Kingsman: The Secret Service Movie Review

Let's get the 2015 releases underway, and first up is Kingsman: The Secret Service, directed by Matthew Vaughn, the man behind Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class.

Kingsman is directed by Matthew Vaughn and stars Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Michael Caine, Mark Hamill, Mark Strong and Samuel L Jackson and is essentially an ultra violent, hyper stylised action movie masquerading as a spy, spoof type comedy. This movie has Matthew Vaughn's finger prints all over it, so if you're not a fan of stylised violence, blood and death, then I would steer clear if I were you!

I am a huge fan of Matthew Vaughn, I think he's one of the best British directors out there and his last two flicks I am very fond of. This time, Vaughn delivers a slick spy movie that celebrates the genre for all of its wacky absurdities while simultaneously poking fun at it. If you've seen Kick-Ass and you're a fan, then you'll be glad to know that the violent action sequences within Kingsman are taken straight from it. I personally love Kick-Ass, so I was having a great time when bodies were flying all over the place and the death toll just kept on rising.  Vaughn directs these action sequences with motion and intensity, but they aren't for the faint hearted!

Taron Egerton plays likeable and relatable protagonist Eggsy in the movie and this really is a break out performance for him, because prior to this I have never seen him act in anything. He does a really good job at carrying the movie because he sells the action scenes and nails the humour which you come to love with his character.

Mark Strong plays a very good part in a supporting role, as does Colin Firth. Although Firth is excellent at selling his character's motivation, I never really bought him as an action star. Don't get me wrong, I still think the action sequences are one of the triumphs of this film its just I never really got behind the idea of Colin Firth shooting grannies in the face and shooting Christian fundamentalists through and umbrella. He's a great actor for sure, but a great action star? No...

On the plus side, Samuel L Jackson steals the film. His character plays a cheesy villain with a completely illogical and grandiose plan of purging the world, but every time he started talking I couldn't help but crack up laughing. His character may have the funniest lisp in film history, and at one point I stopped and I came to the conclusion that the dialogue written for him had the sole purpose of utilising as many "s" sounds as humanely possible.

Kingsman accomplishes some unpredictable moments and some moments of real tension, including a sky dive sequence which may actually be my single favourite scene in the entire flick. However, for me I had problems with the film's narrative, particularly in the first act and the third act. To me, the first act felt a little unfocused. It was rushed and simultaneously struggled to really gain momentum and take off until well past the half hour mark. The opening to the movie just felt a little bit choppy and by the numbers for me and played out pretty predictably.

And finally, the film's third act, the big action climax, is where I start to call bullshit on a lot of things. I'm not really one to talk about spoilers in my reviews unless I clearly state, and I'm going to stick to that. All you need to know is that during the film's third act a few illogical and random moments come and go with no real anticipation or build up. Characters will simply find themselves in a situation simply because the script says so. While I understand that for a movie like that you have to sit back and enjoy these things, things like this take me out of the film and slightly detract my enjoyment.

Other than that, I quite enjoyed watching Kingsman. It felt refreshing, and I was surprised that a film as good as this should appear as a January release. Its witty, charming whilst being in-your-face and violent, and was a surprisingly pleasant viewing experience:


Rating - B

2015's off to a good start!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

The Theory of Everything Movie Review

My Best Picture countdown continues with The Theory of Everything, a film with one of the best acting performances delivered all year.

The Theory of Everything is directed by James Marsh and is the biographical tale of Stephen Hawking's life, how he formulated the theories which would make him famous and his battle against Motor Neurones disease. The film has recently been nominated for Best Picture, and all the buzz surrounding this film revolves around Eddie Redmayne's lead performance as Stephen Hawking.

Buzz which is fully justified. Redmayne's performance as Stephen Hawking is just as uplifting as it is sombre and heartbreaking. Not only was he able to channel raw, human emotion through his portrayal, but the physical commitment Redmayne had to sell makes this acting performance as one of the year's standouts. Most performances require an actor to sell a physical role for a film's entirety, The Theory of Everything sees Redmayne have to constantly adapt to the needs of his character as his symptoms start to deteriorate.

It's an emotional film for sure, but it's also a interesting watch. The science within the film is not incomprehensible, rather accessible and engaging for it's audience. However, I feel some may be disappointed that The Theory of Everything is more of a love story and a tale of how his family had to battle his disease alongside him as opposed to an exploration of the scientific theories that have made Hawking a household name.

The film also does an excellent job at balancing its human drama with humour. Not all situations are 100% doom and gloom and depressing, to make situations better humans inject humour into it. This dynamic the screenplay had made the film more enjoyable and more real.

Felicity Jones is also really good as Hawking's wife and her character offers a new perspective to the character of Stephen Hawking. While she is caring, she also gives the film a "Religion vs Science" dynamic which allowed Hawking and his wife to bounce off each other and the actors to refine their chemistry with each other. I found it surprising that a film so embroiled in science should have a religious wrapped within it.

The musical score is also really good, but The Theory of Everything didn't always work as a drama for me. When Hawking is initially diagnosed with the Motor Neurones disease, the impact it has rests solely on his character, of course, and his wife's. While he interacts with his father and other family members later on in the film, we never get to see the emotional impact that his diagnosis had on them. Had they explored that, then the film's emotional crux would've been far more affective. I have had a family member diagnosed and die because of Motor Neurones disease, and had it's impact focused on his family this film would've really hit home for me.

Also, a love triangle of sorts develops within the film which for me was dull and uninteresting to watch unfold. You know it is going to happen, and when it does it happens as predictably and obviously as you thought it would. There was a point in this film where I started to hate Hawking's wife because of the affections she was having for another man. While I can understand that the toll of caring 24/7 for Hawking would take it out on you, the film never explored that enough for me to sympathize with her character.

But I think if you're a fan of great acting, The Theory of Everything is a must see. While the screenplay and the pacing has issues, Redmayne's committed performance is nothing short of great and elevates the film to be better than it should be:


Rating - B-

Only Selma left to go before I've seen all of the Best Picture nominations, review coming soon!


Thanks for reading,
Matt

American Sniper Movie Review

Clint Eastwood's latest war drama realises some of its potential, but fails to reach the heights which it should...

American Sniper stars Bradley Cooper and is essentially a character study of Chris Kyle, a man the US military labelled as "The Legend". Kyle is an amazing shot, and registered the highest number of kills in US military history. While there is stuff to appreciate and admire in this 132 minute drama, American Sniper did not live up to my expectations.

War, especially the current conflicts raging in the Middle East, and terrorism is admittedly a touchy subject. However, it's also a subject with a lot of potential moral ambiguity to explore that could create a very interesting debate inter woven within this film. There is no black and white, there's multiple shades of grey, yet American Sniper turns out to be more of an "America, fuck yeah!" character piece as opposed to a commentary on conflict.

The film should've explored this debate a lot more than it did and I think its fair to say that my expectations may have hindered by viewing experience. The film does present other debates and themes which are interesting though, so it does deserve some credit. What I loved the most was when Kyle was at the centre of a huge moral decision. For example, if he sees a small boy down the end of his lens who could potentially attack his platoon, does he take the shot or not? Are the lives of 20 soldiers worth more than the life of 1 boy? It does bring about some tense sequences before the end starts to veer towards the "America, fuck yeah!" side of things.

Bradley Cooper's performance is extremely good. He is nuanced and delivers in the action sequences and the character development scenes when he is at home with his wife and children. I don't know if he deserved the Oscar nomination ahead of Jake Gyllenhaal, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that his performance in this film is pretty great.

Eastwood handles the action sequences with typical grit and realism. They never felt cartoony and they never played out like a video game. For a movie like this, the action can not seem farfetched or unrealistic and to Clint Eastwood's credit, he handled the action sequences pretty well.

But American Sniper still had issues. For me, the 132 minute runtime was too long. If the film had explored more of the themes that it could have and should have done, the runtime would have been justified. Its also a film that feels narratively discombobulated. Particularly in the first act, the film wonders from scene to scene without any build up or purpose. The film wavers from past to present, Iraq to the US without reason or purpose to the point where the film started to become procedural and disjointed.

There's stuff to credit for sure, but American Sniper was still a let down:


Rating - C+

Thanks for reading,
Matt

The Imitation Game Movie Review

Well the Oscar nominations are out, and I've only reviewed half of the 8 films nominated for Best Picture. I'd thought I'd try to put that right, kicking off with The Imitation Game.

The Imitation Game is directed by Morten Tyldum and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing. Turing is a genius. While he may be socially awkward and inherently difficult to cooperate with, he still has one of the brightest minds in a time where Britain and the other Allies needed to find any possible advantage over Nazi Germany during the bloody confrontation of World War 2. Turing is assigned to crack the German "enigma code" by creating his own machine. But the film, like the character of Alan Turing, is not as simple as that.

The movie poster phrase "Behind every code is an enigma" is perfect in every essence in terms of describing what this film is about. While the film devotes a lot of screen time to the cracking of this enigma code, the film's real emotional gravitas comes from the character of Turing himself. Turing is a homosexual man living in a time where he could be chemically castrated for it, a feat which tragically did occur. The scenes where Turing and the other characters, which by the way is completed by an amazing supporting ensemble, were much less interesting to me that this.

Turing was the man whose machine we have based modern computers on, he has impacted your lives in more ways than you think. Not only that, the work he and his co-workers committed to for countless months on end resulted in the Allie's seize of momentum during WW2's final years. However, despite Turing's genius and perseverance, he was castrated, targeted by the media and lived in shame for the rest of his life before he eventually took it from himself.

The Imitation Game delivers its message perfectly. While I was interested in how they cracked the enigma code, I was way more devoted in the "other" side of the story. Although in real life the work they were doing was of tremendous importance, for me the tension never really escalated to as high as it should have done.

Benedict Cumberbatch is Oscar worthy and he is worth his nomination just as much as any of the other nominees. The supporting cast all do great work here, Keira Knightley in particular.  The acting from everybody is excellent, although whenever Cumberbatch is not on screen the film feels incomplete without him. It's almost as if Cumberbatch himself makes the film better than it should actually be.

There are pacing issues for sure, there are times where supporting characters are given time to despite the fact that Alan Turing is the emotional crux of the film and the scenes which revolved around the investigation and the impact on himself surrounding his sexuality were far more engrossing and emotionally investing than the other scenes. But it's a well directed film with a lead performance which solidifies Benedict Cumberbatch's status as one of the best actors working today. The Imitation Game is definitely worth your time:


Rating - B


Reviews for American Sniper, Selma and The Theory of Everything are coming soon!

Thanks for reading,
Matt

My Top 10 Best Movies of 2014 - List by Matt Harrison

What a great year for movies. Seriously, making this top 10 list and getting the order right was very difficult. Now its time to celebrate the best movies to come out in 2014, per my opinion.

Now this list and the order of the movies is subjective, based on my own personal opinion. You may disagree with every film on this list and you may wonder why a movie you enjoyed isn't on the list. But that's half the fun isn't it? If everyone agreed on everything the film community would suck.

Before I give you my Top 10 list, I have a few honourable mentions. Some of these films were so close to making the list, others weren't but I still enjoyed them a lot so I felt like including them. They're as follows in no particular order:


Boyhood

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

How to Train your Dragon 2

Locke

John Wick

Godzilla

22 Jump Street

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Babadook


Out of those films above, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Babadook were the 2 closest films to breaking onto the list. But, they didn't because 2014 was a very competitive year for movies. Without further ado, let's start with number 10.


#10 Gone Girl

Gone Girl was a great movie and just about makes it onto the Top 10 list. I loved this movie. It was an intelligent crime thriller that's twists and turns made sense without every ruining the complex narrative that they had to work with. Obviously, David Fincher makes this film engrossing and intense to the best of his ability, and Rosamund Pike is sensational as Ben Affleck's wife in a performance which should see her receive a nomination from the Academy.


#9 The LEGO Movie

Everything was awesome with this animation which turned out to be my favourite of the entire year, despite being released as early as February. It's gorgeously animated, has a great sense of humour which satires the clichés of Hollywood blockbuster movies and appeals to all ages. It only becomes a great movie when a big reveal in the third act gives the film another dimension and greater emotional depth. I've seen it 5 times now!


#8 Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler, as a first time effort from director Dan Gilroy, is beyond impressive. Boasting some of the best cinematography of the year, Nightcrawler also houses undoubtedly one of the best male performances of the year. Jake Gyllenhaal transforms himself into psychopathic, independent cameraman Lou Bloom, one of the funniest, smartest and most insane characters to come out of a 2014 release. If you like dark comedy like I do, Nightcrawler is brilliant! 


#7 Birdman

Continuing the theme of dark comedy, at number 7 I have Birdman. I recently reviewed this one and I'm glad it made the top 10 list. Birdman boasts some of the best acting of the year from one of the best casts of the year, and is shot gorgeously by Emmanuel Lubezki to make it look like one continuous tracking shot. It plays out like a stage play. Its also on my list because I like films which ask the viewer questions while the narrative is progressing, and Birdman has a lot to say about family life, relationships, Hollywood blockbusters, Indie films and most notable for me, film critics.


#6 Interstellar

One of 2014's more polarizing film, Interstellar was a film where I cherished the experience. It's Nolan's most ambitious film to date. It has some of the most jaw dropping visual effects I have ever seen, a typically epic score from the genius that is Hans Zimmer and some great acting from Matthew McConaughey in particular. While I didn't agree with aspects of the film's finale, up until then I was immersed into the grandiose space environment and invested in the characters. Interstellar is a great sci fi film that isn't ashamed to be as ambitious and thought provoking as it is.


#5 X-Men: Days of Future Past

There's one side of me that savours films which become true pieces of art as they have so much to say about something. Then there's the other side of me that really geeks out at comic book movies, and this year one of those films I geeked out in was X-Men: Days of Future Past. Bryan Singer's return to the franchise has elevated the X-Men higher than they've ever been before. This film had a surprisingly strong emotional core down to some great acting and deep characters that all get their time to shine. Plus, the Quicksilver scene was worth the price of admission alone. It's my favourite X-Men film to date and one I've experienced 4 times.


#4 Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This may just be my favourite movie from Marvel Studios, even ahead of The Avengers. Seriously The Winter Soldier was god dam awesome and nothing less than that. It wasn't the film everyone expected it to be as it's narrative was a huge game-changer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's also one of the best 2014 releases at realising its themes, with ideas concerning patriotism, security and government conspiracy all wrapped up in a film about a superhero. On top of that, Black Widow and Nick Fury were more relevant than they've ever been, The Winter Soldier himself is a badass and it has some of the best action sequences Marvel have ever produced.


#3 The Raid 2

Speaking of awesome action sequences and awesome action movies, we have The Raid 2 in the top 3. My first experience with this film was incredible. While the first Raid was fantastic as a pure action flick that plays out like a video game, The Raid 2 blows the sequel out of the water. This time, the amazing fight and action sequences are coupled with a complex story that demands your attention. I can't stop raving about those action sequences though, they're the best I've ever seen in my life! If you love action, this is essential viewing.


#2 Whiplash

What a film Whiplash is. It's simple for sure, but it's astounding in it's style and execution. The psychological warfare developing between Andrew, played by Miles Teller, and Fletcher, played by JK Simmons, escalated the tension to a level I didn't know was possible. We've all had that one goal we push ourselves to achieve even if it is beyond our capabilities and we've all had that one teacher who was so harsh on us despite achieving the results at the end of the day. Anyone can relate to Whiplash, and anyone can enjoy it because it's execution is near perfect. I can't wait to buy this film on blu ray.


#1 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I said it after I saw it and I stand by it to this day, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of the best films I've seen in my entire life. It plays out like a work of Shakespeare through the tension between the 2 camps and the conflict from within those 2 camps. I really enjoy movies where 2 characters butt heads and you can understand where both of them are coming from, and the rivalry between Caesar and Koba is similar to Andrew and Fletcher in Whiplash. "Dawn" has everything good about filmmaking in it and delivers as an entertaining summer blockbuster. It's one of the most intense and emotionally investing films I've ever seen. It's my favourite film of 2014, and one of my all time favourites.



That concludes my Top 10 favourite films of 2014. Agree/disagree with my list? What was your favourite film of 2014?


Thanks for reading,
Matt

Whiplash Movie Review

Brace yourselves for yet another review describing just how amazing Whiplash is! Here we go...

All I've been doing recently is salivating over great movies in my reviews. Whiplash, directed by Damien Chazelle, was a movie I have been waiting impatiently for a few weeks now. After sitting down and watching this movie one thought popped straight into my head about halfway through the movie: "this is f***ing amazing!".

Whiplash is one of my absolute favourite movies in a year where I can't even count the number of really awesome films on 2 hands. The film follows Andrew, played by Miles Teller, is a drummer with very high aspirations and talent. I have to admit that Miles Teller is an actor that I've taken a long time to warm to. However, after his stunning portrayal of Andrew in this movie, a drummer who will push himself beyond his physical boundaries so he can become the next "big thing" in the world of jazz music, I've started to view him as a seriously good actor. It's Andrew's sheer passion and determination which works as Whiplash's engine and also what makes it so relatable. We've all at some moment in our lives pushed ourselves mentally beyond what we're capable of just because we want something so badly.

I've mentioned previously that I love movies which make you ask yourself intrinsic questions relevant to the film, and despite being mesmerised for the entire experience, Whiplash still gave me those questions to think about as the plot thickened and the intensity increased. The tension in this movie at times escalates to a level where it is almost unbearable. It doesn't require a big action set piece to bring the movie to an emotionally charged conclusion, it simmers for quite a while before reaching boiling point in what was the most engrossing finale to a film I've seen all year.

Miles Teller is fantastic but JK Simmons steals the film as Fletcher, Andrew's teacher. His performance is surely worthy of a Best Supporting Actor win at the Oscar's. Fletcher is a huge dick, obviously. He pushes his students way beyond the level that's expected of them to the point where a physical and psychological battle started waging between the 2 main characters, which is ultimately the source of the tension.

Simple in it's premise and raw in it's execution, Whiplash is for sure in my top 3 films of 2014 simply because of how emotionally engrossing and naturally intense it turned out to be. The tension between Andrew and Fletcher is brilliant because the acting is top calibre, the script is sharp and you understand totally both sides of the argument. While Fletcher may be out of order with his teaching methods and downright rude with his insults (which were magnificent by the way), he still gets the results. This begs the question: was it really worth it? At the end of the day, despite dealing with insane torment and grief, Andrew still reached the level Fletcher wanted him to meet.

Chazelle directs this film with quick-fire editing and slow-burning tension which reaches levels some movies could only dream about reaching. The 2 performances were out of control, it was funny at times, it was emotionally involving, it was provocative, it never had a dull moment. I can't fault Whiplash, it's astoundingly brilliant. Not one to be missed:


Rating - A+

My Top 10 Best Movies of 2014 list is coming very soon and Whiplash will feature prominently on that list.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

The Babadook Movie Review

Hollywood filmmakers take note, this is how you make a horror film!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Babadook is a horror film/psychological thriller directed by Jennifer Kent, an Australian woman who just so happens to be a first time director. The film follows Amelia, played by Essie Davis, a widowed mother who's struggling greatly with the death of her husband. At the same time, she's having to deal with her son, played by Noah Wiseman, who's being haunted by a monster known as "The Babadook". While her psychological state deteriorates, Amelia herself begins to be plagued by the same monster and the best horror film of 2014 ensues.

Calling The Babadook the best horror film of 2014 may just be cutting it short, it's actually the best horror film I've seen in my entire life! No other horror film has got under my skin and affected me as much as The Babadook. While it may not be the scariest movie ever made, it is still one of the most thought provoking and realistically chilling horror film's I've ever viewed.

I absolutely hate some of the modern day horror films because they're filled with dumb characters, blinding illogic, predictable scares and more garbage of a similar stench. The Babadook has not one jump scare. Jump scares to me, if overused, are cheap ways of delivering a predictable scare. Once the jump has come and gone in the form of an overly-obnoxious studio sound effect, all tension is completely deflated. The Babadook excels at slow burning tension which flourishes naturally. Every scare in this movie is fully warranted and not manufactured by a bullshit jump scare.

The film also uses practical effects brilliantly. Too often do horror films nowadays utilise sub-par CGI, I always appreciate films that use practical effects at their disposal. The Babadook monster is not CGI, which gave the monster and the film a more natural feel to it. If something feels real and tangible, it is way more terrifying than a huge CGI pile of slop.

I've been calling The Babadook a horror film and something to bare in mind is the fact that this is not a monster movie. The Babadook is a dark examination on the long term effects of depression and grief, and how those emotions can devour a person and cause them to deteriorate. It is not a film about a family being haunted by a monster, it's much deeper and more provocative than that.

At the heart of this masterfully crafted horror film is a performance worthy of a golden statue during awards season by Essie Davis. She may have delivered my favourite female performance of the entire year. At times you sympathize with her situation and feel sorrow and almost guilt for the terrible things that have happened to her. At other times, you begin to become scared of her and what she could do as The Babadook digs it's claws into her. She's simultaneously frail and terrifying and she's genuinely magnificent.

The Babadook has given me a few rough evenings trying to get to sleep. It's a film which engrosses you in it's characters and delivers some bone-chilling scares and imagery. But what I loved so much about The Babadook was that it was also a thriller that made me think about how grief can manifest itself within someone and how it can consume them as a person. For a first time effort, The Babadook is truly commendable. Well done Jennifer Kent, keep up the good work!


Rating - A

Thanks for reading,
Matt

Birdman Movie Review

It was well worth the wait!

 

 

 

 

Birdman is directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and stars Michael Keaton alongside Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and others. Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, a washed up actor famed for playing a superhero known as Birdman, who is trying to rejuvenate his acting career by creating a play in which he stars in. At the same time, Thomson has to contend with his family, his ego and the voice inside his head in what plays out to be one terrific film.

I've heard nothing but praise about Birdman ever since it came out and I have to admit that the hype for this film is very much warranted. Even the way it is shot is impressive. The entire movie is made to look like one continuous shot via some very clever, hidden editing techniques and masterful cinematography. I haven't ever seen a movie before where something like this has been accomplished. It gave the film a heightened sense of realism, it made me feel as if I was physically there behind the camera watching these characters interact with each other. It's reminiscent to a stage play, which is ironic, in the way that its structured. The film never stops, there's never a time to dwell and there is never a dull moment.

I did some research and the cinematographer for this film was Emmanuel Lubezki, who was the DP for last year's Gravity. Why does this not surprise me? This man is a genius at long takes and is rivalling the great Roger Deakins as the best cinematographer in Hollywood.

In order to make this style work Birdman forces its actors to do very long takes in which they have to bash out brilliantly woven dialogue at a rapid pace. Only with top calibre actors could this be achieved and thankfully Birdman is blessed with an amazing cast. Keaton delivers the best performance of his entire career, so does Emma Stone and Edward Norton is equally amazing.

But what I truly loved about Birdman was that it was actually about something relevant; it had real things to say and was constantly making me think to myself. I love movies that reach out to their audience like that, it's something I truly value as an avid film lover. This film comments on a person's sense of belonging and purpose, it's about the strains of relationships between family members, it's about fatherhood, it's about family. Birdman is a profound movie to say the least.

However, what truly affected me was when Keaton's character starts to tear apart a film critic who said she was going to give a bad review to his play because she has a personal hatred towards him, despite not seeing it. He literally deconstructed everything I hate about things some film critics do, things like letting their own personal views on unrelated situations into their reviews and not actually critiquing things in a film that matter. All they do is label things and manufacture quotes that don't have anything to do with acting, writing, directing or anything else that a film critic should critique. I am guilty of doing those things on occasions make no mistake, but I wanted to scream "THANK YOU!" at the screen as soon as Keaton had finished, because I was hanging on his every word.

Birdman is not a typical film. It's a film which is trying to become artsy, whilst at the same time is satirical towards artsy films. It's a film which satires big Hollywood blockbusters and explosion orgies. It tackles the problem with film critics, family life and personal purpose and well-being. It may not be a typical film, but is has stellar acting, brilliantly conflicted characters, witty dialogue, amazing tracking shots and it poses questions to the audience members without spoon feeding them. While it could've ended 5 or 10 minutes before it should have, Birdman was still a movie experience I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed equally.


Rating - A

Thanks for reading,
Matt