The Family!!!!

The Family.

Robert De Niro is obviously known in the world of films for playing gangsters, two most poignant films being in The Godfather II as Vito Corleone and then Jimmy Conway in Goodfella's. Both parts were to gain him BAFTA and Oscar nominations in which he took the Oscar for his role in The Godfather Part II, it's safe to say he is one of the screens best gangsters. But it has to be said that De Niro has lowered his guard with this film as it has all the hints of being a good gangsters film but in the end it just feels flat and bland which is a shame. 

Starting out by telling the story of the Manzoni family you see Giovanni (Robert De Niro) being blown away by a sabotaged barbecue. Driving down a country lane Giovanni and his family, wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer), son Warren (John D'Leo) and daughter Belle (Dianna Agron) are looking for their new home in Normandy, France. Relocated yet again the family have been placed into witness protection after Giovanni decided to tell on his own mod family and have mob boss Don Luchese arrested and imprisoned.

As the family try to settle in things don't go according to plan, Giovanni hospitalising the local plumber, Warren embezzling and blackmailing students, Belle fighting off sleezey boys and Maggie blowing up the local store. The family is of course looked after by FBI agent Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones) who is tired of relocating the family and just wants them to all "blend in" but to no avail. 

Soon enough the family are tracked down and Don Luchese's hired men arrive in town and set out to take out the whole family and leave no-one alive. With the family split up and their lives in jeopardy their going to have to work together as a family and use their killer instincts to survive.

The film is ok but is honestly nothing more than a entertaining gangster style comedy film, it could have been alot better but it just seems to skim over the characters and finishes too abruptly and quickly. De Niro you can tell will take any role involving a gangster to get viewers to pick up some of his better older films like Goodfellas. This has to be Luc Besson at his most complacent and feels like he is just making the film to entertain and not really bring anything new to the table. 

Pfeiffer, Agron and D'Leo are all good and add to the film in their own way but they don't impress and only add to the fast paced moving storyline.  The action is fast and slick but again it moves along just too quickly, leaving you satisfied it doesn't have you guessing and feeling you've seen something new and impressive. 

Overall a nice action film that if you want to watch and have on in the background you can do as even if you miss parts of it you'll still understand the ending. 

6/10.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire!!!!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The second film in The Hunger Games book trilogy this film has alot of anticipation and of course the return to screen for the Oscar winning actress Jennifer Lawrence. 

The film of course starts as we see the changed lives of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) who live in a seperate winners village. Travelling around the various districts to thank them and to show the world their true love for each other they have to keep the people peaceful. 

President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland) is constantly watching the couple and advises Katniss that she convinces the people of the districts her love for Peeta to keep the peace of face the consequences. With some advice from Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) he wants Katniss dead so he changes the 75th annual hunger games reaping. The winners from the past 74 hunger games will be chosen to represent their district in the 75th hunger games (The Quarter Quell) which means Katniss and Peeta will be fighting to survive yet again. 

With the build-up to the hunger games Katniss and Peeta must make allies to fight with when in the arena to survive. Each competitor showing off their skills most of them are impressed with Katniss's archery skills and decide to be allies with her. Finally in the arena they are all up against different various challenges, raving mad baboons, acid gas, a river of blood and flocks of mockingjays they have a big task ahead of them. With everything against them, the threat of their families being killed and President Snow set on having Katniss dead what will happen to Katniss and Peeta?

The film itself is a big improvement from the first one and it has a great pace to it, building up from all the preperation your soon enough thrown right into the action. Seeing Katniss and Peeta back in the arena and this time with alot more allies gives a more unified feel to the 75th quarter quell. The different elements in which they are up against is a great idea as they are not only fighting for survival but also fighting the elements as well. 

Jennifer Lawrence is again just on fine form and you can tell she has become an impressive actress who falls into the character of Katniss so easily and no doubt she'll get better and better. The supporting cast of Hoffman, Sutherland, Harrelson and newly added Jena Malone and Sam Claflin give the film a bit more variety and brings in more characters to progress through the film.

For a second film in the hunger games franchise it is a step up and really impresses, with the same director on board for Mockingjay Part 1 you can expect something just as impressive and action filled with yet more big name actors added to the franchise. 

9/10.

Saving Mr Banks!!!!

Saving Mr Banks.

Disney to make a film about Disney himself you'd think would be packed full of nods and winks to say "DISNEY IS AWESOME" but with Saving Mr Banks it was to just be a standalone film. It's fair to say that they wouldn't criticise too heavily the man who created the Disney brand. 

The film see's the story of how Marry Poppin's creator P.L Travers (Emma Thompson) travels to the US to speak with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) himself over the rights to her story being made into a film. Of course P.L Travers has been seen to be quite the strong and opinionated woman who was very protective over her creation. 

With P.L Travers money running out quite fast she is told to fly to the US speak with Disney and also work on the film so she can have some control over the final film itself. Arriving into the US she meets with the two musical directors and lyricists the Sherman Brothers (Jason Schwartzman and B.J Novak) who work on the songs for the film. Of course to make sure she has a record of what is said in the meetings she records everything that is said and as usual she has stern words "what's responstible that's not a word undo it".

Running alongside the main story of the making of Mary Poppins is the story of P.L Travers own personal life, in particular her upbringing with her father Travers Robert Goff (Colin Farrell). A banker her family was to move around from town to town so that her father can take up his job as a manager of a bank. 

Constant friction was to slow the process of making the film between Travers and Disney, a trip to Disneyland with Disney himself was to loosen Travers up and finally accept the final song of the film 'Let's Go Fly A Kite'. As the relationship between the two becoming more positive and both of the mtruly understanding each others situation they both learn to work together and she lets Disney make the film his way. 

For what is a Disney film about Disney they don't blow their own horn too much and it is subtle and isn't all "YAYYYY DISNEY" style film which is good. The story between Disney and Travers is funny and yet sweet at the same time and also shows how two different people can learn to get along so well. I found the whole Colin Farrell history part of the film abit tedious and I felt it wasn't needed at all. It would still be a strong film with thos parts cut out as Thompson and Hanks are both on fine form and portray their two characters with confidence and we couldn't ask anything more from top actors like themselves. 

Any person or fan of the Mary Poppins film who watched it when they were a kid or even likes the Disney brand will love this film. It mentions all the songs from the film, shows the process Travers and the composers went through to make the film possible and shows an endearing story between two people. 

Oh and do stay to watch the credits as you will hear an actual recording of Travers during one of the many sessions she had during the making of the film.

7/10.

Don Jon!!!!

Don Jon.

Numerous actors are trying their hand at writing and directing, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is another one of those people and not only has he written and directed the film he also is the main star.

"My body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls, my porn" is the list Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) rhymes off that are the most important things to him in his life. A promiscuous male in which every night-out ends with him bedding a girl and the nickname Don Jon he is soon not satisfied with the sex so he turns to one of his obsessions, porn. 

Then one night a girl arrives into his life that makes him change, Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) is out with friends and he soon enough works his moves and tries to take her home but to no avail. Tracking her down and asking her out for coffee the two hit it off and a relationship starts to form but he just isn't completely satisfied. Caught watching porn by Barbara he vows to her that he doesn't watch porn and that only men who don't get any watch it. 

Now changing the error of his ways he takes night classes and soon enough the urge comes back and he starts watching porn again, caught watching it on his phone by Esther (Julianne Moore) he feels embarrassed. Esther sympathises with him and at first mocks him but then she understands him and tries to make him see the error of his ways and that porn isn't all it's cracked up to be.

With Jon's family loving his new girlfriend and the relationship potentially on the rocks if he gets caught again and the guidance from Esther he has some serious thinking to do but what outcome it is is up to him.

For what is a film about the male man finding love and learning about the error of his ways Levitt has touched upon a subject that is never really addressed head on and at times in a funny way. Lines like "they give awards for films......they also give awards for porn" just shows at times the naivety men can have. Levitt plays a great character who goes through the motions of what he thinks and feels love is to him, a proud man of his posessions, his boys and family he's every girls perfect guy. Johansson is of course allowed to be at times overly sexy, tight pushed up dresses, teasing and the prominent accent all add to the possessive fantasy character that Barbara is. 

Flash scenes of how Jon goes to church and confesses in the confession box are at times too repetitive but it adds to what is Jon's repetitive lifestyle. Some scenes in the film can be seen as quite erotic especially when he is stood outside Barbara's apartment  stood behind her wanting to go "inside" and instead he "goes" in his trousers (pardon the pun/innuendo's) you can guess what happens in the scene.

For what is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's first directoral  full length film he has produced something that is essential in today's modern day society, yet he keeps it tongue in cheek as well. Strong performances from the man himself, Johansson and Moore keep the film heading down a straight path and not becoming too funny or too x-rated he balances both quite well. 

For anyone who enjoys a good romance film with some porn and life lessons thrown in then this is the film for you.

8/10.

Short Term 12!!!!

Short Term 12.

When you read what Short Term 12 is about you know from the start you will be in for an emotional rollercoaster, playing with your emotions you go up and down throughout the film. Set in a temporary foster home for troubled teens, Grace (Brie Larson) and her boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr) are care workers who provide a safe place for the teens to live. With a new volunteer just starting Nate (Rami Malek) you see how the house all work, live and play together and are in a way a little dysfunctional family of their own.

As one of the teens Marcus (Keith Stanfield) is about to turn 18 you see the emotions that he goes through on screen, rapping about his past and asking for his head to be shaved you assume he is strong and secure with his new to be freedom. Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever) is a self harming girl who respects no-one and does whatever she wants, constantly drawing she talks to no-one about her problems.

Grace and Mason work with the teens at the home and try to make the place as happy a place as possible. Grace in particular starts to relate to Jayden and soon enough she starts to get her to open up about her past and what had happened to her and why she is always angry all the time. This relationship in turn starts to play on Grace's mind and soon enough Grace must face up to her own problems head on and deal with her own past in order to move forward.

 Two scenes that standout in my mind are one with Marcus when he is having his head shaved and the other with Jayden explaining her short octopus story. Marcus's scene shows him having his head shaved before he leaves and you think to yourself  "new start, new haircut". After his head is shaved Marcus says "is it lumpy...can you see any scars" then it hits you and you realise what he has been through, slowly raising his head you see him smile and you smile back with pride at his bright new happy future with is new haircut.

The scene with Jayden really hits you hard, sat on the floor with Grace she tells the story of her Octopus drawings of how it would sacrifice a leg to feed it's shark friend. The emotion in that scene and how you just know Grace relates to her situation and the sadness you feel for Jayden is truly overpowering.

It has to be said Brie Larson is perfect and portrays Grace with such ease, to be able to bring out a strong character that is deep down wounded herself is impressive. Keith Stanfield as Marcus and Kaitlyn Dever as Jayden are both impressive, bringing out two emotionally fuelled teens both in different circumstances they really make you feel for the characters. The use of showing how characters express their feelings is so simple yet so clever, Marcus rapping to let people know what he's thinking and Jayden drawing what she feels is a great thing to touch upon. As many children in abusive situations never want to talk but communicate in different ways so to use rap and art was a great choice.

For what is such a short film Destin Cretton has made an emotional film that will have you close to tears one minute and in another have you smiling and laughing again.

10/10.

Gravity!!!!

Gravity.

With a film that has nothing but constant praise you have to stop and think for a second is it "really" that good well I have to say the critics are correct, Gravity is in my eyes phenomenal. Avatar was the last film that was highly praised by all and was James Cameron's billion dollar movie which was to make him one of the most talked about directors, now is Alfonso Cuaron's time.

Gravity sets the scene in outer space where we see Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) attached to the explorer shuttle and working on the Hubble Space Telescope while we see Lieutenant Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) on a space walk flying around the shuttle trying to set a new record. Flight engineer Shariff Dasari (Paul Sharma) is attached to the shuttle and finishing up his latest repairs while also fooling around being tethered to the shuttle. 

Soon enough a transmission from mission control Houston (voiced by Ed Harris) comes through telling the team to abort the mission as a Russian missile strike on a satellite has caused a chain reaction of debris to come hurtling towards the shuttle. As the debris hits Explorer the crew are thrown into chaos, Ryan is still attached to the arm of Explorer and is spun around numerous times, Kowalski keeps shouting for her to detach. Detaching and being thrown into space she is soon spinning out of control with nowhere to to and soon panics and hyperventilates. 

With both of the astronauts stranded and floating around in space its only a matter of time until their oxygen runs out and they have yet to find a way back to Earth. 

For everything Cuaron has done with the film it has all been cleverly thought out as every shot and camera angle has been planned. The visual effects are just something I have never seen before, seeing the curvature of the earth at one point with the northern lights green effect is just astounding to see. The debris that flys around on screen looks really impressive and at times you have to stop and say "this isn't a documentary" as it looks visually that good you think it's real.

I have to mention the 3D aspect as for some films it is used as a gimmick to get bums on seats but with Gravity the 3D is used to enhance the film and it does it perfectly. With Ryan being thrown in circles on screen she comes flying towards you at one point, bolts, tears and floating objects all come towards you subtly. 

One thing the film does is it disorientates you completely, not knowing where the character is going and just floating around upside down and round and round. And with no fixed point of land/Earth you can't gauge where the character will go next and I have had people comment it left them feeling abit of motion sickness. And this to me is another quality to the film it effects your body, feeling motion sickness and also out of breath when Ryan is gasping for air it just effects you so much. 

In my opinion the story of the film could have been worked on abit more as it is at times easy to work out, sound wise it can at times be alit bit too loud and abit much. But for what Cuaron has produced is a sheer masterpiece of filmaking, a film that can rival and stand up against Cameron's Avatar and Howard's Apollo 13 this is one film to stand the test of time. Come award season let's just expect Gravity to be in every category apart from Animated film. 

A stunning, visually aweing, incredible, immersive sci-fi film that will leave you breathless and wanting it to never end.

10/10.

Thor:The Dark World!!!!

Thor: The Dark World.

What is the third film Marvel film to be released this year and the second film from phase two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: The Dark World sets the scene of a war on Asgard. 

A story is told of how a dark elf army led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) went into battle against Thor's grandfather Bor (Tony Curran) in which they battled to stop Malekith from using his latest created weapon 'the aether'. With Bor triumphant he was to take the aether and place it in a stone and bury it deep underground, Malekith of course escapes with his general and sacrifices the rest of his dark elf army.

With Thor (Chris Hemsworth) back in his home world of Asgard after the attack by Loki (Tom Hiddleston) on New York in Avengers Assemble Loki is placed in jail on Asgard by his "father" Odin (Anthony Hopkins). As Thor battles enemies on the different planets with his fellow Asgardian soldiers he is hoping to bring peace to the nine realms and become king of Asgard. 

Of course Thor's love interest Jane (Natalie Portman) is back on earth and investigating strange occurrences with her assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings) and soon enough Jane comes into contact with aether and is attacked by it. With this aether running through her body nothing can attack or harm her and the only person who can help finally arrives back on Earth, Thor.

Soon enough Malekith awakens and knows the whereabouts of the aether and is hell bent on obtaining it to use it when the nine realms align and he can destroy all the light and turn everything into darkness. With Jane in danger and now in Asgard, Thor asking for Loki's help and Malekith set on destroying the universe what will happen?.

The film has alot of characters which are in part all integral to the storyline that is running through the film, Thor has alot of things to do to save not only Asgard but the other realms as well. Deciding where his fate and life will lie is also another point he has to work out, be with a mortal human (Jane) or stay on Asgard and rule over the nine realms. At times it can be moving along a quite a pace which isn't too bad, setting the film mainly on Asgard was a good idea as you get to see his home world and the whole dynamics of the people of Asgard. 

Hemsworth as Thor is of course charming and brings the character to life really well, Portman plays the vulnerable Jane and is just swept away with everything that is going on. Hiddleston as Loki is funny and witty and brings some laughs but also brings the fight as well when he is needed by Thor. The effects are massive just like Iron Man 3 they have gone ALL OUT with this film and bring plenty of destruction and explosions and pump in more and more action sequences. 

The ending for me could have been alot more planned and thought out especially what happens to Malekith it feels just a bit of a cop out. Of course the after credit scenes set the scene for the next Marvel installment film and tey certainly entice and give insight in what we can expect next from the Marvel cinematic universe. 

An overall entertaining, action packed, fast paced superhero movie that fits in perfectly with the other Marvel releases and sets you up for Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

8/10.

Drinking Buddies!!!!

Drinking Buddies.

Rom-com's, especially with big budgets tend to come across as too polished and always always have the happy ending that everyone goes "awwwww" at the end, Drinking Buddies turns this idea right on it's head and it works really well. 

The story takes place in a Chicago brewery where Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) both work, flirting with each other constantly you are sucked into thinking their perfect for each other. But they are both surprisingly taken, Kate is with Chris (Ron Livingston) and Luke is with Jill (Anna Kendrick) and they are both happy in their relationships. 

The two couples finally meet at a party and decide to go on a break out to Chris's family's cabin in the woods. Kate and Luke do what they do best and drink and make a bonfire on the beach and stay up all night while Chris and Jill go on a hike and enjoy a picnic and a mistaken intimate moment where they both feel bad. 

Kate soon enough becomes a newly single woman and decides to do what she does best and that is to drink and party with her male co-workers, sleeping with Dave (Ti West) this angers Luke who is very protective of Kate. With Jill and Luke constantly talking about marriage it's only a matter of time for Jill's stupid actions on the trip away to come to the surface. Will Kate ever find happiness on her own or does she need to win Chris back.

Like I said this is a more realistic rom-com as everything that you expect to happen never takes place, Luke being asked to go skinny dipping with Kate doesn't happen. Expecting Luke to break up with Jill and run over to Kate's arms doesn't happen and the awkward moments are at times really awkward but true to real life situations.

The way in which this film works is that it is mainly un-scripted so the improvisation comes from the actors who have no doubt had awkward situations themselves. Johnson and Kendrick bring across a really cute couple who are secure enough with each other, Wilde and Livingston bring across a more stern couple who you can feel have different ideas of their relationship. 

A really basic, indie and quirky, funny comedy that is very much more of a realistic rom-com that every couple can really relate to.

8/10.