Children of Men

Alfonso Cuaron is one of the most interesting directors working today both in his visual imagination and storytelling ability. Radically changing genre with each consecutive film, from the arthouse sex filled road trip that was Yu Tu Mama Tambien, to the mainstream blockbusting of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban he has now set his sights on futuristic gritty sci-fi in Children of Men, a stunning film that will only serve to further his burgeoning reputation. The year is 2027 and for an unknown reason the women on the planet have become infertile. There have been no births in over 18 years and mankind has fallen into disaray. Civil wars rage around the planet, in response Britain shuts its doors, isolating itself. Soon we join hagged ex-activist Leo, marvellously played by Clive Owne who finds hismelf drawn into a mission by his ex-wife of great importance. a task that could challenge the totalitarian governement and bring hope to a desperate nation. Now I'm not going to detail the events of the film here as it is best appreciated with as little knowledge as possible, the plot is compelling and original as is the world Cuaron creates. filmed in the UK he makes the Britain of the future look simultaneously horrible and beautiful. handheld cameras put you right in the thick of the action and the film does a phenomenal job of involving you in the events that unfold and showing you something you have never seen before. Using many inventive techniques Alfonso creates some astounding shots, there are two 10 minute one-take shots in the film that are unmatched in recent memory and so effective in pulling you in and truly affecting you. Visual effects have come on so much that they can be seamlessly integrated even to handheld footage now and it all works together to create a scary realistic nightmare vision of our future. In fact the film can be very dark at times, however there is always a feint light of hope carried throughout that is just kept alight, At times it can be hard to see and some of the imagery is quite shocking and haunting, but there is one sequence at the end that brings stark relief, if only briefly to the gloom and it is all the more powerful for it. The performances are excellent all round and there is very little to fault here. Truly original and powerful this is a wonderfully grounded sci-fi film that is unlike anything else out there. For those of you who have lost faith in the churning mass of sequels and rehashed ideas circling Hollywood at the moment this film comes as a breath of fresh air and a clear reminder of the very best and worst of human nature and the injustices being perpetrated now throughout the world. Unmissable. A stunningly shot, dark and paranoid thriller that pushes the boundaries of realistic sci-fi with a thought-provoking and harrowing tale of humanity at its darkest and the hope that prevails even in such times.

Brick

I was fortunate enough to attend a preview screening recently of Brick, a film I had been looking forwards to for a while now. The film is a strange hybrid of old school film noir and high school drama and the story focuses on Brendan, played brilliantly by 3 rd Rock from the Sun’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a fairly typical teenager living on fringes of school who one day receives a call for help from his ex-girlfriend. This one event sparks the mystery of finding out what happened to her and it is here that the labyrinth plot begins to unravel. Now this is not qa film for everyone. It is dense and complex and very unique. Shot on a low budget, but working all the better for it the film cleverly parallels the stereotypical noir characterisations with their high-school counterparts, allowing the teenagers to take centre stage. In fact true ‘adults’ are few and far between in the film, it is clear from the start that we are entering Brendan’s world, and if you can’t keep up you’ll fall behind. One of the things that make the film so original and yet complex is the language used, using the typical hard-boiled intonations and slang made famous in film noir and the pulp novels of Raymond Chandler et al. Rian Johnson has crafted a film that sounds unique and draws you in to it’s almost poetic use of dialogue. The performances all round are excellent and the film is brilliantly crafted. The detailed plot is understandable and yet not over explained, the mystery is constantly intriguing and cleverly executed and the characters seem real, something that helps you engage with Brendan and his quest. He is the typical noir hero, tough, isolated and worn down but who has to reach the truth, to see the story through and hopefully make it out in one piece. There are times where the tough-guy dialogue seems slightly out of place and tries to be too clever for its own good, but on the whole this is a wonderful film, highly original and interesting; it’s a welcome break from the multitude of remakes and sequels that are flooding our cinema screens at the moment. A strikingly original and unique detective story, hard to penetrate but constantly entertaining. If you can get your head around the complex plot and dialogue this is one of the most enjoyable and impressive film debut's of recent years.

Aeon Flux

I am quite a fan if science fiction and am often intregued by visions of a futuristic world or society. Aeon Flux is set 400 years in the future after a virus has wiped out 99% of the Earths population. Those who remain live in one 'perfect' city rules over by a single family unable to leave the city walls for fear of the overgrown world outside. Charlize Theron stars as Aeon Flux, a mysterious assassin working for a group called the Monicans who are trying to bring down the goverment they see as controlling and damaging the remaining population. The film has a bright look and some interesting design ideas, however it never quite manages its own look, rather is seems pieced together from other similar films inclusing the recent action film Equilibrium and The Fifth Element. The plot involves Aeon Flux's main mission to kill the leader of the government and help the Monicans gain control. The story is decent enough and takes some interesting directions, however the characters are poorly defined and realised which leaves the audience less connected with events. One of the main culprits for this has to be Charlize Theron herself. After winning an Oscar for her turn in Monster this is a real step down, she looks nice enough in the role, but fails to emote at all which leaves the central character hard to care about. She speaks rarely and doesn't ground the story at all. Really this is the problem with the whole film. It has nice ideas (one character has had her feet replaced with hands for extra agility) but fails to implement them well. Cliche after cliche are met and the rules of the universe are set up and then ignored. Huge plot holes ruin the story at times as well and there is often little emotion behind the rather hackneyed dialogue. However it's not all bad, the action sequences are well constructed and executed. Some of the designs are excellent and the central mystery is intreguing and the answer not what you may expect. I think the main problem with the film is that it tries to be serious and heavy, when it should be over the top and light hearted. That is one of the reasons the Fifth Element worked so well and something missing here. Deadly serious talk of this nature can threaten to make the whole film look rather silly and this film crosses that line a few too many times. So not exactly recommended but not a waste of time either, Aeon Flux is that annoyance of the film world, a film that is OK but you feel could have been great. A disappointing mish-mash of existing sci-fi films and ideas that brings little new to the table. The action sequences are decent and there are good ideas here, its just a shame they are so deeply buried in mediocrity.

War of the Worlds

Wow. Coming out of the cinema one of the first things that came to mind was that word, and now a day later it still fits. This film blew me away, in a way few films ever have. In a way I wasn’t prepared for how intense it would be, how relentless Spielberg is with his action and how brutal this War was really going to be. Like I said – wow. Now while there are parts of me that want to endlessly talk about the film, in one way I don’t have much to say. It’s wonderful, plain and simple. Brilliantly constructed and acted. The opening half hour is breathtaking, showcasing some of the best special effects put to film. Time and time again Spielberg shows how he is the master of action and suspense throughout - this is a tense film, nerve wracking and unrelenting. It is at the same time an epic, and very personal film. An epic event is hitting the world, but you only see it from one family’s point of view. These people lost in the madness of chaos just trying to survive. And you are put right there with them every step of the way. For some reason this film feels much more real than nearly any Hollywood blockbuster. Still I can’t exactly say why. It feels gritty, it feels like life and scarily it seems believable in a strange way. Rather than typical hero’s we have Tom Cruise played a flawed, failing dad. He has no master plan, no secret weapon. He is just trying to survive and protect his kids. We don’t see news reports from around the world. Huge aerial shots of the battles going on around the world because we don’t need it. We see and hear enough by what they go through. Don’t worry about there being nothing spectacular though because there is. But I don’t want to tell you about this film. I love the fact that hardly anything is given away in the trailers and adverts. This is a film that is so much better when you don’t have a clue what’s coming next. It’s a great move and pays off time and time again. The film isn’t perfect, there are a few moments that are a tad clichéd and while I do love the ending it could have been better explained, but this film does something I didn’t think was possible any more. In the midst of CG films and alien films left right and centre it grabs you are shows you something familiar in a way you’ve never seen before. It is a masterclass in filmmaking, and doesn’t let up at all. Yet despite the gloom Spielberg finds the heart of the story and he keeps you riveted for two hours. Not often do images and moments from films stick with me after the film has ended but some of the stuff here will stay with me for a while. Until I can see it again of course. Whatever your interpretation of the film (is it about the Iraq war? Terrorism?) you can’t deny that this is stunning stuff that literally tramples over the blockbusters from recent years in terms of sheer visceral power and storytelling. Spielberg is on top form again with a moody and dark nightmare that sucks you in and refuses to let go. Powerful and moving it brilliantly focuses on a global event in a unique way. Unmissable.

Wallace and Gromit in: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Five years in the making, but worth every minute Wallace and Gromit's first big screen outing is a delight plain and simple. After the three short films I had my doubts that the format would stretch to a full length movie, but within seconds my fears were put to rest. The film grabs you from the start with its quality and doesn't let go. There is something wonderful about the handmade quality to this style of animation. The characters are brought to life in an almost magical way. The emotion given off by just Gromits eyes or Wallace's smile is striking, and that level of care and detail extends to every corner of this film. It's the little details that count, and Wallace and Gromit has this in abundance. From sight gags in the background and on signs, to the sharp and witty script this is a layered film that will reward multiple viewings. Aardman animation may have a slower output than Pixar, but they are their nearest rivals in terms of quality and heart in animation today and this film just cements that role. It really is that good! The plot concerns out heroes, now in the pest control business, trying to catch the eponymous were-rabbit a creature that has recently appeared and is threatening the local village's upcoming giant vegtable competition. The mix of comedy and mock horror - the rabbit leaves the remains of vegetables rather than humans to the horror of local residents - that is so knowingly executed here makes it a real treat. The way that tension is built up in masterful and the wonderful score help elevate this to a film level. It still has the old fashioned values and looks that have always made the duo so typically British, but everything is expanded here making it an exciting and worthwhile transition. The vocie acting is superb as well with Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes hamming it up, and there are so many wonderful jokes, inventive set pieces and twists and turns in the story that it feels too much tio take in! You don't dare laugh in case of missing something else and the film excellently builds to its thrilling finale. I can't say enough good about the film as you can probably tell. The reason that it scores higher than other, also great, films this year is simply because there isn't a thing I would change about this film. For what it is it is note perfect, and that in itself is a reason to keep you smiling! Cracking! As perfect a film as you could hope for this is pure joy for every minute of its running time. As fun for kids as it is for adults this is pure plastercene perfection - hilarious, exciting and very very British.