HOT TOPIC: Ched Evans

I generally use this blog to post reviews of films I’ve recently watched but in this post I want to share my thoughts on a topic which is very much hot in the press right now.

So picture this: You’re a Sheffield United supporter, or you support another club, and you go to a game with your kid or younger brother who looks up to footballers as role models, like all children do. He may or may not have any idea what rape is, but it won’t be long before you’re at game and he hears the chants about Ched Evans and asks ‘What did Ched Evans do?’ or ‘Why’s Ched Evans a rapist?’

Somehow, you have to try and explain to your child/brother that what Ched Evans did is terrible is unacceptable on every level, as any parent would (I hope), but then there’s a problem which follows this, how do you explain that it is justified that he is allowed to return to his job like nothing has changed? In the child’s mind, will he not be thinking, ‘Well what he’s done can’t be that bad’ or ‘If I become really good at football it won’t matter what I do, I’ll still be considered a hero’ and continue to look up to him and chant his name? And then the cycle continues for generations…

It’s not just children though, football fans are notoriously fickle. Opinions of players who are hated are changed and forgotten when they start scoring goals and helping their club rise up the table. And Sheffield United fans have already been heard chanting ‘Super Ched Evans!’ Although I’m sure this is just a small group at present, it will only increase and then it will be like nothing ever happened.

What has extremely disappointed me is the support I have seen for Ched Evans, simply saying ‘He’s served his time, of course he can return.’ Well firstly he has actually only served half of his time so that point is even less valid, but let me ask you this; If you were a teacher and you were convicted of rape, would you ever be allowed to teach a class of children ever again? NO. NEVER. If you were leading a team in a company with a number of employees inspiring to reach your level, and served time for rape, would you be reinstated in your role? NO. Will Stuart Hall or Rolf Harris (providing they survive their sentences) ever present on TV again? NO. People have mentioned Mike Tyson but I believe that he shouldn’t have returned.

ANY role in which you are looked up to by others you certainly would not return. Why should it be different for someone who is watched by thousands every week and looked up to by children and aspiring footballers? Don’t even give me the argument of ‘If he was a bin-man or factory worker no one would bat an eyelid.’ These are roles where you’re not considered a role model to a vast amount children and young footballers.

I don’t believe that his footballing career should be completely gone, but he should not be able to return straight after serving half his sentence. He should certainly not ever reach a position where he is of influence.

There is a huge problem in this country with rape culture and this Ched Evans case will only make it worse, if he is allowed back at Bramall Lane. If you look at the comments on Twitter and Facebook posts from the likes of Sky Sports News and BBC Sport, it’s quite worrying. In response to Jessica Ennis’s recent decision to revoke her name from one of the stands at Bramall Lane if Sheffield re-sign him, one guy simply replied ‘What a slut’ which has given him over 50 favourites, and then posted whole host of other misogynistic comments. On top of that, another person has said ‘give the bloke a break – he’s served his time.’

Give the bloke a break? Sorry, give him a break? A convicted rapist who has shown no remorse for his crime and scarred a girl for life and you want people to give him a break? Do people not understand these kinds of comments normalise rape? His return will only normalise it more! It is no wonder that approximately 70% of rapes (probably more) are not reported because they don’t believe the perpetrator will be brought to justice, and when they are, their punishment is not near enough.

It was only a year or two ago I would make jokes about rape with my friends and most likely used the excuse ‘I’m only joking, don’t worry.’ I’m ashamed of myself for this and apologise to those who I may have affected and made to feel uncomfortable. It’s not funny and, how can anyone be sure I’m only joking? I always kept the jokes within a small group and never posted on Twitter (which I’m not condoning), but those tweets above, maybe they’re joking? We don’t know. However, to a rapist, it’s only legitimising their beliefs and actions. Whilst the thought of it has NEVER crossed my mind and never will, other people don’t know that, and may think the opposite. It’s this kind of behaviour which I am seeing more of and it needs to be stopped. I’m not surprised that most women are afraid of being raped. It makes me sick thinking that I could have induced fear into others by these ‘harmless’ jokes.

I think I’ve made myself clear about my view. Allowing Ched Evans to return to his position at Sheffield United will normalise rape and only exacerbate an issue which is already out of hand. A crime like rape is something which should not be forgotten about once you’ve served your time, it should follow you around like a bad odour for the rest of your life, maybe then it will be taken seriously. I’ve changed a lot of the past 6 months or so in terms of my views on feminism (I used to dislike the word due to its association, but it’s so important) and consider myself a feminist. We, and especially men, need to wake up and realise there’s a huge problem with rape culture and it has to be tackled. Doing all we can to not allow Ched Evans to return is one step in the right direction.

REVIEW: Breaking Bad (Spoilers)

This blog contains spoilers for the complete 5 seasons of Breaking Bad, it assumes that you have watched the entire show. Do not read on if you don’t want the show spoiled!

 

Breaking Bad is a compelling, tense and humourous story that tells the tale and transformation of a sweet and humble man who would do anything for his family, to a monster of a man who would do anything for his family. From the moment Walt learns he has terminal cancer and approaches Jesse to be his partner in making meth, you know that’s it’s not going to be an incident-free journey.

Seasons 1 and 2 are the weakest of the show it has to be said. Whilst they are entertaining enough to keep you watching, they lack pace and never really shock you. That desire to binge-watch the episodes, staying up till 2am in the process, isn’t there and it feels a bit slow. Season 1 in particular feels more about the character development and emphasizes Walt’s dedication to his family, notably his son Walter Jr. and unborn daughter. One of the first season’s strongest scenes is when Walt defends Jr. after bullies tease him for his cerebral palsy; a scene in which you cheer for the White family. 

However, Jesse and psychopath drug dealer Tuco are actually the weak points in season 1. Jesse just doesn’t really have any likable qualities at this point, which may have been intended, but for someone who is such an important character he should have something. Tuco is just too extreme is becomes a bit comical at times. Season 1 may have been cut-off early due to the writer’s strike, but it probably wasn’t a bad thing.

Season 2 things start to get going a bit more, new characters are introduced including criminal lawyer Saul who is captivating in every scene, Jesse also becomes much more likable along with his naive friends, and Hector ‘Bellringer’ Salamanca steals the scenes he is involved in. Jesse also falls in love with recovering heroin addict Jane, who is an unlikable character who suffers a gruesome death. Watching her death scene was uncomfortable, but it was actually the strongest scene of the season and most important of the show so far. Watching Walt leave Jane to choke on her own vomit showed how much he transformed and how he was no longer that sweet and humble man we saw in the first few episodes. The messed up thing? It was actually a relief and the first time that you felt as Walt felt.

Season 2 is a strange one though, whilst towards the end of the series the pace does pick up, it still lacks that ‘wow’ factor. Throughout the season, you’re given a lot of ‘flash forwards’ that something major has happened at the White residence and that a big climax is on its way, only in reality at the end it feels the opposite and mildly relevant. The plane crash is of course a major event as it all could have been avoided if Walt had saved Jane, but it just kind of happens and is then forgotten about quite quickly.

Season 3 is where things really start to get going. Skyler learning about Walt’s involvement in the meth business was a scene that wasn’t expected this early on, but it was very well executed. Throughout the season you feel more and more tense about how long it will be till Hank finds ‘Heisenberg’, as well as other parts of the story. Although Walt is naturally the strongest character, Jesse has become much more developed as he deals with the loss of Jane. New players Gustavo Fring and Mike Ehrmantraut are the most notable additions with the former being arguably a stronger character than Jesse.

Mid-season 3 right through the end of season 4 is where the show is at its peak. The pace has picked up and you just know that each episode is significant. That feeling where you have to watch the next episode immediately is there and you may find yourself watching them back-to-back till 2am. There are huge shocks along the way and thanks to characters like Gus and Mike, you’re constantly guessing what is going to happen. Episodes like ‘One Minute’ and ‘Salud’ are standout ones, but the final couple of episodes of season 4 are without a doubt the best of the entire show.

Walt has reached the point now where he is no longer Walter White, he is Heisenberg as he goes to new extremes to ‘win’, most notably poisoning Brock. The reintroduction of Hector is welcomed as part of Heisenberg’s plot to take out Gustavo, which is perfectly executed. The finale to season 4 is that good it almost felt like there didn’t need to be any more seasons following it because you know it’s never going match up to it. Everything was tied together perfectly.

The Final Season didn’t feel essential, but it’s was obvious that it was produced as we had to see the rise and fall of Heisenberg following the death of Gus, and when Hank will find out that Heisenberg is Walt. Season 5 does maintain good pacing throughout as Walt, Jesse and Mike work with a group of burglars to manufacture their meth, but it just lacks something which the previous couple of seasons had. Despite that, it is a terrific final season which draws the show to a satisfying but not perfect close.

There is so much at stake for Walt now as he spirals out of control following his transformation into a ‘monster’. His greed is emphasized throughout the season as the season’s highlight episode ‘Dead Freight’ pictures Walt nearly sacrificing Jesse and Todd for every single drop of the methylamine from the train. There are few reasons to actually like Walt now, especially after shooting Mike, but as a character he is at his best in the final season and carries it throughout. 

The moment that the show had been building up to for the last 4 and half seasons finally came when Hank was looking for reading material in Walt’s bathroom, and it didn’t disappoint following that. It was well thought out that half a season should be dedicated to the fall of Heisenberg. The rage felt by Jesse upon learning that Walt poisoned Brock was in particular well executed. That said, although Todd and his men arriving to Walt’s rescue had an element of deus ex machina about it, that cannot take away the shock and anger felt when the bullet punched through Hank’s head.

The final two episodes did just feel like a chance for Walt to redeem himself to a degree. He’d lost the thing he cared about above everything, his children, and it was upsetting to hear Jr. cry for him to leave him alone and ‘die’. Walt’s final act before his resurgent cancer took him was to get his remaining $9m to his son in some form, and get revenge on those who double-crossed him and took the rest of his money. It did feel a bit formulaic and the final scene was predictable.

The issue with the characters Walt is getting revenge on is that they are all fairly stereotypical and rushed in by the writers, only Todd has something unique about him. It was obvious that the show would end with the death of Walter, but it could have been executed in a less predictable way. Maybe it was because that’s what the fans wanted, to see Walt die in the environment in which he loved, but it might have been more powerful to end in another way e.g. Walter’s funeral. Despite this, season 5 still maintained that ‘shock’ and ‘wow’ factor throughout and it was hard to turn it off.

Breaking Bad has its flaws, as with every TV show, but it really is a fantastic show with a extremely strong lead and magnificent supporting cast. Of the main cast, Skyler is the weakest as her actions are often bizarre and may leave you bewildered, but when you have Jesse, Gus, Hank, Mike, Walter Jr, Maria, Hector et al to enjoy, it makes up for it. 

Bryan Cranston will be remembered for a long time for his portrayal of Walter White as much of Breaking Bad rested on his shoulders, and he didn’t disappoint.

2013 – My Top 5 Films

Another year has passed and 2013 was, in my opinion, not the most exciting or memorable year for cinema. That said, there were still plenty of brilliant films released and in this blog, I’ll take a look at my top 5. Do bare in mind there are still a number of films I am yet to see.

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5. The Place Beyond The Pines

The Place Beyond The Pines

Perhaps a surprise inclusion, ‘The Place Beyond The Pines’ does have its flaws due to it being overly ambitious and let down by a final act, but despite that, it really is a good film. The concepts and theories it explored meant I left the cinema thinking about the film again and again; it really stuck with me. Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper were both terrific, the cinematography was also brilliant and were it not for the story becoming a bit too coincidental in the final act, it probably would have been tipped for Oscars.

4. Rush

Chris Hemsworth in Rush

‘Rush’ may not have been a huge summer blockbuster, though this was not helped by its appeal to only a very niche market, but it is a terrific sports-drama which tells the story of James Hunt and Nicki Lauda’s F1 rivalry in the 70s beautifully. Hunt and Lauda’s highly contrasting personalities but respect for each other are so well captured by Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl respectively; the latter with a chance of an Oscar nod having already received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. ‘Rush’ did well to highlight the glitz and glamour, as well as the dangers, of being an F1 driver and made for a fast-paced and action-packed film. The cinematography is also beautifully executed and everything does have a 70s feel. Despite its run in theatres not being on a massive scale, ‘Rush’ has not gone unnoticed and has received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Drama, and don’t be surprised if it does receive a couple of nominations at this year’s Oscars.

3. Django Unchained

Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained

‘Django Unchained’ strictly speaking was a 2012 release, but it wasn’t released in the UK until mid January so I regard it as a 2013 film. Tarantino managed to create yet another brilliant film, and this time he ventured into the genre of western. Some felt that ‘Inglourious Basterds’ was disappointing and that Tarantino had lost his spark, ‘Django’ has silenced his critics. The duo of freed-slave Django (Jamie Foxx) and bounty hunter Schultz (Christoph Waltz), along with supporting roles from Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson, all help make ‘Django Unchained’ an exciting, funny and unique western.

Tarantino is well known for his imaginative screenplays, intense dialogue scenes and violence, and ‘Django’ did not disappoint. Tarantino received an Oscar for his screenplay and rightly so. What makes Tarantino so good is his faith in long dialogue scenes. He is not afraid to have conversations, altercations and speeches last for longer than your average film as he has faith in his stories and characters, and for this, credit must also go to the actors themselves. ‘Django Unchained’ does not quite match up to ‘Pulp Fiction’, and I don’t think another Tarantino film ever will, but it’s certainly in his top 3.

2. Gravity

Sandra Bullock in Gravity

Contrast to ‘Rush’, ‘Gravity’ was a massive release, coupled with a huge amount of hype. It wowed critics with its stunning visuals and exceptional performance from Sandra Bullock. Some people were disappointed with ‘Gravity’ and felt that it didn’t live up to the hype, and based on what I’ve heard and read, this was down to the plot being too simplistic and there being little in the way of character development. For me, none of this matters for a film like ‘Gravity.’ The film is not about a complex story or character development, it is about being thrown into an unthinkable situation with Bullock and experiencing it with her. ‘Gravity’ won’t win any awards for its screenplay, but it will probably sweep all of the technical awards up for grabs in 2014 and will probably receive some for its direction.

What I liked most about ‘Gravity’ was the camera work used. It seems to be the trend to disorientate the audience through the use of shaky-cam and other frustrating techniques. This may work for some people, but not for me, I hate it. The shots in ‘Gravity’ are all so smooth and it’s never over edited. The opening shot alone lasts for 13 minutes but never bores, it is flawless, and this is consistent throughout. Bullock’s performance has also been highly acclaimed, and rightly so.

Some might argue that ‘Gravity’ is more style over substance, but this is not the case. I personally haven’t found myself as on edge in the cinema since Danny Boyle’s ‘127 Hours’, which in a way is similar to ‘Gravity’.

1. Captain Phillips

Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips

Put simply, everything about ‘Captain Phillips’ is perfect. Tom Hanks reminded us once again of what a sensational actor he is, and Barkhad Abdi showed us what an actor he could go on to be. Both are imperative to the success of ‘Captain Phillips’. The film is emotionally charged, never lacking in pace and terrifically shot. Paul Greengrass avoided exaggerating Captain Phillips’s abilities as he is never represented to be a hero, he is simply the captain of ship who is thrown into an unthinkable situation, and way out of his depth. Whether Greengrass fabricated the truth of the events I cannot say. The film has received a number of nominations at the Golden Globes and is likely to receive a number at the Oscars, where it has a strong chance of winning a few.

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So that’s my top 5 films of 2013. This list was chosen from the following films:

Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Man of Steel, The World’s End, This Is The End, The Conjuring, Prisoners, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

In addition:

Worst film of 2013: Man of Steel

Most Disappointing: Iron Man 3

REVIEW: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

This review may be slightly late, but ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ is still performing well in the box office having grossed over $650million worldwide. Peter Jackson’s first instalment ‘An Unexpected Journey’ was a commercial success, taking over $1billion worldwide, but reviews were mixed and the film received criticism for its pacing and reliance on CGI. ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ is an improvement on its predecessor however some issues are still present.

Martin Freeman in ‘The Desolation of Smaug’

‘The Desolation of Smaug’ (TDOS) picks up from where ‘An Unexpected Journey’ (AUJ) left off with Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) and the dwarves attempting to escape from the chasing Azog and his Orc pack. As they continue their adventure, Gandalf must depart due to an old evil returning leaving Bilbo and the dwarves to continue on their quest to reclaim their homeland from the cunning fire-breathing dragon Smaug. Bilbo begins to find his courage before he is faced with entering the lonely mountain in the hope that he doesn’t encounter Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

One of the biggest improvements on ‘AUJ’ evident in ‘TDOS’ is the pacing. Although it does take a while to get going, once it does, it doesn’t lose it. New characters have been introduced to gather more interest, including ‘Lord of the Rings’ hero Legolas as well as Tauriel, a completely new character, who help add another perspective to the film which is not evident in the book. There is also the fantastic Bard (Luke Evans) who is without a doubt the strongest of the newly introduced characters (non-CGI). He is a hero, arguably a villain, and is exactly the type of character ‘AUJ’ was missing. Undoubtably he will play a huge role in the last of the trilogy and the film will benefit greatly from it.

Another character that has to be praised is Smaug. After all the talk and build up throughout the ‘AUJ’, we finally get to encounter the fire-breathing dragon (which should not come as a spoiler to you, if you’ve seen the trailers). Smaug has been executed almost perfectly. Visually, he looks stunning and speaks brilliantly. Benedict Cumberbatch has not failed in bringing Smaug to life and creating a personality, not just a dragon. Smaug steals the film.

The editing is much tighter and you do get a much greater sense of scale, in terms of the story, from ‘TDOS’. An ‘AUJ’ may have felt so padded because it didn’t ever feel like there was enough happening, or going to happen, to fill three films. ‘TDOS’ does have a lot more going on and does now actually feel like there is a lot at stake for not only the dwarves, but everyone. Despite this, ‘TDOS’ does always feel like the second of a trilogy; everything is being positioned for the big finale, ‘There And Back Again.’

Whilst ‘TDOS’ is an improvement on ‘AUJ’, there are still the same issues evident in this as there were in the first. Firstly, there is still an over-reliance on CGI but unfortunately this is something everyone has to except as Peter Jackson hasn’t exactly hid his preference of CGI over make-up and miniatures; which many don’t agree with. Whilst he can be forgiven for CGI during action sequences, creating characters completely from CGI when they could have been created with the use of effective make-up is wrong. Azog is unimpressive, and Bolg is the same.

In addition, though this may simply be because ‘The Hobbit’ is a light-hearted children’s book, there is still no sense of danger. Why this is such an issue is because it makes getting really immersed into the action near impossible, it makes it quite boring and sometimes laughable; maybe this is what Jackson wants. Comparisons between ‘Lord of the Rings’ (LOTR) and ‘The Hobbit’ shouldn’t be drawn up too often, but in this case it needs to be. With ‘LOTR’, it never felt like anyone was safe from injury or death. This is the opposite with ‘The Hobbit’ and this is down to some over-the-top action sequences. The CGI does play a part in this as highly unrealistic moments take place. ‘LOTR’ did have a few too, but they were still executed much better and never quite as far-fetched.

Despite some flaws still being present in ‘The Desolation of Smaug’, it is a vast improvement on ‘An Unexpected Journey’ and is likely to be bettered by the finale ‘There and Back Again.’ The exaggerated action sequences and overuse of CGI is something we have to accept will be present in the third, but the series now has enough momentum and strong enough characters to carry it through for a satisfying conclusion.

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REVIEW: Captain Phillips

Tom Hanks needs no introduction and will without a doubt go down as one of the greatest actors of all time. With two Academy Awards to his name already, a third could well be on its way after his incredible performance as ‘Captain Phillips’.

Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) is the captain of a Maersk cargo ship which is carrying relief for Somalia, Uganda and Kenya. Phillips and his crew must sail through the Gulf of Aden to Mombasa with the threat of pirates in Somalia waters at large. Led by pirate Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi), a group of Somali pirates succeed in their attempts to board and hijack the ship. Based on true events, ‘Captain Phillips’ is the phenomenal story of Captain Richard Phillips and his crew’s experience from April 2009.

‘Captain Phillips’ is undoubtably one of the most gripping films you will see this year. The pacing is absolutely perfect and, unless you read about it in 2009, are constantly kept on the edge guessing what’s going to happen next. The film doesn’t feel anywhere near its actual duration of 2hours 10minutes and this is mostly down to the intensity and flawless performances from start to finish.

Director Paul Greengrass doesn’t try to represent Phillips as someone he’s not, he is simply a Captain who has been thrown into an unthinkable situation which only helps to engage you more. Whilst Hanks is likely to have praise heaped on him, and deservedly so, film debutant Barkhad Abdi deserves a huge amount of credit as well. His performance is flawless – he is brutal and cunning and never fails to convince you. Abdi should, and probably will, be in the running for a nomination. This is what makes ‘Captain Phillips’ so good, how convincing the performances are, you constantly imagine yourself in the same situation, as both Phillips and Muse, and consider the options you’d have and actions you would make.

Upon leaving the cinema, the film may be over but it will stick with you. In particular, one scene with Hanks is one of the most emotionally charged and breathtaking pieces of acting you will ever see and reminds us all of just how capable he is. This is easily one of Hanks’s finest and most memorable roles.

Cinema in 2013 has been disappointing with few films that have lived long in the memory. ‘Captain Phillips’ will remind you of what an exhilarating experience the cinema can be and will have you falling in love with it all over again. Greengrass has proven that you don’t need dozens of explosions and special effects to produce something not far off a masterpiece.

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REVIEW: Insidious – in 250 Words

Supernatural, haunted house, eerie music, and things that go bump in the night; everyone knows these are some of the elements of a horror film but that’s not to say they can’t still be original. James Wan brings us ‘Insidious’, but does it offer anything new?

Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson

Renai and Josh have recently moved house with their three children. Young Dalton wanders into the attic but falls and is told not to go there again. The next day, Dalton does not wake and doctors say he is in a coma, but cannot explain why. Without giving much away, further supernatural events occur in the house and the usual formalities of a horror film follow.

Truth be told, there’s not really a lot to shout about with ‘Insidious’, although Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson are a terrific and likeable duo. The film takes form with a promising plotline which keeps you guessing, but quickly goes down the safe route as if writer Leigh Whannel didn’t know how to end it.

Despite this, what ‘Insidious’ can be praised for is its ability to build suspense, however what this builds up to only disappoints. The film is at no point scary, it’s fun, entertaining, and sometimes funny. Wan’s reluctance to bombard it with blood and guts is refreshing and shows some ambition, but it falls very short of being memorable.

‘Insidious’ is great for a night in, but don’t come away expecting to feel like you’ll need to be sleeping with the light on.

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REVIEW: The World’s End

Edgar Wright writes (along with Simon Pegg), and directs the final installment of ‘The Cornetto Trilogy’ following the success of rom-zom-com ‘Shaun of the Dead’ and action-comedy ‘Hot Fuzz’. With another brilliant cast, ‘The World’s End’ was certain to deliver.

The 5 musketeers

Gary King (Pegg) was the one who everyone wanted to be in school back in the 80s and had his whole life ahead of him. Unfortunately for him, following leaving school in 1990 and his four friends who he has grown apart from (Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan), things never turned out right for him. 20 years on, Pegg is an alcoholic who has made nothing of his life and reveals his disappointment at failing to complete The Golden Mile, a 12-pub-crawl around Newton Haven where they all grew up. He sees this as an opportunity to reunite with his old friends and finish what they started. After a few pubs, they notice that something is not quite right around the town and discover it has been taken over by robots. King believes that in order to survive, they must complete The Golden Mile by reaching ‘The World’s End’.

Although the film takes a while to get going, it starts delivering when the friends are reunited and they are given time to develop as a group. However, just as you’re beginning to get into the film and it picks up pace, it takes you completely down another route as you find out about the robots. The plot of five friends reuniting to embark on a pub-crawl that they never finished is promising enough for what is ultimately, a comedy. This is where the film starts to get messy.

Although the plot becomes silly and feels like Pegg and Wright were trying to be too clever, it could have still been much more enjoyable if the humour worked but it generally doesn’t. ‘The World’s End’ is funny and does provide some laughs, (in particular when Bill Nighy features), but the jokes never quite ‘hit’ as they’re sometimes a bit too obvious, along with there being a significant amount of slapstick.

What was apparent in the previous two of the trilogy is that Pegg and Frost played likeable characters and the two bounced well off each other. In ‘The World’s End’ there is negative history between the two and there isn’t any energy between them to help carry the film resulting in it stuttering along. King (Pegg) is ultimately an idiot where as Andy (Frost) has become a dull, corporate-obsessed businessman. The two characters just don’t work and it isn’t until later on in the film where you are provided with glimpses of how it could have.

‘The World’s End’ isn’t a bad film at all, it’s fun and enjoyable, but it feels more like an action film rather than a comedy. ‘The World’s End’ is about reliving your past and expecting it to be just as good, only to be disappointed; the same can be said for this film following the previous two of the trilogy.

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REVIEW: Argo – in 250 Words

Widespread acclaim and winner of three of seven Oscar nominations including ‘Best Picture’, ‘Argo’ was one of the biggest hits of 2012. That said, it came with its critics and some have said it’s the worst film to win ‘Best Picture’ since ‘Crash’ in 2005…

Ben Afflect in ‘Argo’

In 1979, Iranians storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran due to Pres. Jimmy Carter’s actions. Over fifty staff are taken hostage, though six escape and are sheltered in the home of Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor. Tony Mendez, working for the CIA, must get them out of Iran before they are captured and the result is ‘Argo’, a fake sci-fi film filmed in Iran with the six escapees being crewmembers.

Affleck has created a film deserving of its accolades with his impressive and passionate direction. Although there are scenes which are over the top and far-fetched, ‘Argo’ lives up to the hype and the run-time feels half of what it is. The drama, pacing and intensity of the film is what makes it all work so well and the performances are flawless. John Goodman and Alan Arkin in particular are terrific and the comedy segments in their scenes work perfectly.

‘Argo’ is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that entertains from start to finish. It has come under fire from some because although it’s based on true events, it’s not historically correct. This is however, Hollywood, and not a history lesson. If you want an immense thriller, you’ll love ‘Argo’, if you want a history lesson, ‘Argo fuck yourself’.

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REVIEW: The Place Beyond The Pines

The Place Beyond The Pines (TPBTP) falls under the genre of crime-drama, however it’s an ambitious film that attempts to cover many more without quite doing so, at least not enough to really satisfy. Despite this, TPBTP has its flaws but is a thought-provoking and enjoyable film.

Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond The Pines

TPBTP boasts an impressive cast of Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Ray Liotta and is directed by Derek Cianfrance. Luke (Gosling) is a motorcycle stunt driver who travels across the country due to the nature of the job but when he returns to Altamont NY, he discovers that he is the father of a son with ex-romance, Romina (Mendes). Luke gives up his stunt job to live in the area and help provide and care for his child, which Romina does not want as she is with another man, Kofi. Luke meets Robin (Ben Mendelsohn), an auto-repair shop owner and works part-time for him but soon Luke and Robin partner together in carrying out hits on banks in the area. Following this, rookie cop Avery is introduced along with corrupt officer Deluca, Avery’s son and Luke’s son when they are older along with other supporting characters. 

There’s not much more that can be said without giving too much away but as you can probably tell from the above synopsis, there’s a lot that goes on. 

The trouble with TPBTP is that it never quite feels like there’s a single narrative to follow and some scenes you can’t be sure if they’re significant or just there for progression. For example, there’s a whole chapter involving Avery and Deluca which seemed, compared to the rest of the film, fairly meaningless and it detracted away from the overriding message that Cianfrance is trying to get across. There are a number of occurrences of this throughout the film which can leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed and you might think, ‘I wonder what happened to these characters’ or ‘So how did this happen’ and so on. 

It can all feel a bit episodic and although the message you’re left with is thought provoking and sticks with you as you try to digest the film, your head can feel a bit bloated, like you’ve received too much information in a short space of time.

TPBTP is split into three different acts. Act 1 is absolutely brilliant, Act 2 is good and Act 3 ok; that is the main problem with TPBTP. Because the first act really is so strong, you find yourself feeling more and more disappointed as the film progresses and never quite achieves the highs of what preceded.

In Act 1, there are some absolutely terrific scenes which are at times funny, emotional and intense. Luke and Robin are a strong pairing and just work so well together in the film. Their scenes are easily the most intense, most engaging and most exciting. Although Gosling is playing pretty much the same character he played in ‘Drive’, he plays it well and you don’t really think of him as ‘The Driver’.

Act 2 and 3 go into territories where everything becomes more predictable and coincidental which contributes to losing focus on the main message of the film. Why is this? Because the more coincidental it becomes, the less believable it becomes. It’s lazy storytelling. On top of this, the characters of Jason and AJ aren’t very likeable and their decisions and actions are questionable. 

Despite the flaws TPBTP has, it’s interesting and engaging and it will be on your mind for a lot more than just a couple of hours after you leave the cinema which is a positive aspect and something that Cainfrance would have wanted to achieve. On top of this, the cinematography really is terrific and in particular the opening scene. Due to this, the film deserves extra credit as you will go to the cinema this year and see films you enjoy, but don’t stick in your mind. TPBTP can be frustrating at times, but it sticks in your memory for the right reasons and that’s what counts. Although Cainfrance’s ambition doesn’t quite come off, it should not be discouraged. 

 

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REVIEW: Silver Linings Playbook – in 250 Words

Oscar winning and widespread acclaim are generally not associated with the genre of romantic comedy, however every now and then one pops up that surprises everyone and surpasses all expectations; ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ is this decade’s ‘As Good As It Gets’.

(L-R) Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

Pat Jr (Bradley Cooper) is released from a mental health facility after eight months of treatment for bipolar disorder and moves back home to live with his parents Pat Sr and Dolores (Robert De Niro; Jacki Weaver). Pat Jr is determined to reconcile with his wife and in the process, he meets troubled Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who recently lost her husband and her job and they agree to help each other in achieving their goals.

The single thing that one has to praise about this film is the acting and characters. They are portrayed so well and the entire cast really put in a performance, even Chris Tucker! Cooper proves his worth and versatility as an actor and De Niro puts in the performance which proves he’s back on form. Lawrence’s Oscar-winning performance is well deserved for such a challenging character. It’s evident Tiffany has troubles of her own and the emotions she goes through are ever changing making the friendship between herself and Pat all the more engaging. You find yourself really rooting for the characters.

Whilst the final third of the film stumbles to the end and is quite clichéd, there are few faults with the film. The drama and comedy are well balanced and just work.

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