A New York Winter’s Tale Review
The Plot:
A good hearted burglar strikes up an unlikely and miraculous romance with a beautiful heiress in New York in 1914, but a demonic gangster and the devil himself are determined to put a stop to their love. However, a hundred years later their love continues to change the world and inspire genuine miracles.
The Good:
Downtown Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay has a luminous aristocratic beauty and delicate dramatic delivery that fits perfectly with the role of a terminally ill heiress. The young actress works hard to carry the demanding responsibility of both narrating the film and serving as it’s most ethereal figure. Her charms help soften some of the film’s more awkward and heavy handed dialogue at the very least.
Colin Farrell plays comfortably to type as a roguish orphan thief instantly transformed by the discovery of true love. His handsome face and soft Irish accent go some way to overcoming a questionable haircut and unashamedly fantastical script. He clearly strains to inject actual emotion into an implausible tale burdened with flying cgi horses and religious themed melodramatics.
Russell Crowe also lends a little credibility to far-fetched proceedings by making his demonic gangster Pearly Soames at least effectively menacing. It’s a typically snarling and brutish performance from the bullish Australian actor. Likewise Will Smith proves an unlikely but welcome distraction in a cameo as Lucifer himself.
The film’s most valuable and consistent redeeming feature is actually a memorable musical score from master composer Hans Zimmer. A haunting and elegant soundtrack helps rescue the film from a script that oscillates wildly between randomness and predictability. Giving the film a far more convincing romantic tone and atmosphere than it would otherwise have been capable of. Music is repeatedly the film’s saving grace, pun intended.
The Bad:
Writer Akiva Goldsman has a deeply schizophrenic CV that glitter with great work like a time to kill, a beautiful mind and fringe; but is equally tarnished by being culpable for batman & robin or practical magic. With Winter’s Tale he makes an inauspicious directorial debut, that demonstrates technical ability but lacks a script to match its lush cinematography. In truth the bestselling book which inspires the film fails to transfer its literary magic to screen.
The film struggles often to tread an awkward balance between grounded period drama and outlandish fantasy. Even the characters themselves seem confusingly unaware of just how the film’s more supernatural elements are supposed to integrate into what would have been an otherwise straightforward romantic drama. The film often takes literal and metaphorical leaps into the absurd that ask an awful lot of an audience. Perhaps the original book was able to more delicately integrate the two worlds.
The film has two death scenes which are particularly overplayed and unconvincing. It’s especially unfortunate that the film ironically regards these two embarrassing moments as its most pivotal and profound plot points.
The Ugly Truth:
Winter’s Tale has likeable leads and a wonderful soundtrack, but that can’t entirely disguise a script that fails to be as emotionally profound as it clearly aspires to be.
Check out Red Carpet interviews below from the London Premiere:
Ride Along Review
The Plot:
A computer game obsessed high-school security guard with dreams of being a real life hero spends a day on the streets with a genuinely tough Atlanta cop, in a bid to prove himself worthy of marrying his sister. The mismatched team bicker their way through an adventure that sees them inadvertently caught up in the plans of a mysterious local crime lord.
The Good:
Ice Cube has a stern scowl and surly voice that makes playing a perpetually angry inner-city detective easy work. Likewise comedian Kevin Hart makes the most of his tiny body and big grin to play an overly optimistic wimp. It’s comfortable typecasting for both leads that plays to their respective strengths.
The film never makes the mistake of taking itself seriously and is at its best when acknowledging its own ridiculousness. Ice Cube shooting an occasional bemused expression right down the barrel of the camera is actually more genuinely amusing than much of the scripted comedy. Although Hart deserves some credit for enthusiastically getting shot, beaten and otherwise abused in the search for humiliating laughs.
The film also manages to offer a few familiar faces in supporting roles. The presences of people like John Leguizamo and Lawrence Fishburne adds production value, albeit with limited screen time.
Overall Ride Along occasionally hits its stride with slightly better lines and mostly physical comedy. These flashes of entertainment keep the whole ride just about watchable without ever coming close to being memorable.
The Bad:
Ride Along is heavily reliant on a very simple comedic formula. It’s yet another mismatched buddy comedy, offering a typically contrived excuse for throwing two opposites into the same cop car. Producing mixed results at best it rarely stretches itself beyond a comfort zone that offers few original ideas.
Kevin Hart has a significant American fan base, but to a largely uninitiated international audience he will likely prove an acquired taste. You may find yourself quickly sympathising with Ice Cube’s frustration at Hart’s character’s irritating antics. It’s a performance that blatantly mistakes constant noise and physical ineptitude for likeability or underdog charm. In truth only Hart’s diminutive stature prevents his shrill persona from proving entirely unlikeable.
Ice Cube is undoubtedly well practiced at distributing an endless stream of grumpy one-liners while wearing a permanent frown. However it’s a one note performance that felt better suited for his supporting turn in 21 Jump Street than as one of this film’s joint leads.
The Ugly Truth:
Ride Along is an uncomplicated journey that should mostly please its target audience with a mix of silly slapstick and overly familiar genre clichés. It might not be entirely original, but neither is it ever entirely unwatchable. Existing fans of Ice Cube and Hart may find it more enjoyable than most. However, a recently announced sequel will certainly need to find a lot more to offer a wider audience.
Check out our recent interview with Kevin Hart below talking about his stand up movie, Grudge Match and Ride Along:
The Monuments Men Review
The Plot:
Monuments Men is inspired by the extraordinary but often forgotten true story of the unlikely team of soldiers who battled on the front lines of WWII to rescue the world’s artistic masterpieces from Nazi theft and the devastation of war. Racing behind enemy lines these passionate museum curators and art lovers turned soldiers raced to preserve 1000 years of culture by protecting mankind’s greatest achievements
The Good:
Directed by leading man George Clooney, The Monument’s Men boasts an impressive all-star cast that includes Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, John Goodman and Cate Blanchett. The well-known ensemble deliver predictably accomplished if understated performances, which keep a contemplative script watchable and compelling. Solid supporting work from Hugh Bonneville and Bob Babalan in particular add some sincere heart and humour to a tale of unexpected heroism.
George Clooney balances writing and directing responsibilities with a typically assured on camera performance. Lending his thoughtful gravel voiced charms to the role of group leader for the impassioned ‘Monuments Men’. Clooney’s directing style continues to reflect the well-considered poise that distinguishes him as an actor and permeates many of his performances, including this one.
Though the film never delves too deeply into the violent chaos of war, it dose inflict poignant loses on its heroes that injects elements of danger and uncertainty, particularly as the film reaches it’s increasingly urgent climax.
Acclaimed composer Alexandre Desplat provides a beautiful soundtrack which is vital in evoking the subtle emotional tone of the film. This music often entirely transforms scenes by providing invaluable depth to the frequent moments of otherwise quiet reflection that frequently punctuates the film.
While the film is neither a hilarious heist flick nor a sweeping war epic, it sits somewhere between those two extremes vaguely in the spirit of The Great Escape or The Dirty Dozen. Taking it’s time to tell a story filled with a perhaps surprising amount of optimism.
The Bad:
The Monuments Men suffers under an inevitable weight of critical expectations given its intriguing subject matter and luminous cast.
Those anticipating a jaunty high spirited comedy caper may find the films methodical pace and often muted tone somewhat unsatisfying. Likewise those hoping for a heart-breaking and emotionally charged account of one of the most devastating periods of human history may find the film perhaps lacks the scale and intensity required.
A calculated marketing campaign pitching the film as Ocean’s 11 goes to war, overstates the film’s credentials as a ‘heist’ movie and outright comedy. It misleads audiences even if the actual film itself may not ultimately disappoint them.
The Ugly Truth:
The Monuments Men might lack the awards grabbing showmanship many critics anticipated but it remains an enjoyable and easily watched wartime adventure, filled with a assured performances from a well assembled A-List cast.
Check out video interviews below with the full cast and author of the book which inspired the film:
Robocop Review
The Plot:
In the near future, OmiCorp, the world’s leading weapons manufacturer, sets out to create the first ever man/robot hybrid to protect the streets of America. But things soon go wrong when their test subject, family man Alex Murphy begins to go against the machine inside him. Joel Kinnaman dons the iconic suit in this remake of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 action classic.
The Good:
The film begins the way it intends to carry on, with action exploding from every corner of the screen that will surely make every action fan giggle with glee for the next two hours.
When Alex Murphy is nearly killed in a car bombing he becomes the unwilling guinea pig in OmniCorps lab as he’s wired up and sent out to protect the citizens of Detroit in his new gear. The uniform is rather impressive and perhaps the main event of the film.
Having last graced our cinema screens 11 years ago with Robocop 3, it was only a matter of time before the studios revived the series. Starting with a clean slate, this new entry scraps the classic silver look for Robocop and shows off a new sleek black appearance. It’s perhaps the most superficial and obvious way in which the franchise has been made a little more glossy and contemporary. Borrowing liberally from the visual styles of recent reboots like Tron Legacy and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Night trilogy.
The headlining hero is not the only thing to enjoy in Robocop. A supporting cast of Samuel L Jackson, Michael Keaton and Gary Oldman help explore some interesting questions amongst all the gunfire ad hi-tech mayhem. The film makes a real effort to engage with both political and ethical issues. Samuel L Jackson’s TV flamboyant TV host highlights the insidious dangers of mass media propaganda. Likewise, Gary Oldman’s character actively questions the murky moral implications of OmniCorps latest project.
The Bad:
Although the action comes in bucket loads, the accompanying story could have benefited from a little more depth and attention. Whilst Joshua Zetumer’s script does have a good idea behind it, it does feel predictable and bland at times. The usual corrupt government theme eventually rears its head and sets up the film’s inevitable climax.
Though the film touches on interesting themes, it rarely abandons its preoccupation with a steady barrage of crowd pleasing action, deployed to keep audiences heavily distracted. The film misses out on the chance to create a truly complex and original story by sticking closely to generic action genre expectations.
The Ugly Truth:
When it touches on the ethical and political ramifications of OmniCorps plan, Robocop almost becomes more than just an action blockbuster. However these ideas aren’t expanded as much as they could have been. That said, if you go in wanting two hours of good action you certainly won’t be disappointed.
Robocop is out in cinemas nationwide today. Check out interviews with the cast and director below from the IMAX World Premiere:
The Lego Movie Review
The Plot:
An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be an extraordinary MasterBuilder is recruited to join a quest to stop and evil LEGO tyrant from ridding the known world of imagination using a mysterious ultimate weapon.
The Good:
Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller demonstrated their own extraordinary creative potential with surprise blockbuster hit Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Now armed with an endless toy box of LEGO possibilities the screenwriting duo has delivered a brightly coloured adventure packed with imagination and winning one liners. It’s a perfect fusion of big kid nostalgia and childish wonder.
It helps that the Lego movie has assembled a truly magnificent array of recognisable voices, enthusiastically breathing life into the familiar yellow faced playthings. Will Ferrell is at his maniacal best as sinister Lord Business and Liam Neeson steals the show as his mean faced henchman Bad Cop. Chris Pratt is a likeable chump as accidental hero Emmitt and Elizabeth Banks is his sexy saviour Wyldstyle. Morgan Freeman even lends his god like voice to the wizardly resistance leader Vitruvius.
The film also makes the absolute most of the studios creative properties and LEGO’s numerous franchise partnerships. Will Arnett’s deliciously arrogant LEGO Batman is among an endless array of amusingly random heroes on show. Comedic cameos from Wonder Woman, Dumbledore, Green Lantern, Gandalf, Ninja Turtles, Han Solo and Superman all add a joyous insanity to proceedings.
The LEGO movie benefits from the quick wit and lush visual charm which Lord and Miller evidently know how to deliver. Those dwelling on memories of long hours spent painstakingly assembling LEGO play sets will find the big screen version far more wondrous and action packed then they might expect. The film reimagines the static LEGO universe as a frenzied Technicolor explosion of constant creation and destruction. The film’s animation has a vivid tactile quality quite unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Working with Chris McKay (Robot Chicken) the film’s vast team of animators deliberately created photorealistic 3D animation much closer to stop-motion than the artificial gloss of typical CGI. Individually crafting each of the 15 million bricks used on screen, the filmmakers proudly shunned lazy generic backgrounds and painstakingly created every single frame. The result is near perfect balance of epic cinematic storytelling with playful homemade charm. The animation precisely captures the true spirit of LEGO as both a simple pleasure and something ingeniously complex.
The film delivers children a fairly familiar message about everyone being special in their own way, but it does it in an utterly unique and consistently funny way. It also exploits an interesting conflict between different ways people actually play with LEGO in real life. The tension between those that slavishly follow the instructions and those that prefers to build randomly with reckless whimsy.
The Bad:
There’s very little to criticise with a film that puts together well chosen pieces to make a complete cartoon package. The only slight caution is that more unimaginative grown-ups may find the constant barrage of noise, colour and frantic building block action a little relentless or exhausting. But for anyone with a shred of childhood imagination left in them it shouldn’t be much of a problem.
The Ugly Truth:
Much like Pixar’s masterful Toy Story, The Lego Movie assembles an action packed adventure which builds to a surprisingly poignant emotional climax about what it truly means to play with your toys. Bursting with colour, laughs, imagination and charming vocal performances it’s a must see piece of masterful cartoon creation.