Oldboy (2013)

***
Release Date: December 6th 2013

Obsessed with vengeance, a man sets out to find out why he was kidnapped and locked into solitary confinement for 20 years without reason.

Director: Spike Lee (Inside Man, 25th Hour, Malcolm X)

Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli

Joe Doucett is an unsympathetic inebriated man who thinks only of himself. After going out on a bender, Joe is mysteriously kidnapped and cooped up in a hotel room that has no windows and no means of escape. He is fed and watered but besides that he is left to his own devices.

Over the course of the 20 years Joe disciplines himself day and night. From laying off the alcohol to exercising and practising martial arts, he's biding his time. After his eventual escape, and weirdly enough no ones attempt to stop him, he aims to find out who imprisoned him with what little clues are at his disposal.

This recent American remake lacks the feel and depth that the 2003 South Korean original has. Using the same choreographer, there's little in the way of unique. The renowned hallway scene from the original is a spectacle to behold. The new take spices it up by adding another floor, but lacks the raw power that Chan-wook Park's direction has.

Josh Brolin's character is hard to relate to; the story moves at such a fast pace that there's no time to pause and reflect. Joe bumps in to Marie Sebastian (Elizabeth Olsen), who after a time attaches herself to Joe and his esoteric manner. Samuel L. Jackson makes a few appearances in some incredibly gruesome scenes, whilst Sharlto Copley is magnificent as ever as an ambiguous villain. 

For those who haven't seen the original, you're in for a few shock twists that make Oldboy memorable, but not necessarily for the right moralistic reasons.

Violence is seen fairly differently in Western culture to other countries in the east. Factors such as religion and cultivation have a great impact on that. If you look at Tartan/Extreme Asia films such as Battle Royale, R-Point and The Butcher, you'll notice that violent acts are never toned down to face a wider audience. They master it well, but they also don't have the BBFC having the power of forcing the major studios to edit their work. Oldboy, the remake, has been hit by this. A Director's cut will be available, but we will have to wait for the DVD release to view it's full potential.

Overview: It's advised to wait and see the untouched Director's version to fully appreciate this film. If you're unsure, stick to the original.   

Saving Mr. Banks

****
Release Date: November 29th 2013

Author P. L. Travers reflects on her difficult childhood while meeting with filmmaker Walt Disney during production for the adaptation of her novel, Mary Poppins.

Director: John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, The Alamo, The Rookie)

Staring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, B. J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman

Whoever thought the Disney film Mary Poppins would have such a gripping background as to how P. L. Travers, the author of the said book, struggled with letting her work come to life.

Travers, played by the outstanding Emma Thompson, is the most stubborn character on screen that you'll have ever seen for a long time. She finds it hard to comes to grips with her financial status, and eventually agrees with her agent that she needs to make money quickly.

So off on a plane she goes to Los Angeles, to meet the illustrious Walt Disney (Tom Hanks). Disney's fellow workers Don Dagradi (Whitford) and the Sherman brothers (Novak & Schwartzman) try to collaborate with Travers on a script, but with Travers changing things left, right and centre and profusely recording every session, the team are constantly tip-toeing around her so that she doesn't hesitate handing over the rights to Walt.

This all works well, with the occasional laugh here and there. The dry humour is constantly disrupted by flashbacks of her gloomy past. Travers' present is plagued by her nostalgic memories of her father (executed by the excessively cheesy Colin Farrell) going on the downward spiral. This breaks the fine mould that Travers has, never quite knowing whether it wants its audience to be happy or sad. You'll always sit in the middle.

Hanks does a great job in a supporting role, right off the back of Captain Phillips, but this is not his for the taking. Thompson is unequalled. She goes from relentless and single mindedness to becoming an open book with added spurts of kindness. Travers is a difficult character to sympathise with at the beginning, but nearer the end her compassion is undeniably heartwarming.

Overview: It's nice to see variety from Disney Studios. Something other than the usual conventions in a Disney film will be greatly appreciated. Saving Mr. Banks would make for a great feel-good film if not for its sporadic sadness.           

Homefront

***
Release Date: December 6th 2013

A former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord.

Director: Gary Fleder (Imposter, Kiss the Girls)

Starring: Jason Statham, James Franco, Kate Bosworth, Winona Ryder

The blurb above says it all. Statham is Phil Broker, an ex-DEA who changes his identity and moves away after a ganglord has a personal vendetta on him.

After the opening credits we are familiarised with the new town and elementary. Broker's daughter Maddy defends herself against a bully at school, which results in the bullies parents taking it out on both Maddy and Phil. Kate Bosworth plays the redneck mother of the said bully, who bleeds a menacing and horrible presence. Her other half, however, recoils in fear at Broker's capability of defending himself.

Broker gains a lot of unwanted attention from the town's residents. Cassie (Bosworth) gets her unhinged, meth-head brother Morgan (James Franco) involved. He seeks to drive Broker out of home with scaremongering and fear, and contacts the man who wishes Broker dead.

Written by Sylvester Stallone (who has also written The Expendables films), an assumption can be made that this will be all action and a bit of a no-brainer. Homefront is far from it. The moments where Phil and Maddy are alone may be a little cheesy at times, but it's mostly sweet, with the young Izabela Vidovic producing standout performances The action with Statham (we all know what to expect from a Statham film) comes often and with raw brutality.

James Franco plays a drug addict/dealer surprisingly well, along with great support from Boworth and Winona Ryder. They play druggies impressively. Check out the beautiful scenery with the set up of each scene. Who knew a place full of grandeur could hide the roughest of people.

Overview: Not a bad effort from Director and Writer. This will impress if you're a big fan of the Statham. 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

****
Release Date: December 14th 2012

A younger and more reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out on an "unexpected journey" to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of Dwarves to reclaim their stolen mountain home from a dragon named Smaug.

Director: Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis

Technology since 2003's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has evolved dramatically. 3D entered the fray with James Cameron's Avatar, and plenty of other films have followed suit, with the first Hobbit epic being one of them. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey also introduced us to 48fps (for those who don't know, frames per second amounts to how many still images there within a second to create the illusion of movement), thus, giving a smooth and crisper film to watch.

A large amount of expectation will be garnered, if The Lord of the Rings trilogy is anything to go buy. THAUJ is a more child friendly result, aimed at all ages. Adapted from a book that's only just over 300 pages long, AUJ is the first of three films that opens up the world of Middle-Earth to a whole new level. Be prepared to see more than what's in the book. It will come in two halves; the fans of the book may find this film hard to comes to terms with due to plenty of changes and new parts being added, or fans old and new will relish in Peter Jackson's take on Tolkien's classic.

Nevertheless, an exciting journey is had, as Bilbo (Freeman), the lovable furry hobbit, living in his hobbit hole under the hill, is interrupted by Gandalf the Wizard (McKellen) to join him on an adventure. Bilbo eventually decides to be the dwarven companies' thief and help reclaim Erebor from the clutches of Smaug the dragon.

But before we even get to that, there's trolls and goblins to contend with, sticky situations to get out of, and all the while the pale orc known as Azog and his warg-riders are in pursuit. The One Ring is also introduced with a small but effective cat and mouse game between Bilbo and the already familiar Gollum.

Freeman's younger hobbit to Ian Holm's older one is a delight to watch. Nothing is overdone, and Freeman easily fits the role, never ever overdoing things. The only other members of the company that have standout roles are Gandalf and Richard Armitage's Thorin Oakenshield. The occassional dwarf will have a line or two to say (Balin and Bifur) but the others blend in to the background with little to mention. 

It takes the dwarves and company around 45 minutes to leave the Shire and finally set off on their journey. Time is used wisely. It introduces the dwarves and gives us a monologue of the whats and whys. It may seem all a little slow, but the pace does quicken when they hit the road.

The second film, The Desolation of Smaug, will allow us glimpses of Smaug, and hopefully keep up the tempo that abruptly stops at the end of AUJ.

Overview: A great start, but The Fellowship of the Ring still stands the stronger of the two. If you're new to these, start with The Hobbit, and save the best til last.  

Hitman

**
Release Date: November 30th 2007

A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as 'The Organization' is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia and Eastern Europe.

Director: Xavier Gens (The Divide, Frontier(s))

Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Tomsen

Game adaptions have been somewhat of a letdown over the past ten to twelve years. The Resident Evil films have never lived up to the popularity of the game, Mario Bros. would have been a lost cause if it weren't for its childhood qualities and Doom is a complete Alien ripoff, tied down with a 15 rating. Hitman is among these, and bares no qualities worth mentioning.

It's easy to get lost within the its first 10 minutes. A weak storyline that feels purposely confusing, mixed in with a lackluster lead (to us, only known as Agent 47... or Timothy Olyphant) whose emotionless facade comes from bad acting is not a concoction you'll want to watch for an hour and a half. It is not the fault of the actor, but the Director. There is little history around the harnessing of these agents, instead we are left perplexed at Agent 47's reaction to having a beautiful women throwing herself at him.

Nika Boronina (Kurlenko) has supposedly witnessed Agent 47 assassinate the Russian president, so now he must assassinate her, but this leads to a bigger conspiracy that 47 has been roped in to.

Simple plot, right? There are various flaws that didn't get picked up during production. The first being Agent 47 never hides the ridiculously massive tattoo of a barcode on the back of his bald head, but always manages to slip away unseen. The second is the absence of affection towards the only love interest. Third and foremost is the incomprehensible script, riddled with moments of stating the obvious.

If it weren't for an actions scene where 47 is pitted against three other assassins, it would be a complete and utter shambles.

Overview: A reboot is in the pipeline, and it can't do much wrong to be an improvement on this.

Bachelorette

**
Release Date: August 16th 2013

Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids at a wedding of a woman they used to ridicule back in high school.

Director: Leslye Headland

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, Rebel Wilson, Adam Scott

And still these three friends (if they can be called friends) bitch about bride-to-be Becky (Rebel Wilson), and mainly because they're jealousy and lack of partners have left them bitter.

Regan (Kirsten Dunst) is chief bridesmaid to Becky. Gena (Lizzy Caplan) and Katie (Isla Fisher) are amongst the other bridesmaids, and they are probably the worst friends that Becky could have. Between them they get high on drugs (Regan is too level headed and angry to consider taking them), sabotage the pre-wedding speech and ruin the Bride's dress, all in a nights work.

This is all very enjoyable to watch, especially as Rebel Wilson for the first time is the tamest character on screen. It's difficult to maintain a viewing from start to finish when the characters are stupendously obnoxious. You will spend most of the time feeling sorry for the bride who spends most of her time off screen.

As time goes on, our trio aimlessly make things worse, and it's always a wonder why they didn't do the sensible thing in the first place and own up to their mistakes.

Overview: There are more cringe-worthy moments than funny ones. This isn't a film that's going to change anyone's lives. Stick to Bridesmaids. 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

*****
Release Date: November 22nd 2013

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.

Director: Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Constantine)

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire takes everything to the next level. It's predecessor was a starting point, opening up more than the games. This second outing in the 'quadrilogy' is darker and grittier, what with assault, murder and torture within the first half hour it's a wonder how it keeps the low rating (a 12A) as young adults are made to feel like adults.

Catching Fire comes nearly a year after the 74th annual Hunger Games. District twelve survivors Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Hutcherson) are preparing for the victor's tour where they must visit all 12 districts. Before they set off, Katniss is visited by President Snow (Sutherland). He warns and threatens to hurt her family and friends if she doesn't follow his rules during the tour. A rebellion has emerged which see the districts revolting against the Capitol.

As President Snow and the Capitol try to calm the rebellion, Katniss and Peeta are soon preping for the next Hunger Games, and every 25 years it is know as the Quarter Quell where the year's Tributes are in for something special (you'll have to see to know more!).

Some old characters return that are familiar. Haymitch (Harrelson) is still their drunk mentor, who lives in Victory Road (with the only other victors of D12). Gale (Hemsworth) the other male in the love triangle with Katniss, doesn't get any particular strong parts apart from having to deal with some torture. Effie (Banks) is still the quivering, overbearing presenter of D12's tributes, Cinna (Kravitz) goes all out with the costume designs and Stanley Tucci is still as strange as ever as T.V presenter Caesar Flickerman. These familiar faces do nothing more than help the main protagonist; it's all about the female hero, and Lawrence performs just as well as before.

With the old comes the new, and they are welcome attributes. The more gutsier of these is Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Plutarch Heavensbee, the new Games-maker. He tries his best to make Katniss' life miserable, and cover up the hope that's spreading across Panem by injecting fear in the heart of the people.

Where the first installment sets the bar, Catching Fire raises the stakes and it's not just about the games; everyone's lives are at risk, and everyone is fighting for hope.

The new arena is full of new surprises. Rabid monkeys, death defying mist, freak storms and tidal waves are a few of the treats in store for our heroes. If you've read the book then you'll be struggling to think if Director Francis Lawrence has missed anything out. If Catching Fire is anything to go by, then we won't be disappointed when Mockingjay Part 1 and 2 come round. Bring on late 2014!

Overview: This will please all who are fans of both the books and the first film. Forget about Twilight, it's all about The Hunger Games. 

Snitch

***
Release Date: April 5th 2013

A father goes undercover for the DEA in order to free his son who was imprisoned after being set up in drug deal.

Director: Ric Roman Waugh (Felon, In the Shadows)

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal, Barry Pepper

Dwayne Johnson has become a certain typecast: lean, mean, takes no shit and is a tough nut to crack. In Snitch however, emotions can get the better of him.

Johnson is John Matthews, father of Jason Matthews, who's facing a 10 year prison sentence for drug trafficking. This is part of the minimum sentence law and a system run by the government that entitles the victim to decrease their sentence if they help catch other drug smugglers.

Jason's guilty conscience gets the better of him so John decides to step in and take control and convinces the DEA (run by Barry Pepper's Agent Cooper) and District Attorney Joanne Keeghan (Sarandon) that he can take action for Jason. After enlisting the help of one of his colleagues Daniel James (Bernthal), and without him knowing about it, John goes undercover to take down a drug trafficking group run by Malik, who is a big target of the DEA's. What John doesn't know is that he's bitten off more than he can chew.

It takes a fair amount of time for Dwayne Johnson to become The Rock as we know him, as he struggles to accept his sons decision not to trap others like he has been. We sit through a very mellow, slow start, and it doesn't build up until at least the final 20 minutes. This is not an action film with added drama, this is a drama with a healthy amount of action that focuses on the strains of keeping the family together, all its highs and all its lows. Most people will do anything for the ones they love, and this is shown in Snitch. John may have grown distant from his son, but he'll do anything to repair that.

Without the action that we expected there to be, the script needs to be powerful enough to keep moments tense and suspenseful, and Snitch does exactly that. Key moments include Malik sizing up John during their first meeting, and Daniel questioning his trust over his partner in crime.

Jon Berthnal is starting to branch out since starring in The Walking Dead, and with Snitch making its appearance at the cinema earlier this year and The Wolf of Wall Street at the end of the year his popularity will grow further if he keeps up the formidable performances.

Overview: Keep bearing in mind that this is a drama involving family matters. Dwayne Johnson is a silent time bomb waiting to explode in what can be only called an explosive finale.      

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

****
Release Date: December 26th 2013

A day-dreamer escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, he takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

Director: Ben Stiller (Tropic Thunder, Zoolander, The Cable Guy)

Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Sean Penn, Kathryn Hahn

It's been over 5 years since Ben Stiller directed Tropic Thunder. His latest, A Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is a feel good movie that shows us that there are no boundaries and that instead of using our imagination we can bring it to life.

Walter (Stiller) uses his explosive imagination and conjures up some make believe thoughts for us all to see. In his mind, this is his way of mustering up the courage to speak to Cheryl (Wiig), who he has affection for. They both work at Life Magazine, and everyone's jobs are under major scrutiny because they are converting to online only.

By the orders of new boss Adam Scott (whose beard you'll be staring at wondering if it's real or fake) Walter must present slide number 25 which will be the last ever image to be on the front cover. Walter misplaces the slide from a reel that Sean O'Connell (a great cameo from Sean Penn) has sent whilst out on his expeditions. As the unveiling date approaches, Mitty panics and decides to set off on an adventure to track down O'Connell, and find the missing slide.

Enjoy the lavish, gorgeous scenery as we follow Mitty to Greenland, Iceland and later on the Himalayas. The beautiful settings match our everlasting yearn to see more, and explore with more than just our imaginations.

Do not expect the usual Stiller comedy. Tropic Thunder and Zoolander take on silly humour, mocking stereotypes and coming out with absurd nonsense. It's not necessarily negative, and nor is this different take with A Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Stiller has remarkably attempted a dryer technique, and this reflects well within the story. It's a story that's about grasping opportunities and living life at its fullest. The comedy is sometimes awkward and at others times unexpected. This isn't fundamentally a comedy. It's secondary to that of the journey you're supposed to enjoy.

The acting all round is good. Kathryn Hahn's ridiculousness is toned down somewhat and Adam Scott is still great at playing the arsehole (if you've seen Step Brothers or Leap Year you'll know what I mean). Ben Stiller stands out, it's definitely one of his best performances.

Overview: Stick it through, as I think it'll surprise most. The imaginations that we see shows us that there are no limits to what we can or can't do.    

The Great Gatsby

***
Release Date: May 17th 2013

A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor.

Director: Baz Luhrmann (Australia, Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Isla Fisher, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan

The story of The Great Gatsby is overshadowed by it's glitz and glamour. Picture Mouline Rouge!, except not as odd as that. This is not the first attempt at bringing the F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel to life. Jack Clayton's The Great Gatsby (1974) starring Robert Redford will be the most familiar. This new outing comes at a time where CGI and colour stand out vibrantly, make it pretty to look at.

We follow Nick Carraway (Maguire), a war veteran who ends up being Jay Gatsby's (DiCaprio) neighbour. As he explains to a shrink and through a series of flashbacks we see his involvement in Gatsby's life; how he gets to know him, his wealth, his friends (or lack of) and lastly his incredible parties. He's making a name for himself without anyone knowing what he looks like.

Gatsby is besotted with his old love, Daisy (Mulligan). All went south with their relationship before the war, and Daisy is now married to philanthropist Tom Buchanan (Edgerton). Things may go his way, as Buchanan is unfaithful with Myrtle (Fisher), but we all know that the outcome is never happy.

The Great Gatsby may work as a book but it struggles to keep interest on screen. At least the story is not out of date. No one has really much to say (that you will care much for) apart from Gatsby. Every word that comes out of his mouth whether true or not, will captivate you, and DiCaprio reprises similar persona's to previous roles that will keep the women interested at least.        

The soundtrack (by rapper Jay-Z) is surprisingly fitting if not strange company. Rap didn't exist post second world war, so it feels a little surreal, as if none of it is real; a lifestyle we think we want but could probably do without.

Overview: No stand out performances bar DiCaprio, but the performance cannot outshine what can be seen.