Baldrick44 Reviews

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The weakest of the trilogy, but still a triumphant ending.

[8/10 · 20 July 2012]

Christopher Nolan has finished up the Batman series in remarkable style. Where Batman Begins was about conquering fears and the Dark Knight was about traversing the fine line between order and madness; the Dark Knight Rises seems to be a movie about compromise and acceptance.

It has been eight years since the death of Harvey Dent and Gotham has settled down into some semblance of peace. The main instigators of this crime-free age, however, have many scars for their trouble. Bruce Wayne ( Christian Bale ) is a reclusive cripple- with shot knees and scar tissue riddling his body. Commissioner Gordon ( Gary Oldman ) has found his career is now burdened by the lie that he and Batman wove to keep Harvey Dent's reputation spotless- so much so that he is separated from his family. Alfred ( Michael Caine ) despairs about Bruce Wayne's welfare- fearing that his master wants little more than a grand death. And Lucius Fox ( Morgan Freeman ) is attempting to stave Wayne Enterprises from bankruptcy thanks to all the money that Wayne has invested into Miranda Tate's ( newcomer Marion Cotillard ) renewable energy source.

However a new threat emerges in the guise of Bane ( Tom Hardy )- a massive masked mercenary who has a connection to Batman's past. He claims to want a new Gotham where the 'have-nots' can rule over the 'haves' and bring true justice to the rich and corrupt. Alongside him is Selina Kyle ( Anne Hathaway ) a cat burglar who motives are enigmatic at best. It is therefore up to the old guard as well as idealistic cop John Blake ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt ) to try and hold Gotham together.

Nolan has gone for bigger is better in his third movie of the trilogy and it certainly comes off as an sweeping, epic movie. Christian Bale probably gives his best performance as Bruce Wayne and Batman and the scenes he has with Caine's Alfred are particularly moving. Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman are both very good also- with the scenes between Oldman and Gordon-Levitt ( probably the best of the newcomers ) nice to watch.

But as good as the film is...it doesn't really seem to cover much more new ground. This isn't really helped by their choice of villain. Hardy does a good job as Bane, but he isn't helped by his breathing mask which makes him, at times, hard to understand. Furthermore, while Bane is shown to be dangerous, Nolan seems to be forcing the viewer to show how dangerous he is. Without the personal and affable menace of Neeson's Ra's Al Ghul or the twisted and frightening charisma of Ledger's Joker, Bane's most menacing moments come before the real action kicks off. Furthermore, it's difficult to see why anyone would want to follow him- utopia or not.

As for Catwoman, Hathaway is very good in the role, but her character seems to be frustrating at times- seeming to just sit on the fence for the heck of it. Cotilliard's Miranda Tate is a fairly bland character that doesn't add much to the proceedings either.

Furthermore, while the movie is indeed epic in scope, it sometimes gets lost in its own arcs in a way that the Dark Knight never did. The twists and turns that would have been seen as remarkable in the Dark Knight in this movie came across as almost unnecessary.

Begins was a tight film that revolved around a single plot arc and holds together well. The Dark Knight was the true noir epic- a sweeping tale about morality and order in a insane city. The Dark Knight Rises is a flawed masterpiece- it's achievements not quite living up to the ambitions that it perhaps had. However, any Batman movie directed by Christopher Nolan is probably a good one. This is no exception.

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Hmmm...

[6/10 · 4 June 2009]

Sequels are a business fraught with difficulty. If you don't have a clear idea where the franchise is going from the start, they often get lost in a myriad of new characters and plot holes. Such is what happened to the Matrix sequels and such is what has happened here in Terminator: Salvation.

It is the Year 2018, and Skynet's Teminator program is wiping out the human population that is left post-Judgement Day. In this war scenario we find John Connor ( Christian Bale )- not the messianic leader yet of the Resistance but a leader of his own pocket of hardened veterans. However his faith in his mission is shaken by the arrival of a new figure- Marcus Wright ( Sam Worthington ) whose own agenda and past will force Connor to form an uneasy alliance with him in order to save Connor's father- Kyle Reece ( Anton Yelchin ).

Terminator Salvation is not a sci fi/action film- but rather a futuristic war movie that doesn't really add up. By making this movie only M rated ( PG-13 if you are in the states ) the war against the machines is reduced to something quite...tame. Terminators no longer are the ruthless killing machines that they once were and instead are quite content tossing people around a lot. The whole idea of a brutal world seems silly as it lacks the brutal bit. Why don't the terminators simply kill the marines instead of tossing them against walls? Why doesn't Skynet simply slaughter the humans as soon as they arrive? To their credit Worthington and Yelchin are quite good in their roles, giving Marcus and Kyle some good scenes together and managing to find something in what is a pretty dull story. Christian Bale on the other hand is waaaay too intense. Every line is delivered with a frown and a grimace and he doesn't seem to get emotional at all- except to yell.

Terminator: Salvation would always get compared to 1,2 & 3- but they've tipped the balance in the machines favour. In doing so the movie doesn't become more interesting, but less.

The Boat That Rocked (2009)

Good, honest fun.

[8/10 · 14 April 2009]

Richard Curtis' first 'non romantic comedy film' is really another romantic comedy film- it's just that the romantic bit gets swamped within 20 other sub-plots so you try and not notice.

The Boat That Rocked sees Carl ( Tom Surridge ) go aboard Radio Rock- a pirate radio station owned by Quentin ( Bill Nighy ) whose DJ's (Phillip Semour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Chris O' Dowd, Rhys Darby, etc. ) broadcast 24-hour rock and roll music to the UK. They are adored by the populace but hated by the government, including the Minister of Communications ( Kenneth Branagh ) and his chief subordinate ( Jack Davenport ) who aim to shut them down.

If that was the extent of the plot then it would probably be a 100 mins film. However the Boat That Rocked has so many little sub-plots- many seeming like excuses to put in another montage or cameo cast appearance that the time has ballooned out to 154mins and it does tell at times. Furthermore, while Richard Curtis is entitled to look back on these days with an air of nostalgia, he sometimes seems to get a little too weepy eyed with the story.

But these faults are more than made up for in the performances; all of which are good- and some are outstanding. Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Count is a lovable character who approaches everything with great gusto, while Chris O' Dowd's Simple Simon has a wonderful part in the middle section of the movie which brings a little bit of emotion to what is a pretty emotionally vacant movie. Nick Frost is cheeky as Dr Dave and finally Rhys Darby- fresh from Flight of the Conchords- simply shines in his role as the unpopular and daggy Angus who nonetheless gets arguably the best line in the whole movie.

Overall the Boat That Rocked is silly and entertaining fun. It does get overweight by a looong script, but the soundtrack and the cast are good enough to carry it through.

Watchmen (2009)

Zack Snyder's Watchmen, not Alan Moore's or Dave Gibbon's

[10/10 · 5 March 2009]

As a guy who has read the comic book and thinks it's the most influential book ever written in the genre ( though I actually don't think it's Alan Moore's best work- I think that title goes to V for Vendetta ), I was both excited and worried. Excited that these larger than life characters would get their shot on the big screen, but worried in that I wondered how such a densely layered text could make the transition from comic to movie without losing its soul.

Fortunately though Zack Snyder has done an excellent job keeping the spirit of the book intact- but what must be remembered is that it is his vision of the Watchmen world. If you are looking for Alan Moore's dialogue cramming every scene you'll be disappointed ( though the movie amply borrows lines straight from the text ) and the same goes for the artwork.

Acting wise this movie is very good, with solid performances by all the actors- but 2 standouts are from Jackie Earle Haley as the sociopathic adventurer Roarsharch and Jeffery Dean Morgan as the nihilistic, cynical Comedian. Both actors have tough, complex roles but convince you completely ( Earle's voice as Roarsharch is particularly...compelling ). Unfortunately, Matthew Goode as Ozymadias just doesn't manage to pull off the right amount of pathos for his role, which as the movie continues, lets it down slightly.

The other little wrangles I have is with the soundtrack which is at times great and at times...mystifying. I like All Along the Watchtower as much as the next guy, but when it begins to obscure the dialogue, it's a bit much. On the other hand, the montage at the beginning with the Times They are a Changin' was wonderfully done; a beautiful piece of cinematography. Again though, the song in the credits sort of ruined the last moment slightly for me. Also the sex scene in the middle went on for too long. I don't know if Zack Snyder was trying to be arty or just trying to express how much they had been aroused but it became boring to watch.

This is not my favourite superhero movie of all time- the Dark Knight still holds that title- but what it does achieve is a remarkable attempt to make a truly fantastic novel more accessible to people. There are flaws, mostly due to the changes that have been made in order to make it more accommodating to the film medium, but out of all the Alan Moore adaptations, this is by far the best.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

A perfectly fine comedy that does the job.

[8/10 · 20 December 2008]

Tropic Thunder is not your regular comedy. Nor is it your regular Ben Stiller comedy. Sure, it is crass and offensive at times but it also is massive and dripping with pyrotechnics and an all-star cast.

The basic plot revolves around three Hollywood archetypes- the fading action hero ( Stiller ), the comedian whose looking for some dramatic cred ( Black ) and the critically adored method actor ( Downey Jr. ) who are all participating in one of the most over budget and bloated productions- so much so that the production company threatens to shut the director ( Steve Coogan ) down. Said director though gets an idea from the eccentric author ( Nick Nolte ) who inspired said movie and takes the cast out into the jungle to shoot the footage 'guerilla style', inadvertently tumbling across the Golden Triangle in the process.

Tropic Thunder could have been a real controversial flop- the film alludes to people with learning difficulties and blackface makeup, but the film manages to tread a line between bad taste and satire that works OK for the most part. Stiller and Black offer up performances that are not particularly new, but are suited to their parts. But it is Robert Downey Jr. as Kirl Lazarus, the Australian Award Winner, who really makes the film come alive. Some of his lines are truly hilarious and he delivers them with such verve that you can't help but laugh. Couple this with great cameos from Tom Cruise as a studio head Les Grossman and Bill Hader as his sycophantic assistant and you can forgive Black and Stiller for acting a little flat.

Tropic Thunder is by no means a perfect movie but it is highly entertaining and fun.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Best Superhero Movie Ever

[10/10 · 17 July 2008]

Most superhero movies are made to give you a feeling of escapism. THat webbing through rooftops or having claws for hands would be great and wishing that you yourself had that power.

Not this one. The Dark Knight begins where the last one left off, with the theme of escalation.Batman ( Christian Bale ) and Liutenant Gordon( Gary Oldman ) with the help of the new District Attorney Harvey Dent ( Aaron Eckhart ) have smashed crime to the point where they are beginning to run scared. Batman himself is beginning to think that soon he may be able to hang up the cape and the cowl for good and reunite with Rachel Dawes ( Maggie Gyllenhaal ).

However, the mob has one last resort up it's sleeve, and it's a proposal by a rising criminal known only to the citizens of Gotham as the Joker ( Heath Ledger ). The Joker, however, has an agenda entirely of his own and soon begins to cause terror on a massed scale which has even Batman lost for ideas. The Dark Knight is a really amazing film, which utillises real live stunts to great effect, making seem so much more gritty and dark than it's neon-lit competitors. Be warned that it is not a film for kids, as the violence, in particular perpetrated by the Joker is confronting and at times very twisted. Christian Bale, while still not quite of the level of Michael Keaton's Batman, still does a very good job while Michael Caine is once again great as his stoic butler. Morgan Freeman is good and Aaron Eckhart brings a great element of tragedy to the role of Harvey Dent. But it is Gary Oldman and Heath Ledger who truly excel. Oldman's Gordon is a conflicted character who is put through the wringer throughout the movie by both his allies and his enemies while being nothing more than an honest cop- one of the last ones.

But everyone here is playing second fiddle to the Joker. Heath Ledger brings him a menace and an edge which is so tangible that at times it is truly terrifying. His laugh is bone-chilling and his sense of humour is both funny and incredibly twisted as his 'philosophy'. He deserves every amount of praise, as it is a truly awful foe for Batman to face.

The Dark KNight is a superhero film full of twists and turns that never lets up. Instead it graps you by your lapels and drags you into its dark majestic splendour.

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Will tie you over until your next superhero movie

[7/10 · 29 June 2008]

The Incredible Hulk is the second film to come out of the newly formed Marvel Studios and as such it would always be compared to the phenomenally successful Iron Man. It would be a brave studio then that deviates too much from what seemed like such a winning formula in Iron Man and Hulk doesn't. Like Iron Man, there is questions placed over the morality of armed forces, though more directly in the shape of General Ross ( William Hurt ) and like Iron Man there is a love interest in Liv Tyler playing the part of Elizabeth Ross. Like Iron Man also there is a villain which comes as a sort of deformed reflection of the hero which comes in the form of Emil Blonsky ( Tim Roth ), a Special Ops operative who gets obsessed with the idea of becoming bigger and better. Furthermore, like Iron Man it has a very commendable lead, with Edward Norton playing the tortured Dr Bruce Banner.

So surely it should be a great movie like the aforementioned metal dude. Well unfortunately, the one thing that the Hulk lacks that Iron Man oozes with is charm. This is a superhero movie that isn't really dark enough to taken totally seriously and so it badly needs the odd one liner or two. Unfortunately though, while in Iron Man they are fast and furious, in Hulk they are very, VERY sparse. Then there is the fact that Bruce Banner simply is not as likable as Tony Stark is, and the flaws which make Stark so endearing are nowhere to be seen- nor is anything else for that matter.

But the Incredible Hulk has still got some nice fight sequences ( though being the Hulk they do seem to entail finding different ways to smash things...) as well as some nice acting. This will at least keep you sated until THe Dark KNight if nothing else.

Iron Man (2008)

Best Marvel comic book adaptation

[10/10 · 1 June 2008]

Iron Man isn't exactly what you would call a 'flagship' hero of Marvel's. With Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Hulk and the Fantastic Four all more prominent, it is little surprise that this vehicle had difficulty getting off the ground- so much so that Marvel got fed up and began their own film company to see it become a reality. What is surprising is that this movie is such a beauty, right up with Batman Begins as the best superhero movie ever made.

The story revolves around Tony Stark, a wealthy and brilliant- though also hedonistic and eccentric inventor who is captured by terrorists and is forced to look at his weapons company through the other side. Escaping by means of a revolutionary invention, Stark returns to find that his business partners, primarily Obidiah Stane, are concerned about the direction he has the company going in. With the aid of Pepper Pots, Jim 'Rhodey' Rhodes and a collection of all sorts of robots, Stark begins to perfect his invention to put a stop to the misery that he helped create.

This would all count for nought if it wasn't for the performances- and they are brilliant. Gweneth Paltrow give Potts a real verve that sparks off when her and Stark have scenes alone together. Terence Howard is very good as Jim Rhodes, providing a down-to-earth confidante for the erratic Stark while as Obidiah Stane, Jeff Bridges seems to be channeling ENRON executives brilliantly.

But it is Robert Downey Jr who carries this film as the man Tony Stark himself. Downey Jr seems to be having the time of his life as he sparks brilliantly witty and fast dialogue- whether it is flirting with reporters, or calming down extinguishers ( you'll just have to wait and see what I mean...).

Iron Man delivers on every level. Marvel has obviously ensured that their material is handled with care and discretion and the result is a movie that has a darker tone than any of the others in the Marvel comic book franchise, but at the same time remains much funnier as well. Oh and by the way, stay after the credits for a sneak peak of where Marvel Film may be going.

Drillbit Taylor (2008)

Superbad: Episode One

[7/10 · 21 March 2008]

Drillbit Taylor comes from the quite remarkable team that brought 40 Year Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad and Walk Hard. While this movie doesn't quite live up to their ideals, it still is an enjoyable 2 hours.

The plot revolves around 3 students and their horrifying treatment at the hands of a couple of uber-bullies. Enter Drillbit Taylor ( Owen Wilson )- a man who is basically a bum who just wants to at first fleece the kids so that he go to Canada to start anew. However the more he gets entangled in the story, the more he begins to care for the 3 kids.

The plot is incredibly predictable and doesn't really go anywhere amazing. The three kids themselves too are very similar to the three kids from Superbad; just younger. Whether this was a conscious decision or not, it sorta makes the movie have to stand in comparison with Superbad and unfortunately it doesn't have Superbad's black humour. What it does have though is some nice little comic set pieces, particularly in the middle of the film which are helped by Owen Wilson, who seems to be able to play his part effortlessly.

This is a movie that will never set the world on fire, but what it does do is raise a laugh or two without offending anyone ( quite new ground for Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen ). For their first real go at a family film, it does OK.

Run Fatboy Run (2007)

A nice, easy comedy

[8/10 · 21 March 2008]

Run Fat Boy Run is predictable. In the last half hour or so, there is an immense amount of clichés. There is also a lot of laughs in this movie, the first to be directed by David Schwimmer.

Dennis Doyle ( Simon Pegg ) is a down and out security guard. He left his wife Libby ( Thandie Newton ) at the altar 5 years previously pregnant. Suffice to say that he is not the most reliable nor up and coming man on the face of the Earth. However he is galvanised into action when Libby gets a new boyfriend Whit ( Hank Azaria ) who seems like the perfect catch: rich, sincere and who runs marathons for charity. Dennis declares his intention to run in the marathon as well, in order to prove to Libby he can commit. He is helped in this enterprise by his friend Gordon ( Dylan Moran ), who also has an ulterior motive as he has bet all his cash on Dennis completing the race.

Run Fat Boy Run has got a cast that all works well together. Simon Pegg reprises the sort of slacker role he played in Shaun of the Dead, while Thandie Newton is lovely as the torn Libby. Hank Azaria plays the affable but somewhat irritating Whit very well and Dylan Moran excels as the seedy Gordon. Add to that a hilarious cameo by David Walliams who looks like he just walked off a Little Britain set as well as Harish Patel as the landlord/assistant coach and there isn't a moment of this film that the cast seems to be slacking.

Run Fat Boy Run is a great film to watch, despite of its formulaic structure. David Schwimmer may have found a new career.

Juno (2007)

Great...and yet...

[8/10 · 2 February 2008]

Juno is a very good indy film that shows the trials and tribulations of a 16 year old girl ( Ellen Page ) going through pregnancy and the trials that follow. Involved in this are her close friend/father of the child Paul ( Michael Cera ), her father ( JK Simmons ) and the two perspective adoptive parents ( Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner ).

Sounds like a good yarn- and it is. All of the characters are handled with care and there is an abundance of good lines. Both Page and Cera are very good in their respective roles, while out of the adults Simmons stands out as Juno's father. Having said that, it does have a couple of problems. One of which has to do with Jennifer Garner as the prospective mother who at times seems to be totally obsessed with motherhood.

The only real problem is that this film at times doesn't allow itself to be different naturally but seems to want ram it down the viewer's throat. The first 10 minutes of dialogue is bizarre for any 16 year old to say ( I'm a 23 year old Teacher and I have never heard anything like that ) and seems only to make people to accept it as quirky when it's going to be different if it's good enough.

Juno is a wondefully funny film that is let down slightly because it falls over itself to try and be different.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

The best musical adaptation going around

[10/10 · 2 February 2008]

Musical theatre films has been in vogue in the last few years but the thing about most of them is that they are really just a stage show with film cameras and haven't really allowed the capabilities of film to flex it's muscles. Not so with Sweeney Todd; a wonderful marriage between Stephen Sondheim's dark neo-baroque musical score and Tim Burton's visual nous.

The thing that grabs you straight away as soon as the film starts is the atmosphere. It doesn't so much introduce itself as grab you by the shirt and immerse you in a dark, grimy Victorian London. Not to give too much away, Sweeney Todd ( Johnny Depp ) has returned after being sent to a penal colony for a crime he was set-up for by Judge Turpin ( Alan Rickman ), in order to obtain Todd's wife. Todd burns for revenge and with the help of Mrs Lovett ( Helena Bonham Carter ), he begins to plot his way towards the evil judge and his henchman, the Beadle ( Timothy Spall ).

All very well, but we are talking about a cast that has never sang in film before- a big ask then to take on one of the most harmoniously complex scores in musical theatre. But actually, they do very well. Depp sounds somewhat like an early David Bowie and his performance as Todd is great to watch as he goes from rage to catatonia and everywhere in between. Bonham Carter makes the role of Mrs Lovett hers and doesn't overplay the humour, just allowing the audience to pick up on it without labouring.

As for the two villains, Rickman and Spall seem to be having the time of their lives as the repulsive Turpin and Bamford respectively. Rickman's voice is naturally lended to singing bass ( his duet with Depp in 'Pretty Women' is a highlight ) and he does a wonderful job conveying the judge's lechery while Spall is so oily it's almost visible on the screen.

The real surprise is Sacha Baron Cohen as Pirelli, who steals the scene in the shaving contest with some great singing and acting.

Sweeney Todd does not have the musical talent of the show, but it does have better acting talent and atmosphere. And in a musical like this, that's no bad thing.

I Am Legend (2007)

Good, but could have been even better

[8/10 · 4 January 2008]

I am Legend is a movie that questions the old cliché "Hell is other people." In the 2009, a female doctor ( Emma Thompson, in a star cameo ) creates what is thought is a cure for cancer. However, this 'cure' begins to show dark after effects as it mutates to become a massive epidemic that wipes out almost all the population. A small number are immune to the virus, but they are hunted by the Darkseekers- infected humans not dissimilar to vampires.

Robert Neville ( Will Smith ) is one such human who is immune to the virus- perhaps the last one on Earth. He has set up New York City as a sort of massive farm for himself and his dog, which is his only living companion. Three years of solitude are beginning to take their toll on Robert and despite his relentless search for a cure, it's looking bleak. That is, until perhaps a new revelation will give him the strength to continue.

Will Smith really grabs hold of this, and has you believing he is the last man on Earth. You wonder how much longer he can hold out with hope. Manhattan, too is transformed beautifully into a post-apocalyptic 'farm' of sorts and it's backdrops enhance the story tenfold. My only real gripe with the movie is the Darkstalkers themselves as they look fairly...boring. All of them seem very generic and bland, and while having fangs, never seem to have them out.

However, I am Legend is a good film with some great acting and backgrounds to go with it. Although the villains are disappointing, the first 45 minutes is a truly amazing set up.

I'm Not There (2007)

The Postmodern Biopic

[8/10 · 2 January 2008]

I'm not there is a complex movie about a complex character in Robert Allan Zimmerman- better known to the world as Bob Dylan. What it attempts to do is focus on this complexity by picking it apart, slicing the periods and aspects of Dylan's life apart into separate people.

We have Ben Whishaw as Arthur who throughout the film, acts as a sort of compass to Dylan's mind and ethics by telling truisms; some contradictory. Christian Bale is Jack Rollins, representing not only the early 60s Dylan, who was held up as a reluctant folk martyr, and who is born again as Pastor John, representing Dylan's own spiritual dabbling in Christianity.

Marcus Carl Brodie plays Woodie Guthrie ( not the real one ), a young boy who evokes the mysticism of Dylan's youthful years. Cate Blanchett is Jude Quinn, representing Dylan's turn from folk martyr to rock storyteller, much to the chagrin of both the press and the folk community. Heath Ledger also turns up as Robbie Clark, whose movie career is balanced out by the break-up of his marriage, reflecting Dylan's own personal life as his ego got bigger and bigger. And finally Richard Gere represents Dylan the old exile through the character of Billy the Kid, who once again rises up to face those who would do people wrong.

The cast in this movie are very good, with Christian Bale excellent ( though underused ) and Cate Blanchett simply amazing as the defiant Quinn, seeming to ooze Dylan's personality with every pore of her body. However the fact of the matter is they have split up Dylan into 6 different people and while this seems like an interesting idea for a movie, none of these characters really is three dimensional enough to be seen as little more as examples to prove a point. The point may be an interesting one and very well made, but you still feel a little dudded.

Having said that though, I'm not there has some wonderful music and some great acting. Although the 6 personalities does get a little tiresome, it is an interesting way to look at a man who is hard to sum up as any.

Hogfather (2006 TV Movie)

Amazing

[10/10 · 27 December 2007]

I must admit I came to this mini-series with a slight advantage as I had read the book. Having said that though, most people will get it if they concentrate and don't make snap judgements ( "isn't Death the baddie?" ).

It's the night before Hogswatch ( Christmas on earth ) and all through the Discworld children are awaiting the arrival of the Hogfather. Their wait could be in vain however, as sinister forces are at work, including Mr Teatime ( Marc Warren ), a brilliant, though somewhat...inelegant assassin. It is up to Death ( voiced by the late Ian Richardson ) therefore aided by his trusty manservant Albert ( David Jason ) to see to it that the Hogfather's presents are delivered to keep the belief going.

Every detail about the discworld is captured beautifully. There are characters and situations that you really need to watch twice, the gags are so thick and fast. The acting is top notch, and the special effects don't go overboard which makes for a much more intimate adventure. What's more, they haven't tried to water down the story to make it more kid friendly- the dialogue still as spiky as ever.

This is a funny and wonderful story and it has adapted with great care. It could have been made into a Harry Potter clone but instead they have let the novel's brilliance shine through and it makes for a great ride.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Great scenery and a great movie

[10/10 · 27 December 2007]

The Darjeeling Limited is one of those movies that Wes Anderson specialises in- that seem to prove that the destination is often not as important as how you get there. This doesn't mean he doesn't find different ways to change this up-far from it- as exemplified in his new movie about three brothers all carrying their own skeletons in the closet.

Francis Whitman ( Owen Wilson ) has gathered together is two brothers Peter ( Adrian Brody ) and Jack ( Jason Schwartzman ) to share a trip aboard the Darjeeling Limited- a cross country Indian train. All three brothers have trust issues with each other-exemplified by the first 20 minutes of the movie. Through a couple of experiences though the brothers learn to work through their differences and move towards their ultimate goal.

If this sounds formulaic it is because on a certain level the movie is. What sets it apart though is some amazing performances by the three brothers. Owen Wilson is great as Francis, showing a real subtle performance that is as good as any he has done. Jason Schwartzman as Jack is also good, though not quite as good as Wilson, he still pulls off a convincing performance. It's Adrian Brody though who shines as the best, showing Peter to be both damaged and somewhat running in autopilot. Another thing that sets it apart is the scenery, which truly makes you want to travel.

The Darjeeling Limited is a film that that ranks as a great Wes Anderson movie. It's funny and touching without being syrupy. It reminded me of Little Miss Sunshine and is just as good.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

The Best Potter flick so far

[10/10 · 17 July 2007]

The book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is unwieldy and cluttered, so much so that it is by far the most boring and weak of the books so far. However the movie has taken the ingredients of what could have been a great book and turned them into a great film by trimming off most of the excess fat.

The world of wizardry is in turmoil as Voldermort is seizing power once again. But rather than do something, the Ministry has chosen a stance of aggressive denial, where ideas about Voldemort's return are stamped out through the poisonous representative at Hogwarts Delores Umbridge ( a very unlikeable Imelda Staunton ) whist Voldemort recruits his former Death Eaters, including the insane Bellatrix Lestrange ( Helena Bonham Carter ).

This is a well-put together story; helped by the fantastic cast, all playing their part, particularly Michael Gambon as Dumbledore and Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy. But it is the two polar opposites in Snape ( Alan Rickman ) and Sirius ( Gary Oldman ) that steal the show, both of whom Harry shows very different sides of his personality to- and through which new revelations about their characters are unveiled. Their chemistry with Harry in their scenes together is remarkable.

Order of the Phoenix is a great film and it shows that sometimes films can be better than books, even in a massive book franchise like this.

Transformers (2007)

Unleash your inner nerd!

[10/10 · 6 July 2007]

Transformers is a walk down nostalgia lane for some of the 20-30 Generation who grew up when these toys exploded onto the market. Now, decades later, the series has come back again in real time.

And it has been worth the wait.

The plot basically revolves around a boy and a girl who buys a Camaro unbeknowst that it has in fact got the ability to turn into a robot. The robot, Bumblebee, protects them as the boy holds the key to finding the Allspark, a powerful energy source that the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, want. Unfortunately, there are others who want it too, namely the evil Decipticons, led by Megatron, who begin to pursue, wiping out lots of Earth's communication in order to prepare for a full-scale assault.

The plot is not original by any means of the imagination, and parallels can be seen with a lot of other Michael Bay films, particularly in the build up. However the transformers are simply awesome. The effects are truly incredible and you really get caught up as you see the Autobots 'roll out', or the Decepticons lay waste to, well basically everything. The script also manages to fill in a good sense of humour which is sometimes a little hit-and-miss but all the same it's there.

This is a truly cool movie, with some great lines and some awesome special effects that are perhaps the most stunning since Jurassic Park wowed us a decade ago. With two sequels to go, I just hope they can keep it up.

The Warriors (1979)

All right, but dated.

[7/10 · 6 July 2007]

The Warriors is certainly a movie that is both defined by its time and also ahead of it. So it can't be called a movie which summed up an era ( like Saturday Night Fever ) nor can it be a movie which opened up new worlds ( like Star Wars ).

This is set in a sort of dystopian world in the near future, where gangs of young men/women are rife. Enter Cyrus, a an with a vision to unite the gangs to help take over the city of New York. To this end he invites hundreds of gangs to a sort of rally during a truce. However, this is broken when he is assassinated by a member of the Rogues; after which the Warriors are framed and they have to find a way to get back to their home turf whilst being targeted by every gang in NYC.

The premise for this is quite good and although this has an R rating in Australia ( lord knows why ) there is actually very little violence. Instead there is a great amount of tension as the gang try to scrap their way back home. However, there are a couple of problems. One of them is the fact that the dialogue for a dystopian future still sounds like the dialogue for two 70's kids in a pinball arcade and sometimes it really seems clumsy. Secondly is the 'villian'- who shot Cyrus in the first place. He's just a nothing character that is pathetically boring to watch. One wonders how in the world he became leader of the Rogues.

Overall though the Warriors does have some good scenes and the comic book shot-to-shot idea is incredibly original. These pros outweigh the cons enough to make this worth a look.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

A great conclusion

[10/10 · 25 May 2007]

POTC 3: At World's End focuses on the conundrum of Jack Sparrow ( Johnny Depp ) who now finds himself in Davy Jones' Locker. On the way to save him are Will Turner ( Orlando Bloom ), Elizabeth Swann ( Keira Knightley ) and Captain Barbossa ( Geoffery Rush ); all of whom are racing against time to ally with Sparrow, as well as the other pirates lords such as Sao Feng ( Chao Yun-Fat ) in order to combat the growing menace of Cutler Beckett ( Tom Hollander ) and Davy Jones ( Bill Nighy ).

Like the first two this one has its share of laughs and spills, but there is also some great dialogue between some of the leads. Depp is great as Sparrow and looks like he could do another 3 movies, while Knightley and Bloom have their moments in the sun. But it is Bill Nighy and Geoffery Rush that really drive this movie forward; with Nighy playing Jones as a great man who lost his way; adding depth to his character and Rush having a fantastic time as the villain turned anti-hero Barbossa. The chemistry that these two manage to generate with Depp and with Chao Yun-Fat ( in the case of Rush ) is great. And of course, finally, the supporting cast of pirates who have been through the movies, led by Kevin McNally as Gibbs are once again wonderful.

POTC3 closed out the series very well. Many people will be annoyed by the constant twists and turns, but hey, they're pirates! It's half the fun!

Zodiac (2007)

A truly informative and enjoyable film. The best of the year so far.

[10/10 · 18 May 2007]

David Fincher, better known for the blood fests Se7en as well as Fight Club ( both great movies ) has shown considerable restraint in his newest film Zodiac. Not that this takes away from the drama when the killings do happen; in a way they are more confronting than in the above two movies because of the knowledge that this actually happened. So while Se7en may be about 7 different ways to kill a person, this is about four men attempting to crack an impossible case- a case without precedent.

The movie starts with the shooting of the teenagers on Lake Valleho, which then leads to the San Fransico Chronicle. Crime writer Paul Avery ( Robert Downey Jr. ) and cartoonist Robert Graysmith ( Jake Gyllanhall ) become embroiled in the case as they attempt to delve deeper into the crimes. Meanwhile, at the SFPD, Inspectors Toschi and Armstrong ( Mark Ruffolo and Anthony Edwards respectively ) are attempting to wade through a ton of red tape in order to collaborate the pattern of Zodiac's killings, which have occurred in all sorts of jurisdictions. It seems to be a case without answers, as every time a lead comes, there is an expert to tell them to move on. One of the best scenes of the movie is Toschi walking out of a Dirty Harry film as the movie shows a similar letter from the 'Scorpio' killer.

Zodiac is a movie that never seems to drag, despite the fact that there is little blood and gore for a Fincher film. What there is, however, is a wonderful true story about how catching a killer is never easy as it seems; no matter what you try to throw at him.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Hmmm....

[6/10 · 5 May 2007]

I went to see this after seeing the good Spider-Man and its great sequel. Unfortunately this one, while still being OK, didn't quite measure up to the lofty heights of the first two, for a number of reasons.

The plot revolves around Peter Parker ( Tobey Maguire ) at a high point in his life- his relationship with Mary Jane ( Kirsten Dunst ) has never been better, he's getting top graders in his classes, and Spider-Man is now regarded as the hero that he truly is. However this is soon shattered as Harry Osborn ( James Franco ) begins to plot his revenge on Parker. Furthermore, Uncle Ben's killer, Flint Marko ( Thomas Haden Church ) has been transformed into something else- the Sandman. Add to that the new black costume, which is much more than it seems.

The fact is, that despite it being a two and a half hour movie, nothing gets truly covered well enough and there is the same fight sequence at the end of the movie. The best scene in the whole movie, in fact, involves Bruce Campbell as a hilarious waiter that seems to be channeling Inspector Clouseau. Many of the movies better moments, besides the action sense, involved humour in some way.

And then there's Venom, who they don't really know how to design as his head isn't quite big enough to look right. Instead it almost looks like his mouth has been drawn on separately with a life of its own.

Spider-Man 3 crams too much into one movie and as such has to use dumb plot devices to keep the story moving ( there is one near the end that will have people screaming 'why?!' ). It moves too fast for the plot to work, but it's the plot's too cumbersome and unwieldy anyway.

From Hell (2001)

I don't know what it's trying to do...

[7/10 · 21 April 2007]

From Hell has its moments as a movie. However, it is also an opportunity lost because people wanted to take a safe option instead of the one that was offered to them.

The plot revolves around Fred Abberline ( Johnny Depp ), a London investigator who is on the trail of Jack the Ripper as he leaves a trail of mutilated bodies through the Whitechapel district of London. High up on his list seems to be a group of prostitutes- one of which is Mary Kelly ( Heather Graham )- who confides in Abberline in the hope that the Ripper case may be solved. However, soon, both the inspector and Kelly, along with the trusty sergeant ( Robbie Coltrane ), see that the trail may lead to echelons of society far higher than they could possibly imagine.

This, in itself, does seem like a good plot for a movie. However there are a couple of big problems that stop it from working. One is that Abberline has 'visions' when under the influence of opium which seem to be a half-baked excuse by the Hughes Brothers to show London in a different light and it doesn't really work. This compounds the second problem, which is that there is no real mystery element to the plot, instead he comes up with a vision which helps him figure it out.

The performances are varied with Depp good as Abberline and Graham average as Kelly but it is the English supporting cast of Robbie Coltrane, Ian Richardson as his police chief and most strongly, Ian Holm as Sir William Gull, which makes the atmosphere come alive. To add to that is an amazingly dark score and a great set in Prague which makes Victorian London seem as real and malevolent as ever.

From Hell is a sort of a halfway house between a brilliant Alan Moore graphic novel which portrayed things from the view of Jack the Ripper and a straight out period murder mystery and it's this compromise that sees it fail. One wonders if the plot was changed just so they could get someone like Johnny Depp and Heather Graham into the star credits.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

The best movie of the year so far

[10/10 · 17 April 2007]

Hot Fuzz is fun. Amazing fun. While Shaun of the Dead is a tribute movie to zombie films, Hot Fuzz is a tribute to the action genre while poking fun at Agatha Christie/Midsomer Murders.

The plot revolves around Nicolas Angel ( Simon Pegg ), a top policeman whose record in the Met is becoming an embarrassment to the other policeman; so much so the the Chief Inspector ( Bill Nighy ) transfers him to the countryside village of Samford; where he meets; amongst others his new Inspector ( Jim Broadbent ), Sergeant Turner ( Bill Bailey ) and his new partner ( Nick Frost ). He also meets Simon Skinner ( Timothy Dalton ), a very devilish supermarket conveyor. This sleepy village however, is soon seen to be something more as a mysterious amount of 'accidents' lead Angel to believe that something is afoot at Samford.

The acting in this movie is great with numerous comedians and seasoned British actors getting their two cents worth and looking like they're thoroughly enjoying themselves. The script is razor sharp and adds plenty of laughs and the last 45 minutes is fantastic.

Movies should, above all else, get you involved, and Hot Fuzz does that in spades. English comedy is ready to kick a** and take names.

300 (2006)

Stylised history

[9/10 · 17 April 2007]

OK, firstly, as a historian I recognized the various inaccuracies in the movie. However since I am also a comic book nerd I was more than willing to move beyond them and see what they did to a great graphic novel which is artistically based on the Battle of Thermopylae. For this to work, they would really have to do something different. And they have. The atmosphere that they have created for this film is nothing short of breathtaking. It's not the actors nor the effects, nor the camera work, nor the soundtrack but all of it coming together to make a feeling that is incredibly involving. 300 is a movie that has done for history what Sin City did for Film Noir. It doesn't take it past a point of no return, but it takes elements of a genre and mixes them with a magic ingredient- Frank Miller's mind.