Everest (2015)

Genre

Adventure | Biography | Drama

Director

Baltasar Kormákur

Country

UK | USA | Iceland

Cast

Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Sam Worthington, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, Thomas Wright, Martin Henderson, Elizabeth Debicki, Naoko Mori, Clive Standen, Vanessa Kirby, Tom Goodman-Hill, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Charlotte Bøving, Micah Hauptman, Chris Reilly, Chike Chan, Vijay Lama, Mark Derwin, Mia Goth

Storyline

On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two commercial expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds.

Opinion

Once again I had high expectations and once again I've been disappointed. Stuffed with famous names, Everest is a well done chronicle film, that only invites to observe and not feel.

With an overlong first half focused on the preparation of the climbing itself and acclimatization to the high altitude, and a second half focused on the tragedy itself, the film does not lack credibility or attention in the reconstruction of the events, but it's soulless. Apart from the fact that the division between part one and part two is like a clear cut, the film does not go beyond telling the facts as they are, and completely fails in showing the difficulties you may encounter in such a climbing, and the hostility of the environment.

The characters are a washout. The only well outlined character is climber Rob Hall, that with his company Adventure Consultants guided even clients with little experience on the top of the Everest. Unfortunately, Hall's rival Scott Fischer is very superficial, portrayed as an reckless drunkie. The other characters are just plot elements, and characterized by some small details - like Doug, the mailman pursuing his dream, or Yasuko, the woman completing the seven summits. Also, Anatoli Boukreev definitely deserved more space in the story.

The actors are wasted. While Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin give good performances, Jake Gyllenhaal's only purpose is delivering stupid lines, Emily Watson's New Zealand accent is unconvincing, Keira Knightley occasionally shows up crying, and Robin Wright doesn't even need to be in the film.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Genre

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Director

Stanley Kubrick

Country

UK | USA

Cast

Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Marie Richardson, Todd Field, Sky du Mont, Rade Šerbedžija, Vinessa Shaw, Fay Masterson, Leelee Sobieski, Alan Cumming, Leon Vitali, Julienne Davis, Thomas Gibson

Storyline

New York City doctor William Harford (Tom Cruise), who is married to art curator Alice (Nicole Kidman), pushes himself on a harrowing and dangerous night-long odyssey of sexual and moral discovery after his wife admits that she once almost cheated on him.

Opinion

Last night I finally saw Eyes Wide Shut, film that will always be remembered for being the last work of Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest filmmakers in film history. Just like every film he has made, this one has caused some controversy, and, I am sorry to say it, it did really disappoint me.

Overlong, tedious, and uneventful most of the way, Eyes Wide Shut is a major disappointment, and the writing is to be blamed.

Based on Arthur Schnitzler's 'Traumnovelle', the concept behind the story - a husband and wife rediscovering their passion through sexual experimentation outside the marriage - is interesting. But the slow moving story as a whole isn't particularly involving, and fails to make the viewer feel sympathy for the protagonists and care for their marriage.

The way too verbose screenplay does not tell through images, but through mostly banal dialogue most of the events.

Also, the film adds little to the stories of love, sex and betrayal used out of proportion in the film industry, and the veil of mystery and ambiguity that covers the film is not enough to save it.

Despite everything, the touch of Kubrick is there and you can feel it in the disturbing and creepy orgy scene, that shows perversion, and the negative side to lush without falling into pornography.

Fine acting from Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack and Marie Richardson, but the upsetting thing is that there is no chemistry between Cruise and Kidman, and they were even married at the time.

Quotes

Dr. Bill Harford: No dream is ever just a dream.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Genre

Drama | History | War

Director

Ken Loach

Country

UK | Ireland

Cast

Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, Orla Fitzgerald, Laurence Barry, Mary Murphy, Myles Horgan, Martin Lucey, Roger Allam, John Crean, Damien Kearney, Frank Bourke, Shane Casey, Máirtín de Cógáin, William Ruane, Fiona Lawton, Sean McGinley, Kevin O'Brien

Storyline

Ireland, 1920. Workers from field and country unite to form volunteer guerrilla armies to face the 'Black and Tans' squads that are being shipped from Britain to block Ireland's bid for independence. Driven by a deep sense of duty and love for his country, Damien O'Donovan (Cillian Murphy) abandons his burgeoning career as a doctor and joins his brother, Teddy (Pádraic Delaney), in a dangerous and violent fight for freedom. As the freedom fighters' bold tactics bring the British to breaking point, both sides finally agree to a treaty to end the bloodshed. But, despite the apparent victory, civil war erupts and the families, who fought side by side, find themselves pitted against one another as sworn enemies, putting their loyalties to the ultimate test.

Opinion

Brutal, intense, and heartbreaking, The Wind That Shakes the Barley wonderfully outlines a tragic period of Irish history.

A decade after Land and Freedom, following the Spanish Civil War, British Ken Loach came back with another piece of twentieth-century history. This time he deals with the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. 

Obligated to take a stand, Loach he takes the side of the oppressed, the Irish. But he is clearly not intentioned in making IRA propaganda, or portraying Irish as unblemished heroes and martyrs, and that is shown by two pretty much identical scenes, one in the middle and the other at the end of the film. Those two scenes show brutality and atrocity of civil war, and underline its ability to set nation against nation, man against compatriot, and brother against brother.

The writing is a good and bad. While the dialogue is good, and the story works fine, the characters lack of something. The portrayal of the characters might be maximised by body language, but the character development is rather poor, and the film fails in creating characters you care about.

The photography is superb, and the costumes are excellent, but the sceneries are a bit monotonous and repetitive considering all Ireland has to offer.

The acting is overall good. Cillian Murphy convincingly plays Damien O'Donovan, even though Pádraic Delaney does a better job in the role of his brother Teddy, as he is blessed with a more interesting character. Liam Cunningham stands out among the supporting cast.

This may not be a masterpiece, but it's worth the time. 

Quotes

Damien: It's easy to know what you are against, but quite another to know what you are for.

The Thirteenth Tale (2013)

Genre

Drama

Director

James Kent

Country

UK

Cast

Olivia Colman, Vanessa Redgrave, Sophie Turner, Steve Mackintosh, Alexander Roach, Emily Beecham, Tom Goodman-Hill, Michael Jibson, Adam Long, Antonia Clarke, Lizzie Hopley, Madeleine Power, Gordon Winter, Robert Pugh, Janet Amsden

Storyline

Ageing novelist Vida Winter (Vanessa Redgrave) enlists biographer Margaret Lea (Olivia Colman) to finally write the story of the life, including her mysterious childhood spent in Angelfield House, which burned to the ground when she was a teenager.

Opinion

"Do you believe in ghosts?" Vida Winter told Miss Lea at the first meeting. I don't, and to be honest I'm not a fan of this kind of fiction. But when last summer I came across Diane Setterfield's novel, I surprisingly enjoyed it. Quite a lot. So, as I found out there was a film based on the novel, I couldn't help but do anything in my power to watch it. Well, I've seen it now, but what a let down!

The Thirteenth Tale is a decent drama that doesn't capture the essence of the book it's based on, and completely lacks of suspense.

I've been reading around people saying Christopher Hampton brilliantly adapted this film. I couldn't disagree more. While some parts of the story are slightly changed and some parts are omitted - which is not a big deal after all - the dialogue got it worse. Since the key elements of the story are wrapped in the dialogue, making it shorter to conveying those plot points to the viewer in the shortest time possible was not a smart choice.

Also the troubled and sick relationship between Charlie and Isabelle is barely introduced - for a moment I thought it would have been omitted -, and incompletely.

The film suggests a romantic liaison between Margaret and the Doctor, implied by the way the look at each other, that is not important at all.

And the way Margaret/Colman looks at her reflection in the windows is kinda creepy. In the book that was explained by the dead of Margaret's twin sister. Born dead, Margaret never had the chance to meet her sister, and for that reason she feels like a half-person, and she looks at her reflection because she think she might see her sister. In the film this part is changed so the reflection thing is pointless.

Anyway, the scenery is wonderful, and the acting is quite good.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Genre

Drama | History | War

Director

Terry George

Country

UK | Italy | South Africa

Cast

Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix, Fana Mokoena, Cara Seymour, Jean Reno, Tony Kgoroge, Desmond Dube, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Leleti Khumalo, Antonio Lyons

Storyline

During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), an ordinary man, summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.

Opinion

To tell a historical event is never easy, figure an event like this one, when in just three months about a million people were brutally murdered. But Terry George succeeded, mainly thank to a stratospheric Don Cheadle. 

Hard to be watched, but necessary to open our eyes, Hotel Rwanda is a poignant, heartfelt tale about a massacre, and a genuine hero.

The film does not sweeten the situation nor makes a saint out of the main character, but simply tells the story that our consciousness and our media have canceled because apparently not interesting enough to be remembered, as well as not important enough to do something back then.

The representation of the fighting is so disturbingly realistic that fills the film with drama and suspense until the very end.

Also, the film has several powerful, and touching scenes, during which holding back tears will be impossible. Just think of when Pat Archer reports the last words of the orphan (Please don't let them kill me, I promise I won't be Tutsi anymore) slain by the Hutus, or when the white people are being evacuated and they are told Rwandan children aren't allowed on the bus, or when they drive over the bodies.

Don Cheadle impressively carries the entire film, delivering a terrific performance as Paul Rusesabagina, the brave man who stood to do the right thing, and did something while the rest of the world looked away.

Quotes

Paul Rusesabagina: I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.

Jack: Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?

Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?

Jack: I think if people see this footage they'll say, "oh my God that's horrible," and then go on eating their dinners.

The Life of David Gale (2003)

Genre

Drama | Mystery

Director

Alan Parker

Country

USA | Germany | UK

Cast

Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Gabriel Mann, Rhona Mitra, Leon Rippy, Matt Craven, Jim Beaver, Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Gast, Noah Truesdale, Donald Braswell, Katina Potts, Julia Lashae

Storyline

When anti-death-penalty activist David Gale (Kevin Spacey) is convicted and condemned to death for the murder of a colleague, reporter Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet) sets out to learn the story behind Gale's crime. What she finds challenges her belief in Gale's guilt and, finally, in the justice system.

Opinion

Having read many other reviews, I fail to understand how so many can view this as a bad film. I'm addressing this to critics in particular, who seem to have forgotten that beyond the philosophical aspect, the purpose of a movie is to entertain an audience.

Well written, but not well executed, The Life of David Gale is a good film and a deep indictment against death penalty.

Philosopher and screenwriter Charles Randolph is the author of a solid script with a good final twist, despite it spends too much time on Spacey's alcoholic problem. The best part in terms of writing is definitely the dialogue. Load of sap, it gives the film the strength to keep going.

This film goes far beyond the social criticism, and shows us that in drama there is also the awareness of someone who is willing to sacrifice everything for his ideal - and this can be seen in any context, religion being the most quoted nowadays.

Almost enigmatic as the times of The Usual Suspects, Kevin Spacey gives a great performance as David Gale, a man torn between his ideals, family and alcoholic dependence. Kate Winslet also gives a great performance as journo Bitsey Bloom. The supporting cast does a good job overall.

Wanna know my thoughts about death penalty? As Gandhi said, and Kevin Spacey quotes, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind."

Quotes

David Gale: Fantasies have to be unrealistic because the moment, the second that you get what you seek, you don't, you can't want it anymore. In order to continue to exist, desire must have its objects perpetually absent. It's not the "it" that you want, it's the fantasy of "it." So, desire supports crazy fantasies. This is what Pascal means when he says that we are only truly happy when daydreaming about future happiness. Or why we say the hunt is sweeter than the kill. Or be careful what you wish for. Not because you'll get it, but because you're doomed not to want it once you do. So the lesson of Lacan is, living by your wants will never make you happy. What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to measure your life by what you've attained in terms of your desires but those small moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrifice. Because in the end, the only way that we can measure the significance of our own lives is by valuing the lives of others.

Starred Up (2013)

Genre

Drama

Director

David Mackenzie

Country

UK

Cast

Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend, Sam Spruell, Anthony Welsh, David Ajala, Peter Ferdinando, Raphael Sowole, Gilly Gilchrist, Duncan Airlie James, Gershwyn Eustache, Ashley Chin, David Avery, Tommy McDonnell, Frederick Schmidt, Sian Breckin

Storyline

19-year-old Eric Love (Jack O'Connell), arrogant and ultra-violent, is prematurely transferred to the same adult prison facility as his estranged father (Ben Mendelsohn). As his explosive temper quickly finds him enemies in both prison authorities and fellow inmates and his already volatile relationship with his father is pushed past breaking point, Eric is approached by a volunteer psychotherapist (Rupert Friend), who runs an anger management group for prisoners. 

Opinion

Well acted, Starred Up is brilliant, brutal, and smart prison drama about anger, father-son relationship, and forgiveness.

Written by an actual voluntary therapist following his own experiences at Prison Wandsworth, the great script appears genuine, and realistic in describing the psychological condition and behavior of the inmates, and with the same authenticity brings us on the path of redemption of a young prisoner. The extremely realistic view of prison gives the feel of watching a documentary, feeling increased also by the almost complete absence of music.

Director David Mackenzie succeeds in dosing the dramatic element, and offers a compelling portrait of the complex relationship between father and son, both with a disturbed personality, and conflicting with each other.

If I had a gun pointed at my head, and being asked what's the problem with this film I'd go with the accents. The violence and the bad language didn't bother me at all, but not being a English native speaker, and not knowing English perfectly, I had some problems understanding, but there were captions, so problem solved.

The acting is great. Jack O'Connell gives a superb performance and delivers one of the most memorable prisoner character I've seen. Ben Mendelsohn also gives a fantastic performance as O'Connell's estranged father. The supporting cast also gives great performances.

Quotes

Eric: I'm just saying. Said this therapy goes well and it changes my life and I rehabilitate. And then you lay it on for the next geezer and it works for him, and the next. And everything's sweet yeah? Crime rates starts to come down, police got less people to nick, courts got less people to convict. Pretty soon you're out of a job.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009)

Genre

Crime | Thriller

Director

J Blakeson

Country

UK

Cast

Martin Compston, Eddie Marsan, Gemma Arterton

Storyline

Two criminals, Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Danny (Martin Compston), kidnap Alice Creed (Gemma Arterton), the daughter of a millionaire. The kidnappers have worked out a meticulous plan: will it work?

Opinion

Months ago I was asked to review this film, and since it was on TV last night I took the chance right away. The reviews were promising and the film started well, but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would have.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a quite entertaining crime flick, with lots of attempts at tension, but exaggerates with plot twists.

The idea to set the film entirely in the places of the kidnapping, the choice of focusing on the psyche of the kidnappers and the kidnapped and putting aside the family and the investigation is excellent. Also, the film manages to avoid to fall into the clichéd kidnappings territory: there is no torture; the victim is humiliated though.

What really bothered me were the twists. Usually a plot twist serves as a mean to keep the viewer engaged and interested in what he is seeing. That's what happens in the first part of the film. But in the second part, there are way too many twists, they lose effectiveness, and it looks like the Blakeson didn't know how to fill the time. Also, as the film goes on, the twists are predictable and the level of engagement falls. Not to mention the disappointing ending.

Also there is what I like to call the Clark Kent effect. Everybody knows that Clark Kent takes off his glasses when turning into Superman. And everybody also knows that none of the people he knows does recognize him. The same thing happened here. At some point it transpires that two of the characters knew each other, but how didn't recognize each other from their voices?

Gemma Arterton is more than just a pretty face and she shows it with a great performance. Eddie Marsan is great as always. Martin Compston gets way too much screen time and he is not that good.

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Director

Anton Corbijn

Country

UK | USA | Germany

Cast

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright, Grigoriy Dobrygin, Derya Alabora, Daniel Brühl, Nina Hoss, Herbert Grönemeyer, Martin Wuttke, Kostja Ullmann, Homayoun Ershadi, Mehdi Dehbi Vicky Krieps, Rainer Bock, Charlotte Schwab

Storyline

When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant (Grigoriy Dobrygin) turns up in Hamburg's Islamic community, laying claim to his father's ill gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest: as the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man's true identity - oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist?

Opinion

Based on John le Carrè's novel of the same name, A Most Wanted Man is a thoughtful spy thriller that includes one of the greatest, and sadly the last of Philip Seymour Hoffman's performances.

Instead of the classic action spy story, the film faces with an introspective view on espionage, showing a reconstruction of the investigation, allowing the viewer to know how security agencies work, and which methods spies use to reach to their purpose - methods that sometimes encroach on illegality.

Despite the slow pacing, director Anton Corbijn perfectly manages to keep the tension high, and the audience engaged. Like the spy, the viewer will follow the investigation step by step, getting more and more engaged as the film goes on.

Alongside the tension filled plot, there is a witty dialogue - I would have appreciated some subs because the accents and all spoken dialogue were a bit too difficult to follow. Among the characters, Hoffman's is the layered and most interesting one. The relationship between the young lawyer played by Rachel McAdams and the Chechen Issa could have been interesting if better developed.

The outstanding cinematography by Benoît Delhomme delivers a wide range of feelings. The musical score by Herbert Grönemeyer is great.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is huge. Scruffy and sweaty - probably due to his malaise -, he looks more than comfortable in the main character's shoes. Every single scene he is in shines like the sun.
Willem Dafoe steals every scene he's in - except those shared with Hoffman. Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright and Daniel Brühl are decent in their roles. I was delighted to see Nina Hoss; unfortunately her performance wasn't up to my excitement.

Quotes

Dieter Mohr: After 24 hours of questioning, Karpov confessed to taking part in attacks on gas pipelines, transport, infrastructure, police stations.

Irna Frey: After 24 hours of Russian questioning, any one of us would admit to anything.

The Double (2013)

Genre

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

Director

Richard Ayoade

Country

UK

Cast

Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor, Yasmin Paige, Cathy Moriarty, Phyllis Somerville, James Fox, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Tony Rohr, Susan Blommaert, Jon Korkes, Tim Key, Lloyd Woolf, Lydia Ayoade, Sally Hawkins, J Mascis, Christopher Morris, Chris O'Dowd, Craig Roberts, Kierston Wareing, Jeanie Gold, Paddy Considine, Gemma Chan, Rade SErbedzija, Catherine Delaloye, Georgie-May Tearle

Storyline

Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) is a timid man, scratching out an isolated existence in an indifferent world. He is overlooked at work, scorned by his mother, and ignored by the woman of his dreams. He feels powerless to change any of these things. The arrival of a new co-worker, James, serves to upset the balance. James is both Simon's exact physical double and his opposite - confident, charismatic and good with women. To Simon's horror, James slowly starts taking over his life.

Opinion

If David Lynch and Terry Gilliam had a baby, and that baby made a film, this is exactly what it would look like.

Feeling like an avant-garde Fight Club, The Double is an interesting, very odd, dark, a little depressing, and slow psychological comedy thriller.

What is that great about this film? I don't know. As said before, this film is weird. It is hard to understand at first, then it feels a little confused, and that requires you to pay lot of attention to get it. Also, if you do pay attention, you still will be confused, feeling like there is some stronger message behind it, and still don't get it. Still there's something that fascinates me about it. I can't tell what.

It doesn't have much of a plot, nothing much happens in the film, it isn't much detailed, many things are not explained, still it somehow manages to be entertaining, engaging and deliver some thrills. The ending is a bit predictable though.

Richard Ayoade's art-house direction is the strongest element. Jumping from one image to the next really emphasised the disjointed character(s). Also, I enjoyed the sound of footsteps not stopping when people stopped walking. The cinematography was beautiful, and the musical score nailed it.

Jesse Eisenberg really carries the film well, keeping the viewer entertained, and delivers his best performance since The Social Network. The scene when he talks to himself are priceless. Mia Wasikowska also delivers a great performance as love interest Hannah. However, she didn't have much of a chemistry with the Eisenbergs.

Quotes

Simon: I don't know how to be myself. It's like I'm permanently outside myself. Like, like you could push your hands straight through me if you wanted to. And I can see the type of man I want to be versus the type of man I actually am and I know that I'm doing it but I'm incapable of what needs to be done. I'm like Pinocchio, a wooden boy. Not a real boy. And it kills me.

Centurion (2010)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Drama

Director

Neil Marshall

Country

UK

Cast

Michael Fassbender, Olga Kurylenko, Dominic West, Liam Cunningham, David Morrissey, J.J. Feild, Ulrich Thomsen, Noel Clarke, Riz Ahmed, Dimitri Leonidas, Dave Legeno, Axelle Carolyn, Imogen Poots, Paul Freeman, Rachael Stirling, Michael Carter, Tom Mannion, Peter Guinness, Lee Ross, Jake Maskall, Eoin Macken, Neil Marshall

Storyline

A.D. 117. Roman centurion Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender) leads a group of soldiers on a raid of a Pict camp to rescue a captured general (Dominic West). As one of the soldiers murdered the son of the Pict leader (Ulrich Thomsen), the Romans find themselves hunted by a seemingly unstoppable group of Pict's warriors, led by deadly tracker known as Etain (Olga Kurylenko).

Opinion

Beautiful at look, Centurion is a very well made film, bloody, and brutal, with fantastic fighting scenes,  yet dull because it somehow fails in engaging the viewer. 

The main problem with the film is that it focuses on the visual aspect instead of the writing, and it is a huge shame because considering the subject, the film could have been so much better. There isn't much depth to the characters, the story is mediocre and predictable, and the dialogue is lifeless.

The film opens with some nonsense, and goes on with some other nonsense. First, why do the Picts leave Quintus Dias (Fassbender) alive? Only because he can speak their language? It doesn't make lot of sense to me. Second, how did Etain manage to tell such a detailed story of what happened to her, if she was mute? Third, the Picts are supposed to kill and decapitate the Romans, but when Bothos is shot in the leg with an arrow, one of the Picts says, "Let him bleed". Like, seriously? After chasing them for hours, they just let him bleed. Fourth, the Picts killed thousands Romans and captured their general, still three Romans manage to kill the most lethal Picts. That's unreal. 

Michael Fassbender does a decent job as Quintus Dias, the Romans leader. Too bad the film didn't give him the chance to show off his acting abilities, but gave him a sword and lots of action instead. The supporting cast does a good job. Olga Kurylenko well delivers her performance through facial expressions and body language. David Morrissey, Dominic West, Ulrich Thomsen, and Imogen Poots all do a good job.

Quotes

Centurion Quintus Dias: In the chaos of battle, when the ground beneath your feet is a slurry of blood, puke, piss and the entrails of friends and enemies alike, it's easy to turn to the gods for salvation. But it's soldiers who do the fighting, and soldiers who do the dying, and the gods never get their feet wet.

Slow West (2015)

Genre

Action | Thriller | Western

Director

John Maclean

Country

UK | New Zealand

Cast

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn, Caren Pistorius, Rory McCann

Storyline

At the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas (Michael Fassbender), a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way.

Opinion

Maybe it's because I'm a die-hard Fassbender fan, but he is always worth watching, even if the film is bad. I am not a great connoisseur of Western - I've watched Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "For a Few Dollars More", and Kevin Costner's "Dances with Wolves" only - but until now I loved them. This one is no different.

Slow paced as the title suggests, Slow West is a bizarre, captivating, funny, touching and violent Western road trip that confirms John Maclean as a big talent.

British director and writer John Maclean, through the eyes of naive dreamer Jay, tells a beautiful story, with a memorable ending, about the violence in the New World, cynicism, and money rush that involves everybody, both natives and immigrants. Also, he manages to balance life and death with some great comedic elements. 

There is no much character development, but considering the great result achieved, I don't feel like complaining about it.

Filmed in New Zealand, the scenography lacks in Canyons, and provides a sense of loss, yet the spectacular landscapes give you hope. The cinematography by Robbie Ryan is great, and the musical score by Jed Kurzel blends with the film.

The acting is sublime. Michael Fassbender, both leading character and narrator, delivers another wonderful performance - he has improved his American accents a lot since "12 Years a Slave" - and his humour perfectly fits the character and this road trip. Kodi Smit-McPhee does a fantastic job in the other leading role. However, the most memorable is Caren Pistorius as the beautiful Rose. She does not have lot of screen time, but she is in the frame she captures your full attention.

Michael Fassbender once said, "The great thing about doing independent films is that they move fast, and I like that. I like the speed, and having to be on your toes...The little films need the big films to do well because they are dependent on getting that money. "Frank" gets made because I do something like "X-Men: First Class" or "Prometheus". I don't think thanking him from the bottom of my heart will be enough. 

Quotes

Silas: That kid was a wonder. He saw things differently. To him, we were in a land of hope and good will. 

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Tim Story

Country

USA | Germany | UK

Cast

Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Doug Jones, Laurence Fishburne, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, Beau Garrett, Vanessa Minnillo, Andre Braugher, Stan Lee, Brian Posehn, Debbie Timuss, Moneca Delain, Kevin McNulty, Crystal Lowe

Storyline

As the Silver Surfer (Doug Jones, voiced by Laurence Fishburne) races around the globe wreaking havoc, Reed (Ioan Gruffudd), Sue (Jessica Alba), Johnny (Chris Evans) and Ben (Michael Chiklis) must unravel the mystery of the Silver Surfer and confront the surprising return of their mortal enemy, Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon), before all hope is lost.

Opinion

I did have really low expectations for this one, and it didn't disappoint me. While a little improvement on its predecessor, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer still is mediocre, dull, and a shame to the fantastic comic books.

As if letting Mark Frost write the script for the first film was a good idea, they called him back, and along with director Tim Story and screenwriter Don Payne, he did a bad job.
Although I like films to be faithful to the comic books, I tolerate some little differences or omissions. Unfortunately, in here, it is a huge problem. There is no backstory of Galactus - he is not even a character - and his servant, the Silver Surfer, has the power to destroy him. How ridiculous is that? Also, the Silver Surfer goes around resurrecting people. There is no explanation to the power swapping, the Torch can just swap powers with the others by touching them, and how the Torch manages to absorb everyone's powers, leaving them powerless, is a mystery.
And the villain for god's sake! Couldn't they come up with some other bad guy? Why did they have to bring Julian McMahon's awful Dr. Doom back?

Nothing exciting happens aside from the chase scene involving the Human Torch and the Silver Surfer. The visual effects suck. Mr. Fantastic looks fake most of the time.

The acting is bad as the rest. Ioan Gruffudd looks like some guy from a soap opera, and his accent still is bad. Jessica Alba is painful to watch. She is nothing more than a pretty face. And the chemistry between the two of them is inexistent. Chris Evans steals the show as Johnny Storm having the fortune to play the only character that evolves during the film. Michael Chiklis did a better job the first time. Julian McMahon is ok. Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne do a good job as Silver Surfer's body and voice.

The Prestige (2006)

Genre

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Director

Christopher Nolan

Country

USA | UK

Cast

Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Ricky Jay, Roger Rees, W. Morgan Sheppard, Daniel Davis

Storyline

In 1878, two young stage magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), clash in a darkened salon during the course of a fraudulent seance. From this moment on, their lives become webs of deceit and exposure, secrets and revelations, as they feud to outwit and destroy one another. Their rivalry takes them both to the peak of their careers, but with terrible consequences.

Opinion

Besides this, I've only seen other two Nolan's films - Memento and Inception -, and the thing that amazed me the most is their ability to hypnotize the audience.

Although at first I wasn't much into it, The Prestige turned out to be a complex, engaging, thrilling mind-blowing film, as well as an excellent portrait of obsession and competition of magicians. 

Though adapted from Christopher Priest's novel 'The Prestige', the story is a perfect fit for Nolan's direction, as the increasing engagement and twists keeps you wondering like Memento did. Also, he succeeded in having a dream cast.

The narrative structure of the film is very interesting. Nonlinear, the film starts from the end, and builds the story through flashbacks and flashforwards, showing the same episodes from the point of view of both the main characters.

Also, part of the story has a historical confirmation. In fact, besides the invention of a machine capable of teleporting or duplicate matter, the several references to the studies of Nikola Tesla and his rivalry with Thomas Edison are accurate.

The cinematography by Wally Pfister and the scenography by Nathan Crowley and Julie Ochipinti are outstanding, giving the film a magical and mysterious setting.

Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier, Christian Bale as Alfred Borden, and Michael Caine as stage engineer John Cutter all give charismatic, emotional, stunning performances. Rebecca Hall, who plays Borden's wife, provides a great performance. Scarlett Johansson, once again in the mistress's shoes, performs badly. Mention worthy is David Bowie's performance as Nikola Tesla, which despite the small screen time, proves to be a better actor than most of Hollywood's people.

Quotes

Cutter: Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige".

Cutter: Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.

Rivalries (2015)

Genre

Thriller

Director

Philip Stainsby

Country

UK

Cast

Patrick Doyle, Mark Manning

Plot

The film sees a man, an employee (Patrick Doyle), try to come to terms with this mega city while trying to deliver a document to his employer (Mark Manning), along the way he becomes increasingly at odds with himself in a reflection of sorts of Freudian ideas of the psyche.

Opinion

I do like indies because they prove no big amounts of money are needed to make something good, and Rivalries is a good example of that.

At his feature length debut, director and writer Philip Stainsby manages to bring the audience into the state of consciousness of the protagonist, creating a continuous and increasing tension, partially enhanced by the spectacular and pulsating music, composed by Andrew Mobbs.

Beautifully shot, the chaotic city of Shanghai has an important role in the story. The employee/Doyle's inner monologue, which provides most of the film's dialogue, is very interesting.

As Neil Hopkins did in Detour, Patrick Doyle is able to carry the film through until the end alone, delivering a fantastic performance.

Quotes

The employee: Apparently too much fast food can... oh, like I give a fuck. Gotta other things to worry about.

For more infos check out Rivalries website.

Green Street (2005)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Sport

Director

Lexi Alexander

Country

USA| UK

Cast

Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Leo Gregory, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren, Ross McCall, Rafe Spall, Kieran Bew, Geoff Bell, James Allison, Terence Jay, Joel Beckett, Francis Pope, Christopher Hehir, David Alexander

Plot

Unjustly expelled from Harvard, Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) moves to London to live with his sister (Claire Forlani) and her husband Steve (Marc Warren). As he meet Pete (Charlie Hunnam), Steve's cocky brother, he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism.

Opinion

Critics have said everything bad they could possibly say about this film, from Elijah Wood being not credible as the tough guy to Charlie Hunnam's awful cockney accent. Good thing is I'm not a critic.

Green Street is a very emotional drama that deals with many themes: loyalty, honor, revenge, importance of family - The Major's decision to leave the GSE for the sake of his family -, and power economically strong people have - Matt being kicked out of Harvard.

The film does not glorify hooligans, it portrays them honestly. The violence is believable, realistic, and frightening. The direction and cinematography are flawless. The story manages to engage the audience immediately. The sad and mesmerizing final fight perfectly goes along with Terence Jay's song "One Blood".

The acting is spot-on. Elijah Wood is amazing, and maybe he wasn't the best choice to play a tough guy, but who cares? After all, his character wasn't that tough at the beginning. Charlie Hunnam gives a great performance.

Now, the film is violent, but there is much more than that, so if you didn't get it, I really suggest you to watch it again.

Quotes

Matt Buckner: You know the best part? It isn't knowing that your friends have your back. It's knowing that you have your friends' back.

Pete Dunham: You don't run, not when you're with us... You stand your ground and fight!

Matt Buckner: I've never lived closer to danger, but I've never felt safer. I've never felt more confident, and people could spot it from a mile away. And as for this, the violence? I gotta be honest - it grew on me. Once you've taken a few punches and realize you're not made of glass, you don't feel alive unless you're pushing yourself as far as you can go.