Prisoners Movie Review

The Fall Movie season is well under way at the minute and its clear that, if all movies are like this one, we are going to be blessed with some excellent content for the rest of the year. Here is my review of the critically acclaimed drama Prisoners..

Prisoners assembles a great cast of many Hollywood A-list actors and is a drama/mystery thriller. 2 families are sharing Thanksgiving together at one of their houses when dark events begin to happen. When nobody is looking, the young daughters from each family are mysteriously taken from their family. A suspect is found but there is no incriminating evidence against him. The story then proceeds with the main theme being, "how far will you go in order to find your lost daughter". Prisoners is a top-notch movie for so many different reasons.

The story itself is well paced and well balanced. Never is it obvious what is going to happen, it was a movie where I found myself in shock at some of the twists and turns the plot takes. It is certainly unpredictable. Also, it is very intense indeed. This movie screams intensity. When a movie like this is touching on such a delicate matter, then all of the movies elements have to add up well to create this effect. Thankfully, it does.

This movie has a certain edge to it no matter what is happening on screen, which is testament to the excellent direction the director took with this film. Some of the choices made were brilliant. Particular scenes were cut short in a way which didn't feel like an abrupt pause but rather a cliff-hanger, engaging you to make you want to know what will happen next. The tension in this movie escalates and escalates within every single scene. I was constantly flipping back and forth on many issues in this movie; "will he really do that?", "did he really abduct the children?". Throughout this whole movie, questions!

The musical score for this movie is exactly what it needs to be; chilling, haunting and memorable. It is perfect in that sense!

The movie also has great uses of imagery and lighting to escalate the tension as well as portray some of the conflict within certain characters. Behind the camera, it is nothing revolutionary yet still comes across as very clever indeed. The cinematography is impressive as much as it is varied, with specific camera angles and swooping shots used cleverly as a means to tell the story and build up the intensity..

Special effects aren't used at all, making the movie feel as gritty and realistic as it sets out to be. The use of setting, like Mud and Place Beyond the Pines, is impressive also. Nearly 100% of the time, the setting is either pouring with rain or pitch black. The rain gives you that dismal, depressing feeling and the dark that sense of fear and mystery!

This movie has great technical stuff going for it plus has a certain sense of unpredictability to its story. However, the highlight of this movie, as it should be for any, was the characters and the performances.

Hugh Jackman in this movie is just phenomenal. Truly epic, Oscar worthy for sure. You can tell he's really going for it in this movie, using a mixed bag of emotion to deliver an outstanding performance. He is awesome when he is getting angry in this movie. Believe me, he gets mad! It is very entertaining to watch for sure, but I much preferred it when he was breaking down into tears as opposed to smacking things in rage! That is just a personal preference of mine and would have liked to have seen more of that if I'm honest. Too many rage scenes.. But, if I were put into the situation Hugh Jackman's character was in, I would react in the exact same way!

The plot of the movie itself is interesting yet seems to lose a little bit of its momentum towards the middle act of the movie. Nothing much seems to happen in comparison to the beginning and ending of the movie and it just seemed to slow it down a little bit for me.

However, going back to some positives, the emotional connection you get to the characters is done very well. The dialogue is carefully and cleverly written and makes you feel like the people you are watching are real people going through a real traumatic experience. Characters interact with each other in a realistic way as well which also adds to the realistic, dark and gritty tone the movie is trying to set up..

Speaking of other characters, the rest of the cast all did sufficient jobs but didn't top Hugh Jackman in my opinion! Jake Gyllenhaal played the detective leading the investigation to find the missing daughters in this movie and he did a great job. He was the guy I was rooting for during this movie while Jackman's character was off doing his evil activities the circumstance had forced him into. His performance isn't perfect however, I probably had expectations that were too high. That being said, more emotional gravity wouldn't have hindered his cause..

Paul Dano played the main suspect in this movie and he did well in the role as he forced you into thinking different things about him. One minute you think he's a creepy murderer, the next an innocent and troubled soul.

Terrence Howard is probably the next best thing in this movie in terms of acting performances. The rest do a sound job at what they are given..

So, Prisoners is a well made movie centred around some terrific acting performances, clever technical aspects and a vibe of mystery and tension, which leaves you engrossed in all that is happening on screen but at the same time you are flipping your opinions in your head back and forth and back and forth. Its intense and creepy as hell also, it has that haunting effect on you when you think about it. Its a great movie, and really deserves the following rating:


Rating - A

1 sentence summary - An all-round terrific movie, one that escalates tension and makes you change your thoughts on the characters constantly throughout!


We actually have such a good line up of films from now until New Years Eve. I hope to review as many of them as I can and I look forward to, hopefully, dishing out some very high ratings!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

F1 2014 Season Preview - Ferrari

The most famous and successful team in F1 history is next on my list to talk about for next season. Will their new driver line up deliver them success? Do they have a chance of ending the recent spell of Red Bull domination? If any team can, Ferrari is that team.

It was announced 2 weeks ago that Felipe Massa was to leave the Scuderia at the end of the 2013 season, after a reasonably successful 8 year spell at Maranello. The Brazilian, who partnered 3 different world champions during his spell at the team, famously missed out on the championship in 2008 and has not won a race since then. Was it right to let him go?

I think now is the right time. He has been cast in the shadow of the incredible Spaniard Fernando Alonso during the last 4 years and consistently struggles to attain podium finishes. It is sad to see such a nice guy and a talented driver leave this team for both the fans and the team. It means no support coming from his home country of Brazil, except if a young driver like Nasr or Razia break onto the F1 scene.

Despite all this now is the right time for them both to part company. It is clear that he has great talent, but at Ferrari that isn't good enough. The Italian team need more than a man who can just score in the low points every race; they need a quick, consistent driver who can score podiums week-in week-out and challenge for race victories. However, I do hope that he is considered for either a seat at Lotus, or if that doesn't work out, a return to Sauber. Force India could be on the cards? We shall see..

Going back to what I said earlier, Ferrari require consistent podiums and high-points finishes. In that aspect they have made an excellent choice.

Shortly after Massa announced he was leaving Maranello, it was announced by the team that his replacement would be Finn Kimi Raikkonen, moving to the Scuderia from Lotus-Renault. I'm fairly sure the Tifosi are very happy indeed!

Raikkonen enjoyed a 3 year spell previously at Ferrari and endured the most successfully spell of his F1 career, taking the 2007 Driver's Championship. However, at the end of 2009, he was cast aside by Luca di Montezemelo so Fernando Alonso could join the team. He returned to F1 after 2 years In rallying to lead the Lotus-Renault team to success. Immediately, Kimi has something to prove. Not only does he want to conclude his career with another championship, he probably deep down wants to prove to the team that letting him go in the first place was the wrong move..

How will he do though? I think he's made the right move and with that Ferrari have a double-barrelled championship threat. He can consistently score points and podiums at Lotus, who have struggled a fair amount with their car this season after an excellent start. Obviously there are no guarantees that the Ferrari next year will be good, but with a better car Kimi will definetly challenge for the Championship, no doubt about it.

It also increases their Constructor's championship chances with both he and Fernando Alonso in the team. I've made it clear of my opinion that the Spaniard is the best on the grid due to his exceptional ability to put the car in places that it shouldn't be in come race day. How will he and Raikkonen get on? Fine I think. People are making a huge thing about how Alonso will "whinge and whine" at the fact their is no number 1 & 2 driver in the team anymore. I think that's a load of shit!

I do think it will be very close between them all year although Fernando will have the edge at the start of the season, due to 4 years of previous experience at the team. It's also clear that Ferrari are no longer going for a number 1 & 2 driver line up anymore and are opting for 2 drivers of equal status. That delivered them 2 consecutive championships in 2007 and 2008, when Raikkonen and Massa were on equal footing.

As for Alonso, I really don't think he will leave. If he can ever win his 3rd Championship and not be in a Red Bull, Ferrari is the best option!

Did Ferrari make the right driver choice, yes they did! Will having 2 equal drivers destabilize the team? No it won't. Will it deliver success? Ask me this time next season...

As for the other candidates for the seat, let's give them a mention:

Nico Hulkenberg: A strong showing at Monza put him right in the frame for the seat. He will obviously be disappointed with this news, but there is a drive at Lotus available. But, is it the right time to be joining the money-troubled team? That's an article for another time.. Anyway, it is clear that Ferrari were unwilling to risk going for a young driver and instead opted for experience. Unlucky Nico..

Paul Di Resta: Will Paul ever make it to the front? Not at this rate unfortunately. His sudden dip in form has really dented his chances of finding a top drive for next season. Another year at Force India looks on the cards. Will he get the Lotus seat, I'm unsure at this moment. Will he leave F1 altogether? He might be tired of being stuck in the midfield..

Jules Bianchi: The Marussia driver is considered to be Ferrari's long term future. He is not ready for a seat yet, but does have a chance at either breaking into a midfield team by either opting for Sauber or Force India. We could see this man in a Ferrari seat in the future, now is not the time.


Overall, Ferrari have made a good decision. It all rests now on the designers and engineers to create a competitive car that can fight for both championships and end Red Bull's dominance of the sport.


2014 Ferrari Driver line-up:


Fernando Alonso (staying put)

Kimi Raikkonen (signing from Lotus)



Next time we talk about a team's 2014 chances, it will be Mercedes. Thanks for reading..

Thanks again,
Matt

F1 2014 Season Preview - Red Bull

Bit of  a change, going to start previewing the 2014 F1 season from now on instead of just reviewing the races. It gives me more of an opportunity to talk about the sport I love, plus with so many changes for next season I can also begin to look forward to it..

I'm fairly sure you may be wondering why I'm not reviewing a race.. I simply find it boring; all I'm doing is recapping what actually happened without many opportunities to get out my opinion. In 2014, there will be the biggest shake-up in regulations for 20 years, a vastly changed F1 calendar and drivers swapping teams before lights out in Melbourne..

So, let's talk about the teams first. Assuming all of the current 11 teams will be on the grid next year, that leaves me room to post out at least 11 articles. Let us begin with the champions, Red Bull..

Infiniti Red Bull Racing Renault, as is there full name. What is there to say that hasn't already been said? They're the best team on the grid and this season have the best car all round. It can dominate in qualifying and can leave other teams with egg on their face during the race, usually when it stretches  a large lead in the very early stages. With Adrian Newey at the helm there will surely be no problems for them in terms of constructing next year's car.

In my opinion, he is the true architect of that team. He is truly a genius! He will relish the challenge of constructing a competitive car within next season's regulations. If any team is in the right place to do this its Red Bull.

As long as Vettel keeps getting poles, wins and championships Red Bull will run into no trouble what so ever.

Now for the drivers. Names like Raikkonen and even Alonso were linked with the seat but the Austrian-owned team decided otherwise. Red Bull were the earliest team to confirm their driver line up for next season. Mark Webber announced earlier on this season that his Formula 1 stay was coming to an end. At the right time to. He's won many prestigious races and has shown his grit on more than one occasion, however he never really looked like challenging his teammate in all honesty. Vettel can create a dominant lead in a race during the first 5 laps whereas Webber always seems to have issues.

It is fair to say that Mark Webber does indeed get the lions-share of Red Bull's bad luck. Now for whatever reason that is, I shan't comment on this now for fear of myself sounding unbelievably biased.

I do like Mark Webber and I'm sad to see him go but if I had experienced the exact same problems he has had with his teammate over the years I would have quit years earlier. His relationship with Sebastian Vettel is clearly one of tension. And who could blame them?

Turkey 2010: Webber leading the race heading hoping for a third consecutive victory with Vettel just behind. However, the gaining McLaren's forced Vettel into action as he tried passing Mark Webber at the end of the straight. The result; catastrophic. Who's fault was it? Don't really know. But both cars fell out of the lead, 43 points were thrown away and there were clear divisions created within the team afterwards.

Britain 2010: Both Red Bull's given new front wings. Vettel breaks his and Webber is forced to give his to his teammate. I would be angry if that had happened to me. If ever there was bias shown within a team, it was at that moment. Fortunately for Mark, he won the race. Not bad for a number 2 driver!

Brazil 2012: Webber refuses to help his teammate in the last race of the season; the 2012 championship decider. Vettel made a bad start and was bogged down by Mark. He crashed, yet miraculously recovered to win the championship.

Malaysia 2013: Multi 21 Seb? Webber told my team Vettel would not overtake him. Vettel overtook him. Vettel thought they were racing yet he clearly disobeyed obvious team orders. That may have pushed Mark over the edge.

As you can see, its a rough relationship and with him leaving the team could be more harmonious perhaps? Could you imagine what it would be like if Vettel and Webber both won races like Vettel does? It would be very reminiscent of Senna vs Prost.

Vettel is tied down to Red Bull for next season and that won't bother him one bit. The quickest car in both qualifying and during the race and we all know how good Sebastian Vettel is at dominating Grands Prix! There would be no reason for him to leave. But the questions on peoples lips are, "Can Vettel win a race coming through the pack?", "Would he do the same job in the Ferrari as Alonso?". These questions are ripe yet are not relevant for next season. Vettel stays. God hopes his dominace ends soon I'm writing this as Vettel expands his lead at Singapore by about 2 seconds per lap!

Webber's replacement is another Australian in Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo. Only time will tell if this is a good move. However, we do know that he is very quick in qualifying and that he can score good points in the race. He as out-and-out pace also. But he has never been on the F1 rostrum has is car has never allowed him to be. Inexperience could also be a factor.

Commercially its a good move for the team still having that Australian following. He's a nice guy as well. Its not relevant but I'm just mentioning it!

Will Ricciardo challenge Vettel though? I really don't think so. Years and years of dominating races in that car and an exceptional stance within the team will make it very challenging indeed for the young, in-coming Australian. I know that it would have undermined the purpose of having a B team of young drivers (Toro Rosso) but if they really wanted equal status within the team Red Bull would have gone to Red Bull. Ricciardo is clearly the number 2.


Driver line up


Sebastian Vettel (Staying)

Daniel Ricciardo (Moving from Toro Rosso)



I think this could make the Constructor's Championship that little bit harder for them. However at this moment in time they are going to win both championships this year.

It's sad to watch the Red Bull dominate everything and I hope for the good for the sport they don't win the championship next season. That's my brutally honest opinion.

Can anyone see the end of the Red Bull domination? Comment whatever you think..

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Rush Movie Review

When Ron Howard decided to take 2 things I hold very close to my heart, films and Formula 1, and make a movie about it, there is not a chance in the world I would miss opening night to this movie. I saw it this evening and went in with certain expectations; expectations that were filled. I like F1, surely there is no way I can not like this movie, right?..

Right, this movie was unbelievable. I am completely fanboying myself out at the moment and guess what? I don't care!! Rush was truly masterful, an absolute gem of a movie which fulfilled plus exceeded my expectations..

But, let's review Rush like any other film, shall we?

Rush is based off the true story of the rivalry between Formula 1 racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1976 Formula 1 season. It is widely regarded as F1's best ever and it has been said it would be impossible to put it all on to film. Think again, Ron Howard does this to a treat!

He's an expert director in truth; he has created masterpieces like the Da Vinci Code and Apollo 13 and, in my books, can now add Rush to that list. You can tell that this movie had pure heart and passion drilled into its skull! It's a very well directed, edited and paced story and covers every single thing (in terms of a plotline) I wanted to cover.

Let's start with the negatives: some of the dialogue in the first act of the movie is borderline cheesy. Yet, I can let that slide as the narrative itself is trying to inform non Formula 1 fans about everything that is going on so they can latch on to the story! It is very good in that aspect as it can appeal to all fans, from the first-timers to the hard-core ones!

Chris Hemsworth plays James Hunt in this movie. As for the real James Hunt, he was a proper 1970s playboy; smoking cigarettes before a race, sleeping with more than one girl a night, being a real ladies man. Plus, motivated by the thrill and adrenaline of racing at the highest level! Rush captures his character perfectly through Hemsworth's performance. He nails the character and does everything very well indeed. Plus, he even manages to give the character another dimension. When he was at his highest highs you felt pleased for him. When he hit rock-bottom, you seriously empathized with him!

Daniel Bruhl plays Niki Lauda in this movie and he is an actor who I have never really seen in anything before this. I am going to check this guy out for definite! This movie also needed to capture the essence of Niki Lauda, an analyst who was downright quick and quietly determined to become the best. Plus, a man that other drivers would envy and detest. Bruhl's performance really allows you to, just like Chris Hemsworth's character, feel for him both when he succeeds and fails.

That's kind of funny actually.. You like it when both characters succeed and feel for them when they both fail. However, their success and failure always seems to coincide with each other's. Hunt fails, Lauda succeeds, and vice versa.

When I went in I thought it would be that this movie would be centred around just the 76 season. No, there is more. The years before then allow us to see the early developments of this intense rivalry and sets up the characters beautifully! Its a really well paced movie which packs in a lot of stuff into it. However, it doesn't feel clustered up in the slightest!

Also, the supporting cast all do really good jobs in this movie. As soon as a character was put on screen, for example Teddy Mayer, Enzo Ferrari, Jackie Stewart, I knew exactly who it was. The director made very good choices in terms of the choice of extras and supporting actors.

But the best part of this movie is by far the sequences on the circuit when the 2 rivals are battling it out! A lot of practical stunts were used when making these sequences and lots of credit must go to those people who drove those cars with such speed and such care and such precision. Also, the cars looked just like they did back in the 70s. It was a truly beautiful looking movie, it's complete eye candy. Some of the best visuals of the year are apparent in this movie. They're bright, clear, beautiful!

This movie also has the best sound I think I have heard all year. The noises of all that is going on in these sequences are just amazing! They're literally deafeningly loud! They set you right into the action and you are instantly thrilled/engrossed when the drivers switch on those engines. It sounds so good! I can't say that enough without boring you..

The racing scenes look and sound astonishing, plus they are filmed with expert precision. Various camera angles from off the track, in the drivers helmet, in the engine etc. give the movie a slice of pure originality to it. I have never seen a chase/car sequence filmed in such an exciting way! They are by far the best parts of the movie! 1 racing scene is worth the price of admission, seriously!

The movie's soundtrack also fits in so perfectly with the on screen action. It adds a whole other dimension of sheer intensity. This movie at points gets pretty intense! Like, really intense! The entire rivalry between them is intense for sure, but when you really start to feel nervous for the character's on screen then you know a movie is doing it's job well!

The movie also has snippets of nudity. This was unexpected, yet very welcome indeed. Guess that makes me a pervert..

So, how to grade this movie? Well I will just need to answer a couple of questions first:


Was it a well made movie?

Yeah, acting choices, editing, direction, visuals, music, sound, cinematography, pristine in every way! AMAZING! From the German GP, through the Italian GP right to the end is by far the best bit of what is truly an amazing film..

Was it as accurate to the facts as possible?

Yep, within reason of making an entertaining Hollywood blockbuster. Some things are changed yet don't bother me in the slightest because they make for an enthralling finale to the film.

Did it capture the essence of F1 in the 70s?

Hell yeah! Small details just make this movie that much better. This movie captured F1 in the 70s in an incredibly fitting way! Every shot on the screen just oozed the 1970s. Also, race procedures, driver meetings, testing, locations, are all just some examples of things that were detailed to perfection. There can be no complaints in that department..

Does it have that unexpected something?

Yes it does have this as well. I knew a lot of what happened in this F1 season yet I was still constantly thrilled by this movie.. It adds in an extra quality in that it delves into the human condition; how far will we push ourselves and how much will we risk to achieve our goals? Would you risk everything to become the best of your profession?

I wasn't expecting what I saw in Rush. I thought I was in for a purely entertaining movie with no real heart. Instead I got a movie which did everything it had to and did so much more! Formula 1 fans, if you can get over a few little nibbles (a few inaccurate facts or slightly cheesy first-act dialogue) you will love this movie to pieces! Non F1 fans, watch it as well. It is well worth your time..


Rating - A+

1 sentence summary - The movie the 1976 F1 season deserved; truly surprising and exciting in every single aspect!


Automatically one of my favourite films. F1 fan boy and proud!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

2013 Italian GP Review - Vettel's title draws ever closer

This is the circuit which has hosted the Italian GP every year, with the exception of 1980, since the dawn of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 1950. Monza is one of the oldest circuits on the calendar and always attracts the Tifosi, fanatical Ferrari supporters who come in their drones to watch those famous red cars race. In 2013, was a win for Ferrari on the cards? Or was the Red Bull of Vettel just too strong? Here is my race review...

Qualifying was a breeze for Sebastian Vettel. He looked dominant from the early practise sessions as well as during the qualifying hour. He put his Red Bull on pole with relative ease and his retiring teammate Mark Webber qualified on the front row with him. The Red Bull is usually a car that works best around the high down force tracks and Monza's long high-speed straights have not been kind to that car in the past. However, this year it looked like the charging Bull would be unstoppable: race simulations suggested that the car would lap a second a lap quicker than the opposition!

The star of qualifying was Nico Hulkenberg. Heavily linked with the second seat at Maranello, he put in his best quali performance of the season and qualified in third. Another surprise was that the Ferrari of Massa out-qualified teammate Alonso, even though he was supposedly helping Alonso by giving him a tow. The Spaniard was also caught in the middle of controversy when he broad casted to his team over the radio a message in Italian that translated to "You're all idiots!". You never publicly discredit the team, it also doesn't help his situation that he also discredited Ferrari (the most well known team) at their home race of all places. Does he face the sack?

Also, Hamilton didn't make the cut for Q3 for the first time in years while both Lotuses languished in 12th and 13th. Could they make their way up through the field like Sergio Perez did last year?

The race starts at Monza are always eventful and the drama began when a lock up for Sebastian Vettel caused him to flat spot his tyre, which slightly complicated his race more than first planned. However, it was a stroll in the park for the German as he led most of the laps and came home to take his 6th victory of the season. The tyre didn't really hinder his efforts in all honesty.. He was just uncatchable as he edged away from the field lap by lap and brought his car home! He and the majority of the field opted for a one-stop strategy which caused nobody any problems.

In second place was Fernando Alonso, of course. The man is relentless in his pursuit of Vettel and is also very mighty indeed during the first laps of a race. He jumped Hulkenberg at the start and made a brilliant move on Mark Webber at the second chicane despite making contact. He passed his teammate who could not close down on Vettel on the opening laps and held of Mark Webber at the end to keep up his 100% podium record for Ferrari at Monza.

Webber made a sound start and was running in third place. He may have passed Alonso had he not had to manage a gear-shifting problem which meant he had to short shift between 2nd and 3rd gear. In fourth place was the other Ferrari of Massa- a strong result considering he is fighting for a Ferrari drive next season.

Hulkenberg had a relatively quiet race but a poor start ruined his chances of a podium. However 5th place gave him 10 points, much needed for himself and the Sauber team. This pushes them closer to Toro Rosso in the overall standings. Nico Rosberg ended the race in sixth. He made the most of his one stop strategy to collect 8 championship points.

Ricciardo, who is going to Red Bull next year, ended in 7th place and secured yet another points scoring finish to his name. He also now moves ahead of his teammate Jean-Eric Vergne in the overall standings. Both Toro Rossos were strong all weekend but Vergne suffered his 5th retirement of the season and scored no points.

In 8th was Grosjean, who was rammed from behind by Paul Di Resta on the opening lap. That was a second successive retirement for the Scot, who is surely looking for a drive further up the grid (Ferrari or Lotus) for next season.

Hamilton wrote off his title chances after fighting his way up to 9th place on the last few laps. Raikkonen finished in 11th and is also now out of Championship contention. The McLaren of Button finished in 10th, he made a poor start from 6th it has to be said. Then came Raikkonen, the 2 Mexicans of Perez and Gutierrez, the 2 Williams of  Maldonado and Bottas, Sutil and then the 4 drivers of the younger teams. They came through in the following order: Pic, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton.

Retirements were Di Resta and Vergne.

The race out front was fairly unexciting but from 5th downwards it was exciting indeed. There were close fights between many drivers on many different parts of the track. The parabolika, both chicanes, Ascari and both Lesmos saw overtakes. 

However Sebastian Vettel stormed to victory yet again this season and now moves 53 points clear in the championship. Its not over yet though! Alonso moves further clear from Hamilton in the standings, he is now 28 points ahead. Raikkonen is now only 4 points ahead of the other Red Bull of Webber. Hulkenberg and Ricciardo also move up the championship and edge closer to drivers outside the top 10 like Sutil and Perez.

The Red Bull is the best car and it looks like the car is in the perfect position to dominate the remaining races of this season. He won 4 races in a row last year at the same events (Singapore, Korea, Japan and India) and it doesn't look good for his competitors..

That's my report and take on the Italian GP. A very average race indeed it must be said. Now we have 7 flyaway races which will determine the world champion. Vettel is the out-and-out favourite it has to be said though..

What did you think of the race? Can Alonso catch up with Vettel? Let me know down below fellow petrol-heads!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Mud Movie Review

Another Art-house/drama movie that a few people recommended I check out. The Place Beyond the Pines scored an A+, but does Mud even compare?

Mud is directed and written by Jeff Nichols and is the story of 2 boys who run across a fugitive named Mud on an island out on a river. The plot of the film unravels from there and that's our movie. I'm not going to tell you why Mud is out on this island as well as many other things in this movie for a very good reason..

The plot of this movie is most effective if you know as little as possible. I knew nothing about this movie before I watched it, I was very surprised when a movie called Mud was recommended to me. However, I did know that Mud received a very limited release in April 2013 and the DVD hit stores in my town recently. I got it and it was truly worth the watch.

I'll try and talk about this movie in as little detail as possible because the movie is much more effective at surprising you when the plot takes certain direction changes that you weren't expecting. It seems a basic plot when you think about it while watching the movie but after watching it you realise how much was really going on with each of the characters involved. That's another thing I like about this movie; all of the characters are relevant to the plot.

Also, this movie has a very impressive script. The dialogue between the characters is basic on the surface yet so cleverly written when you start to think about it afterwards. Each of the characters have Southern accents (the movie is based in Arkansas) which helps add to the overall tone of the movie.

That's another thing that this movie does much like The Place Beyond the Pines. I'm sorry I keep on making these comparisons but I have to in order to illustrate my point. In The Place Beyond the Pines, small details in the movie help gave it an overall dark feel of suspense and drama. Mud uses small details plus some good filmmaking to give the area the story is set in character as well as making it feel suspenseful and dramatic!

I do have a few major gripes about this movie though. The movie itself is probably a little drawn out in all honesty and doesn't really have that same re-watch value that other great movies seem to have. Also, its a movie that is very hard to be appreciated by all audiences. It is also a long film that requires time investment. The weakest link in the story involves Tye Sheridan's character, which I'll talk about in a minute. There is a certain story arc involved with him which I didn't think was that well done. I know why its in the movie but I'm just not the biggest fan of it..

This movie is however visually stunning. Some clever use of focus and camera angles add to the pleasant viewing experience this movie is. It's visually beautiful. Some shots used in this movie just ooze style! It's immersive and impressive!

But the best part of the movie are the characters involved. Movie makers should probably learn this, if you're movie has good characters audiences can care about then you can build off of that and create a very successful movie..

Matthew McConaughey is the title role in this movie and he is seriously fantastic as Mud. He completely nails all of the characteristics required of his character in such a cool way. His performance is very professional indeed plus his lines were delivered with the right amount of enthusiasm; they weren't lacklustre but also weren't overacted. Great job Mr McConaughey, can't wait to see you in Interstellar!.

Tye Sheridan plays one of the kid actors in this movie. The other one does a good job in this movie it has to be said but this guy is truly fantastic. Dane DeHaan is probably my favourite young actor of the year due to his performance in The Place Beyond the Pines but as an out-and-out child, Sheridan gets it for me. He is superb! He was a brilliant choice for the role as you could sympathize with him as well as relate to his character, which has a layer of depth to it making him much more relatable as a character to the audience!

The supporting cast are all good just like they were The Place Beyond the Pines. But in that film all of the actors were trying to deliver the performance of their lives! Its not as good in this movie but the supporting cast are all very good indeed. Michael Shannon does enough with the screen time you get with him. The same can be said of Reese Witherspoon.

The best part of this movie is of course the characters but also the way that interact with each other is fantastic. The way they talk with one another is so convincing and so well done. Its grounded in realism which makes the movie much less fantastical and more dark and gritty. All of the actors, young or old, have great chemistry between one another plus have the right amount of depth to them so the audience can relate and care about them.

Mud is a beautiful piece of film making and I would give it this rating:


Rating - A

1 sentence summary - A very realistic, dark and gritty movie with some stand out acting performances and fantastic chemistry between characters!


I think Mud is a fine movie but it isn't as good as The Place Beyond the Pines. It is still one of the best movies I've seen all year. And yes, its a 2013 movie.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

The Place Beyond the Pines Movie Review

This movie was recommended to me by many different people. Today, on my last day before restarting school, I saw Place Beyond the Pines. I don't really tend to watch art-house movies (which I'm sure this one is), but after viewing this I may give a few others a try..

This movie is probably best if you go in watching it knowing as little as possible. Obviously, it would be hard for me to review this without giving away a few plot-points within the movie. I won't spoil anything- you know that's not what I do. But I will try and summarise the plot for you.

The Place Beyond the Pines is a story that intertwines between a handful of people and begins with Ryan Gosling's character being reunited with a former lover. In order to help provide for his new-born son, he finds the necessary funds by performing several bank robberies. His story links in with Bradley Cooper's character; a rookie cop who's trying to work his way up in the police force. That's the basic premise of what is a pretty awesome movie.

The plot itself is well pieced together and is quite obviously split up into 3 segments. In a way, it feels like you could be watching 3 45 minute movies but it doesn't because the stories all link in perfectly with each other. The accolades have to go to the editing team for this, fantastic job.

I think  the best way to talk about this movie is if I talk about the 3 segments of it individually. Starting with the first one.

The first segment of this movie follows Ryan Gosling's character who happens to be a stunt motorcyclist. I've already said that his motive for doing the things that he does is for his family. Automatically, that makes his character very relatable to most of the movie audience. He is a fantastic actor no doubt about it. In this movie he solidifies that claim. Not only does he nail the calm and cold side of his visibly damaged character but he also nails the emotional side to his character. Whatever he did, no matter how illegal, I would always route for him.

The first segment of the movie is perhaps the most exciting. This is because all of the bank robberies and the bike chase scenes are within this act of the film. The bank robberies are realistic and intense. The same can be said about the bike chases. This is where I have to say that the cinematography in this movie is just stunning. There are so many unique panning shots during the bike chase scenes! Also, there are some cameras positioned in the front of the police cars so you can view the chase scenes from an officer's perspective! Yes it's shaky, but it excites you and fully engrosses you in what's going on. It's well shot, well edited plus is unique.

The visuals in this movie are absolutely beautiful and were achieved using minimal special effects. Its so clear and concise, fully involving.

The second part of this movie follows Bradley Cooper's character. The first and second parts of the movie transition very effectively and does in no way feel forced. Now, I know Cooper can act because of Silver Linings Playbook. But, this movie came out last September at TIFF before Silver Linings Playbook. Imagine being sat in that audience and witnessing "the guy from The Hangover" deliver a stellar performance like he does in this movie. He is truly incredible in this film.

Also, Cooper's character is the one I was most emotionally connected to, even more than Gosling's. I felt for the guy, sympathized with him. When his character was treated unfairly even I felt hard done by. That is just testament to how good and convincing a performance he delivers.

The third and final part of the movie is by far the most intense part of the movie. At centre stage are the children of Ryan Gosling's character and Bradley Cooper's character. They are played brilliantly by 2 kid actors. Rarely I say that about kids/teenagers in a movie but these 2 were fantastic! The conclusion of this film, let me tell you, is so intense! The reason I felt that is because the acting and the script allow me to easily form an emotional connection to all of the characters in the movie. It's truly marvellous.

The rest of the supporting cast, including Eva Mendes, all bring their "A games" to the table. All are great with not a single weak link.

This movie is well written, well acted, well spoken, well shot plus has such a realistic emotional tone within it. The characters, whether it was through their speech or posture, were so convincing I genuinely thought they were real people. The movie does such a fine job at making it so engrossing because it is very realistic.

I also like how this movie illustrates that actions you do can have consequences for many people other than just yourself, even years after the event actually happened..

I haven't felt so connected with a group of characters or been so intense towards a movie's conclusion for a very long time!

My only complaint about this movie has to be that it is a very long ride. I really have to gear myself up to watch it. However, that isn't a real complaint towards the movie is just I'm not a huge fan of really long movies.

The Place Beyond the Pines is in my eyes a modern day masterpiece of cinema. It's also probably my favourite movie of 2013. Which is why I would rate Place Beyond the Pines like this:


Rating - A+

1 sentence summary - A modern day art-house classic, with some masterful acting performances, a realistic script and beautiful cinematography.


My first ever A+!!! It was worth it though. If any movie deserves it its this one! Also, I am aware this movie came out in September 2012 at TIFF, but it came out in cinemas in March 2013 so I'm counting it as a 2013 movie. It is my favourite 2013 movie!

How did you find Place Beyond the Pines? Are you going to pick it up on DVD or Blu-ray? I would love to hear back from someone...

Thanks for reading,
Matt

We're the Millers Movie Review

I have to be honest with you when I say that I wasn't expecting much from We're the Millers. This year, we've had some good comedy movies (like This is the End) along with some bad ones (Hangover part 3). But where does We're the Millers belong in this spectrum?..

We're the Millers stars Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts and William Poulter who pose as a typical American family in an attempt of smuggling drugs across the US-Mexican border. Obviously, they have obstacles they need to overcome in order to succeed. That's basically the premise.

Jason Sudeikis is playing the lead role in this movie. His character is you're classic any guy, plus is a part time dealer of cannabis. He does do a sound job in this movie. I really dug his character and the jokes that he was involved in were generally quite funny. Some of his jokes did fall flat it has to be said but overall the majority of them were clever and funny.

Emma Roberts is also ok in this movie. She does a satisfactory job with her character but is in no way the thing that made this movie for me. She was necessary for the plot of course, but she was never really at the centre of the humour going on in this movie.

That accolade goes to William Poulter's character.  Say what you like about this movie, but you have to admit that this guy is unbelievably hilarious! Everything he said I just found absolutely hysterical. It was just the way he delivered his dialogue. Plus, the way he looked at people was priceless! His character really suited my sense of humour!

Ed Helms is also in this movie. Meh..

Now, Jennifer Aniston. She plays a stripper. Wow. Just wow! My oh my! If you are a straight male, you will leave this movie with her on your mind. I can't get over the fact that she is 44 years old!! All I shall say on the matter is the most memorable moment of this movie is the strip tease scene. It's going to be on your mind for definite. No question! Now, I'll stop drooling and talk about her properly in this movie. She is sound, she does crack a few laughs.

My main gripe about this movie is the plot and pacing. It takes so long for the laughs to really get going. In a comedy, I want to be laughing from the first scene to the very last scene. I didn't get that in We're the Millers unfortunately. The plot itself is predictable, Hollywood cliché if I'm brutally honest. You could tell what was going to happen when it did, there were no plot surprises or unpredictable twists. When things cropped up earlier in the movie, you could tell it was going to crop up towards the movie's conclusion.

In all of the technical aspects (cinematography, soundtrack, audio, special effects etc.) the movie is mediocre to say the least!

However the movie itself is generally funny. You don't leave the theatre with stomach pain but you do laugh at 70% (as an estimate) of the jokes. Plus the humour is varied. There are a few vulgar sites and some cringey humour. There is also humour made from some very clever writing. Some parts I found funny because they suited my sense of humour. Although some jokes were clever and some of the humour was very modern, a lot of slapstick comedy is used. You could just tell they were looking for some cheap laughs so just threw them in. There are clever moments in this movie in terms of it's comedy so don't seek cheap laughs if you have the potential to write clever and funny stuff!

Other than Poulter, the best bit of this movie was a character named Scotty P. So funny, you know what I'm saying?..

Also, they run into this family on their journey. That woman was so bloody annoying! I know she was supposed to be but I probably found her more annoying than I should have done.

The movie does have major flaws but the majority of it was generally quite funny. Yeah the plot was cliché and the pacing awful, but Poulter stole the show in terms of comedy and Jennifer Aniston delivered THE sexiest scene I've seen this year!


Rating - C+

1 sentence summary - Not the best comedy ever made, but if you see past the flaws you can really have a good time with this movie!


Right then, what's your favourite comedy of the year so far? As an out-an-out comedy, This is the End is my favourite, but I probably laughed more at Kick-Ass 2 if I'm honest. Whatever you're answer, leave a comment for me.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Elysium Movie Review

Neil Blomkamp, for this year, is charged with the task of injecting in that last bit of Summer, Science Fiction fun. But does he succeed with Elysium?

The director of District 9 is back again with another Sci Fi movie which gives us planet Earth 150 years in the future. The Earth itself is dense and overpopulated, it's dirty and horrible. The people that live there are forced to work in crappy jobs and are treated appallingly by a group of machines who patrol the streets. However, society is divided in this movie. For the wealthy of the world live in a constructed space habitat called Elysium, where they can have any disease cured and live in sublime comfort. The system is fairly corrupt and it's up to Matt Damon (who has a robotic suit drilled into his bones) to go up from Earth to Elysium and bring equality to the divided civilization.

I don't know about you, but that sounds awesome!!

I suppose the best place to start is with Matt Damon's character- the film's protagonist. The guy has proved he can play a similar role when he played Jason Bourne, but is he good in this movie? Short answer is yes he bloody does! I really rooted for his character throughout the entire movie which can not be said for many movies I have seen this year. He's relatable, his character has some form of depth which makes him believable to audiences. He's everything a protagonist should be and more. He also holds his own in some of the fight and action sequences as a bonus.

Jodie Foster is also in this movie- she plays a politician who practically runs the whole Elysium system. Her performance isn't memorable or even really that good to be honest. In no way is she bad because she is not a bad actress. But I couldn't help but feel that anybody could have played her role and do things as well as she did. Some of her lines weren't as enthusiastically delivered  as I would have wanted them to be and they felt as if they were just tying up elements of the script.

But the man who steals the show has got to be Sharlto Copely, the villain. I was so convinced by this guy's performance. I genuinely thought that the character he was playing was truly insane! He has the stature, the presence and that menacing quality all good movie villains should have. Some of his lines are delivered so well that they are kind of disturbing! Great performance! One of the best movie villains of 2013. He also reminds me of Javier Bardem's character in Skyfall, which is weird!

Overall, I think the movie is just as long as it should be plus is paced very well indeed. The action sequences and character development scenes all transition well with each other and there is enough of both to satisfy a viewer who wants to see a cool summer movie.

The fight scenes themselves are pretty cool. The action is varied. The special effects are impressive as well. But my favourite part of the movie in terms of it's technical side were the machines. They looked cool and menacing, they walked correctly. Little things like that just make a movie a lot better to me!

The movie also does such a good job at raising the stakes. If Matt Damon succeeds: the world succeeds! If Matt Damon fails; the world will be divided forever. Nothing in between! That is what I'm talking about!

But, moment of silence. The bloody shaky cam. Why oh why?!It just takes you out of the movie so much. The world and the story itself are just so engrossing yet shaky cam action scenes take me out of the movie entirely. It doesn't need to be there!!! For goodness sake its such a let down! Also, I think that slow motion effects are used too much in this movie as well.

As for the visual look of this movie, yes, it is very impressive. It has to make the viewer feel like there is a huge contrast between the wealth and beauty of Elysium and the grit and desperation of Earth. This movie does that to a treat!

Now, normally that would be it for a review of a Science Fiction movie. This is pretty much how I structured my Pacific Rim, Wolverine and Iron Man 3 reviews. This movie is better than Pacific Rim and the Wolverine and probably on the same level as Iron Man 3, in my opinion (Iron Man 3 was ridiculously enjoyable, I must have seen it on a good day)!

This is simply down to one thing. Heart. Blomkamp put heart into this movie. He created and wrote a Science Fiction, Summer action movie and poured in heart, passion and substance. It does lack a lot in modern movies so I can only praise the man! This movie takes all of the summer action and amalgamates in real-life social issues which make the movie more relatable and enjoyable. It just steps up a couple of ratings when a movie does that.

If you do see this movie, don't compare it to District 9. Its not as clever but its still downright enjoyable plus involves real life issues within society within the movie.

So a great hero, a great villain, good pacing, cool action and special effects (minus the f****** shaky cam!), it adds in social issues as a bonus. All of these come together to give my rating, which is as follows:


Rating - A-

1 sentence summary - A last bit of summer fun and action, with the director's heart and passion poured into it!

Summer is over now! Film reviews will be more spaced from now on. But there are many films that are coming out between now and the end of the year I will review for you. Also, if  a movie came out in early 2013 and I deem it worthy of a review, I will give it to you! For now, stay tuned...

Thanks for reading,
Matt