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.