Review Category: Movie

SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE

MOVIE REVIEW: SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE / CERT: U / DIRECTOR: MARK BURTON, RICHARD STARZACK / SCREENPLAY: MARK BURTON, RICHARD STARZACK / STARRING: JUSTIN FLETCHER, JOHN SPARKES, OMID DJALILI, RICHARD WEBBER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Based on the beloved, long running Shaun the Sheep TV show that has been delighting viewers on CBBC for several years, this expanded feature-length adventure sees the gang leaving the farm and heading off into the “Big City” where their beloved farmer has, due to an unfortunate caravan incident, suffered amnesia and has now ended up thinking he’s an upmarket barber. So, as the gang tries to track down the farmer, Trumper, a pest control expert, is hunting them down.

Innocence can be very hard to portray in cinema and can end up being sickly, saccharine sweetness, but Aardman are the people you can always rely on to get it right, and once again they’ve put their sweat, blood and tears into a film that has managed to put a delightful, childlike smile on our faces. What’s remarkable is that, even though the film owes a lot to silent cinema (baas, grunts and noises standing in for words), it has a really charming mark of quality to it, which has been present in everything that Aardman creates, and from the minute the film starts you instantly fall in love with it.

Like all of Aardman’s animations, there are proper, physical, thumbprints all over everything with wonderfully handcrafted tactility, and that’s all been achieved by people who understand and take it very seriously, more so than any animation company out there. The comedy slapstick is constant, vibrant, and has been wrought out after years and years of endeavour and attention to detail to get that humour precise. They perfectly understand comedy and timing, and like all of Aardman’s best works, it will probably take repeated viewings to get all the gags with the film including fleeting nods to Silence of the Lambs, Cape Fear and Monty Python.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll squeal in delight when, in one hugely memorable yet surreal sequence, the flock dresses up collectively as a pantomime horse, whose bottom Trumper’s head gets stuck inside. But most of all, you’ll end up wishing all animated features were like this, and you do feel the love that has put into this film by proper, hard-working filmmakers that have a great track-record in making this possible. In the end, Shaun the Sheep Movie oozes good nature and it will make anyone feel like they were six years old again.

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

Actual Rating:

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FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

MOVIE REVIEW: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: SAM TAYLOR-JOHNSON / SCREENPLAY: KELLY MARCEL / STARRING: DAKOTA JOHNSON, JAMIE DORNAN, JENNIFER EHLE, ELOISE MUMFORD, MARCIA GAY HARDEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Based on the worldwide best-selling first instalment in a trilogy of potboilers by E.L. James that dealt with the hair-raising topics of BDSM, Fifty Shades of Grey follows virginal English student Anastasia Steele, who interviews wealthy entrepreneur Christian Grey. However, upon meeting each other, the wide-eyed, lip-biting Ana immediately becomes smitten by Christian and they soon get involved in a torrid romance that happens to be driven by Grey’s S&M obsession. But even though she contractually agrees to be the submissive to his dominant, it’s not long before Ana starts to yearn for a normal relationship with Christian, which he feels uncomfortable by the notion of.

The source novel is unreadably bad, which is unsurprising for being Twilight fan-fiction, but a movie adaptation was inevitable, and Sam Taylor-Johnson is a smart choice for being the film’s director as she has dealt with edgy romance before. Plus, Kelly Marcel does make significant improvements to the story by taking out the incessant narration, as well as all the Burt Ward-esque “Holy’s!” and “inner goddess” elements. However, both Marcel and Taylor-Johnson are occasionally shackled down by, not just the rest of James’ poor dialogue, but also the film’s R rating in order for to appeal to a mainstream audience.

Despite all the hype and taboo about the film’s sex scenes, the end result is toothless and vanilla when compared to films like Blue is the Warmest Colour or Nymphomaniac, and those scenes aren’t as shocking or as outrageous as many were expecting. This does bare similarities to Steven Shainberg’s Secretary, and there is nothing in Fifty Shades that can match the fun, wit, edge and sharpness of Secretary, and that offered a more deep insight into the world of BDSM and the consensual passing of power than this does.

As far as the performances are concerned, Jamie Dornan lacks the committed edge he possessed in TV’s The Fall and one would’ve wondered what Charlie Hunnam would’ve done with the role hadn’t he got cold feet. But Dakota Johnson is by far the best thing in the film, and she’s almost the reason for making the whole experience bearable. She brings a fun, quirky, yet emotionally nuanced, performance that contrasts against Dornan’s stiffness, and it’s thanks to her that she makes the character of Ana much more compelling than the annoyingly bland, one-dimensional airhead she is in the book. However, you don’t completely believe in their relationship, which is not surprising considering that both Johnson and Dornan reportedly didn’t get on well during filming.

Overall, Fifty Shades of Grey can be a slick, stylish (gorgeously shot by Seamus McGarvey) and consistent romp while it’s there, and it’s worth watching for Dakota Johnson’s dominating performance, but the end result is terribly ordinary and mainstream friendly. It’s not as terrible a movie as many expected, and it’s much better than it could’ve been, but it’s nothing like as shocking or exciting as it wants to be, and one wonders what all the fuss was about.

Expected Rating: 4 out of 10

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PREDESTINATION

MOVIE REVIEW: PREDESTINATION / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: MICHAEL SPIERIG, PETER SPIERIG / SCREENPLAY: MICHAEL SPIERIG, PETER SPIERIG / STARRING: ETHAN HAWKE, SARAH SNOOK, NOAH TAYLOR / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 20TH

Predestination is extraordinary. Just go and see it. In a perfect world we’d leave it right there, give Predestination the rating it deserves – see below – and just move right on. It’s one of those films you just have to see and it’s best if you see it unencumbered by opinion, comment or, God forbid in this case, spoilers. Based on Robert A. Heinlen’s 1958 short story All You Zombies, Predestination, a low-budget Australian sci-fi movie from the Spierig Brothers (also responsible for the memorable Ethan Hawke vampire drama Daybreakers back in 2009), reminds us that when the genre is firing on all cylinders and it allows its imagination free reign, it’s still capable of genuine cinematic innovation. There are no huge special effects set pieces here, no interminable scenes of apocalyptic devastation, not even any heroes and villains. This is a sci-fi film driven by wonderful ideas, smart performances and a central conceit so extraordinary and clever it will leave you reeling and thinking about what you’ve seen for days after the experience.

In its purest sense, Predestination is a time travel movie. But it’s not concerned with people who travel backwards and forwards in time and get home again in time for tea. It’s about consequences, cause and effect, paradoxes. It’s a story which uses time travel to power an exquisitely-convoluted and yet simultaneously commendably linear storyline. We won’t delve into the intricacies of the plot here because it’s one best savoured as it unfolds at its own pace. But in its broadest terms, it concerns Ethan Hawke’s unnamed Temporal Bureau agent sent back in time from the future to prevent the terrorist atrocities of the so-called Fizzle Bomber (whose damp squib name does not pass unremarked upon in the script). A curious stranger walks into the bar in which the Agent has secured employment and proceeds to tell him a remarkable, poignant and, initially, entirely un-sci-fi life story. Told largely in flashback, the story becomes increasingly mesmerising and increasingly fanciful, and before long our minds are not only struggling to keep up but vaulting ahead in an attempt to foresee its coming twists and turns and paradoxes. Like the very best time travel stories, Predestination is multi-layered and multi-facetted, and if the ending itself is a little predictable you really won’t mind too much because the journey is so rich and conceptually-rewarding, and its performances – not just from the ever-dependable Hawke but by the heartbreakingly good Sarah Snook – are utterly compulsive.

Predestination arrives in that slightly thumb-twiddling period before Hollywood wheels out its (increasingly tiresome) summer big guns. This year promises more of the usual stew of superheroes, monsters and mindless mayhem, and there’s a vague chance some of it might even be vaguely entertaining or at least pass a couple of hours agreeably enough. But we’re willing to wager that, at year’s end, if you’re wise enough to find time for a bit of Predestination, you’ll be slotting it high in your Top Ten of the year well above tentpole movies which cost twenty times more to make but which don’t have a twentieth of Predestination’s audacious imagination. In its own quiet and unassuming way, Predestination is a breathtaking piece of cinema.

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JUPITER ASCENDING

MOVIE REVIEW: JUPITER ASCENDING / CERT: 12A / DIRECTOR: ANDY WACHOWSKI, LANA WACHOWSKI/ SCREENPLAY: ANDY WACHOWSKI, LANA WACHOWSKI / STARRING: CHANNING TATUM, MILA KUNIS, EDDIE REDMAYNE, SEAN BEAN / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 6TH

Moving from the busy July blockbuster release window to the cold territory of the following February usually doesn’t bode too well for movies, however for the Wachowski siblings the delay to complete special effects work may have been a blessing in disguise for their latest, Jupiter Ascending. Whatever impact it could have managed back then would surely have been obliterated just a few weeks later with the release of a small sci-fi film by the name of Guardians of the Galaxy.

After an initially slow start and some unnecessary cutting between Jupiter Jones’ (Kunis) hum-drum Chicago-bound existence, and action in space, Jupiter Ascending settles down to a chase movie where everyone seems to want Jupiter, some alive, some would prefer her dead, but she’s no idea why. Eventually protected by bounty hunter Caine Wise (Tatum), a “lyncantant” whose DNA is spliced with that of a dog, and his nifty flying “skyjacker” boots, Jupiter needs to find out why everyone is after her, negotiate the various machinations of the individual members of the powerful intergalactic Abrasax family, and discover why everyone keeps avoiding explaining what exactly “harvesting a planet” entails when it comes to the industry underpinning the intergalactic economy?

Once the film starts firing on all engines, it turns into a quite enjoyable action film, albeit one with a bit of a reliance on falling set pieces (thanks to those flying boots) but definitely one with its own sense of style and some interesting background details. The Wachowksis may not have come up with a world as rich as Frank Herbert’s Dune, but the inspiration is clear to see with references to family houses, their roles as space-based industrialists, and a peace-keeping “Aegis” corp to make sure everyone plays by the (corporate) rules. It may not have the spice melange but it has its own version of the most precious substance in the universe.

First and foremost, though, Jupiter Ascending is an action film, and one that, at first, comes as something of a disappointment from the makers of The Matrix. Many of the action sequences appear less ambitious than their previous work, perhaps because of the added work required to make the audience believe a dog-spliced human can fly. Caine’s skyboots are pretty cool, along with the motions he uses to control them, but the Wachowskis focus on him at just the wrong moments, either a few seconds too early or too late, leaving the resultant slo-mo sections looking stilted. The practical and CGI creature effects fare better, with some excellent lizard aliens, but the action does improve as the film progresses and moves into space, with tech and ships which mostly consist of whirling pieces of metal held together by force fields.

The space station from 2001: A Space Odyssey appears to crop up in an odd cameo, as does a very well known director whose appearance caps a comedic set-piece in an over-the-top bureaucracy that seems only to exist to set up his cameo. Kunis gets some jokes here and there but mostly it sticks to the action beats.

For 90% of the film, the 3D is almost unnoticeable apart from one or two vertigo-inducing sequences near the end, more of which would have been welcome.

Kunis and Tatum do their usual stand-up job as likeable leads, although the film does rely a little too much on relegating Kunis to damsel in distress in the first half. This is down to her relative powerlessness against the threats she faces, however once she’s clued in she becomes a much more formidable character without suddenly becoming an unrealistic badass overnight.

As for the rest of the cast, Sean Bean gives a good “Sean Bean” and Eddie Redmayne entertainingly competes for the “Michael Sheen Twilight: Breaking Dawn Sudden Onset Overacting Award” with multiple interpretations and intonations of Sheen’s unpredictable giggle from that film.

The result is an enjoyable space adventure and slightly weak love story with an interesting background that takes some of the action of Guardians with some… well… a little, maybe a spoonful, of the brains of Dune, that would have most likely been lost in the wake of Marvel/Disney’s blockbuster last summer but should hopefully find an audience now.

Expected Rating: 6 out of 10

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TALES OF THE GRIM SLEEPER

MOVIE REVIEW: TALES OF THE GRIM SLEEPER / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: NICK BROOMFIELD / SCREENPLAY: N/A / STARRING: LONNIE FRANKLIN JR., SEYMOUR AMSTER, CHRISTOPHER FRANKLIN, PAM BROOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The latest documentary from controversial filmmaker Nick Broomfield, Tales of the Grim Sleeper recounts the investigations on a serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper, who had been terrorizing South Central Los Angeles for 25 years until supposedly in 2010 when he was caught and identified as Lonnie Franklin. Along the way, we get talking heads from people who grew up in the community where Lonnie lived and where the killings happened, including some of Lonnie’s friends and family members, and how the case still affects them even to this day as it’s still an on-going investigation.

Nick Broomfield is a filmmaker who is quite well known for door-stopping people and trying to get footage of people who didn’t even want to be interviewed by him. Yet sometimes he can get too wrapped up with his own conspiracy theories and sources, particularly in the case of Kurt & Courtney, which was completely unfair to Courtney Love. But ever since then, he has appeared to have matured as a filmmaker and has made very strong films (e.g. Biggie & Tupac), and this is no exception. He doesn’t appear to invade or intrude people’s lives, but instead, let’s them give voice to their personal opinions and feelings as to why this case has shocked and resonated with them.

We don’t get any interviews with any LA officials, policemen or detectives involved with the case, which will become obvious as to why as the film goes on, but in a way, these people (from survivors to witnesses) are portrayed to be the real heart and soul of this community. We get a deep and thorough insight into their personalities and as we are going on this journey with Broomfield, we begin to question as to which is more shocking and outrageous – the legacies of sexual predation by this man who is believed to be the killer or the fact that police saw no indifference and kept it all supposedly hidden for the past 25 years? Broomfield never firmly decides which is which, and lets us as an audience decide.

As the documentary goes forward, we begin to slowly unravel the mindset of this man who had this sort of love/hate fascination with women, yet to some, he was seen as someone who, maybe was a tad odd, but yet was sweet and kind family man, and this ties into the message about how it’s not such a wonderful life. At the very end of the film, we get interviews with the other survivors and we get this moving portrait of women what’ve suffered in their own lives, not just by the Grim Sleeper, but also by the vindication of the police and politicians of LA as well. It’s a reminder that these women are in the end human beings, despite their addictions or desires.

In the end, Tales of the Grim Sleeper is one of Broomfield’s finest works, showing us an almost unsettling and maddening eye-opener for anyone that’s deeply involved or concerned about the stigma and horror of drugs, prostitution, poverty and political indifference to the poor in society.

Expected Rating: 7 out of 10

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CRYING WOLF

MOVIE REVIEW: CRYING WOLF / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: TONY JOPIA / SCREENPLAY: ANDY DAVIE, MICHAEL DALE, TONY JOPIA / STARRING: KRISTOFER DAYNE, CHLOE FARNWORTH, GARY MARTIN, ROSIE PEARSON, IAN DONNELLY / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Sometimes it’s hard not to admire anyone who attempts to make a film with little or no budget. This is why it’s so disheartening to have to pull apart a film like Crying Wolf. That said, there will be an audience out there who will find this amusing and even entertaining. Unfortunately, that group of people would also be the kind who pays good money to see some Irish drag act doing a not-so-updated version of Old Mother Riley. If only things could have progressed with the style and panache of the credit sequence which is pure Bond, right down to the naked silhouettes, it may have been a little more diverting.

A Private Investigator (Martin) is looking into a series of disappearances in a small village, and upon finding an old book (in a store run by the wonderful Caroline Munro) he reads about a group of haphazard werewolves and the intrepid slayers who hunt them down. Now that in itself could be a cool premise and make for a somewhat entertaining film. What we get instead is a mix of obnoxious yokels, slapstick elders, overly alpha types and dim-witted dolly birds making up the wolf gang, all going on a camping trip to the Cotswolds with the idea of snacking down on some locals.

Crying Wolf tries very hard to be funny. We know this, because at almost every quip there’s a slide-whistle sound not heard since the last time Dick Emery was around. Sadly, the gags often fall very short of the titters; this is a shame because with a sharper script and a more experienced cast it may have at least been smirk-worthy. Mind you on the plus side, at least it didn’t feature James Corden.

When the ‘action’ gets going, and things get hairy, then it’s let down by some appalling CGI and seemingly store-bought werewolf masks. Sure, one could get a kitsch kick out of this, and the big fight scene at the climax is well staged and actually entertaining, but for every neat stroke, there’s a computer-enhanced blood spurt which ruins the effect. Kudos for having a go, though! When practical effects are used, despite being of the bargain basement variety, are much more effective and entertaining.

In the end, it’s a little like Carry On Howling, only without the classic cast of lovable actors and a proper sense of comic timing. Although, as we stated at the start, there’s an audience for this within those who prefer simple, accessible ‘comedy’, but it’ll largely turn off your average horror fan, unfortunately.

Expected Rating: 7 out of 10
Actual Rating:

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

MOVIE REVIEW: KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: MATTHEW VAUGHN / SCREENPLAY: MATTHEW VAUGHN, JANE GOLDMAN / STARRING: TARON EGERTON, COLIN FIRTH, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, MICHEAL CAINE, MARK STRONG / RELEASE DATE: JANURAY 29TH

When it comes to art, there is this lingering notion that people must strive to be “avant-garde”, yet the pursuit of this seems to come with as much innovation as it does pretention. However, when it pertains to the world of film, artistry can come in many forms and one of the most satisfying is an unashamed embracement of fun. And after his past successes at adapting comic book material, director Matthew Vaughn returns with his adaptation (and much altered – often for the better) of Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons’ The Secret Service. Kingsman: The Secret Service boasted the promise of espionage action and enjoyment, but even the most optimistic among us will be shocked with the results, as this film further exemplifies what a Hollywood hellraiser Vaughn is.

Taking the very different approach (from the comic), in that the agency in question is not MI6 but Kingsman – a secretive organisation that operates via a tailor business. The film tells the story of veteran agent Harry Hart (Firth) moulding a young, streetwise lad nicknamed Eggsy (Taron Egerton) into a super spy. It is a relatively simple set-up but one that takes constant joy in both parodying and paying homage to the conventions of the spy movie genre. This star-studded, ridiculous and deliriously fun romp plays like a retro Bond movie as directed by your inner 14 year old (with a profane gob) and as written by you and your candy-gobbling mates! And while there are the odd minor wrinkles tonally, you’ll be having far too much fun to allow them to be an issue.

Vaughn and Goldman’s script crackles with the violent comic energy of Kick-Ass and the spectacular action of an X-Men film. The dialogue is sometimes suave and other times knowingly cheesy, and the plot delightfully offers a Moore era Bond throwback with Brosnan era technology, that’ll have you asking, “Why so serious, James?” From Sofia Boutella’s razor-legged femme fatale side antagonist Gazelle (think Richard Kiel’s Jaws meets Grace Jones’ May Day or X-Men’s Mystique) to the superb choreography (which recalls Edgar Wright’s The World’s End), this film offers action aplenty and the constant gut-busting script is the olive in the martini. The opening does throw you a tad as to what to expect, but from there on in the momentum never stops.

The cast clearly love every minute of it too, with young Taron Egerton making a hugely likeable central character to root for. Although many may well be more taken by Colin Firth, who sends his own image up beautifully as he powers the film’s central message that the wealthy are not always the best of us. Indeed Firth and Egerton have a snappy chemistry throughout and are well matched by one of the most fantastically whacked-out bad guys in recent memory in Samuel L. Jackson. This is no The Spirit–style camp; Jackson steals numerous scenes as the film’s rich, colourfully-dressed, lispy, pop culture megalomaniac, whose whole character is as lovingly ridiculous as his plot for a “new world”. And fine support is on offer too in Mark Strong as the Q-esque Kingsman operative, and fans of the source material will giggle at the film’s cameo.

How much you take fromo Kingsman will admittedly depend on how much hyperactivity you can handle, but for all Vaughn’s off the leash violence and frenzied thrills, Kingsman never feels to lose it’s groove. Matthew Vaughn’s film has a fitting personal touch to it and by the end you will be shocked at just how accomplished the film is. Pop culture gags, genre satire and social class misconceptions are ideas that are all tackled by a film that looks like mere escapism but has an understated intellect beneath the glamorous visual firecrackers. This is a slick, stonking, espionage caper that may well have already taken the award for most fun film of 2015. Well done Matthew… again.

Expected Rating: 7

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EX MACHINA

MOVIE REVIEW: EX MACHINA / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: ALEX GARLAND / SCREENPLAY: ALEX GARLAND / STARRING: DOMHNALL GLEESON, OSCAR ISAAC, ALICIA VIKANDER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

If you only see one science fiction film in 2015 that stars both Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac, it’s probably going to be set in a galaxy far, far away and be out just in time for Christmas. However, if you want a sneak preview of what this pair can do together – something most likely infinitely smarter than Star Wars – then Ex Machina is an early 2015 must-see.

Jettisoning Star Wars’ style and wild adventures with all manner of wonderful creatures on countless different planets, Ex Machina is a different beast altogether. With all except a few scenes being set in a single building on an isolated and remote location (on our very own planet Earth), this is incredibly grounded and believable science fiction. Gifted coder Caleb (Gleeson) is plucked from his office job at the world’s number one search engine, Bluebook, and whisked away by helicopter for seven days spent at the mysterious hideaway of Bluebook’s genius, reclusive and enigmatic founder Nathan (Isaac).

Told he is the winner of a once in a lifetime competition, Caleb is thrust into the middle of Nathan’s latest and greatest experiment; creating Artificial Intelligence like never before. Caleb is assigned the task of questioning and conversing with Ava (Vikander), an incredibly intelligent robot with the face of a human woman but the body of a sophisticated humanoid machine. Over the seven days of his stay, Caleb will come to question the motivations and ethics of Nathan, the man pulling all the strings.

Not content with writing perfect modern novel The Beach, one of the greatest horror films of the 21st century with 28 Days Later, and dabbling in huge concept science fiction before by writing Sunshine, Alex Garland now adds directing to his already staggering CV. With a reasonably low budget, a few characters played by actors on the cusp of mega-stardom, and a winning premise, Garland has crafted an astounding cinematic debut. From music to production design, script to performances, Ex Machina is an almost perfectly formed puzzle.

Wasting no time at all, Ex Machina gets straight into the action. Not the action of adventure and danger, but riveting character interplay instead. Nathan and Caleb are both incredibly smart men and Garland gets them on screen together almost immediately. Their conversations about Ava crackle with energy and intelligence, quick and confidently delivered without generally leaving the layman behind. They are grappling with big ideas but Garland keeps things relatable and grounded, without over-simplifying issues or patronising his audience. It is clear from the start that Nathan is eccentric and Caleb is smart enough to see that he may not be trustworthy, but even though the story may seem to be going in predictable directions, it still manages to dazzle with its series of revelations in the final act.

While Oscar Isaac is wonderfully ambiguous for much of the film, Domhnall Gleeson excels as the innocent who may be out of his depth. However, blowing both these future Star Wars stars out of orbit is Alicia Vikander as Ava. Mo-capped and aided by some excellent sound design and special effects, much of her performance is all in her face and voice. She is the wild card in the film; thrilling and unexpectedly sensual in her interactions with Caleb, and unreadable and mysterious enough to shake the story up unforgettably by the finale.

Garland also uses his twisty-turny techno-thriller to explore some tasty themes. The obvious concerns with the future of AI and the ethics of playing God with giving machines consciousness is brilliantly coupled with an increasingly feminist agenda as the films goes on. Nathan’s use of data cunningly and secretively stolen from his search engine’s users (i.e. pretty much all of us) is also a frighteningly prescient notion that should be a warning to us all.

With these vital ideas acting as a throbbing pulse through the film, Ex Machina is an exciting and often challenging watch. Garland has surrounded himself with an expert team, meaning the film is gorgeous to watch, despite its limited locations. Its look and its sounds are essential to its gripping tale of men and machines. Compelling, claustrophobic, cutting edge and clever, Ex Machina is as smart and satisfying as science fiction gets.

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

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A MOST VIOLENT YEAR

MOVIE REVIEW: A MOST VIOLENT YEAR / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: J.C. CHANDOR / SCREENPLAY: J.C. CHANDOR / STARRING: OSCAR ISAAC, JESSICA CHASTAIN, ALBERT BROOKS, DAVID OYELOWO, ELYES GABEL / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 23RD

First things first, that title’s completely misleading. The Most Stressful Month would be far more accurate considering the entirety of the events in this 1980’s drama by J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost) take place in the 30 day period Abel Morales (Isaac) has to pay off the cost of a New York oil yard before his deposit, his family’s life savings, are forfeit. In that time, he has to deal with hijackers attacking his oil delivery trucks, disgruntled teamsters, flighty bank managers, a district attorney investigating his business for corruption, power plays by rival oil companies and the rising temptation to give in to violence and corruption to resolve his issues, something he has strived to resist his entire life. Matters are further complicated by wife Anna’s (Chastain) much hinted at crime family background and the threat that if Abel doesn’t handle this, she and her family will. Paralleling Abel’s trials, truck driver Julian (Gabel) tries to handle his own demons, with some help from Abel after receiving a savage beating when his oil delivery truck is hijacked.

The film has a very arresting style; Chandor has nailed a classy look for New York in 1981 whilst avoiding major landmarks and clichés, mostly staying to truck yards, offices back alleys and family homes. Chastain and Albert Brooks, as Abel’s attorney, provide excellent performances but the film really belongs to Oscar Isaac. He’s in almost every single scene and Abel’s struggles are clear on his face throughout. The repeated line of “I know that” becomes a repeated mantra as all around him Abel’s friends, family, colleagues and even possible enemies try to explain their reasoning why he needs to resort to violence or otherwise compromise his ideals, but it is they who don’t understand him. Abel already understands all this; he knows all the risks and options available but he needs to prove to himself and this city that there is another way.

While Isaac’s performance roots the film, there are still some issues. That excellent but expectation-setting title does the movie no favours, setting up the audience to expect a lot more violence than it actually contains. Yes, there is more than should be reasonably expected by a family man and business owner, but with all the shady, violent goings on around them it is surprising that more violence doesn’t impinge more directly on Abel’s family. The film also suffers slightly from hinting at more interesting elements repeatedly and then not exploring them. Chastain’s crime family background, the shady dealings that may have underpinned the success of Morales’ business, and possible shady dealings yet to come, all give the film the feeling of the middle chapter in an unseen trilogy.

A slightly different type of crime drama that’s a little light on the violent crime.

Expected Rating: 9 out of 10

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INTO THE WOODS

MOVIE REVIEW: INTO THE WOODS / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: ROB MARSHALL / SCREENPLAY: JAMES LAPINE / STARRING: MERYL STREEP, EMILY BLUNT, JAMES CORDEN, ANNA KENDRICK, CHRIS PINE, JOHNNY DEPP / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Disney’s latest effort is an adaptation of a Brothers Grimm tale, itself already adapted to a play previously. Oh, and it’s a musical. Most definitely a musical. As in songs. Lots and lots and lots of them. So this isn’t quite your usual STARBURST affair, but the twisted plot of the film still has plenty to offer for genre fans.

The basic premise of Into the Woods sees famed stories of yesteryear all brought together and intertwined with the tale of a baker (Corden) and his wife (Blunt) who will do anything to start a family, despite a witch (Streep) having placed a curse on their loins. In terms of the familiar aspects of the picture, there’s plays on Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Rapunzel; all of which are woven into the greater narrative of a baker and his wife’s mission to procreate. And did we mention there’s songs?

In fairness, going into this film we were a little unsure as of what to expect. Admittedly though, we found our feet tap-tap-tapping away as soon as the opening song began to blurt out. The horror-loving, superhero-championing, sci-fi fan in us went in with stoic upper lip, expecting a traumatic experience similar to being serenaded by Grease’s Danny Zuko or have Abba songs thrown at us for 90 minutes. What we got was, yes lots of songs, but a beautifully crafted fantasy world that had a rich vibrancy and a macabre, gothic charm reminiscent of Tim Burton at his best (remember when his movies were actually good?).

At the centre of the various yarns being unravelled, we have Meryl Streep doing wonders as the central witch with her fingers in plenty of pies. The rest of the cast all hit the right notes (pun most definitely intended), with particular praise going to young Lilla Crawford as Little Red Riding Hood and to Johnny Depp as a devilishly mischievous Wolf, even if Depp’s character does come off as just a tad on the Jimmy Saville side of creepy. Oh, and Chris Pine sure can sing – James T. Kirk has certainly got some surprisingly impressive lungs on him!

Into the Woods does a great job of giving a unique look at some of the stories we’ve heard and seen many times before, and there’s a freshness and dynamism to its centre-pieces and plot devices. It would also be remiss to not acknowledge the fantastic job done by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim on the musical side of the film. As alluded to, we’re generally not really ones for musicals, but Lapine and Sondheim deliver songs, score and a soundtrack that keep Into the Woods flowing as smoothly as Rapunzel’s barnet.

All in all, despite being hesitant on what to expect from Into the Woods (did we mention there’s lots and lots of songs?), Rob Marshall has delivered an impressive film that will have an appeal to many ages and to varying tastes. Quite the impressive feat.