Review: Spectre

After making Skyfall the highest-grossing film in British cinemas, director Sam Mendes returns for the 24th James Bond feature.

For what is the most popular movie franchise in the UK, the pressure is always on for another welcomed addition to the film series.

We are now in it's 24th installment, and for me it was a mixed bag.

The opening scene is a terrific beginning and really gets you set-up for another Bond bonanza. The rest of the first half continues to romp along well. After that, we start to end up with disappointing finale.
For a Bond film that has the longest duration (2hrs 28mins),  it certainly shows. The second half slows down and I felt it managed to down-grade my overall enjoyment.

Even saying that, I would still recommend seeing it on the big screen. Daniel Craig still shows that he definitely one of the best Bond's we have had. He still gives us that perfect of comedy and action that all the other great 007's had.
As for the other performances, it was nice to see Ralph Fiennes get a lot more screen time and is becoming a solid M. Lea Seydoux as the main love interest felt a bit weak for me. Showed a lot of promise, but ended to be a bit too generic for me.
Christoph Waltz as the main villain felt nicely developed and yet massively under-used. The character played by Dave Bautista gives us a nice homage to several classic villains which was nice to see. Definitely a big plus to the film's positives.
The show-stealer for me was Ben Whishaw gives the best moments as Q. He definitely part of most of the best moments of the film and is a nice comedic relief throughout.

It is shot well and the action set-pieces are very pleasing. One very important part of the Bond film is the song. I purposefully avoided hearing the song beforehand and found to it beautifully to the tone of the film. It definitely is the films best chance of getting any appearance in the awards season.

But like I said before, the duration does kill part of the enjoyment and makes it unbalanced. It would definitely have been a better watch if everything was tightened up to less than 2 hours.

It is less satisfying and emotional as Skyfall and is quite hollow compared to Casino Royale. However, it is still a solid watch. It features all the typical Bond cliches and has an old school feel to it. The first half is great. But I think patience is needed for the rest of the feature as we get towards the somewhat predictable ending.

It does feel like Mendes is running out of steam and this will probably be his last one. If he does, then he has at least given the next director some interesting parts of the story left open to be developed.

If I would rank it among other Bond films, then I would put it in the top half. But not with the greats sadly.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Beasts Of No Nation

It was only a matter of time before this would happen.

With all the success of TV series on on-demand streaming services, we now have our first ever Netflix original feature film.

It is also the first ever American film to be filmed in Ghana, which is certainly quite an achievement.

Directed by Cary Fukunaga who has lately found fame in television, decided to venture out into the African jungle for something quite daring. With stories coming out of filming that reminded me of the incidents during the filming of Apocalypse Now, this definitely sounded like a project that could emulate the success of the 1979 hit.

After a pleasant start, everything suddenly turns into into quite a brutal watch and we witness one of the biggest character transformations from an unknown child actor for some time.
As we go into the second half, it reminded of The Thin Red Line, Platoon or Apocalypse Now in terms of working out that there will never be peace and that you can never find solace after war. That is a successful plot that the director and his team pulls off nicely.

After seeing all the brutality, it was easy to forget the sweet first ten minutes of our main character leading a normal life for an African child and playing with this friends.

I can definitely see this film get some Oscar recognition, especially in the performances and directing.
Despite having no acting experience, Abraham Attah manages to be the most unexpected star since Barkhad Abdi in Captain Phillips. He really disappears into his role and we feel totally immersed. He is quite a discovery and it deserves to be publicized around the world.
The only actor that is in it that we will know is Idris Elba as it seems the director hired locals that have either no or little acting experience. As for Elba, as soon as you see him, you know he means business.

It is what many would call a 'tour de force'. I think for many people, they will be going into this film hoping for Elba to make them care for this film. With Attah showing his qualities, Elba does manage to give us another memorable character that is well developed to its fullest extent. Thankfully, Elba plays the supporting role well and does enough to not steal the limelight from Attah and the many other child actors.

With all these strong positives, director Cary Fukunaga manages to eclipse both of them. Filling for an injured cameraman, colleagues catching malaria, constantly rewriting the script and dealing with various actors dropping out due to dangerous conditions, Fukunaga soldiered on to make his latest project came into fruition.
When battling against the elements, Fukunaga's cinematography is pretty good. It certainly captures the atmosphere and made you look in awe of the African landscape.

Despite the tone of it being quite miserable, brutal and not holding back, it's character development makes you care for the events that are happening on screen.
The raw feel this movie has makes this such captivating viewing. The acting by the locals is quite impressive and really puts you into that struggling part of the world.
I can see some people forgetting who was who. But for me, I found it easy to separate the minor characters. Also the accents might need to take a while for you to adjust your ears too.
But if you like films such as Apocalypse Now, City Of God, Hotel Rwanda and Platoon, then you will get the most enjoyment out of it. When I was thinking of other war films that have been released between 2000 and now, I was really struggling to think of a film that was superior to this.
It was a shame that there was no cinema nearby showing this as this would look great on the big screen. But for it being a first for Netflix makes this a new experience that needs to be seen, not just for its landmark that has been stamped within the development of film, but for possibly being the best film of the year.

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10: James Bond Films

The last few generations have experienced many timeless classics including some long-running film series. One that has become part of British culture is the James Bond franchise.

We have currently had seven actors occupy the iconic role of one of Britain's most well-known fictional character in the form of Sean Connery, David Niven (yes, I'm including him), George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Even though the first film Dr. No was released in 1962, the character James Bond has been with us since 1953 in the first of 14 novels by author Ian Fleming. Since his unfortunate death in 1964, many more Bond novels have been published.

On a film-making perspective, there are not many that are that impressive. But that is not what James Bond is all about. It is all good fun, with the fancy gadgets, slick spy action and with a lot of disbelief needed for many action scenes for over 50 years.

I have seen all 24 official films as well as the 2 unofficial films. Here is my full ranking of every James Bond film with a more detailed review for each of my top 10:

27) Casino Royale (1967)

26) The Man With The Golden Gun
25) Moonraker
24) Die Another Day

23) The Living Daylights
22) Octopussy

21) Never Say Never Again

20) For Your Eyes Only
19) The World Is Not Enough
18) The Spy Who Loved Me
17) Quantum Of Solace
16) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
15) Tomorrow Never Dies
14) A View To A Kill
13) Spectre
12) No Time To Die

11) Live And Let Die

10) Licence To Kill - After a poor showing in The Living Daylights, Licence To Kill was a pleasant surprise and managed to be quite enjoyable.

We see Timothy Dalton in his second and last Bond film where he has gone rogue and on a revenge mission.

Some great villains and some brilliant action set-pieces that I think still hold up today.

9) Diamonds Are Forever - Sean Connery's last Bond film within the official series. His portrayal continues to show how strong he was as this character for it to still make it to my top 10.

Not as thrilling as Connery's previous installments, but still has an amount of fun that can make this a good time.

8) Thunderball - With Bond being as strong ever, Connery returns for his fifth installment.

With some ground-breaking gadgets and a lot of the film being set under-water.

It has great action scenes and Connery gives us some terrific moments, especially with his one-liners.

7) You Only Live Twice - Connery returns in the franchises most pivotal film in his era.
This is where we finally get to see who is stroking that white cat?

We see Bond team-up with the Japanese secret service to prevent a organisation trying to start a nuclear war.

May seemed dated now, but still great fun.

6) Skyfall - A terrific revival as director Sam Mendes celebrates the 50th anniversary of the franchise with it's most financially and awards successful film to date.

We see Bond's past in the most detail we have ever seen.

It has a perfect mix of homage moments to the franchise and brand new action sequences.

Well deserving of it's 2 Oscars.

5) Dr. No - The one that started it all.

We see Bond investigating the disappearance of a colleague and find out who is disrupting the American space program.

This changed the look of action films and saw the breakthrough of Sean Connery.

4) Goldfinger - Probably the most popular of Connery's Bond's that features some of the franchises most iconic scenes and villains.

We see Bond uncovering a plot to contaminate Fort Knox.

Great action that never gets old and the most iconic 'Bond girl' name.

3) From Russia With Love - A Bond film that really impressed me and what I think to be Connery's best.

Bond is on a mission to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by MI5's closest nemesis SPECTRE.

With some of the best villains including a haunting Robert Shaw, this is not just a great Bond film but a great action film.

2) GoldenEye - After a few years without Bond, director Martin Campbell gives us one of the most refreshing Bond's in the franchise.
This also sees the debut of Pierce Brosnan.

Helped by the success of the iconic video game, this brought Bond into the 90's with many memorable moments including a terrific villain played by Sean Bean.

1) Casino Royale (2006) - The start of Daniel Craig's venture and we get the grittiest Bond we've ever seen.
With the title referring to the first Fleming novel, we can get shown a truly exciting thrill ride with terrific writing.

Director Campbell returns and definitely cranks up the Bond franchise in ways we never imagined.

Review: Black Mass

Crime drama involving mob's usually see me appreciate it but not seeing it as a classic.

The same goes for flicks like Goodfellas, The Godfather trilogy, Scarface, Casino, American Gangster and many others.

The latest one takes us to South Boston during the 70's and 80's where we see the story of notorious criminal Jimmy 'Whitey' Bulger.

Being billed as the film that could see Johnny Depp get back as an awards contender, this was certainly seen as a candidate for some Oscars.

Now that I've seen, I'm afraid this will go under the category of 'Oscar bait'. The whole experience fell quite flat throughout. It definitely is well told, the performances were great and the visuals were pleasing. But I'm afraid it was just not entertaining enough to be memorable.

However, the acting is top rate and Depp certainly leads the way with a strong performance as Bulger. He has genuine threat and the added make-up gives him that right amount of fright.
A lot of the other main cast was quite star-studded. Joel Edgerton as the FBI officer helping Depp's character plays it really well. It was nice to see Benedict Cumberbatch back on the big screen in a small role. Other notable performances came from Kevin Bacon who does what he does best and promising youngster Jesse Plemons who I have recently seen in The Program. That kid definitely has a promising future.

The production design is impressive as you are definitely transported to the 70's and 80's. The style of hair for the characters is not as glamoured as American Hustle, but it is noticeable enough to be seen as quite amusing.

As for the story, it told the history well, but the makers just did not make it entertaining enough to be seen as memorable as the other mob films.
It does have its comparisons with The Departed, and being set in Boston does help.
One big thing this film was missing was a main protagonist. There were plenty of antagonists. But you really need a positive character to make us learn something, feel emotion and get involved with the characters in the feature.
Going back to The Departed, they managed to do that beautifully. It also managed to have a focus on its characters, despite the many layers to it. Black Mass just tried to cover too many moments in the history of this character rather than focusing on a particular part of his story. All of this is where Black Mass will lose interest in its audience.

In the end, I would see this as a near miss. Despite the high amount of criticism, I think the performances and the look to it does deserve to be seen on the big screen as it is there where you will get the best enjoyment out of it.
This would probably do better as a television series. In fact, the look of the film does have a TV feel to it. With the content the director wanted to put in, a TV series would have given him it depth, time and understanding to get involved with the story and the characters. If this was going to be done by Martin Scorsese, this would have been an entertaining watch.

Rating: 7/10

Nostalgic Review: Back To The Future Trilogy

One of the best popcorn movies ever made. It's ingenuity, ground-breaking use of the time travel theory, exciting characters makes the Back To The Future trilogy a special watch.

With many generations being resonated by it, this has become an important moment that all parents show their kids.
This film has spawned millions of hardcore dedicated fans that can match the fan-bases of the Star Wars or Star Trek franchises.

While our 2015 may lack hover-conversions, hover-boards, mr. fusion's, power laces, Jaws 19 and many other things, the power of the imagination still makes director Robert Zemeckis' vision of the future quite a captivating one.

Also, the score and soundtrack is definitely one of the best ever. Alan Silvestri composes such a vibrant and exciting score and of course the soundtrack introduced many people to 'Huey Lewis & The News' and 'Marvin Berry And The Starlighters'.

If you have not seen this trilogy, then firstly, what is wrong with you?! And secondly, get ready for such an entertaining romp of a ride that is wonderfully made and the feel-good nature of it all makes it a universal classic. Check out below for my review of one of the greatest trilogies of all-time:

Back To The Future - The film that re-defined the time travel genre.

It sees a young man accidentally get sent back 30 years. During his time in the past, he realises that his presence has altered the possibility of his future and must rectify that by re-uniting his parents.

It is fantastic experience for people of all-ages. It's universal appeal has made this one of the greatest films of all-time.

Rating: 9/10

Back To The Future Part II - The reason I'm doing this review.
We are transported to October 21st 2015 as Marty and Doc's initial mission gets slightly altered that forces them to go back to 1955, whilst avoiding their past selves.

It manages to break even more ground with the time travel theories and we get to see another thrilling ride in the iconic Delorean.

Rating: 9/10

Back To The Future Part III - Despite being widely seen as the weakest of the three, it is still hugely entertaining and a wonderful final chapter.

After Doc accidentally being sent back to 1885, Marty finds out the date of his death and is to find to way to go back and save him.

With the vintage style of director Robert Zemeckis still there, it is also a great homage to the Western genre.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Steve Jobs

Most people’s prized possession for everyday activities is surely their phone.

Whilst also being able to listen to our music, access the internet and any other things, we are all definitely thankful for Apple and it's co-founder Steve Jobs for making this happen.

Get ready for an intense ride that really sees us delve into the mind of Steve Jobs and what Apple were like during the launches of some of their biggest products.

With the film having a lot of people talking about things in rooms, the writing is obviously going to be the most important component. The writer for this film is probably the most wanted in writer in Hollywood right now, Aaron Sorkin. Famous for doing the screenplays for The Social Network, Moneyball, A Few Good Men, Sorkin is back with a script that makes the film as great as it is.

It is far superior to anything else. Sorkin works wonders by making people say what they think and the analogies he uses manages to be both profound and at time comedic. His combination of brutality and honesty in his choice of words will surely put him as the heavy favourite for best screenplay during the awards season. It definitely challenges what I think is his best work in The Social Network.

As for the acting, the casting ensemble is simply terrific. Michael Fassbender gives us such a powerful central role and we get to see what Steve Jobs was like behind the scenes and not during the big launch shows of their new products. We get to see a great mix of his tyranny and also his genius. His performance reminded me of Jake Gyllenhall's work in Nightcrawler.

The big supportive roles are coming from Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels, Seth Rogan and Katherine Waterston.

Winslet gave us such a powerful character as she played Jobs' personal assistant. She continues to be one of the finest female actors around and a nomination is definitely coming her way. Another performance that I can see getting noticed in the awards season is Jeff Daniels. Playing the role of the CEO of Apple, he definitely shows the pressure people in those jobs have. Having to master when to speak softly in tense situations and raising their voices at the right times, Daniels seems to be having a stellar year after also seeing him in ‘The Martian’. However one actor that may be challenging Daniels is Seth Rogan. It is always nice seeing him in a serious role every so often. Playing Steve Wozniak showed Rogan playing a mix of innocence and explosiveness, especially in heated scenes with Fassbender.

There was also a nice little contribution from Mark Stuhlbarg. It was great to see him as I enjoyed him in Men In Black 3.

On a technical side, I was really impressed with the style of cameras used during the film. To match with the technology used at the time, we see the screen quality develop as well as the items they are launching. A very clever move to whoever through that into the brainstorm sessions.

The music composed by Daniel Pemberton sounds a lot like Trent Raznor and Atticus Ross' works from The Social Network and Gone Girl.

Danny Boyle has directed a beautiful film that is massively helped by the stellar writing of Sorkin. The structure of the film gives it a unique look to it. He makes us feel like we are in Jobs' presence and makes you feel awkward to be in heated discussions.

Seeing how Jobs was seen by his former co-workers shows how even greater this man could have been.

It is such a rewarding viewing and this would also make for a good play in the theatre.

After the screening, it was quite ironic seeing people instantly go to their phones either talking about it or to catch-up with their messages after seeing this film.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Crimson Peak

For a lot of people, a Guillermo Del Toro directed film is a highly anticipated event.

I don't see that myself. However, I do think he makes great fantasy features as I feel he has great imagination.
From the Hellboy franchise to the 3-time Oscar winner Pan's Labyrinth.

For Del Toro's ninth feature, we are heading to the late 19th century for a gothic romance with a few ghosts involved.

Despite being billed as a horror, this is definitely more like a romantic thriller that Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of.
With clear references to the classic Hammer horror flicks and some of Alfred Hitchcock's previous works (most notably, Rebecca),
A lot of the film and the style of the story-telling and even the editing is very old fashioned and seems really refreshing to see. There is definitely a lot of tension in our characters right through to the thrilling and sometimes unsettling climax.
The ending definitely leaves some questions open for discussion which is nice to see, unlike many other big budget features that like to wrap everything up into a neat bow.

I seem to love anything Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain do, and this film proves it. From Chastain's cold unwelcoming presence, to Hiddleston's terrific chemistry with lead Mia Wasikowska, these two are just a delight to watch.
As for Wasikowska I thought she was quite a weak lead. There was nothing wrong with the performance. But for me, I just felt that her character just did not go anywhere and therefore we lack the journey aspect to the film. For me, this film was more about Hiddleston and Chastain's journey.

Even with all the great performances, the star of the show is the haunted house we see in the second half of the film. The detailed level in the design and grandeur of it all is unreal. This surely has to be the favorite to win best set and production design at the Oscars, and possibly a nomination for the customers also.
I would be surprised if none of it was CGI and that the makers of the film actually made a house with such eeriness and magic. The cinematographer really showed every possible angle of it.

You may be seeing a lot of positives being mentioned. But I don't think they are strong enough for this film to be considered one of this year's best. The final act seems out of place, the story is not gripping or captivating enough for me to give a very good rating.
For the final act, it may have been quite exciting. But it was also sort of a bit under-whelming as it seemed to not match the tone and pacing of the rest of the film. It is also a bit predictable.

Despite what I said, it it still a gorgeous looking film and probably the best visuals of this year. With that in mind, I can forgive some things. It is by no means perfect, but it is definitely still worth watching as you can get a lot of fun out of this splendidly looking film with an intriguing character study

Rating: 7/10