a film on society. Personally, I have always found the battle scenes so intense that they put the horror and significance of such a conflict into perspective.

Saving Private Ryan has a unique, slightly-soft and desaturated look, with a heavy amount of film grain, reminiscent of WWII-era newsreels. Many of the battle scenes use a slight 'shaky-cam' effect which is never particularly disorientating but helps to place the audience in the action. Janusz Kamiński again collaborated with Spielberg as DP on the film, after he utilised some quite stunning cinematography in Schindler's List (which we'll look at later in the month).  Kamiński won Best Cinematography for Saving Private Ryan. Working together with the images is a screaming sound stage which adds to the intensity of the battles. Bullets flying left, right and centre, shells whistling over-head, it can be horrifically unnerving and rightfully earned the film the Academy Award for Best Sound Design.

The fury of the battle scenes is put into perspective by the poignant performances from the cast. Hanks is magnificent at portraying characters that are inherently human, and as Miller, he conveys the challenging and conflicting nature of leadership. The battalion is full of intriguing characters but some standouts include the loyal Technical Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore) and the sharpshooter Private Jackson (Barry Pepper), who frequently reads verses from the bible whilst pointing his sights at the enemy, a perfect representation of the conflicting nature of warfare.

Saving Private Ryan is a strong war film that uses realism to confront the horrific nature of warfare. Its tale of sacrifice and heroism may be overshadowed by an overly-patriotic message but the chilling scenes and heartbreaking performances elevate it to another level. 

Interstellar

I have to hand it to Christopher Nolan, time and time again he takes on diverse and interesting projects and makes them his own, especially when scripting with his brother, Jonathan. Their latest endeavour, Interstellar sees the siblings flex their creative muscles, and certainly stretches far beyond the reach of its trailer.

In a grim future, where blight and famine have pushed humanity to the breaking point, Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is a former pilot and engineer that now works as a corn-farmer, one of the few crops that still grows. His son, Tom (Timothée Chalamet) has been assigned a future in farming and his daughter, Murph (Mackenzie Foy) is adventurous, yet stubborn. After investigating an anomaly which provides a message, that Cooper interprets as co-ordinates, he and Murph go to investigate.

What they discover is a secret project run by what is left of NASA, led by Cooper's old mentor Dr. Brand (Michael Caine). They aim to send a crew through a wormhole near Saturn, in the hopes of discovering an inhabitable planet that would serve as a new home for the human race, as their old one is slowly dying. Cooper joins the crew - against the wishes of Murph - along with Brand's daughter, Amelia (Anne Hathaway), Romilly (David Gyasi) and Doyle (Wes Bentley). The mission will be perilous and with no knowledge when and if they will return, Cooper hopes that he will both be able to save his family, as well as return to see them again.

As with most of Nolan's films, Interstellar will likely require multiple viewings to fully comprehend. It explores, not just the wonder of space travel, but the perils of venturing into the ominous darkness of the unknown. I found that the whole post-apocalyptic scenario where our future as a civilisation rests somewhere in the stars, made for a truly thought-provoking and surprisingly emotional narrative. Yes, some of the intimacy is lost in the vastness of the cosmos, but the noble sacrifices of the crew can be incredibly poignant, especially during the low times, when they just want to go home. Some will find Interstellar quite fantastical, but in many ways, that's what lies at the heart of a great Sci-Fi film, and here with the familiar thematic use of time weaving into the complex and generally intriguing story, it proves a much more compelling tale than Gravity, which I personally found a bit average. At nearly three hours though, it could possibly have done without some scenes, especially at the beginning, though it manages to cover a spectacular amount of material in the time that its given.

 Matthew McConaughey is undoubtedly a talented actor, yet after his string of appearances around the last awards season, on top of True Detective, I walked into this fully expecting to be sick of him by now. Though this was definitely not the case. He brings the vehemence and humanity to the screen that this role really requires. Both Hathaway and Jessica Chastain of Zero Dark Thirty fame, also provide very strong performances, but for me it was Mackenzie Foy who really shined and showed incredible promise for a young actor. All the main roles are certainly helped along by a strong supporting cast, including Casey Affleck, John Lithgow, Matt Damon, and Michael Caine (It wouldn't be a Christopher Nolan film without Michael Caine am I right?).

I'm sorry to constantly rattle on about 2001: A Space Odyssey on this blog, but Nolan has undeniably gained influence from the classic here. From the simplistic yet hyper-real visuals, the eerie moments of silence, uses of classical music, even down to the design of some of the spaceships. Hoyte van Hoytema (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Her) was cinematographer here, and he has certainly done a stellar job, thanks in part to Nolan's love affair with IMAX cameras. The special effects are low-key but nothing short of stunning, and during the tense scenes, the outstanding sound design had me on the edge of my seat. Also the robots that support the crew are simultaneously one of the coolest and wackiest designs I've yet encountered in a Sci-Fi film.

Interstellar is likely to divide audiences at the cinema, just as most thought-provoking films do. Indeed I feel its difficult to properly judge it with just one viewing. But despite some plot issues, Nolan has once again created a captivating piece that is full of action, adventure and emotion. It's a visceral experience.

Matt Damon set to star in Alexander Payne's Downsizing

Matt Damon has been cast in Alexander Payne's next movie. Payne is known for his films Nebraska and The Descendents and will collaborate with Jim Taylor, with whom he co-wrote Sideways. Downsizing is "a social satire in which a guy realises he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself." And there I was thinking it was a spin-off to Up In The Air.

Christian Bale as Steve Jobs

So fresh on the heels of the previous Steve Jobs biopic that nobody saw (although I hear Ashton Kutcher did a passable job) comes news of another biopic of the Apple founder. It will be written by the prominent Aaron Sorkin, who is famous for his work on the TV shows The West Wing and The Newsroom, as well as winning Best Adapted Screenplay for The Social Network. He will this time be adapting Walter Isaacson's biography and if The Social Network is anything to go on, this film should be sharp.

Sorkin has recently stated in an interview that Christian Bale has been cast in the role. He praised him for his work and said that "we needed the best actor on the board in a certain age range and that was Chris Bale". Sorkin also said of the film that role will be extremely difficult and that "he says more words than most people in three movies combined". Other actors rumoured for the role were Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Leo DiCaprio was attached at one stage too. Danny Boyle will direct.

Where this will fit in terms of previous films about Jobs is anyone's guess. Whether it will focus on his early career like jOBS (2013) or his rivalry with Bill Gates a la Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999) is a mystery. Certainly due to the scope of both the biography and Sorkin's method of writing, I'm sure that it will be dialogue heavy and epic in scope.

Robin Williams Tribute Month: Good Will Hunting (1998)

We couldn't do a Robin Williams month and not mention Good Will Hunting, the role which won him his only Academy Award (Best Supporting Actor). In addition to his role, the movie is pretty solid, with amazing direction from Gus Van Sant.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a young mathematical genius with a photographic memory who works simply as a janitor at MIT. He mostly hangs out with his friends Chuckie (Ben Affleck) and Morgan (Casey Affleck) and they mostly spend time drinking and getting into fights. One day Will solves a difficult maths problem set by Professor Gerry Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård). He eventually gets caught by Lambeau, who sees potential in Will.

But Will's troubled past gets in his way and one of his conditions of working with Lambeau is that he goes and sees a psychiatrist. After a slew of failed attempts, Lambeau contacts Sean Maguire (Williams), his old college roommate and asks him for help.

While this story of troubled kid tries to make something of himself is nothing new, Good Will Hunting is still a great movie. A lot of this comes down to the amazing performances and direction. Of course the setting of South Boston is also a rousing feature (our friend Mark Wahlberg tells of his passion for Southie here).

Van Sant has always been an amazing director and I always look forward to his movies. He has chosen a slightly overexposed look for this movie, but at the same time focuses on warmer colours for most of the scenes.

But I should really be talking about Williams performance. Although we don't get introduced to him until halfway through the film, Williams dominates every scene he is in from that point. Although he does have his funny moments, most of the time he is sombre and reflective. He is a great mentor to Will and really tries to open him up to realising that it's okay to be vulnerable at times.

Both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are also great in the film (although they did write these roles for themselves). While they didn't win any awards for acting, they won Best Original Screenplay. Skarsgård is great as the gruff Gerry Lambeau and Minnie Driver adds some touching moments to this all-boy movie.

Verdict: This movie is a must-see if only for Williams award-winning performance.

Elysium

Neill Blomkamp is a master of modern sci-fi cinema. His last film, District 9, looked at racism targeted at Zimbabwean refugees in the slums of Johannesburg, albeit through the eyes of an alien race that had been stranded on Earth. Blomkamp successfully identifies social issues and presents them in a way that gets the public thinking.

In Elysium, the social messages are a lot more apparent. It takes place on an overpopulated Earth in the year 2154. Max (Matt Damon) is an ex-con working at a robot factory, with the hopes of saving up enough money to buy a ticket to Elysium, a space station that houses the rich and powerful, who are able to stay healthy with the help of med-pods. After an accident at the factory that leaves Max with radiation poisoning, he endeavours to get to Elysium and a chance at life.

Blomkamp tackles social issues such as overpopulation, refugees and wealth disparity perfectly in this film. There are scenes that somewhat humanise the people smugglers and the refugees trying to lead a better life. The other big issue is the overpopulation that some developing nations are experiencing. Some of the film was shot in Mexico City and it is amazing to see the state of how people live.

One of the only issues that I really had with the film was the poor character development. We never really get any time to fully connect with any of the characters or feel for their situation.

That is not to say that there was any bad acting. Matt Damon was fantastic as Max and you could really see his desperation to get to Elysium. Alice Braga (Predators) plays Max's childhood friend and a nurse at one of the big hospitals. Her character felt like a would be love interest for Max, but her sole intention is the survival of her daughter.

Jodie Foster plays the head of Elysium's defences, but she really has her eye on the position of President. She is ruthless and will do anything to get her way, even if it means using psychopathic sleeper agent Kruger (Sharlto Copley). Copley couldn't any farther from the loveable Wikus he played in District 9, in fact he is downright creepy. He has some very cringeworthy moments.

The visuals in this movie are fantastic. Blomkamp and his cinematographer are downright masters of innovation with a camera. There are a lot of techniques that defy explanation and I studied camera work. There were one or two shots early on that were headache inducing, but by and large, it's a visual masterpiece.

Verdict: Blomkamp once again crafts a biting social commentary that will really force you to not just think of the future, but the present as well.