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Trainspotting (1996)
Brutally in-your-face drama
Becoming something of a British cult-classic, Trainspotting successfully brought a relatively young Ewan McGregor into the public eye and told a gritty and realistic story about hardcore drug use. Ewan plays a young man called Renton, who is severely addicted to heroin amidst the Edinburgh drug scene. Fairly early on, Renton attempts to escape the vices which hold him by going 'cold turkey'...but fails on numerous occasions. All around him, Renton consistently sees his friends succumb to the allure of hard drugs; each with varying outcomes. It isn't till a life-threatening incident which causes Renton's parents to intervene, that a light at the end of the tunnel begins to appear.
There's no doubt that Trainspotting is a brutally in-your-face portrayal of what taking drugs will lead to. At no point does it advocate or glorify the abuse of substances, not too dissimilar to the incredible Requiem for a Dream. There's a single shot of the film which will now be permanently burned into my mind, and rightfully so, because to say this film is "one-sided" would mean condoning the use of substances, which has consistently been shown to lead to disastrous outcomes.
Despite all this, Trainspotting is also a slightly humorous black-comedy, with comedic moments placed throughout. That's not to say it's a laugh-a-minute film that'll have you smiling from start to finish, far from it, but certain characters such as Renton's friends Spud (Ewen Bremner) and the scarily aggressive Begbie (Robert Carlyle) occasionally provide comic relief to alleviate the very dark tone.
The only real problem I have with Trainspotting is that it doesn't really wrap-up as conclusively as I'd have liked it to. I expected to have some sort of conclusion to at least the main characters, but sadly that doesn't happen. The ending is far from bad, it just isn't as definitive as I would have expected it to be.
Outlast (2013)
Genuinely terrifying entertainment
I don't think a game has ever managed to reduce me to an anxiety- stricken wreck quite so successfully as Outlast. Within an opening text, you are told that you play as Miles Upshur; a journalist who decides to investigate Mount Massive Asylum after receiving an anonymous tip. Almost immediately things begin seeming a little strange, with stereotypical scares such as silhouettes in windows and flickering lights, but soon it appears that whatever happened at the asylum should have been left alone permanently.
As you play as a simple journalist, you traverse the entire game armed with nothing but a camcorder with a night-vision function, causing the majority of sequences to be shown through a spooky green glow. As most of the game takes place in complete darkness, you'll be using the camcorder a lot, which is difficult because the batteries drain phenomenally quickly, leaving you in terrifying nothingness. More can be collected throughout the game, but you always need to consider conserving your power so that you're not suddenly caught being chased by murderous patients with no idea as to where you should go.
And it's this sense of constant helplessness which separates Outlast from other survival-horror games. From start to finish, there is literally no way of fighting enemies, so you have to constantly be mindful of their positions and be prepared to run and hide if the need arises. But whether you hide under a bed, in a locker or even simply in a fireplace; nowhere is safe. On more than one occasion I was brutally dragged out from my hiding-place and killed on the spot. Yet I loved every minute of it.
I'm a huge fan of horror already, but Outlast dragged me in and didn't let go until the very final credits rolled. The atmosphere created within the first mere moments of game-play sticks with you until the end, and causes the scares to be even more insidious and real than they ever could have been without this incredible sense of immersion. This is also due to the amazingly creepy sound-design and the game's refusal to pull anything back, particularly when it comes to gore. It's rather rare whilst playing Outlast to not see a dismembered torso or deformed, skulking, deranged killer, but it's all necessary to create a game which is this scarily engrossing.
I have very few problems with Outlast, but the consistent need to wait for enemies to pass by certainly becomes slightly tiresome towards the end. That's not to say it's not always terrifying when you begin being chased, but after the third or fourth time of being killed, things get a little repetitive. This is particularly apparent in the cat-and-mouse sequences featuring a huge prison-guard, but it never becomes so common that it ruins the experience. Without giving anything away, the plot also wraps up completely differently to how you would expect, which I wasn't a huge fan of, but it was still entertaining nonetheless.
Outlast is a terrifying game which hooked me almost instantly. Like with most 'scary' forms of media, it has to be enjoyed properly by sitting in complete darkness with the sound up high, but if you can endure the constant barrage of horror, then it's a hugely enjoyable experience which I would definitely recommend.
Movie 43 (2013)
Atrociously unfunny
I've put off watching Movie 43 for a very long time, considering all of the dreadful feedback it received when it was initially released in January of last year. The plot of the film vaguely revolves around three teenagers trying to find the "most banned film on the internet", which is appropriately titled Movie 43, although the American version of the film has a completely alternate plot revolving around movie producers pitching this film to a company. Regardless of this, both versions contain this plot solely to string together 12 un-funny, crude, horrific sketch comedies containing an unbelievably star-studded cast of actors. From Hugh Jackman to Stephen Merchant; nobody is left out.
I have literally no idea why so many well-known celebrities would agree to be a part of this truly appalling movie. One of the opening sketches features Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet attending a blind-date, but the 'hilarious' twist is that Hugh Jackman's character has a pair of prosthetic testicles on his neck which only Kate Winslet appears to notice. This successfully sets the tone for the rest of the movie, with scene after scene revolving around a tiresome concept dragged out far beyond being funny. A theory I have heard is that the actors were made to feel guilty after signing their contracts so they became obliged to continue the production, but when you reach a sketch revolving around a woman wanting her fiancée to defecate on her, it becomes very hard to believe any such ideas.
Speaking of defecation, Movie 43 really leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the juvenile areas of comedy. Incest, periods & blatant racism all make an appearance, and none are handled in a remotely funny manner. In fact, the only slightly entertaining sequences of the movie such as a scene between Stephen Merchant and Halle Berry didn't rely heavily on these kind of topics at all, and were much better for it. The majority of the film seems as if a young, pre-pubescent boy was behind everything, which isn't ideal when there's such critically acclaimed actors present.
Although it may seem like I'm being pretentious about Movie 43, that's only because there is genuinely nothing redeemable about this film. I'm all for 'low-brow' comedy when it's done correctly, and I even enjoy the earlier Scary Movie films which feature huge amounts of this, but Movie 43 simply isn't good. I really wish I could say otherwise, because I'm a fan of many actors featured, but it just is downright awful from start to finish.
In case it isn't obvious, I'd highly recommend giving Movie 43 a miss. It only runs for around 90 minutes, but felt as if it dragged on for far, far longer. Unless the American version is drastically different, I have no idea why this film was ever made, and feel bad for everybody involved. Do yourself a favour and watch a comedy such as Airplane which shows just how successful a rapid flurry of jokes can be.
The Lego Movie (2014)
Almost reaches 'Toy Story' levels of entertainment
Lego played a big part in my childhood. Receiving a new Lego set was the pinnacle of excitement for me as a child, whether it be Star Wars or Harry Potter, I played with it for hours upon hours. So when I heard that The Lego Movie was being made, I hoped that it would assert the same nostalgia as Toy Story evokes nowadays. Thankfully, it does.
The Lego Movie revolves around a stereotypical builder by the name of Emmet (Chris Pratt), who one day breaks the monotony of his life by discovering the 'piece of resistance'; an object which will defeat the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrel). All of this is foretold by a godly figure called Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), who gathers a team compiled of many heroes such as Batman (Will Arnett), an adventurous girl named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) & a 1970s astronaut figure (Charlie Day). Constantly on the tail of the group is a bi-polar police officer played by Liam Neeson, who is wholly loyal to Lord Business.
In case it isn't clear, there's a lot of celebrities featured in The Lego Movie, all of whom present their characters in an incredibly entertaining fashion. It's often argued that animation movies should hire 'real' voice-actors to play roles, but I genuinely think that The Lego Movie would be considerably worsened if people like Morgan Freeman didn't participate. From start-to-finish, the cast make the on-screen action all the more enjoyable to watch, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
The Lego Movie is also just a fun movie to watch. Although it's highly likely that the majority, if not everything was produced through CGI, within the world of the movie it is all Lego. Even the ocean is made with thousands of individual pieces of Lego, which just makes it a very fun film to take in, and draws you in even more. I'd imagine the fight- scenes within the film took a very long time to produce, as every explosion and gunshot is created entirely out of the globally-recognised pieces of plastic.
Similar to the many great films Pixar have produced over the years, the humour in The Lego Movie appeals to both children and adults. I found myself laughing consistently throughout, some times far more than in any comedy I have watched recently. There's not as many jokes which appeal exclusively to adults which may be found in movies like Toy Story, but the humour definitely isn't dumbed-down for the sake of the main audience. I'd easily recommend it to anybody and be surprised if they didn't find something to like.
The only major issue I held with The Lego Movie was the twist towards the end. Without spoiling anything, it will either undermine the movie for you or make it even more enjoyable. I personally found it to do a bit of both, and actually result in a slightly emotional scene, but some may argue that it detracts from the film as a whole.
American Hustle (2013)
American Hustle is a great movie with a greater identity crisis
With a cast consisting of names such as Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner & Amy Adams, it's difficult not to be slightly excited about American Hustle. All of these are accomplished actors whom have starred in great movies, so I had fairly high hopes for this film to say the least.
American Hustle tells the story of Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale); an accomplished con-man who makes his living scamming clients out of thousands of dollars. Along with his British accomplice Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), the couple make large amounts of money by combining their skills and knowledge, until an FBI agent by the name of Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) busts their scheme and forces Irving to work for him in order to catch other criminals in the act. Things become increasingly complicated once Irving's troubled wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) comes into the mix, along with many other characters nobody would want to be mixing with.
Before getting into some of the issues with which the film suffers, it should be known that, as expected, all of these actors perform to an incredibly high standard. Even the scenes which seem fairly redundant (and there are a few) are largely redeemed by this all-star collection of talented individuals. The leading roles played by Christian Bale & Amy Adams were particularly memorable, but they in no way overshadowed any of the other performances. The script was slick and fast-paced, which is exactly what you would want from a film of the 'hustle' genre. This should come as no surprise as the director of the film, David O. Russel, has worked with most of the actors previously.
It's difficult to pin-point exactly what was wrong with American Hustle, but I left the cinema feeling slightly more empty than I had hoped. The acting was entertaining, the soundtrack was stellar and the directing was fast-paced to match the mood of the film, but it didn't have the 'wow' factor I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, it was consistently enjoyable and there were very few moments I felt bored, but there wasn't really anything that raised it higher than the average film aside from the performances. The plot became slightly tangled due to the number of things happening throughout, and never really had highs which would push it up a few marks. Also, it seemed like the film was trying to be a comedy at parts, with certain lines of dialogue being genuinely funny, but then other scenes cemented it as a crime drama. If humour was included more frequently, maybe it wouldn't have felt so peculiar.
American Hustle is a very entertaining crime/hustle movie which contains countless excellent performances from well-known actors, but also one which lacks the suave tone of it's characters. I enjoyed it and could recommend it to people, but I don't think I could urge anybody to go and see it immediately. As mentioned however, the soundtrack really was something to behold, with many era-specific songs featured.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
Not a bad movie by any means, just not as good as it could have been
Before going in to The Desolation of Smaug, I had been given the impression it was quite simply one of the best films this year. Apparently improving over the original in every single way and being just as entertaining as Peter Jackson's previous trilogy, it seemed almost a little too good to be true. Unfortunately, it was.
The film begins almost exactly where An Unexpected Journey left off, with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the group of 13 accompanying dwarfs heading towards the Lonely Mountain to reclaim it from the terrifying dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch). The ring Bilbo finds in the first movie however, is having a clear impact on his mental well- being, which is comparable to that of Frodo's in The Two Towers. The group soon make their way through the insidious Mirkwood Forest, unaccompanied by the great Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), and eventually seek brief refuge in Lake-Town before heading to the mountain itself to confront Smaug.
Strangely, the first third of the movie is noticeably slow, which is odd because it would be expected all of the build-up would take place in the first movie. Yes, there are some action sequences early on, but they weren't as engaging as they probably should have been. That's not to say they were boring, but when compared to the expansive fights in The Lord of the Rings, they weren't really anything special. Also, certain scenes seemed to lack very much musical score, which may have been an issue with the cinema I went to but it detracted hugely from the on-screen events. Returning characters such as Bilbo and Gandalf were just as enjoyable to watch as in the first movie, it's just a shame that they weren't in The Desolation of Smaug quite as much as I would have liked.
Before it sounds like I hated the movie though, I want to make a point of saying when things went well, they went very, very well. Despite the lacklustre action at parts, there were specific scenes (such as one involving white-water barrel rafting) which were not only exciting, but they redeemed many of the slower moments of the film. Couple this with the inclusion of characters such as Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and a genuinely intimidating dragon towards the closing scenes of the movie, and it's easy to see how there were several things which worked in The Desolation of Smaug's favour, it's just a shame that the negatives often overshadowed the positives.
Smaug himself was easily the highlight of the film for me. Although he is shown briefly in the trailers, you haven't seen him properly until you watch the movie for yourself. If Peter Jackson does one thing correctly, it's scale. The combination of the vast environments with clever camera-work and exceptional CGI meant that Smaug appeared incredibly sinister throughout all of the scenes he appeared in, and the choice of Benedict Cumberbatch to voice him could not have been made better. If there was a single reason to see the film that I could think of, it would be for this infamous dragon.
The Desolation of Smaug definitely isn't a let-down, it's just not quite as good as I had hoped it would be. The CGI was consistently breath- taking and the majority of the film was entertaining, but that doesn't save some segments from being boring and drawn-out. Also, it ends on a cliff-hanger which has scale rivalling The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Fans of Tolkien and Peter Jackson will definitely love this second Hobbit instalment, but it's difficult to recommend it to an average movie fan.
Sherlock: The Empty Hearse (2014)
An incredible return to an incredible series
First and foremost, this review will contain major spoilers about how season 2 of BBC's amazing adaptation of Sherlock Holmes ended, so don't read on if you plan on watching it some time (which you definitely should). It would be impossible to talk about the latest episode without spoiling those prior, as the plot heavily revolves around what happened back in 2012.
Almost two years ago, Sherlock Holmes died. Or so the end of Sherlock led viewers to believe. The internet was rife with rumours and speculation as to how he was still alive, and that is precisely where season 3 picks up. The opening scene re-tells the ending of the previous season, but with an explanation of how it is Sherlock Holmes managed to survive a seemingly fatal fall. It's soon revealed however, that this is just yet another idea of yet another pundit, although things seemed suspicious once Derren Brown appeared out of nowhere. It then cuts to a long-haired man being tortured in a dark basement, who is revealed to be Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) himself, and soon we are taken back to London where Watson (Martin Freeman) is trying to carry on with his life after mourning for his best friend. The first third of the lengthy 90 minute episode revolves around Watson's reluctant attitude towards the return of his seemingly dead friend, and this is filled with the incredibly witty humour Sherlock has become known for.
The programme would be nowhere near as funny or entertaining without the two leading stars Martin Freeman & Benedict Cumberbatch, whom have both become huge celebrities since the previous season with both starring in the very recent The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. They play off of one another perfectly and there were countless scenes within this episode where the superb editing and acting proved just how incredible Sherlock is, and why it was definitely worth the two year wait. Quick, snappy transitions and subtle text return in order to present how Sherlock's mind is working, which make the programme very unique and incredibly enjoyable to watch.
Due to the movie-like 90 minute runtime, The Empty Hearse is full of twists and turns which only Sherlock could pull off so successfully and not become too convoluted or obnoxious. Frequent references to prior episodes mean that it feels familiar, but new threats and characters distinguish this episode as different from those that came before. Because each season of Sherlock is only three episodes, a lot needs to happen in each so that a story-arc can be told, but thankfully nothing is left out unless it seems like it will be revealed in a future instalment.
The Empty Hearse is an incredible return for the Sherlock series, and one which appeals hugely to fans but is still watch-able for those who have not seen the other episodes. Benedict Cumberbatch still remains the perfect actor to play the leading man himself, and Martin Freeman works perfectly as his apprehensive assistant. The episode flies all over the place, but you never feel like you need to catch up. It ends on a cliffhanger which has me very excited for the next instalment, and one which solidifies why Sherlock is easily the best TV series the BBC has ever offered.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
More of the same, in the best possible way
After much anticipation and the appearance of Ron Burgundy on countless talk-shows and advertisements, I finally got around to seeing Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. I've personally been very excited to see this film, as I was a huge fan of the original back in 2004 and still remain an avid fan of Will Ferrell himself, so my expectations were very high to say the least. And for the most part, they were reached.
Anchorman 2 begins a few years after it's predecessor, with Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his wife Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) co-hosting the daily news in San Diego, but when Veronica is offered the opportunity of hosting the nightly news instead, her and Ron go their separate ways. Ron heads off to become a part of New York's first ever 24-hour news network, but not before reuniting his trusty team consisting of ladies-man Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), obnoxious sports- host Champ Kind (David Koechner), and lovable idiot Brick Tamland (Steve Carell). There are many new faces in this sequel however, some more successful than others. Brick's love interest for example, played by Kristen Wiig, was hugely suitable to the tone of the film, but only appeared about three times throughout the whole film. The same could be said for many of the new characters, who had their sub-plots simply left behind and never really brought up again.
Amongst the all-star appearances however, only one person manages to come close to matching the hilariousness of Will Ferrell: Steve Carell. If you disliked his character in the first movie, then you will most likely hate him even more in Anchorman 2, as Brick is turned up to 11. Thankfully, I was a huge fan of his in the original Anchorman, so the increased screen-time was a welcome addition. It also felt like improvisation was a much bigger focus in this sequel, which is something common within films directed by Adam McKay (such as Step Brothers or The Other Guys), and a feature I had no problem with as almost all of the actors present have proved their talent in their craft, bar a few exceptions.
Being a Will Ferrell film, Anchorman 2 is expected to get slightly silly, but I doubt anybody could anticipate just where the story goes. I didn't personally have a huge problem with this, as I knew exactly what it was I was getting myself in for, but the final 20 or so minutes get so ridiculous that even I questioned what exactly was going on. There are cameos from many celebrities, ranging from Will Smith to Jim Carrey to Sacha Baron Cohen, all crammed into about 10 minutes. Although very funny, things do become a little too over-the-top, and it almost becomes detrimental to the rest of the film as it leads you to think solely about how insane things get towards the end, therefore neglecting the jokes featured earlier on.
Something that startled me a little however, was how catchy the soundtrack was to the film. Being a comedy, I had no expectations of the music featured as the main goal of it was to be funny, so it was a nice surprise to hear songs which helped plant the film firmly within the 80's time-frame it was aiming for. A combination of disco and rock appealed hugely to me, and boosted the movie a few points above what it would have been without these choices.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is largely more of the same, so if you despised the first movie, I highly doubt this will win you over. If like me you loved the original, then its sequel will no doubt make you laugh consistently throughout. Quite a few jokes return as slightly re-skinned versions of those in the first movie, such as Brian Fantana having a cupboard full of condoms instead of aftershaves, but overall I found Anchorman 2 to be a more than welcome return to the world of Ron Burgundy.
The Conjuring (2013)
Phenomenal horror brought to us by the new King of the genre
The Conjuring opens to a long, eerie shot of a sinister looking doll, who's name we find out to be Annabelle. A short sequence revolving around this doll introduces us to the protagonists of the movie; real life paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren. Ed & Lorraine travel across the country presenting their work to various universities, alongside visiting people's homes who believe that their house is the site of demonic activity, which is usually dismissed by simple logic. As advertised however, The Conjuring focuses on one case "too disturbing to be told...until now."
After a title sequence that literally made all the hairs on my neck stand up, the Perron family are introduced. Moving into a new home, everything seems normal until strange occurrences make them believe something is awry, and after many disturbances unsettle the family the Mother Carolyn (Lili Taylor) seeks out the Warrens' help. This gives us a fairly average plot on which countless terrifying moments can be built upon.
It's important to know that The Conjuring doesn't really try do anything new. Numerous 'haunting' movies have been released recently, but none have made me as scared as The Conjuring. Director James Wan (who also directed such films as Saw and Insidious) has such an effective method of shocking audiences with violence and terror, but The Conjuring features almost no gore or violence or foul language, it instead relies on pure fear to make you feel incredibly uneasy. Of course there are a few 'jump-scares' which have become the norm in current horror movies, but there are so many other occasions where a scene is drawn out to a painful level of tension that had me almost hiding behind my hands, all accompanied by a sinister soundtrack which adds huge amounts to the on- screen sequences.
In a horror movie, it is important to care about the protagonists, otherwise we don't fear for their lives when in danger. Luckily then, actors such as Patrick Wilson and Lili Taylor portray their characters to such an exceptional degree that they are so likable I didn't want anything bad to happen to them, which is a foolish thing to hope for in a movie like this, but something they should be commended for.
My only real negative with the movie is that towards the end, a lot of things are revealed which may have been more effective if left to the imagination. Maybe it's just me, but I find things to be a lot scarier when a face is not put to whatever it is haunting a family. Small glimpses are caught of the apparition throughout, and in my opinion it should have remained at that.
Fight Club (1999)
Arguably the best movie ever made
The movie was directed by David Fincher, also responsible for the twisted masterpiece Se7en, and revolves around the main character who for all intensive purposes will be called "The Narrator", played by one of my favourite actors: Edward Norton. The Narrator meets a man named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), who goes on to completely change his outlook on life, opening him up to what is truly his full potential, and encouraging him to leave behind his old monotonous life and "just let go."
It's difficult to explain why Fight Club is the incredible experience it is without spoiling anything. The main misconception is that the movie focuses on fighting, which is a fair assumption, based upon the name, but it is almost inexcusable to disregard it without delving a little deeper. About one tenth of the film contains fighting, with the remainder telling an unforgettable story of self-discovery and leaving you as the viewer to raise some questions about yourself and precisely where you think your own life is going. It's clichéd with many highly- rated films, but Fight Club really is life changing if you allow it to be.
It'd be wrong to review the film without touching on just how exceptional the acting is. Marla, (played by Helena Bonham Carter) is the embodiment of a wasted life, counting down the days till she dies. Her life, like The Narrator's, completely changes when she meets Tyler, providing even the most depressive character in the film a new way of seeing things. Brad Pitt plays Tyler perfectly, not caring at all how people see him and being his own man, something which he encourages The Narrator to do.
The true reason Fight Club is so phenomenal as a film however is down to the fact it was made with the sole purpose of being watched again, thanks to the completely mind-blowing twist featured towards the end. I can't put in to words just how shocked I was after the first time I saw the film, leaving me to instantly need to see it again. If there was ever a reason to see Fight Club, the twist alone would be it.