Mr Peabody & Sherman Review
The Plot:
The world’s smartest dog Mr Peabody takes his adopted human son Sherman on adventures throughout history in his time machine the WABAC. But after Sherman gets into trouble at school an ill-advised trip with his classmate Penny finds the unlikely pair trapped in a race to repair history and save the future.
The Good:
The Lion King Director Rob Minkoff struggled for nearly a decade to bring cult cartoon heroes Mr Peabody & Sherman back to life on the big screen. The character originally featured as a memorable part of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show in the 1960s. The unorthodox duo of a genius talking dog and his adoptive son remains a clever piece of role reversal. Subverting both the classic boy and his dog relationship and throwing up obvious parallels with the evolving definition of the modern family unit.
Appropriately, ‘Modern Family’ star Ty Burrell provides Mr Peabody with a voice that oozes a well-judged mix of erudite confidence and sincere affection. Peabody could easily have been a smug professor stereotype but as a talking dog and doting parent he exudes a bow tie clad charm instead. In particular his calm kind hearted tone allows the film to slip in a lot of educational content without off-putting a younger audience.
Mr Peabody is instrumental in setting the comedic tone of the film, inventing as many silly puns as he does ingenious contraptions or plans. The chemistry between him and his clueless young protégé Sherman is right at the heart of the film and works effectively throughout. Relative newcomer, 10 year old Max Charles, gives Sherman endearing legitimately child-like qualities and spars well with Mr Peabody.
Though the film isn’t above slapstick aimed at grabbing easy laughs from a young audience, it never forgets that beside every child watching will be an accompanying adult. For example it quickly follows jokes about Greek warriors being smelly with a decidedly more adult themed reference to Oedipus.
The historical periods and characters the story introduces are predictable but none the less; play fondly with familiar historical stereotypes and well-established clichés. It’s perhaps understandable that aiming for a young audience the adventure stays conveniently away from any sensitive or remote historical eras.
The Bad:
DreamWorks has never truly equalled the photo realistic CGI magnificence of rivals Pixar and yet again delivers a style of animation which is more obviously cartoonish. Perhaps this time it is part of a deliberate visual choice to stick visually closer to the original cartoon. However it still skews towards a younger audience an may leave older kids feeling a little more self-conscious than they would be settling down to watch The Incredibles or Up.
Whilst the film is generally kind hearted, Sherman’s bullying classmate Penny certainly isn’t. Though she inevitably softens as the film progresses and obviously serves as a catalyst for the story, her presence does distract at times from the more interesting dynamic between Peabody and Sherman. The film perhaps also does too good a job of establishing her as an obnoxious bully early on, leaving her a little irritating for much of the film.
Although the films premise features a few unique elements, in truth the appearance of historical figures like King Tut, George Washington, Marie Antoinette and Leonardo Da Vinci is hardly a huge surprise. It certainly won’t be the first time you’ve seen Da Vinci pop up in a children’s movie as a scatter-brained Italian inventor.
Likewise, the film’s final act feels a little like an obligatory blockbuster climax. The film toys with the idea of making unconventional choices and veering off into more offbeat territory, but ultimately comes back to wrapping everything up in predictably neat conclusions.
The Ugly Truth:
With Mr Peabody and Sherman, DreamWorks delivers another mostly satisfying animated effort. It’s a good natured history lesson for young audiences kept entertaining by the obvious charms of a talking dog and a superb supporting voice cast.
Dallas Buyers Club Review
The Plot:
Matthew McConaughey delivers an award worthy performance in the inspiring true story of Ron Woodroof, an AIDS sufferer who desperately tries to help not only himself but others in his situation by obtaining ‘unapproved’ lifesaving medication, by any means possible.
The Good:
Much has already been said about Dallas Buyers Club over in America where the film has already been released to so much critical praise that it’s hard to decide where to begin. Having already nabbed two Golden Globes for both Actor and Supporting Actor, as well as six Academy Award nominations, it’s easy to see why. McConaughey brings his best performance yet to the screen as troubled AIDS sufferer Woodroof, finding the perfect balance of mixed emotions. What’s more, he seems to do it with such ease.
As Woodroof is given thirty days to live by the doctors and denied treatment in the form of the new supposed miracle drug, AZT, which is being trialled, he sets out to acquire it any way he can. A plan which works well for a while before bringing him back to square one. Thus prompting him to set out to Mexico to get better treatment. After experiencing the positive affects his new drugs give, Woodroof then begins a business supplying a better medicine to other AIDS sufferers at a better price with his partner in crime, Rayon, played by the superb Jared Leto.
It is hard to believe that McConaughey can be outshone in this. That is until Leto is introduced. The character of Rayon is so unlike anything Leto has ever done, both in physical appearance and characteristics. He immerses himself in his character so much he even donned the makeup and dress before he was confirmed to play the attention-grabbing transsexual. For Rayon is indeed attention-grabbing. Holding up each scene he appears in just as much as McConaughay that it’s often hard to decide who deserves more praise.
The Bad:
Although McConaughey and Leto are the shining stars in this thought provoking drama (and deservedly so), this does leave the supporting cast, mainly Jennifer Garner, to be left struggling in their shadow. This is a shame as Garner proves just as worthy of attention if only she’d had more to do. Her scenes although few compared to that of her two co stars are just as powerful. As is the story of her character, a doctor struggling to accept the terms of her job in having to deny people like Woodroof they medication they so desperately need. For a drama that is nearly two hours long it would have done some good to increase her role by a few more scenes.
The Ugly Truth:
With a powerful story which touches upon many different important subjects, Dallas Buyers Club undeniably deserves all the attention it can get. Even with the slight dismissal of Jennifer Garner’s character, the film still manages to send a clear message.
Dallas Buyers Club is released in cinemas Nationwide on 7th February. Check out our red carpet video interviews below form the film’s London Premiere:
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit Review
The Plot:
Rebooting Tom Clancy’s iconic espionage hero, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit shows how a young former marine is brought into the ranks of the American CIA, becoming a gifted analyst. But when his work uncovers an international terrorist conspiracy he’s thrown into the middle of life or death action in a race to thwart a devastating attack.
The Good:
Leading man Chris Pine becomes the 4th actor to play Jack Ryan on screen; following in the footsteps of Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck. Whilst lacking the gruff screen presence of Ford, Pine does at least match the clean cut good looks of the actors who have played a younger Ryan. Advantageously the film is the first to truly give the character a detailed back-story on screen.
Kevin Costner has been enjoying a welcomed career resurgence in recent years and continues to re-establish himself as a credible character actor with a solid performance here as Ryan’s CIA boss/recruiter. Costner’s leading man days may be over thanks to passing time and some box office blunders, but his soft spoken intensity and quiet charisma still lends a lot of presence to the screen.
Likewise, Director Kenneth Branagh does a decent job of also playing lead villain Viktor Cherevin. He at least manages to keep his thick accent from becoming an embarrassing cliché, even though in most other respects he is a rather stereotypical Russian bad guy. Namely a womanizing alcoholic determined to avenge mother Russia thanks to cold war bitterness. At least Branagh manages a few moments of menace and resists the urge to ham things up too badly.
The Bad:
In Clancy’s original books and the previous big screen adventures Jack Ryan has never truly been a super-spy in the mold of James Bond, Ethan Hunt or Jason Bourne. Although this new film clearly aims to push the character towards being a more credible action hero, it falls short of giving him that kind of screen presence. Without gadgets, martial arts moves and one liners he lacks that invincible aura. In truth Ryan remains just a smart guy who occasionally has to run towards or away from trouble.
Keira Knightly has as many fierce critics as she does fans. She’s certainly not helped by the fact that her role as Jack’s earnest doctor fiancé only gives her two dimensions and occasionally awkward dialogue to work with. She’s an obligatory love interest who seems to exist solely as an occasional plot device. Predictably she goes from implausibly helping CIA missions to being a damsel in distress in a matter of minutes. In truth the film may have been a stronger origin story without her presence.
The film’s biggest problem is that while it’s terrorist attacks and financial crisis themed plot might be timely; it’s not quite as clever as it could or should be. Having Chris Pine briefly explain how stock markets work can’t disguise how transparent it is very early on that the ‘Crazy Russians’ are up to something. Even for a lazy audience most major plot points feel easily foreseeable, almost as if the film lacks the confidence to be overly complex.
The Ugly Truth:
Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit is a watchable action thriller that does a competent job of slightly revamping the character for a new generation. It succeeds far more in this respect than Ben Affleck’s failed attempt to do so in The Sum Of All Fears. However it’s unlikely to spawn a successful new franchise without a more sophisticated plot for any potential sequel.
The Wolf Of Wall Street Review
The Plot
The shocking and explicit true story of Jordan Belfort based on the bestselling autobiography of the infamous Wall Street figure. Following the rise and fall of his financial empire, fuelled by drugs, ambition and unashamed greed.
The Good
Leonardo DiCaprio is the perfect personification of Jordan Belfort as a slick talking, slick haired ruthless conman. DiCaprio does a magnificent job at playing the notorious Wall Street Tycoon from his sneering impassioned best to the worst moments of drug addled despair and idiocy. It’s a character which serves as a comfortable combination of DiCaprio’s past roles in Catch Me If You Can and The Great Gatsby; making the most of his smart suited charm and flare for simmering frantic intensity.
Jonah Hill goes a long way towards achieving his self-professed goal of establishing himself as a credible acting talent with an Oscar nominated supporting turn as Belfort’s buck toothed sidekick Donnie. Without Leo’s handsome charms he’s a laughable foul mouthed ball of blubber and bad ideas. He’s responsible for many of the films most depraved and memorably comedic moments.
The Wolf of Wall Street is another visceral masterpiece from Martin Scorsese, taking its place proudly alongside past efforts like Goodfellas and The Deprated. Like many Scorsese films The Wolf of Wall Street is a sprawling tale of the corrupting effect of drugs, sex, money and power. It’s a guilty pleasure of monstrous proportions. Allowing audiences to vicariously enjoy the lurid thrills of unlimited wealth, namely every form of sexual perversion and substance abuse known to the depraved and the powerful.
In the hands of a less competent director it would have been easy for these flashy superficial elements to have overtaken any attempt at genuine storytelling. However Scorsese largely ensures that beneath each degenerate moment there’s an actual story worth paying attention to.
The Bad
Less enthusiastic critics have been quick to point out the lengthy 3hr run time for Scorsese’s sprawling biopic. Whilst it may have been possible to prune away certain moments of debauchery overall the film does a good job of justifying 180 minutes of visceral storytelling. The film rarely sags or fails to hold an audiences interest with its slick and sordid tale.
Another criticism predictably aimed at the film is that it irresponsibly glamourizes the amoral and often criminal actions of a shameless self-promoting con artist. However amongst all the casual nudity, dizzying drug use and obscene financial excess there’s a constant reminder that this is at heart a cautionary tale not a blueprint for successful living. Exploiting the inherent entertainment of watching flamboyant characters self-destruct isn’t the same thing as endorsing or condoning their painfully ill-advised misadventures.
Don’t let a glossy leading man and trailers which downplay the consequences of the ‘endless party’, mislead you about the film’s true intentions.
The Ugly Truth
Predictably attracting both acclaim and controversy The Wolf of Wall Street is a wild sneering portrait of one man’s joyous self-destruction and the deeply broken financial system that let him get away with so much for so long. Star turns from Dicaprio and Hill inject some degenerate glamour and guilty laughs into a tragically inevitable tale of disaster and ruined lives.
Last Vegas Review
The Plot:
Four childhood friends take a break from their daily lives after 60 years of friendship to throw an unlikely bachelor party in Las Vegas for the last among them to finally settle down. Determinedly they set out to prove that senior citizens can be just as wildly irresponsible and adventurous as the young party goers that inevitably surround them.
The Good:
Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Kevin Kline and Morgan Freeman are four astonishing actors who still have considerable screen presence, despite perhaps passing their performing peak. Gathered together for the first time they pool their considerable collective charisma to make material more watchable than it has any real right to be.
Michael Douglas is a world weary ladies’ man, Kevin Kline is a wry pensioner, De Niro is a charmingly cantankerous sour puss and Morgan Freeman is a wise-cracking geriatric fire-cracker. Giving the film unlikely credit, it’s actually perhaps the perfect example of art imitating life.
Mary Steenburgen adds some welcome feminine charm as the easy going Jazz singer who helps keep the misbehaving gang out of too much trouble. Her presence and the resulting love triangle at least add variety by interrupting proceedings with some actual emotions and plot.
The Bad:
As entirely expected, the film boasts a largely uninspired collection of regrettably clichéd jokes about old age. It’s an easy comedic target and the film unashamedly hits it over and over again, with mostly disappointing results. Lazy references to Viagra, early bed times and a complete ignorance of modern culture and technology fail to offer many genuine laughs.
The film offers a half-hearted attempt at adding some poignant subtext about love, friendship and the actual challenges of growing old. However, those occasional moments of melancholy and melodrama sit a little uncomfortably amongst the endless attempt at cheap laughs.
The Ugly Truth:
Last Vegas manages the occasional laugh but mostly falls flat. It’s only really watchable for its unlikely collection of star power. Morgan Freeman possibly steals the show slightly among an aging A-list cast clearly working hard to make something worthwhile out of a fairly forgettable situation.