August: Osage County!!!!

August: Osage County.

What started out as a play by Tracy Letts has been transferred and made for the big screen with what is this years biggest high profile cast for a film. The original storyline is that a family is brought back together to the family home after a tragedy takes place, together they all reveal their own problems and thoughts of each other. 

The film itself takes place in the family home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma where husband and father Beverly Weston (Sam Shepard) an alcoholic poet is interviewing a young native american woman Johnna (Misty Upham) to be a stay at home cook and carer to his wife Violet (Meryl Streep) . A drug addict and woman who speaks first then thinks afterwards is certainly a handful and who has been diagnosed with mouth cancer. 

As disaster strikes the family Violet rallies round the family members to return to the family home. First is her sister Mattie Fae (Margo Martindale) and her husband Charles (Chris Cooper), next is the youngest daughter Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) the quiet single one. Barbara (Julia Roberts) the oldest arrives with her husband Bill (Ewan McGregor) and her teenage daughter Jean (Abigail Breslin). Finally middle daughter Karen (Juliette Lewis) arrives with her new fiancée Steve (Dermot Mulroney). 

Finally all assembled at the family home they all soon enough start tearing into each other, Violet lets her family know what she really thinks of everyone and lets her bitter tongue do it's work. With Barbara and Bill's seperation revealed to the whole family she is in the firing line of Violet's vicious words. As a late running Little Charles (Benedict Cumberbatch) arrives revelations are soon revealed as to who he is seeing and also the shock of his real father. The sisters sit down together at last and talk and the truth finally comes out as they open up for the first time and what they think of each other.

The family itself all turn on each other, reminiscing of old times and how each sister is so closed and apart you see the fraught situations life can throw at you. The family you see on screen is how not to be as a family in real life, people cope with life in many different ways and this family on screen does everything the wrong way. 

It has to be said Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are seriously impressive as they are both stripped right back to just dialogue filled scenes. Streep as Violet the bitter and opinionated mother matriarch is on top form and plays the drugged up mother perfectly. Of course the scenes where we see Streep and Roberts together are just perfect as they both bounce off each other certainly are able to bring out their characters with ease. 

A film that doesn't have all the big budget effects or seat gripping thrills but what it does have is dialogue filled to the point drama and with such a big named cast they pull it off. If anything this for me has to be one of Streep's best films since The Iron Lady and is Roberts best film in years as she is taken back to basics of just acting and dialogue. For anyone who enjoys a good dialogue filled drama with top performances from top actors showing off their raw acting talent then go watch it as you'll thoroughly enjoy it. 

8/10.

The Wolf Of Wall Street!!!!

The Wolf Of Wall Street.

All people needed to say to me was Scorsese and Leo and I was hooked and bought into whatever film they were making as to me their partnership is incredible and they work so well together. This being their fifth partnership it was to be of a rather over indulgent and at times shocking storyline about the life of Jordan Belfort.

Starting out life with high ambitions, Belfort (DiCaprio) arrives on Wall Street to start his life as a Stockbroker and make his fortune and become a successful millionaire. Finally landing a job he meets Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey) a man who's been on Wall Street for years and teaches him his ways and how to survive with a few added tricks. Deciding to go work for a small company headed up by Dwayne (Spike Jonze) he starts selling penny stocks to high rise rich fat cats and soon enough sets up his own company Stratton Oakmont. 

With his new found friend and business partner in the form of Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) the pair soon enough became a massive success, an article calling Belfort the "wolf of wall street" circulates and young financiers are soon wanting to work for him. With lavish partys, orgies on business planes, cocaine being snorted, drugs being taken and all round debauchery they live a high lifestyle. Jordan soon enough divorces his first wife Teresa (Cristin Miloti) and meets a beautiful blonde in the form of Naomi Lapaglia (Margot Robbie) with whom he soon enough marries.

As their thirst for money intensifies they secure the IPO and selling of stocks of the footwear company Steve Madden and make millions from this. With the FBI soon on their tail and investigating Stratton Oakmont for their dodgy supposed dealings Jordan is soon spiralling out of control and needs to make a drastic change. Finally being arrested and having to work in co-operation with the FBI it's the realisation and outcome he was certainly not expecting.

I have to say the film for me at times was abit too overly excessive, the constant drug taking, sex, lavish party's and money dealings didn't feel too real and overly comedic. With lines like "you do work for me you have my money strapped to your boobs" it just didn't resonate to me and felt it was trying to be overly funny. I have to say this is one of if the funniest black comedy films that Scorsese has done in the career and it is a territory he may step into again, who knows. 

DiCaprio and especially Hill are for me really impressive in their roles as Belfort and Azoff, the friendship and relationship they have works well on screen. Robbie who plays Naomi is a great addition and it clearly shows that she has a long and successful career in films as she plays her with such ease and confidence. Their are of course alot of other actors who make the cast what it is and really bring the story perfectly to life. 

A film in my eyes that although at times overly funny and comedis does indeed easily stand alongside Scorsese's other great films Raging Bull and Taxi Driver and it shows DiCaprio's relationship with the director is going from strength to strength. For any fans who want to see a cross between American Psycho and The Great Gatsby with a massive huge serving of black comedy then definitely go see it oh and get comfortable as it's three hours long but you'll love every minute.

8/10.

Delivery Man!!!!

Delivery Man.

I have to admit this was an odd choice of film for me mainly because I don't tend to see comedy films at the cinema not unless I've heard great reviews. But going into this film I went in with open eyes and didn't have a single expectation or prior knowledge about the film with only what I had heard from other people who enjoyed it.

Delivery Man sees the main character David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) living his life day to day as a meat truck delivery man for his fathers butcher shop. Soon enough his past comes back to haunt him as a lawyer turns up from a sperm bank saying a mixup at the clinic states he is the biological father to 533 children and 142 of them want him named.

With a lawsuit on his hands in which he would be named as the father he enlists his out of practice friend Brett (Chris Pratt) to help him with his case. Given a folder of photos of some of his kids he sets out to see them but instead ends up helping each of them with a random act of kindness. Slowly seeing them over time and learning about their lives and also learning to love them as his own kids he has a moral dilemma and needs to work out what to do next.

Vaughn is of course his usual self and what you expect from him is what you get, funny quips about fatherhood and his usual style of humour are all here to see. The storyline is a nice one as it flows along quite well being a straight forward feel of a film with no added frills or tricks. It is at times a very funny film as simple things like falling off a diving board gets alot of laughs, Vaughn is of course in his own comfort zone and he does it well. 

Obviously the film is too generic for me it has the usual themes we have seen a thousand times before, funny it may be it didn't interest me too much. But it did entertain me, this being the key thing it is clearly a film to just sit and have on in the background and even if you miss a part you know what the ending will be.

For fans of any of Vaughn's previous films will love this and for anyone who likes a comedy that has a heart and something to entertain you as well.

6/10.

All Is Lost!!!!

All Is Lost.

One un-named older gentleman (Robert Redford) on screen on a boat and going through bad situation after bad situation. Not being able to catch a break it's constant disaster and his fight for survival is intensified, fighting the natural elements of the sea you see him go through the motions. 

Their is not alot else I can say to explain what the movie is about because that is just about it as to the premise of the film, eight lines of dialogue throughout the whole film it's at times intense. After crashing into a shipping container left in the sea a massive hole is made into the side of his sailing boat. Patching the whole up he carries on as usual and carries on with his journey, storms soon rage and he is fighting the weather. 

It is a fight for survival and you really do fight for him, wanting him to survive and holding your breath as he's dragged under water your with him the whole time. You have to admit that what he goes through on screen he must just have the worst luck in the entire world and their is no let up at all.

The one thing that makes this film so impressive is how basic it is but how well acted it is, Redford is on top form and he is the perfect aged man for this film. It's his expressions and his movement that really show off his acting ability and his ability to play the character with such ease. With no knowledge about his past or anything you make up your own mind about him, I went for divorced man wanting to get away from the normal world and escape on his own for a while. Nothing phases him as he takes everything on with determination and adapts to his situation with ease.

For me this film is up their with Gravity and in alot of ways is like Gravity as well, it is at times intense and a film that effects your senses and makes you feel for the character. The scenes of storms and the boat being capsized are real and you see as the film goes on that he starts to look tired and worn out, screams for help are raspy as the dehydration effects his throat. 

Every detail with this film has been thought about, with a career defining performance from Redford it lets him utilise and shine using his own physical acting on screen. With sound and visuals of storms and throwing pretty much everything at him you see and hear what he's going through. An impressive film that will be a standout film for Redford and also the film world as well.

10/10.

Top Ten Movies of 2013!!!!

Top 10 Movies of 2013!!!!

So let me back track just a little bit to New Years Eve 2012 where I said I'd see as many films as possible in 2013 and review them all as well. Well I have kind of succeeded in this task, I have seen in total as of last year 66 films at the cinema. I have reviewed around 62 of those films with just four more reviews to finish off. 

It has been a great year for film and I know I could list so many other films I wanted to see but either couldn't find a cinema close enough to see or just didn't have time. I've seen massive epic special effect films like Gravity, Thor: The Dark World, Pacific Rim, The Wolverine and I have seen quirky impressive independent films like Short Term 12, Drinking Buddies, Ain't Them Bodies Saint's, You're Next and many many more. 

So out of the 66 films I have seen this year which ones have made my top ten. Well I have decided to just list the films and not put them in 1-10 order as they're all impressive films in their own way. 

So here goes:

Stoker: What was to be Park Chan-Wook's (director of Oldboy) first English spoken film in my eyes is a cinematic masterclass. The story of a family torn apart by the death of a father and the arrival of a mysterious uncle who has an interest in the daughter. Subtle hints of a different underlying theme was clever and made the film one to really think and talk about. Scenes that blend together so fluidly and of course the strong yet at times weird performances from Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode make it an impressive film.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brjtL-2kE9A

Zero Dark Thirty: A film that touched upon one of the many hailed triumphs for the United States of America, the hunting down and killing of Osama Bin Laden the then most wanted terrorist in the world. Set in Pakistan it shows the story of agent Maya who works tirelessly for years to track him down. Fast paced scenes of chases and information coming in it shows the meticulous intelligence work that the agents go through day by day. Bomb attacks and random shootings show how dangerous Pakistan can be and what can happen when the agents get deeper and deeper into the terrorists world. Juxtaposing for the last quarter the film it slows right down, a single night vision view is shown as your right in the thick of the siege on the compound. In my eyes it is one of 2013's biggest successes and a well deserved Oscar/BAFTA Nomination for Jessica Chastain's portrayal of Maya.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxC_JNz5Vbg

Short Term 12: This has to be one film this year that really took me by surprise and really did hit me emotionally as it is an exquisite film. The story of a foster home called Short Term 12 it shows a place for troubled teens looked after by Grace (Brie Larson) and her boyfriend Mason. Focusing on two particular teens Jayden a self harmer who respects no-one and Marcus who is just  turning 18 and ready to leave the foster home. Three scenes in particular with Marcus and Jayden will hit you right in the stomach and in an instant raise your spirits right back up. Strong performances by Brie Larson, Keith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Dever make it an impressive film and bring out characters you really feel for and go along with on their individual emotional journeys.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QxAYxNRgs

Gravity: Visually stunning, amazing, incredible, their are so many words to describe this film, four and a half years in the making Alfonso Cuaron and his son Juan have made an unforgetable film. As the Hubble Telescope is hit by flying debris Ryan (Sandra Bullock) and Matt (George Clooney) are hurtled into outerspace and are thrown into the darkness. Both of them try to survive and make it back to Earth but at what cost?. The film is in my eyes amazing, it disorientates, makes you breath fast and at times causes motion sickness which is something you don't get from other films. I have to mention the special effects as when you watch it you think it's real documentary footage but it's not, an incredible film everyone should go and see and in 3D.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTiKOy59o4

  

Nebraska: The latest film from director Alexander Payne and it sees the most simplest and yet endearing stories to hit the screen this year. An ageing man with onset dementia Woddy Grant (Bruce Dern) receives a scam letter in the post saying he has won a million dollars and needs to go to Lincoln, Nebraska to receiver his winnings. Constantly picked up by the police who spot him walking along the main roads his son David (Will Forte) soon enough caves in and decides to drive him to Nebraska. Diverting to their hometown of Hawthorne you see how his close family including his brothers and his old friends treat him when they learn he has a million dollars. It's the warm sentiment, little quips and reactions of the characters that make you laugh so much. Another great film from Payne it will no doubt see Bruce Dern, June Squibb and Payne nominated for multiple awards come awards season.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT5tqPojMtg

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty: A late entry to the list and still in cinemas this film really made me smile and just sucked me right into the film. Directed and starring Ben Stiller I wasn't too keen at first but this is a more serious role for Stiller and he really impressed me. Walter Mitty is a man who lives a normal life but zones out and imagines things that could happen inside his head. Threatened with losing his job and having to find photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) for the photo for the last copy of LIFE magazine Walter goes off on an adventure. Walter soon learns to live his life to the full and stop living inside his head, doing things he would never usually do he gains the confidence he has always wanted. Stiller is perfect as a more serious actor and certainly impresses behind the camera as a director. A warm, life affirming and entertaining film for all the daydreamers of the world.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Xk-yTuFEU

You're Next: Now some people will be confused as to why I have put this into my top ten and my reasons are quite valid. Advertised as a horror, home invasion film it shows a family being picked off one by one by masked invaders. But the film has a brilliant little twist to it which surprised me and definitely made the film alot more interesting. As a lone girl fights back she turns out to be the saving grace for the family and their only way to survive. To be honest I found the film to be a really black comedy film as the way in which people are killed had me in pieces with laughter and I'm not saying I have a twisted sense of humour. For anyone who likes the home invasion, threat style film with a lone blonde girl fighting back and want a big laugh then check it out.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufUQWpEkbf0

Pacific Rim: I have to admit I am biased at times when it comes to films and for me this is in my top ten because I am a massive Guillermo Del Toro fan. His first directorial film in almost five years it has him return in fine form with a giant robot VS Kaiju monster film. With earth under threat the jaeger program is formed to defend the world against the giant monster invaders. Raleigh and Mako drift to pilot Gypsy Danger and fight back for one last time to rid the world of the Kaiju monsters. I followed this film through production photos leading up to its release and to see GDT back on fine form with this style of film made me smile immensely. Looking at the making of book with the artwork and the meticulous design that went into the film really made the film stand out for me. A giant monster VS giant robot film directed by a giant director and artist in the fantasy film genre.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5guMumPFBag

The Way Way Back: This was a hard film to choose as I wanted a comedy that really stood out and I have seen many comedys this year that have impressed. None more so than this one, Duncan a young boy dragged along to his mothers boyfriends holiday retreat he is out of place and has no friends at all. Finding by accident the local water park he gets himself a job and soon enough he starts to have fun and enjoy himself. Having to contend with the ups and downs of his mothers relationship and also having to learn to grow himself he learns alot about life and what to get out of it. The film is written, directed and also stars Nat Faxon and Jim Rash who bring out the funniest parts of the characters but also leave the charm in their to see as well. A really funny film that has a big massive heart in the middle of it and lets people know that life is what you make it and to not let anyone drag you down. Out on DVD now and in shops to buy for anyone who likes The Descendants, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine then check this film out NOW.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwNo1i3jkCo

Ain't Them Bodies Saints: A Bonnie and Clydeesque film that for me brought in the styles and workings of many other impressive directors. Set in southern USA you follow the story of a outlaw couple who survive by stealing and hiding out in an abandoned house. As they both give themselves up in a shoot out at the house he goes to jail and she ends up alone in a house and has to bring up their unborn first child. As he breaks out of jail and goes on the run the film turns its attentions to her relationship with the local police officer who takes a liking to her but will this happiness last?. The film for me is a triumph as the cinematography and visual imagery in the scenes is very Terrence Malick it has that use of light and beauty that is brought out on screen and makes it staggering to watch. Also the use of sound be it the long silence or the sound of crickets in the background it just transports you right into the heart of Texas. A visual treat that has strong performances from Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck and yet has the substance script wise to bring a lost souls style sentiment.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga0c0v-stK0

So this is my top ten list of films for 2013 and I hope anyone who reads this has either seen a few of them or at least goes out and watches them at some point. I wanted to create a list that is diverse and doesn't have the obvious films you would expect. 2014 is turning out to be yet another big year in film and with awards season starting up quite soon it will be interesting to see who takes what award this year. So for you all I hope you had a great film filled 2013 and have an awesome time this year in 2014 for yet more great films to come. 

American Hustle!!!!

American Hustle.

The latest film from successful director David O. Russell and we are transported to the heart of a 1978 FBI ABSCAM operation. The first thing you see on screen is Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) arranging his hair, glueing his wig and folding over his comb over awaiting a meeting with a mayor in order to pay him off. Backtrack and we see the whole story of how Irving meets his partner in crime Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), the attraction between the two, the eventual scam they concoct and the people in which they con are all shown.

Eventually seeing Irving's other woman in his life, his wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) and his son Danny you see that he not only cons people out of their money he also cons his loved ones. Finally caught by the FBI's Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) they both decide to work with the FBI to get a reduced prison sentence in return for bringing in four more people. 

As Richie, Irving and Sydney get more and more determined the scams starts to get more and more rediculous and complicated. Deciding to bring down Mayor Carmine (Jeremy Renner) Irving uses his charm and wit to warm the mayor round to investing a fake Sheikh's money into improving New Jersey. With mob bosses getting involved (played by a well known mob actor) things spiral out of control and Richie becomes more manic in bringing senators to judges down by filming them being bribed by money on hidden camera.

With Rosalyn becoming more reckless with who she speaks to and Irving not being able to control her his world suddenly becomes alot bleaker and darker and he has to find a way out and fast. 

For a film that has an all star cast it is impressive, O. Russell taking Amy Adams and Christian Bale from his previous film The Fighter and Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence from Silver Linings Playbook he plays it safe with who he chooses for his cast. Of course the performances are great, Lawrence again on fine form as an out of control, crazy cooped up housewife. Bale and Adams I feel are just too heartless and show not alot on screen for me to warm to them, Cooper is intelligent on screen and brings a more comedic flashes to the film. 

I have to of course talk about the style and look of the film as well, set pieces are seriously impressive as your transported right to the heart of the late 70's. Music of course plays a key factor and scenes in clubs and bars just brings that element of nostalgia to the screen that will have older audiences laughing and smiling. 

This for me was a surprising choice for director David O. Russell as his previous films have had a human beating heart in the middle of it, Th Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook have that emotional connection with audiences this I felt didn't. 

For anyone wanting a information packed 70-80's throwback film with some strong performances then check this film out.

8/10.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

I have to admit I wasn't one of the people who at first got the whole appeal when it came to the first Anchorman film, I didn't and I'm not the biggest Will Ferrell fan either. But I did find the first film really funny when I did get round to watching it and so I was interested to see where the characters were now and what they could get up to. 

Following on from the first film we see Ron Burgundy presenting with his wife Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), fired because of incompetence and stupidity Ron  is soon enough a down and out. Struggling to make a living, being fired from Sea World and with the original news team now split up they all have their own lives. Ron (Will Ferrell) is jobless, Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) is the top cat photographer, Champ Kind (David Koechner) owns a chicken restaraunt and Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) is dead but not really dead. 

Recruited by a new 24 hour news channel GNN (Global News Network) the newsteam start off at the bottom again doing the midnight shift. Deciding to show people what they want to watch instead of what they need to watch the news team are a massive success and are soon enough back on top. 

The film in my eyes takes a stupid turn and it goes off into ridiculous territory, going blind, nursing a shark called Doby and finally a celebrity packed final showdown of various other news anchors it becomes stupid. I have to say to me it felt more of a Brick film, the best and most funniest scenes are the ones where he is on screen and especially his relationship with Chani (Kristen Wiig). Both of them bring forward the at times strange, demented yet funny characters that steal the whole film and would have been better with just those two. 

The storyline for me was just too flaky and it wasn't linear enough, a feeling that their must have been ALOT of footage filmed for the movie and only the best was kept and alot of fat was trimmed off. Ferrell is of course great as Burgundy but lines like "by the beard of Zeus" and many others we have seen before from the first film and feels stale. For any devout Anchorman fans they will love seeing their fave characters back on screen but for me it just felt all too seen it before and not enough original material. No doubt we'll see an Anchorman 3 and maybe a 4th but lets hope some new material is brought in.

5/10.