Review: Carol

In the last year or so, I definitely have been seeing films that I would not usually see at the cinema. This particular feature got a lot of buzz at the Sundance Film Festival that is known for kicking off the film year where a lot of the best independent films showcase their works to attract funding from any major studios that could see them as potential Oscar contenders.

Director Todd Haynes latest creation seemed to generate the most interest, and that is basically why I got intrigued by this. Well, and Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara being in it which sealed the deal for me. I sadly have not seen any of Haynes' previous work. His successes seem to be set in the 1950's and this is where we heading with Carol.

Most same sex stories within films are rarely artistic and more glamourised that makes it look trashy at times. However, Haynes and his team seem to have such a delicate made love story to match that of any romance film.
When I say a movie is slow-paced, that does generally that it is boring. But this definitely does not fit into that category. The slow-burning story seems to have given the director time to make it such rewarding viewing.
The story is a simple, but it is the detailed development of the characters that makes this gripping. Haynes and his team manages to make every scene important and beautiful to look at.

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are quite astonishing together as our two leads. Blanchett is pure class and fits into the era like a glove. It reminded of her portrayal as Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator. As for Mara, she gives us the right amount of subtlety and under-stated too make this a powerful performance. I could easily get lost in her captivating eyes and this is where her performance lies. These two are surely some of the major front-runners to win Best Actress.
Their on-screen partnership is obviously the main cog, and it moves along at such a pleasant pace. Their characters have a unique type of relationship. It may seen as love, but the characters make it look like that they don't what to call it.

There were no negatives that were noticeable. But the only thing stopping this from being one of my films of the year is from a personal point of view. This is not the type of film that I go nuts over more times than others. There are some relate-able films that are high up on my list, but I am afraid this one just did not captivate me enough.

Despite my personal feelings getting in the way, this definitely has all the makings of an Oscar contender in several departments.
It is directed so carefully. The pacing and cinematography is delicately done and it never loses discipline by suddenly being let loose. The set design and costumes are terrific. I have always found the 1950's an interesting decade, especially in America and this really puts you into that time period. And finally the score by Carter Burwell, although repetitive was put really well at the right times.
Everyone should see just for Blanchett and Mara's performances that reminded so much of Brief Encounter.

Rating: 8/10

Review: The Good Dinosaur

Pixar has constantly re-defined the animation genre for the last 20 years since they released their first feature film, Toy Story. Just saying that makes me feel old, but also amazed at how far they have come.

Everything that they released turned into an instant classic and won Best Animated Feature at the Oscar almost every time. However I think I say this on behalf of the majority, that Pixar did find a slight dip in form with the releases of Cars 2, Brave and Monsters University between 2011 and 2013. They do remain enjoyable to watch, but by Pixar's extremely high standards, this would be seen as a little lull.

Thankfully, we have seen Pixar come back with a film that is being tipped to possibly become the first animated film to win Best Picture in the form of Inside Out. We can count ourselves lucky as we get to see another installment from the Californian studio this year with The Good Dinosaur.
Originally planned for a 2014 release, any delay that Pixar seems to be beneficial. So like many, I was looking forward to seeing another potential hit.

Like with a lot of Pixar's, it gives us a 'what if' premise that does makes us think. Then we get to the main story that we are definitely used to with anything coming out from the studio.
From the jaw-dropping opening scene of landscapes, I instantly had myself thinking that this is the best animation that I have ever seen. It looked real as real can be. Despite that, the animation of the dinosaurs looked too cartoonish for what the background had to offer and clashed badly.
The first third of the film sets-up you a very familiar story that we have seen in many family-friendly films which was a shame to see. Thankfully, the rest of the film does give you some wonderful moments and it makes you care for the characters so much that you feel that they can get away with not being too ambitious in its plot.

I hate saying this, but it is one of those films that ticks all the right boxes, and the makers flesh it out whilst also giving some interesting concepts. We get a lovely role-reversal idea with our main characters, there is one part of the film that suddenly turns into a Western which was amusing to see and of course we have the tear-jerkers that is done beautifully that never requires dialogue to express it.
Amazingly, there were small parts of the film that I was shocked to see in a film that appeals to kids. But as the film went on, I got as to why they used it as the film gives a mystical sense of how nature runs things. I found that ambitious, but it paid off nicely.

The characters may not be as memorable or may not have as an in-depth story as others such as Toy Story, Wall-e, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo and Up. But they still manage to carry the film well to make us want to see how this is all going to end.
It is not as emotional or caring as something similar like The Land Before Time or The Lion King. But it is more like the superior version of Ice Age.
It could also well be as less imaginative as Brave, but still be intriguing viewing.

I think most of its minor negatives are to do with its production problems. It is a shame to hear this, but I feel that they have still made something that everyone can enjoy and be a welcomed addition to the high-calibre Pixar filmography. The animation is what I got out of this film the most. From a technically viewpoint, it is a visual marvel, stunningly realistic and nicely emphasized by the understated score of Mychael and Jeff Danna.

Like with all Disney or Pixar features over the last few years, there is a Short. This one is quite charming that concentrates on an interesting subject that we can all relate to.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Bridge Of Spies

Steven Spielberg is probably the only director that can sell a film to a mainstream audience just by having his name on the poster. That is definitely quite an accolade to have, and when I have nine of his film in my top 100 of all-time list, I would not question his achievement whatsoever.

Lately however, I must admit Spielberg has become grounded in the choice of story he wants to make compared to twenty or thirty years ago when he was making popcorn blockbusters. He seems to be more interested to slow-paced biopics or fictional dramas such as Munich, War Horse and Lincoln. Nevertheless, they are very good and highly recommend. But I think people are still expecting another Indiana Jones, E.T. or Jurassic Park.

We might see that return in the next few years with 'The B.F.G' and 'Ready Player One' currently in the works. But right now, we get to see a Cold War drama with a stellar cast.

I try not to sound arrogant, but it was as expected. A slow-burning drama with great performances that is more about the character development than the popcorn action of his most notable films. That being said, it is high-quality film making. It might instantly look like a Spielberg film, but it certainly shows glimpses of his vintage magic. In short you could call it a 'quiet sleeper', but with a bit more charm to it.

That is thanks to the terrific performances. Lead by Tom Hanks, who was on top form as per usual. There have been two actors that do it for me every time, Hanks is one, and the other is the late great James Stewart. Hanks has that likable touch no mater who is playing and is this generations Stewart.
Leading the supportive roles by a country mile was Mark Rylance. You don't see him often in movie roles, but when he does appear it is certainly not to be missed. His performance was both subtle and dignified, and will certainly be in the running in the major awards.

A lot of the film may not make you think of Spielberg, but the director still gives a beautifully crafted drama. You can see how hard he is still trying in make more great films rather than just taking the pay cheque and making a half-hearted attempt.
The cinematography is incredibly atmospheric that reminded me of Lincoln, the script is sharp very universal which will hopefully keep the mainstream audiences in their seats and Thomas Newman's score matches the mood. But it does hint towards sugar-coating the image which gives it minor down-grade in terms of the enjoyment of it.

One minor negative that I would like to mention is more to do with marketing rather than the film itself. The title may suggest an 'espionage James Bond' type of film. But it is more of a court room/politicial drama. That could put some general cinema-goers under a false sense of security and feel bored by this. I hope that does not happen and this become a success, which it deserves to be.

Despite giving it a lot of praise, I think this is another one of Spielberg's latest films that I cannot see myself watching again, or least not anytime soon. Saying that is never always a bad thing. Great films do not always have that re-watchability factor. A great example is Schindler's List. It is definitely one of the greatest films of all-time. But many people only see that once every few years compared to Jurassic Park where you can see this more than once in a year.
It's not your popcorn blockbuster that you are used to with Spielberg. It has a heavy use of dialogue and its more about the characters rather than being all-out action.

All in all, this is very well-made with some performances that are worth the admission fee. It shows real humanity during one of the intense times of the 20th century. If you're looking for something that quietly moves along with interesting character development, then this is the film for you. It might not be Spielberg stretching his powers, but it is certainly another major success.

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10: Steven Spielberg Films

With eight of his films in my top 100 of all-time, Steven Spielberg is by far my favorite director of all-time. No other director is as common as Spielberg is in my top 100 list. I think many others can echo my words on how successful Spielberg is and has been over the last few decades.

From striking biopics, to war epics, to re-defining the adventure genre, to giving birth to the summer blockbuster, when someone sees Spielberg on a trailer or a poster, it guarantees to get bums on seats.

He has created some of the most iconic and memorable character in movie history and has broken many box-office records. My films ranked 11-20 in this filmography is impressive enough. So you can imagine I have had a tough time whittling it down to just 10.

One film that I will give an honorable mention to, is The Terminal. It might not be the best film to miss my top 10, but it is certainly one that should be as widely regarded as his other work.
It is charming, lough-out-loud funny, has great performances and is obviously well directed.

Out of all 37 films Spielberg has directed, I have seen 32 of them. I have decided not to add 'The Twlight Zone: The Movie' as it was directed by four people including Spielberg. It is hard have one director leading the way in the particular film. So I can't really have that film within this particular list. Now that I've clarified that, I have decided to rank all of the Spielberg films that I have seen, with a short review of my top 10.

This top 10 could well be the most accomplished top 10 list outside of my top films of all-time:

32) The BFG
31) Always
30) The Sugarland Express
29) The Lost World: Jurassic Park
28) Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
27) The Post
26) The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn

25) Munich
24) Bridge Of Spies
23) Duel

22) The Fabelmans

21) Lincoln
20) War Of The Worlds
19) War Horse
18) Ready Player One

17) West Side Story

16) Minority Report
15) The Color Purple
14) Empire Of The Sun
13) Hook
12) The Terminal
11) Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade

10) Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom - Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones continues to re-define the adventure genre as he helps an Indian village find its lost children and a mystical stone.

It might not be the best of the franchise, but it certainly is my favorite.

9) Saving Private Ryan - When three of four brothers get killed during World War Two, a group of U.S. soldiers are ordered to go behind enemy lines and retrieve the last brother alive.

Winner of 5 Oscars containing a heavily star-studded cast, this wonderfully detailed war epic really moves you in ways you would never have experienced any other movie.

8) Raiders Of The Lost Ark - The one that changed the way we watch adventure movies.

Spielberg gives us Indiana Jones, an archaeologist who is hired by the government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazi's get their hands on it.

It is brilliantly crafted and will never get old.

7) Jurassic Park - The film that many people of my generation that opening their eyes to imagine a world of dinosaurs existing in present.

When a group get shown a special preview tour of a new theme park, a major power failure allows the attractions to be let loose.

It also saw the breakthrough of CGI and I must say it easily holds up today and is still superior than almost every modern day blockbuster.

6) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - The highest grossing film from the 1980's sees a stranded alien get help from a troubled family to get him back to his home-world.

Winner of 4 Oscars, it is certainly one of the best movie experiences you will ever have.

Definitely one of the best films to show your children as they are approach 10 years old.

5) Jaws - The film that gave birth to the term of 'summer blockbuster'.

1975 saw cinema cues extending around many blocks. This phenomenon tells the story of a giant shark causing terror around a small town on an island.

A police chief, local fisherman and scientist are set out to stop it.

Remember being terrified by this as a kid and easily holds up today. We also have one of the most memorable pieces of movie music of all-time.

4) Catch Me If You Can - Despite not being mentioned enough, this is definitely another hit by Spielberg.

This true story about the most famous con-man Frank Abangnale Jnr. truly engrossed me and will be close to my heart.

Great performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks gives you a chase that has real depth.

3) Schindler's List - Winner of 7 Oscars and Spielberg's only film to win Best Picture.

It is the true story of Oskar Schindler who helped save hundreds of Polish Jews be part of his workforce during World War Two.

It is definitely Spielberg's most emotional film to date.

2) A.I. Artificial Intelligence - When a first of its kind robot boy that can love feels that he is alive, we have an epic journey that really tugs with our emotions.

This film was originally the brain-child of Stanley Kubrick. But sadly he passed away and managed to pass this on to Spielberg a few years before that.

What we have is such a moving tale take on the Pinocchio story that seriously made me step back. I will never forget the experience I had when watching this for the first time.

1) Close Encounters Of The Third Kind - Definitely not many peoples top Spielberg film, but this sci-fi adventure became mine and my second best film of all-time.

Richard Dreyfuss plays a family man who encounters a U.F.O and suddenly feels drawn to a particular natural monument in Wyoming.

It definitely is a unique alien movie that really opens the mind to all sorts of possibilities.

Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

For the past few years, teen novels have suddenly jumped onto our big screens and have become an unstoppable juggernaut for major studios to get easy money from its loyal readers.

Harry Potter was probably the trend-setter for many things within this genre, such as splitting the final book into two films. Nowadays, it has become an expected move for any franchise to do.

For me, there are not many that look appealing or have been a critical success. There are many franchises with generally negative reviews such as Divergent, Percy Jackson, The Giver, The Maze Runner, Eragon, I Am Number Four, Beautiful Creatures, The Host, Mortal Instruments and of course Twilight.

The few exceptions I would say are Harry Potter, The Fault In Our Stars, The Chronicles Of Narnia and The Hunger Games. The latter I particularly enjoyed for the concept, performances, production design and general great story-telling.

Like with many of these, the names are ridiculous and I struggle to remember them all. But as this particular franchise makes me engaged with the content, it manages to work.
The first Hunger Games really set the tone and made me highly intrigued in what would happen next. Catching Fire is definitely the best of the franchise and made us show what are main protagonists are truly up against.
I enjoyed Mockingjay Part 1 as much as the other installments, but I can see why people got bored by it as it is essentially filler.

I have to hold my hands up that I am not much of a book reader. So I am just giving my opinion on what I see on screen.
For part 2, it begins by still tackling some points we already saw in part 1, but then we suddenly take a sharp turn and the build-up for this epic franchise finale begins. Then we witness one final twist that it is definitely not conventional, which definitely gave me mixed emotions.
Like with all two-parters, it felt unnecessary. It definitely should have been one film. Obviously it makes sense from a box-office point of view. But for general film-making, it just becomes slow paced and not engaging enough as it should be. Harry Potter is a definite exception as I loved both parts of Deathly Hallows. In fact, I am proud to say that I feel part 1 is just a bit better than part 2.

There is definitely suspenseful thrills in here to keep you entertained. But I think the action sequences felt more like filler to make these two parts worth it. Then by the end of it, I was sort of glad that it is over. Don't worry, for me that is a good thing as I felt that the franchise could go no further.

The performances weren't exceptional, but solid nevertheless. Jennifer Lawrence still holds this film series well, but not as much as in the previous installments in my opinion. Joss Hutcherson was o.k, but I am not sure if he will get another huge role in the future. His best work for me is still Bridge To Terabithia from 2007. Donald Sutherland was great as the evil President Snow once again and it is great that his acting resume is extending to modern mainstream.
There were not many others to mention apart from possibly Jena Malone. For the few scenes she had, her performance definitely gave us an interesting character that felt under developed throughout the franchise except in Catching Fire.
It was a shame that Stanley Tucci's character does not get much involvement in this one as I really liked his performance as the over-the-top presenter Caesar Flickerman. I have to finally mention Philip Seymour Hoffman. It was a mixture of emotions for me as it was great seeing him, but it was for the final time. Definitely a tragic loss for everyone.

From the technical standpoint, it does make use of the budget. The set designs are impressive, the visual effects are definitely the best it has been and the soundtrack is used with great subtlety by James Newton Howard.

As for the problems, there are a few that need addressing. Some of the decisions by the characters felt odd to me and were not executed or explained well. But I guess the book explains it more in its subtext, like every movie that was originally a novel does. The running time was always going to be a problem. Making a relatively thin book into two movies is tough and pointless. They definitely did the best that they could, but it is still a negative. Unlike the first two, I did not feel like I wanted to own this on DVD afterwards.

However, I still enjoyed it enough to make it passable viewing. I can definitely see why fans of the books were nervous as it did not feel as strong as the first two.
There is enough in there for it to be a satisfying ending for both fans of the film and books. But it's big downfall is that it is too long and slow-paced.
It is quite a sad final part to this franchise. In some ways, it is refreshing rather than going all-out for an action packed finale. But I was warned that this was virtually everyone's least favorite book.

My final thought should be a positive one as it definitely one of the few teen novels to travel well onto the big screen and attract many different types of films-fans including myself. It is definitely a franchise worth remembering.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Brooklyn

It is not often that a romantic drama gets me invested, giving it a high rating and competing with the best films of the year.

In comes director John Crowley portraying the 2009 novel written by Colm Toibin.
Sadly I have not seen any of Crowley's previous work, but they seem quite highly rated on various movie rating sites.

The main thing that intrigued me was the cast involved, the trailer and the buzz there was in the movie community that it was going to get noticed in the upcoming awards season.

I can definitely say that this will certainly be involved in the Oscars and will feature in my own awards. It is not often that we find new releases that can have a classic style of film-making. However, Brooklyn manages to gives us that which I felt was a wonderful throwback that many will enjoy.
You can see great teamwork with Crowley, screenwriter Nick Hornby with assistance from Toibin in creating a very sensitive romantic drama that looks like the film that a Nicholas Sparks adaptation has been trying to be.

Leading the way and possibly to an Oscar is Saoirse Ronan. After her breakthrough performance in Atonement, this American born Irish actor has shown everyone her raw potential for almost the last decade. Ronan gives us such a wonderful character that I would love to come to life and be real. You can feel her pouring her heart into this character in every scene. The film really shows her journey come into full circle which I was happy to see this end up doing.
It was also great to finally hear her use her natural Irish accent in a film rather than being heard in interviews.

All the supporting roles were great additions, and the big stand-out was Emory Cohen. After breaking out onto the movie industry in The Place Beyond The Pines, we see Cohen's sensitive and charming side that manages to gives us an enjoyable on-screen partnership with Ronan. Other performances that are worth mentioning come from Julie Walters who does what she does best, Domhnall Gleeson who gives us a surprising reserved performance and Jessica Pare and Brid Brennan who despite not having many moments on screen I thought were nice additions.

If I had to be nitpicking, I would say that the only drawback worth mentioning would be the third act that I felt was rushed. Thankfully it was only in parts and the other parts made it a satisfying ending.

It is safe to say that I came out of this feeling highly positive. The old-school construction to this film is such a refreshing thing to see on the big screen. It is carefully made with a lot of real emotion about a period that was becoming tough for a lot of young Irish people heading off to a brand new world.
Ronan is totally wonderful, manages to avoid sugar-coating this story and making it feeling genuine. I was totally invested, had my attention throughout and had me truly satisfied. It is utterly charming, has a wonderful feel-good factor whilst also gets really emotional at the right times.
You instantly believe you are in the 1950's and I can see this film being a contender for Best Costume, Make-Up and Production Design as well as Ronan for Best Actress.
A lot of people may call this the type of film you would take your grand-parents to. You would be right, but that is good thing as that means this is a universally appealing film that everyone can love.

Rating: 8/10