Chronicle

Power play...Dane DeHaan..Alex Russell..Michael B. Jordan..Chronicle

It's rare that you find a film, that is shot by handheld camera, or CCTV footage and Chronicle has revisited this, and pulled it off. An enjoyable science fiction film about three teenagers who discover they have superpowers - telekinesis. The main character is Andrew, the primary cameraman, who lives with his abusive, alcoholic father and his mother who is dying from cancer. He is a 'loner' with no friends except his cousin, Matt (Alex Russell) who seems to take pity on Andrew. Experimenting, Andrew buys a video camera to video his everyday life. At a party one night, Andrew gets humiliated and beaten up by a girl's boyfriend, so he goes outside and meets Steve Montgomery, a influential teen, hoping to become class president. Steve, Andrew and Matt find a sinkhole, where suddenly they develop telekinesis powers. The best scenes are the fun sequence, when the trio play around with their abilities, for instance moving a car and animating a teddy bear to spook a little girl. It's all fun, innocent stuff but eventually spirals out of control, cultivating in a grand finale. As the poster says, "What are you capable of?" It's a great science-fiction thriller with plenty of comedy moments but other more serious bits. A great film, in it's own way.




4/5

The Descendants

Family ties...George Clooney..Shailene Woodley..Amara Miller..The Descendants

George Clooney has decided finally to act. All these years of wooden acting have gone. Just because he's been voted, "the sexiest man alive" twice doesn't mean he gets to not act. But those days have gone. I think we already knew this, starting with Up In The Air in 2009, followed by The Ides of March which is meant to be amazing, but now The Descendants has proved this.
It sees Matt King, a wealthy lawyer with a lot of land living on Hawaii with his wife and two daughters (Woodley and Miller). Suddenly his life is flipped upside down when his wife, has a boating accident and is comatose. King has no idea what do do, being "the back-up parent" or "the understudy." It's a film about bringing family together, a bit cheesy a times, a bit sad at other parts. Funny all round (except from the sad bits) with great acting from Shailene Woodley, being a breakout star. Clooney is bound to win an Oscar for this. 




3.5/5

War Horse

Mare mates....Jeremy Irvine in War Horse..

Poor Steven Spielberg - his career is going down the pan. The final Indiana Jones flopped, The Adventure's of Tintin got heavily panned, and now War Horse is failing to impress reviewers. But for this reviewer I disagree, War Horse was a well made movie that captivates the audience. The background of this film was a typical American's view of what the English countryside is - quiet, serene, peaceful with the sun reflecting off the hills. Many people know, this isn't strictly speaking true. 
It shows, Albert Narracott (played by newcomer, Jeremy Irvine), and his parents, (Peter Mullan and Emily Watson) living in picturesque England as simple farming folk. One day, Mullan comes back with a horse, whom Albert decides to raise. The family live in fear of evil landlord,  Lyons, (Harry Potter's David Thewlis) but unfortunately Mullan has to sell, Joey (the horse's name.) Benedict Cumberbatch comes in as the snobby schoolboy Major and Tom Hiddleston gives a convincing Captain Nicholls. 
I won't deny it but I cried, because the story of course is sad, if you have read it. I was touched by the scene where Toby Kebbell and Hinnerk Schönemann together save Joey. It reminds me of the football game on Christmas Day 1914 where the Germans and English declared an unofficial truce. John Williams provides us with music that tells your emotions in the movie.
I've got nothing against this film apart from some occasional scenes. If you want a movie that will make you laugh, cry and smile, this is what you've got.


4/5

The Iron Lady

Thatcher's time...Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher..

I was put in a difficult position after viewing The Iron Lady as I haven't actually lived through the woman's Prime Ministerial era. So when the film opens, we see a frail elderly lady buying a carton of milk. In those first few minutes I felt sorry for her, but then suddenly I hated her. It's difficult to know that thousands hate her but yet she's those sad old woman. Meryl Streep gives an amazing performance as Thatcher, playing the elderly Margaret and the young. Alexandra Roach gives a convincing act as the young Thatcher rising into power. I thought Jim Broadbent was utterly miscast as Denis Thatcher, and it felt like he had been forced into the role just because he was an A-list star. It follows Margaret as she rises up the political ladder. It's enjoyable at times, and Olivia Colman gives a perfect performance as Carol Thatcher. Enjoyable, well made, but still Thatcher without Thatcher-ism.


4/5

The Artist

Silent glory..Jean Dujardin..Bérénice Bejo..The Artist

A pure homage to the '20's silent films, The Artist, is a story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), and how he helps young aspiring actress, Peppy (Bérénice Bejo), only to see her rise, and him to fall. Valentin is her mentor, teacher, enemy and lover, all at once. He tries to back away from "talkie" movies, and stick with the silent movies, thinking change is bad. Peppy herself, even says, "out with the old, and in with the new." It bears, similarities to The Illusionist, as it's about, a veteran actor, helping someone try and achieve themselves. The real star, I think isn't Bejo or Dujardin, it's Uggie the dog, who plays Valentin's dog. He provides most of the comedy in it, and is a very good, "actor." Quite like a talented child actor. It isn't tremendously good, as critics say, but it's still enjoyable, a bit too long, for my liking - a 100 minute silent movie.


4/5

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Mission is possible..Tom Cruise..Mission Impossible 4

The latest in the long line of Mission: Impossible films, is as thrilling as the first four. Tom Cruise returns to the role of Ethan Hunt, who is trying to stop a nuclear strategist from igniting a World War. It begins in Russia, with Cruise escaping from a Russian prison. Almost as soon as the film has begun, we're introduced to Benji, played by Simon Pegg, who instantly gives us the comic relief, from the action. After the Kremlin is destroyed, the Russians blame the US, and the US blame Ethan Hunt's team. So on the run from their own government after the President orders "Ghost Protocol." The other part of Hunt's team is, Jane (Paula Patton), and William Brandt (played by Jeremy Renner.) I was impressed at the whole sequence in Dubai, where at one point, Cruise scales the Burj Khalifa hotel (the current tallest building in the world.) Recently I read in the news that Cruise himself actually does this stunt himself although in the movie, he uses special gloves whereas in real life, he is in a harness. It was enjoyable, and kept me glued to my seat, harmless and fun action movie.


4/5

2011 In Film

One of 2011's most highly-anticipated movies...Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

For Patrick's Reviews, 2011 has been big, it's our first full year for movies, starting with Tron: Legacy and ending with Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows unless, we review something else. We start this post, with the blockbusters, Rango. It was probably one of Johnny Depp's better movies, besides the Pirates of The Caribbean trilogy. Then onto Rio, a forgettable animation about a macaw called Blu (played by The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg.) It was pretty dire. Now moving swiftly onwards, we come to Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth installment in the never-ending saga. Then The Green Lantern, another DC Comics movie adaption starring Ryan Reynolds. The summer blockbuster of the year, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was highly anticipated and didn't disappoint. Bridesmaids comes along next, as being probably my favorite movie of 2011, because of it's wit, charm and it's similarities to The Hangover. Coming hot on the heels of Bridesmaids as my favorite movie of 2011, The Inbetweeners Movie provides much of what Bridesmaids does, but gives you one final look at Will, Neil, Jay and Simon. The first old-fashioned movie, Jane Eyre we've reviewed, was well made with great filming locations but a little bit boring. Woody Allen's comeback went down a storm, Midnight In Paris was great, with Owen Wilson being surprisingly un-annoying as he usually is in films like Cars 2. Johnny English Reborn sees Rowan Atkinson of Blackadder fame on top form again as the hapless spy. Steven Soderbergh, presents Contagion, a gripping medical thriller that was unnervingly scary. Steven Spielberg's next outing, with the boy detective and his canine compadre, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of The Unicorn. Wallace & Gromit's animation company, Aardman gives us the animated festive film, Arthur Christmas. The dire, penultimate Twilight film, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 fails to impress us. Martin Scorcese's first child-friendly film, Hugo is a great adventure film. While the Shrek spin-off Puss In Boots, is a good fun animation. Finally at the end of the year, we get another Sherlock film, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows. that as a great escapism movie from the hustle and bustle of Christmas.