Allied

Robert Zemeckis’s past two films The Walk and Flight both fell massively short of the mark, with more gloss than quality storytelling. Now he’s taking on a classic genre, the wartime epic romance, and putting his own spin on it with Allied.

It’s the height of World War II and Royal Canadian Air Force officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) is travelling to Casablanca in French Morocco as part of a planned assassination of the German ambassador. His partner is French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard). The two are to pose as a married couple for cover as they prepare for the mission, however they grow a little too close and after completing the assassination they move back to London to start a life together. A year after their marriage, Max finds out from the Special Operations Executive that Marianne may be a suspected German spy and that he is to help determine if she can be trusted. If she is found to be an enemy agent, Max must execute her by his own hand.

With what might be most closely described as the first act of Allied, we see the two meet in France and swiftly plan their pseudo-marriage and the assassination. This should initiate a spark of character development that draws us into this sweeping romantic war film - the sort of film we haven’t seen in a very long time - but what we get are stale cardboard cut-out roles that only really prepare us for a decidedly tepid film overall.

Before we know it, Max and Marianne have settled down in London and already have a baby girl. We’ve skipped a whole crucial stage of empathy-building and by the time the rumours of Marianne’s allegiance make it to Max, we couldn’t really care less about the end result because we’re not invested in their relationship. Despite all the tabloid hearsay that plagued this film’s production, there’s just no chemistry between Pitt and Cotillard.

The film continues along at a sluggish pace, and makes sure you’re aware that it sees itself as a sort of new-age Casablanca, dangling comparisons around blatantly. The same overly-syrupy filmmaking that we saw in Flight is also present here, with sweeping tracking shots and sentimental strings at every corner. There’s a lack of emotional contour to the film because of this and it all blends into one.

That being said there are some great set-pieces in Allied, particularly the scene when a German plane is shot down during the Blitz and starts to spin out of control down towards their house. As always Zemeckis uses effective and nuanced CGI to blend digital elements in the background, and overall the film looks great, if overly smooth and saccharine.

Despite these few-and-far-between moments, Allied is unfortunately not a return to form for Zemeckis. Although all his sappy directorial decisions are not as adverse to the overall film as the total lack of allure between Pitt and Cotillard and the stagnated characters that they inhabit.

The Conjuring 2

Will there be a Conjuring 3? 4? If they’re as good as this one, I’ll definitely be lining up to see it. After the disaster that was 2014's 'Annabelle', I’m glad this series has found its’ footing again.

The Conjuring 2 brings us into the lives of paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) a second time, to tell the story of the infamous Enfield Hauntings (this one is also based on the true story from the case files of the real Ed and Lorraine Warren, known as ‘England’s Amityville’).  Tiring of sceptics denying their work and growing weary of constantly being in the public eye, as well as an unsettling premonition from Lorraine haunting her constantly, the pair decides to take a break from their work and focus on everyday life. Unfortunately, their time out is short lived as their services are called on by the Catholic Church to assess the case of the Hodgson Family. Across the pond, the family of five begin to experience a variety of frightening paranormal activities centred mostly on the youngest daughter Janet. As the family’s life begins to spin out of control at the hands of this spirit, Ed and Lorraine must find a way to balance what they know is right and their own safety, all while trying to determine whether or not this haunting is even true.

The positives: In terms of scares, this film’s got it. The most important part is that it doesn’t rely heavily on jump scares or too many overused tropes to help frighten its audience, and when tropes are used, they’re done so in an innovative and interesting way so that it stands apart from other horror movies. The cinematography, pacing and acting in this film all culminate together to help create a constant unsettling atmosphere throughout its entirety; there is never a moment where you can completely relax. As well as this, the film plays with your stance on the case: could it be that it’s all being faked? As said before the acting in this film is excellent, however there should be a special mention to Madison Wolfe who plays Janet, without whom this film would not have worked as much of it relies on her talent.

The negatives: This film is a haunting film, and as I said before it does use a few of the same tropes that can be seen in a variety of other horror films. Also, quick side note, horror films are really going to run out of nursery rhymes/poems to make into creepy mantras soon.

If you’re a fan of the franchise or just a fan of the horror/thriller genre, this may be one of the few occasions where the sequel is better than the original film. The intensity and attention to detail by James Wan really comes through, and upcoming horror films should take note from The Conjuring 2 on how to properly scare an audience in an innovative and entertaining way.

Jack's Thoughts - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

My face after leaving this movie

While Ed praised the latest Mission: Impossible instalment, he admitted that he wasn't the resident fan of the series. That's where I come in.

I said in my review of the first Mission: Impossible film that the franchise began as Hollywood's response to James Bond. Five movies in and they have cemented that fact, whilst becoming their own thing entirely.

I'm not going to go into plot details because you can read those on our official review. This is just going to be me explaining how much I love this movie and the reasons why. The first being the plot. I know, I know, I wasn't going to go into it and I'm not. But this movie's plot works really well. The franchise is known for its twists and turns, some you see coming and some you don't. All in all though, it's one hell of a roller coaster ride that will keep the adrenaline running throughout the entire film.

Secondly, Tom Cruise. Say what you will about him having an insane private life, but that doesn't distract from the fact that he is a really really good actor. And that stems from the fact that he loves what he does and it shows in his performances, but none so more than the character of Ethan Hunt. Hunt is Cruise's own character that he has perfected over the last twenty years and no one else could play him, making him the complete opposite of James Bond. What I love about Hunt in relation to Bond is that while he is almost an unstoppable machine, he is also infallible. Right from day one, the character has found himself in more dire situations than any character and Cruise puts himself in those situations for the authenticity, such as hanging off a flying plane. Insane!

Now specifically this movie is great because it is entirely self-referential to the entire series. There are overt and covert references to every movie, from a rabbits foot to a super subtle reference to chewing gum that will only appeal to die hard fans of the series. The film also throws in the famous mission giving sequence, but with a huge twist, thus throwing the entire conceit on its head. We also have a huge number of jokes about how this mission can't quite be impossible.

But what about all the other great characters in this movie. Well, as Ed said, Benji (Simon Pegg) is the stand-in for the main audience, always amazed at Ethan's complete and utter insanity as well as caring for him (although I have always found Ethan Hunt the more relatable character). Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) is the other hallmark of the series bringing his dry, but funny charm to the movie (he also represents the long standing fan of the films). Brandt (Jeremy Renner) represents the audience members who try and think about these movies from a rational point, but failing to do so and in the end coming around to see things "the only way".

That brings me to the character of Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). Instead of playing the usual "Bond girl" of the Mission: Impossible series, she is presented as a female equivalent of Ethan Hunt. She is often as ruthless as he, but her motives are also the same. What I love about this movie in particular is that there is no sexual element between Ethan and Ilsa as there has been in the past movies. He truly respects her and sees her as an equal, which I think is a huge step forward for a big Hollywood movie like this.

"Your mission should you choose to accept it...." is find a bigger fan of this film series than me. Because Rogue Nation just cemented my already strong love. I might even go so far as to say I love it more than Bond....

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Smashing through the box office gates every few years comes the latest Mission Impossible flick, America's answer to Bond, just with less kissing and more gadgets. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation hits screens this week with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie at the wheel. Will this prove to be the latest capstone in a strong series, or is Ethan Hunt getting as tedious as a school band playing the Mission Impossible theme?

After years hunting a mysterious group known as the Syndicate, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) believes he has enough proof to confirm their existence. When reporting to a secret IMF station about his interception of a nerve gas shipment, he is captured by the Syndicate. Escaping in usual brawling fashion, he is assisted by a disavowed British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), and pursues the elusive blonde man that he saw just before he was captured, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris).

After a senate committee finds their actions reckless, the IMF is dissolved, with CIA director Alan Huntley (Alec Baldwin) picking up the pieces. William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) are questioned about the whereabouts of Hunt, now a rogue agent, but neither crack and Ethan continues to evade capture. He tricks Benji into flying to Vienna for the Opera, however in reality it's a ploy to get Dunn's assistance in taking down the Syndicate. The two team up with Ilsa to infiltrate a high-security server that should assist them in tracking down Lane.

I'm not our resident MI fan, but having caught up on Ghost Protocol before meandering into this fifth installment, I was ready for some tense action, and it's safe to say that I wasn't disappointed. The pace is set in the opening sequence, which sees Hunt clinging for dear life to the side of a cargo plane as it takes off. It might not quite trump the Dubai skyscraper scenes from the previous film, but the tension remains palpable, especially when you realise that this was done for real, by cruise. This is followed up by a dramatic fight at the opera, claustrophobic chase sequences through the streets of Morocco and a free-dive into a giant water-cooled computer mainframe.

It's exhilarating stuff, as you would expect from McQuarrie (writer of The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie) and regular action-cinematographer Robert Elswit. The plot can turn on it's head without warning - as is typical with the series - leaving you constantly second guessing the motives of the array of different characters, and as long as you don't over-think it then it's great fun to follow along with. Although at times you do find yourself glossing over the current story and sitting back to anticipate the next action sequence, testimony to the effectiveness of the action.

Cruise continues to cheat his way through the ageing process, seemingly still in peak physical condition. He punches, kicks, dodges and flips his way through his enemies and of coarse, still does his own stunts. Benji and Ethan work closer than ever here as the IMF struggles to find solid ground yet again, and Pegg continues to be the most likable character in the series. Benji is ultimately the nerdy kid's channel into this world, operating his vast array of gadgets with occasional precision. Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa is fast and nimble, taking down any enemy brute thrown at her, and Renner's Brandt....well he's sometimes useful. This seems to be a common issue with a lot of the supporting cast, namely that they really don't do that much. Alec Baldwin cracks open his 'annoying useless obstacle' persona which I haven't personally seen him do since the awful The Cat in the Hat film, and Sean Harris transforms into the stock-standard turtle-necked bad guy. His character develops less as a man who you expect to be foiled by his own heinous ambitions, and more as a lemming lining up waiting to be thrown off the cliff.

But the character assassinations are just nit-picking for an action film like this. Ultimately, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is a solid and visceral addition to the franchise that will keep you thoroughly entertained.

The Theory of Everything

With the Oscars fast approaching, we've seen plenty of biopics attempt to grasp the attention of the Academy. The latest to be released, James Marsh's The Theory of Everything, is up for Best Picture and depicts the life of Professor Stephen Hawking from his time in college, his struggles with his debilitating disease, and his relationship with his supportive first wife Jane.

At a Cambridge party in 1963, astrophysics student Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) meets Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), an Arts student studying the Romance languages, with the two hitting it off straight away. Hawking is shy yet highly intelligent and witty, Jane is also somewhat introverted but sensitive to Stephen's intricacies. Hawking is still unsure what to complete his thesis on, which is worrying his Professor, Dennis Sciama (David Thewlis). After showing an interest in black holes and the creation of the universe, Stephen decides on his topic: time. 

Hawking is making great strides with his academia and his relationship with Jane, but soon he realises that he is having difficulty walking. After visiting a doctor, it's discovered that Stephen is suffering from motor neurone disease, which will slowly paralyse him. He's given approximately two years to live. Stephen tries to hide from Jane but she won't give up on him, resulting in one of the most emotional games of croquet ever played on screen. Jane wants to have as much time as they can together, no matter how difficult that may be.

One worry I had about The Theory of Everything was that it would focus entirely on the relationship between Jane and Stephen, and turn the film into too much of a Hollywood romance. However, this is not at all the case. Marsh has managed to strike a perfect balance between their relationship, Hawking's work and how his disease would affect both. Based on Jane Wilde Hawking's book Travelling to Infinity – My Life with Stephen, the film provides what seems to be an honest depiction of the support that Jane gave him and how it broke her down in many ways. Time is used thematically throughout as reference to Hawking's field and research, however its woven through very subtly and is much more effective that way. My only criticism of the script is that it drags in a few places and at points it creates too many divisions between different eras to flow well. However those concerns seem minute amongst the many captivating moments that The Theory of Everything has to offer.

Eddie Redmayne's performance absolutely dominates the screen, and is testament to his incredible abilities as an actor. Early on, he forms the image of a shy yet passionate student whose intelligence towers over all his colleagues. Then as the motor neurone disease starts to take its toll, Redmayne transforms his body to match Hawking's. The devil is in the details here, with his loss of dexterity, slurring of voice, curling of lips and eventual paralysis all handled sensitively. Felicity Jones embodies a sensitive, yet at times frustrated Jane and a refreshingly strong female character. Whilst some of the supporting actors are underused, such as Emily Watson, others provide magnificent performances, with David Thewlis a standout as always.

After the recent rush of biopics, I thought that I wouldn't be able to stand another, but The Theory of Everything proved me wrong. Marsh has formed a well-constructed appreciation of both Hawking and the woman who supported him, with an astounding performance from Redmayne.

Magic in the Moonlight

Well after nearly fifty years of his career and nearly fifty films written & directed (quite an achievement on it's own), Woody Allen is still going strong with his latest film, the romantic period piece, Magic in the Moonlight

In 1928, Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth), the renowned illusionist, fraud de-bunker and supreme egotist is called upon by fellow performer and childhood friend Howard (Simon McBurney) to expose a spiritualist named Sophie (Emma Stone) who has won over a rich American family, the Catledges, on the French riviera, nearby to where his Aunt Vanessa lives. However, surrounded by loud-mouthed Americans whilst attempting to catch her in the act several times, Stanley faces a problem, he starts to believe that she could be the real thing.

The story, again written by Allen, is like most of his films both clever and hilarious, with genuine characters that draw you in. If I had any criticisms of it, it's that the characters views morph just a bit too readily, which can sometimes be a bit jarring. However you could argue that this is just Woody having a crack at the immutability of our beliefs.

Both Firth and Stone absolutely shine in their roles. Despite his callousness, pessimism and extreme ego, Stanley is actually quite a likable character, and supremely funny, both of which come down to Firths strong performance. Stone is both charismatic and believable as Sophie. The supporting cast are also very good in this, especially Marcia Gay Harden as Sophie's unwaveringly supportive mother and Eileen Atkins as Aunt Vanessa, whose sassy wit is a joy to hear.

I find with period pieces, especially those that are set in this era, that you can often tell that it's just a facade. Here though, this is not the case where a lot of passion and care has gone into the overall design. The late 20's really come to life with the accurate costumes, lavish sets and vintage cars, all of which blossom with colourful character off the screen. All of this is complemented by a well chosen mix of period music and classical pieces.

Judging by it's current reception, not everybody enjoyed this film as much as I did. But one of the brilliant things about movies is that they're only what each and every member of the audience makes of them, and I found this to be genuinely funny, impeccably directed and surprisingly touching in parts. I really enjoyed this one.