The 84th Academy Awards - Predictions

The nominations for the 2012 Oscars were announced today and I have decided, perhaps stupidly, to put my predictions to paper. I would like to include a massive disclaimer before I do so; for various reasons I have yet to see many of the films nominated. Should make for interesting reflection come February 26th.

Best Picture

"The Artist"

"The Descendants"

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

"Hugo"

"Midnight in Paris"

"The Help"

"Moneyball"

"War Horse"

"The Tree of Life"

Winner: “The Artist”

There’s no real standout favorite for me this year. In saying that The Artist has been getting a lot of early awards and high praise from critics. It appears to be the forerunner in most peoples eyes and I have to agree. It’s tribute to old Hollywood will go down well with The Academy. 

Best Actor

Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"

George Clooney, "The Descendants"

Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Winner: George Clooney, “The Descendants”

Even the trailer for this film is incredibly moving and Clooney by all accounts is on excellent form. I can’t see Oldman or Pitt taking it although it’s good to see them both nominated. I must confess I have no idea who Demian Bichir is and I know little about A Better Life. Jean Dujardin will be gorgeous George’s biggest threat.

Best Actress

Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis, "The Help"

Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Winner: Viola Davis, “The Help”

I can’t call this one. I almost went for Meryl Streep but the Yanks won’t be as familiar with the source material and I think that ignorance might be enough for her to miss out. Plus a 16 - 2 nomination to win record going into this years event is not great form. I would love Rooney Mara to take the prize but anyone involved in the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake should never get an Oscar. So I am going for Viola Davis to become only the second African-American woman to take home the best actress award.

Best Director

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"

Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Winner: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

This kind of picked itself. More often than not the director of the best picture takes home the Oscar. This isn’t always the case and there’s an argument to be made for all the nominees. Scorsese’s direction in his love letter to film will be thought of highly and I think Terrence Malick will stand a good shot but I have to go with the most likely winner.

Best Original Screenplay

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

JC Chandor, "Margin Call"

Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"

Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Winner: JC Chandor, "Margin Call"

Probably more in hope than expectation Margin Call couldn’t be more topical if it tried and manages to humanize the so reviled investment bankers and create a taut thriller in the process. Bridesmades, whilst one of the years more enjoyable comedies, doesn’t deserve to be here. 

Best Achievement in Cinematography

"The Artist"

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

"Hugo"

"The Tree of Life"

"War Horse"

Winner: “Hugo”

I’ve not seen it yet and am going on word of mouth but with 11 nominations it’s bound to win something.

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"

"Hugo"

"Real Steel"

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Winner: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

Wild guess using the following logic: Harry Potter is now old news and doesn’t really break any new ground. Real Steel and Transformers are essentially the same effects. Hugo could win but everyone loves monkeys and Rise will be the stuffy critics guilty pleasure this year.

All will be revealed in roughly a month from now. Until then feel free to share your predictions.

Feature: What to do with a $90,000,000 tattoo?

You have to give it to Sony, they have some balls. Some may call it audacious, others just misguided confidence. But you can’t deny it takes some self certainty to adapt source material read and loved by thirty million people, already released as one of the most successful foreign language films of recent years, give it an estimated $90,000,000 budget and expect to see that, and then some, come back in.

Don’t get me wrong I applaud their typical American audacity and love what they have done with the film. David Finchers re-imagining of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) for me, was the perfect post-Christmas tonic to the joy and goodwill of the festive season. Despite a bum numbing run time the story focuses on the more interesting parts of Steig Larsson’s novel to create a compelling and brutal ‘who dunnit?’.  

Nevertheless it’s no secret that Dragon Tattoo has struggled to gain traction at the domestic and international box offices. At a current worldwide haul of $108,000,000 after 3 weeks of release it will need to go some to recoup it’s outgoings when distribution and marketing costs are factored in. There are fears now that plans to follow up with The Girl Who Played with Fire may be on the shelf and it’s lackluster performance will certainly make studios think twice about allocating such budgets to R rated material in the future.

It’s funny because on paper you would expect Dragon Tattoo to have kicked off a lucrative trilogy with Sony continuing to develop US re-imaginings of the Millennium Series. Let’s be frank, best-selling novels with franchise prospects have set the box office alight in recent times, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are two obvious examples, with The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, perhaps more comparable in terms of target audience, also grossing well in excess of a $1 Billion between them.

So where have things gone wrong, it’s certainly not due to the quality of the film, so what else has affected it’s performance? It’s proximity to the original Swedish version won’t have helped, there’s a loyal fan base for that film who won’t have had much time for this version and Hollywoods continuous ignorance and disregard towards foreign language cinema. 

A huge market of disposable cash hoarding teens will have also been denied access should they have had any penchant for watching a movie featuring chrome dildos and incest. Most of all though, and perhaps where the studio had the biggest balls off all was in the scheduling. A Christmas movie this was not.

Any chance Dragon Tattoo had of being a commercial success was pole-axed by poor placement in the middle of the festive period. Despite the presence of snow this film has nothing in common with Santa Claus. 

The 2011 holiday season was also unfortunate for Sony as they saw Dragon Tattoo going head to head with some stiff competition; Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (which somehow continues to rake it in as annoying children convince their parents to take them to watch even more annoying chipmunks).   

What do the three afore mentioned films all have in common, other than being established franchise fare with pre-existing fan bases perfectly positioned for all the family to enjoy? Well not a lot else, but you get my point...Dragon Tattoo did’t stand a chance.

I would love to know if Sony were in a position to release over Halloween. I would be pretty confident that if they had done they may be feeling slightly more positive about the situation. I would hazard a guess the execs are probably thinking the same thing.

So where do Daniel Craig’s Blomkvist and Rooney Maras Salander go from here. After completion of its theatrical run and when DVD and Blu-Ray sales are taken into account the film should make a slight profit. Which is commendable for such expenditure on a movie with such a limited market. This, according to Entertainment Weekly, appears to be enough to convince Sony to go ahead with the sequel, The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Whether Fincher will be behind the camera is still open for discussion however. If he has things his way they will shoot both sequels back to back. Somehow though he doesn’t strike me as a trilogy man and although he would be my preferred choice to continue with series I am not certain he will. 

What will be more interesting is whether Sony learn from their mistakes and pick a better weekend to open the next movie on. My guess as to when we’ll see Lisbeth Salander back on the big screen: Halloween 2013. Let’s hope it’s in all the R rated glory of Dragon Tattoo.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - 4.5/5 

Review: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011, Tomas Alfredson)

Boy did this film have a lot of hype going into it: a beautifully crafted trailer, an abundance of positive reviews and a cast list that reads like the nominees for the Academy Awards (and no doubt many will feature in the coming year). I went in completely blind not having read the original John le Carré novel or been alive to see the 1979 BBC Drama and as such I was suitably prepared; switched on, concentration levels peaked, ready to immerse myself in the “film event of the year”.

The screen is black for what seems like an eternity; painstakingly slowly we fade in on the vigilant peeling back of a door. Entering the room we see Control, John Hurt, at a desk – brow etched with worry. “Moscow planted a mole”, he croaks “...it is one of five men”, and so the story begins. Moscow has a mole infiltrated at the highest ranks of the British secret service during the peak of the Cold War and Control wants information on whom the traitor may be. Sets up like your typical spy thriller – double agents, no one can be trusted, not all is what it seems and so on. Simple - no? Well...not really.

It’s ever so slightly more complicated. Heed my advice when I warn you not to look in your pic ‘n’ mix for that elusive last fizzy cola bottle. As much as an ill timed glance away from the screen and you could find yourself missing a subtle shifting in ones seat or a twitch of an eyebrow that could have given you as much of a hint as to the outcome of the story as anything is as likely to. Tinker, Tailor is as mentally draining a movie as you are likely to find anywhere this year.

That’s not to say that it isn’t highly enjoyable, although if I am speaking frankly I cannot forgive the filmmakers for their self-indulgence. For a relatively novice feature length director Tomas Alfredson has done an incredible job, the directing really is impeccable, the cinematography is also immense; every scene drips with atmosphere and the acting is second to none. Nevertheless I found Tinker, Tailor in real danger of drowning in its own perfection, like a beautiful girl that lingers for too long in front of her own reflection it wouldn’t allow me to fall in love because it loved itself too much. I can only compare the viewing experience to what I would imagine witnessing a work of art in progress must feel like; knowing you are in the presence of something special but not wanting to see the brush strokes.

Don’t get me wrong, the film doesn’t feel half-cut, it’s just exceptionally raw, this is not Hollywood. The narrative is relentless, rattling along at such a pace as to almost alienate anyone not familiar with the source material juxtaposed by the tempo of the physical action on screen, which is as dreary as the London weather hanging over many scenes. I can think of three or four portions of the story where the action increases to a point you could label a ‘set-piece’, at a push, but predominately the narrative is extremely dialogue heavy and the story is told in the body language and on the faces of the ‘Circus’ agents, as much as in their actions.

When the dust settles and it is no longer ‘cool’ to agree with the reviews and buzz coming out of the film world surrounding Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy it will still be remembered as an exceptional piece of cinema that succeeds in being entirely engrossing, extraordinarily clever and emotionally forceful without ever pressing anything upon the viewer. However, in time its (minor) flaws will be more apparent and I really struggle to excuse the overzealous actions of art-house filmmakers that so often end up alienating the audience rather than drawing them in. So close to being great, still a marvellous piece of cinema worth seeing for the performances of the cast alone.   

4/5

Review: Cowboys & Aliens

Cowboys & Aliens (2011, John Favreau)

Cowboys & Aliens is director John Favreau’s third comic book adaption after successfully bringing Marvels Iron Man franchise to the big screen. A sensible choice then one would think, and coupled with the prospect of seeing Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford sharing the screen, I was quite excited about this end of season action-flick. The highly ambitious yet extremely creative twist on the Western genre also had my curiosity peaked; could Favreau could pull it off?

It all started rather promisingly. An edgier tone than the generally cheesy trailers that have been doing the rounds was evident off the bat. We are immediately introduced to Jake Lonergan (Craig) an amnesia struck cowboy who can’t remember his name but, with the help of a strange metallic device clasped on his wrist, can conveniently remember how to kick some serious ass. Jake ends up stumbling into a local mining town and the opening twenty minutes are typical Western fun; bandits, bar fights and broads.   

Unfortunately the high-concept plot quickly begins to tarnish what was a strong opening. Plot holes and conveniences slowly start leaking onto the screen like ink-blots on a freshly pressed shirt. It was evident that the writers had issues setting-up a scenario in which a filthy rich cattleman (Ford) would join forces with the bandit suspected of stealing his gold in order to head into battle with an alien race that they have no chance of realistically defeating. Nevertheless they try their best to explain away any gapping caverns in the narrative through a series of handily placed flash-backs.

This can be forgiven though. It’s rare to find an action-movie these days, especially one with such an original set-up, that doesn’t ask you to suspend your disbelief for a moment and just go with it. It’s also easier to excuse when the prospect of Cowboys doing battle with an Alien race to the gorgeous backdrop of the American Mid-West is waiting. Nevertheless, as the third act ensues and the battle begins, again I was left feeling dejected and for such an original concept it alarmingly felt like we’d seen it all before.

From the contrived way the native Indians (complete with their own fantasy language...) are wrangled into the scrap, to the cookie-cutter portrayal of the alien race and their never ending spaceship; everything felt slightly stale. Even the admirable Olivia Wilde couldn’t stop her character from essentially becoming a narrative device to explain away any misgivings in the story, and also being completely transparent to boot.

Essentially Cowboys & Aliens, for such an original concept, is void of any fresh ideas. Rather than using the opportunity to explore new avenues in the Sci-Fi genre it becomes an exercise in how to splice together two very different but very cliché types of film and forget to add originality to either.

Thirty years ago just chucking aliens and cowboys in front of the same camera would have probably been enough to ensure this was a hit. Not today, with high-concept action movies on every other screen in the multiplex I was hoping they would recognise this and create a meeting of worlds that brought something novel and new to revive both genres. But we’ve seen it all before. Don’t get me wrong though; Cowboys & Aliens is by means a bad movie per-se, just switch off your brain before viewing.

3/5

Review: The Rise of the Planet of the Apes

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, Rupert Wyatt)

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (referred to as Rise for the following) is an attempt to reboot a science fiction series that has spanned the best part of 48 years, including four sequels, two TV series and one dodgy remake courtesy of the master of all things strange; Tim Burton. Therefore there is a strong argument to be made as to whether another instalment was really needed in a series that has already had the life flogged out of it. As ever though, money talks and The Planet of the Apes has always been a money spinner for 20^th Century Fox so it is not at all surprising the cobwebs have been dusted off once more.

This time around, though, the modus operandi has changed. Rise is is the first Apes film to feature primates that are not played by unsightly actors in unconvincing monkey suits. With the help of modern technology the chimps now come via the result of some highly impressive motion capture and CGI work. Lead ape and focus for much of the film Cesar is played by motion-capture vet Andy Serkis. Who himself is no oil painting but is extremely talented at injecting life into fictional creatures on the big screen. The results are wholly realistic monkeys which give the film believability immediately, whilst encouraging the viewer to forget they are at the movies. There is nothing worse than a human, in monkey outfit, to persistently remind you that you are only watching a film.

Not only helping  to suck you into the world of Rise the motion-capture magic also gives the various monkeys, gorillas and orang-utans, fully defined character traits and personalities. This together with a concerted effort from the screenwriters to develop not only the human characters in the film but to also create real emotional roles for the apes – brings a depth and sentiment that is often lacking from big budget, summer action features.

Nevertheless the chimps don’t totally steal the show. There are also some very strong performances from the well selected cast, including James Franco whom I successfully tipped for an Oscar nomination earlier in the year. I also particularly enjoyed seeing Tom Felton (better known as Draco Malfoy) getting his comeuppance at the hands of Cesar and couldn’t help thinking that if only he had his wand with him he could have been able to avert the whole disaster...

Glossing over the alarming stupidity of some of the decision making and obvious lack of intelligence by certain individuals in the opening sequences, Rise is on the whole genuinely immersing and enjoyable. For 90 minutes it offers a pleasant and healthy balance of humour, romance and sorrow. But it is not without flaws.

Depending upon the audience you are with and possibly your state of mind at viewing; there are some pivotal moments in closing that will really test your ability to block the little voice in the back of your mind that keeps telling you; ‘this is just silly now’. The fine line between movie greatness and self-parody is very much flirted with here and there are key moments (and if you have seen the film you will know what I am talking about) that you will either be left in awe or find yourself flung back into reality thinking, ‘hang on one second now...I don’t care what drugs these chimps have been exposed to...there’s no chance they could do THAT!’

But such is the nature of Hollywood blockbusters, and to be perfectly fair to Rise, it makes enough of a concerted effort to convince you prior to these moments that they are quite possible that it can be forgiven. Overall Rise is definitely more king of the swingers than banana peel and praise must be made for how easily this could have become an unintended comical catastrophe. Expect sequels.

4/5

Review: Super 8

Super 8 (2011, J.J. Abrams)

J.J. Abrams has made no attempt to hide the fact that Super 8 is a brazen homage to the film’s producer and Abrams boy hood hero; Steven Spielberg. If you were to throw a few movies Spielberg was involved with during the early stage of his career; Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. (1982) and The Goonies (1985) into a summer-blockbuster-blender you would end up with something not a million miles removed from Super 8.

But, however delightful that interesting blend of fat kids, spaceships and sausage fingered alien would be it would unfortunately be missing a fundamental ingredient that really makes Super 8 more than just a love letter to days gone by; Abrams. I am sure that by now you will have seen a film or TV show that has come from the creator of Lost’s warped but possibly genius mind. Alias, Fringe...did you know he wrote Armageddon?

It’s his ability to craft a wonderful story, part biographical and part modern twist on Spielberg’s tried and tested love-family-friend-coming of age formula, in particular the ignorant or absent father trope, that gives Super 8 its own voice and it’s also his directorial vision that gives the film a distinct and modern hue despite being set in 1979.

Before seeing the film I was concerned that the human plot lines, like many summer tent-pole releases, may not be fully developed and could detract from the set-pieces and special effects I was hoping to see. In reality it turned out to be quite the opposite. In fact some of the films brightest moments came in the interactions between the group of adolescent film-makers, who happen to witness a horrific train crash that leads to strange happenings in there usually quiet town. I found myself being drawn deeper and deeper into their world through a combination of witty dialogue and sublime acting. Particular mention goes to Elle Fanning, younger sister of Dakota, who plays Alice Dainard, teenage love interest of the aspiring boy-hood filmmakers.

The human element of the film was so excellent that I almost forgot we were actually watching a science-fiction flick about the military trying to re-capture whatever has escaped from their derailed locomotive. However, Super 8 really excels through the way it eventually finds a comfortable balance between the human narrative and extra territorial happenings. Finally climaxing in a closing act that sees the alien threat fully revealed and the films various sub-plots nicely coming together to provide a delightfully cheesy but still emotionally compelling conclusion.

Super 8 breathes life into a genre that had seemed to die a death amongst the onslaught of summer franchise releases. Look through this year’s line up of big blockbusters and you’ll struggle to find a movie that isn't based on a comic book, a novel, or indeed a sequel or even the dreaded prequel. Super 8 may borrow heavily from original hits of the late 70’s and 80’s but in time it will stand on its own as one of the best films of 2011 because of its refreshing focus on ensuring the human element of the story isn’t lost amongst explosions and body parts.

If Abram’s can continue to dip into the same bag of star dust that the likes of Spielberg and Lucas have done before him he will carry on sprinkling such magic across the screen and will go onto influence another generation of film-makers in the same way, which can only be good news for cinema goers.

4.5/5

Review: 127 Hours

127 Hours (2011, Danny Boyle)

The film I rated in my three month preview from December as my most anticipated upcoming flick, helmed by one of my favourite directors; Oscar winner Danny Boyle. The man employed to oversee the London 2012 opening ceremony and brains behind Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire. It had a lot to live up to...

...and it didn’t, not quite. But! And this is a big but; it is still a great movie and an astonishing achievement when you consider the subject matter. How enthralling can a 90 minute film about a guy who gets stuck between a rock and hard place (in every sense of the phrase) for the best part of a week really be? This is the question I asked myself upon originally hearing of Boyle’s next film and was the gauntlet I threw down to Boyle in my mind for the months I waited in patient anticipation prior to the film’s release. I figured that being the visionary director he is there would be all sorts of creative jiggery that would allow for the film to jump between various locals without the entrapped Aron Ralston (James Franco) ever actually leaving his potential tomb. Once the trailer eventually landed my expectations rose further as my assumptions were confirmed.

This in hindsight is what ultimately has lead me to feel 127 Hours was a slight, and I mean slight, let down. I built it up so much in my mind that I was expecting to be utterly blown away, sat astounded in my cramped Odeon seat by a masterful piece of cinema that was equally emotionally compelling and visually spectacular. In reality it was just very - very good, but not without flaws. Don’t get me wrong there are moments of sheer brilliance where Ralston’s utter despair is brilliantly conveyed through the briefest of shots. Such as a passenger jet silently piercing the blue skies a few thousand feet above his head when he initially trips and traps his arm beneath a falling boulder, conveying in one shot both the immensity of Ralston’s distance from humanity and therefore his hopes of rescue as well as his lifelong shunning of companionship which ultimately lead to his whereabouts being unknown.

Another recurring scene that stayed with me features a raven that majestically soars above the canyon every morning as he struggles to even move an inch. These moments, coupled with the creative way in which Ralston’s desires, from his longing to be freed from his trap, to his need for food and eventually water, are portrayed all become overwhelmingly powerful in pulling the audience into Ralston’s shoes and in giving us a small sense of just how desperate he must feel. Although the film drags slightly in these places, they serve an important purpose in making us appreciate the length of time and sense of desperation Ralston felt before making the decision to sever his own arm in order to free himself.

I’m not going to dwell on the extremity of the scene the in question as in actuality there is far worse available if gore and self mutilation are your thing. What I will say is that the reason it has kicked up such a fuss, with reports of audience members fainting, is due to James Franco’s immense turn as Ralston. He truly is marvellous. To most his performance will go un-noticed, the naturalness and believability he brings to the role will leave many feeling he was just being himself; but it is his command of the character and ability to make us believe everything we see and moreover feel  that makes the amputation scene so graphic. I stand by my prediction of an Oscar nod.

Ultimately 127 Hours isn’t quite the show stopping achievement I was expecting it to be but all things considered it is a hugely successful film. In the hands of lesser talented individuals this could have been an absolute disaster. In this respect it mirrors its subject matter, I don’t think there are many people on the face of this earth that could go through what that man did and not only come out the other side but come out better for it. In the end 127 Hours is a hugely uplifting and inspirational piece of filmmaking on both a critical and human level.

4/5

The Girlfriends View:

For a film that was predominantly 90 minutes of one man stuck in a canynon, the director managed to keep it interesting and you definitely come out of the cinema glad that you are alive! Despite the arm chopping scene not being overly graphic, you’ll probably have to look away a few times, I think because you really do feel his pain! Overall a good film and would definitely recommend if you want something a bit different to see!

Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010, David Yates)

The Harry Potter films are a difficult bunch of movies to review as it becomes impossible not to constantly compare them to their superior source material. The Deathly Hallows Part 1 becomes even harder to analyse as a stand-alone piece of work as it is very much an extended advertisement for part two, albeit a very good one. So how do I go about reviewing such a film? Pretend I have never read the books and accept it for what is; essentially a teaser for next summer’s final instalment.

The opening is excellent, as soon as the Warner Brothers logo materialises on screen you can tell this instalment is more serious than the previous films and the darker tone continues throughout the frenetic first act. The bad guys have taken over and the good guys will suffer...and suffer they do. If you take your kids along to this one expecting to see a group of innocent adolescents getting to grips with their new wands then you’re going to be in for a shock. Hallows is a far more atmospheric, tense and even frightening experience then any that came before it. After Lord Voldemorts giant snake pounces at the screen, causing many a jump in the audience, a middle-aged man sitting next to me whispered to his mate, “and this is supposed to be a 12?!”

In fairness it’s not really that dark and grizzly but compared to the earlier instalments in the saga it is a fairly large shift in tone. A shift though that the series always needed. It may have come a bit late but after being at the helm for the last three Potter films director David Yates has started to find his feet with the series and has produced the best offering of the lot. It is a shame that all the films couldn’t have been approached with such gusto, the first three felt a little safe.  Now that Warner Brothers have a guaranteed audience and one that has aged with the passing of the films, they are willing to take an edgier approach it seems.

Many critics have noted the film drags in the middle, with one reviewer exclaiming, “it crawls along slower than an arthritic house-elf”. It moves slightly more abruptly than a pint-sized creature with dodgy joints but I must agree it does drag in places. However, this has to be expected from a narrative that is very different compared to the previous films that sees Harry, Ron and Hermione on the run, and only the briefest glimpses of Hogwarts. This road-movie portion of the film is lifted by the brilliant on screen chemistry shared by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, both of whom have blossomed into fine actors. Even Radcliffe manages to appear slightly less wooden, yet still pales in comparison and is destined to be type-cast for the rest of his career (ala Keanue Reeves).

If you’re not a massive Harry Potter fan, maybe the previous films didn’t do it for you and you’re undecided whether to check it out, give this one a chance, if only for the brilliantly animated sequence where the significance of the Deathly Hallows is explained or to see landmarks such as the Severn Bridge and The Forest of Dean in all their beauty on the big screen.

A word of warning though, I know I promised not to mention the books but please at least make sure to swot up on past events in the Potterverse via repeat viewings of previous films or through friends, otherwise you may be left wondering what the hell is going on. The film really does take no prisoners, the first and third acts rattle along faster than a Quidditch player chasing a snitch and if you’re not up to speed on events then you could get left behind.

The Harry Potter films have consistently provided a good time, featuring the best of the British acting alumni, but The Deathly Hallows Part 1 goes one step further and brings genuine emotion, fear and foreboding to the story. Yes it ends just as things are about to get even tastier but it’s a perfect hook into the second instalment and it executes its purpose brilliantly. Is it the best film of the year...probably not, but it is the best in the series.

4/5

The Girlfriends view:

It was a really good film, best in the series but it was a shame there was no Hogwarts and it felt very different. Even though Harry is still shit his acting has improved and the others are great, Ron especially. It's scary for a 12A and I wouldn't take kids but I would recommend it overall. However, would be slightly confusing if you haven’t refreshed your memory on the back story. 

Preview: Q1 2011 Part 2

5) The Fighter (David O. Russell) – Released: 04/02/11

Who’s in it?

Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams

What’s it about?

Boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's (Wahlberg) unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky (Bale), a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.

Why should you see it?

Christian Bale takes on another challenging role requiring him to lose a huge amount of weight to get into character. Though not quite as extreme as his preparation for The Machinist, his role as Dicky gives him another chance to show why he is considered one of modern cinemas greatest actors and may well see him get his long over-due first Academy Award nomination for best supporting male. It’s testament to Bale that he could have played both roles convincingly but Wahlberg does look great as “The Fighter”. Plus who doesn’t love a good boxing drama?

Trailer

4) Tron Legacy (Joseph Kosinski) – Released: 17/12/10

Who’s in it?

Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Michael Sheen, Olivia Wilde

What’s it about?

Sam Flynn (Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Bridges), looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 20 years. Along with Kevin's loyal confidant, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous. Sequel to/re-imagining of Tron (1982).

Why should you see it?

It will be visually stunning, this year’s Avatar in terms of spectacle. It will also sound incredible; French electronic duo Daft Punk have recorded the soundtrack for the film. On top of this it is great to see Bridges returning nearly 30 years after the original to keep continuity and add a much needed level of authenticity to a movie that will be a little distant from reality for some.  Destined to be the Christmas family blockbuster that Disney are hoping for and don’t be surprised to see all the franchise tie-ins you would expect with such a release, including the possibility of a ride at a Disney park in the not too distant future.

Trailer

3) Morning Glory (Roger Michell) – Released: 21/01/11

Who’s in it?

Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum

What’s it about?

An upstart television producer accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program with warring co-hosts. Think Anchorman with slightly more maturity.  

Why should you see it?

Watch the trailer and you’ll agree; Harrison Ford was made for this role. It’s directed by the man behind Notting Hill and Changing Lanes and written by the writer of The Devil Wears Prada. It has an excellent cast and it just looks like a lot of fun. McAdams will probably get an Oscar nod for her role as Becky but don’t expect her to win; you have to be a woman on the edge of a breakdown, struggling for survival and shed an abundance of tears to land the Best Actress award these days.

Trailer

2) The Beaver (Jodie Foster) – Released: 11/02/11

Who’s in it?

Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin

What’s it about?

Dark comedy about a troubled husband and toy company executive (Gibson) who adopts a beaver hand-puppet as his sole means of communicating with his wife (Foster) and two sons (Yelchin, Riley Thomas Stewart).

Why should you see it?

I’ll start at the beginning; the script by Kyle Killen topped the 2008 Blacklist, a list of the very best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood, and by all accounts is pretty damn good. It got picked up by production company Anonymous Content (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Babel) and marks the first real opportunity for Jodie Foster to show if she has what it takes as a director. As well as featuring Foster and Gibson who have both been missing from the big screen for far too long, it stars Anton Yelchin who after Terminator Salvation and Star Trek has proven himself quite a talent. It wrapped filming in November 2009 but has been in limbo due to Gibson’s recent public controversy.

The Beaver currently has a tentative UK release date of February 2011. If Gibson has pulled this role off (which he is fully capable of doing) it could go a long way to brushing some of his past misdemeanours under the carpet.

Trailer N/A

1) 127 Hours (Danny Boyle) – Released: 05/01/11

Who’s in it?

James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn

What’s it about?

The true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's (Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crushes his arm and traps him in an isolated Utah canyon. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary.

Why should you see it?

Danny Boyle has long been one of my favourite directors, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire are two of my all time favourite films. I think it’s safe to say that 127 Hours will be joining them; the trailer alone packs more emotion than the majority of films I have watched this past year. The main thrust of the story isn’t what interests me, anyone who follows the news will know how Ralston escaped, its how Boyle deals with the moments of isolation in which Ralston reflects on his life that I’m excited about. There are brief glimpses in the trailer of the artistry that has gone into making this film and even though it is predominately centred around one man who’s story is well documented, I have absolutely no doubt it will be entirely gripping and engaging.

I have mentioned possible Academy Award nominees a few times in this preview but if you had to put your money where your mouth is I think you could do a lot worse than banking on James Franco to take home the Best Actor Award next March. His portrayal of Ralston has been gaining rave reviews in the US, as has the film in general. 127 Hours looks set to kick of 2011 in style and is my number one most anticipated film of the next three months, go see it!

Trailer