Limitless

Aspiring author Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is suffering from severe writers block. His life is a sorry existence until a chance meeting with an old friend, who introduces him to NZT, a revolutionary new drug that allows him to engage 100% of his brains capacity. After overcoming writers block he soon takes wall street by storm. This in turn alerts many around him of his ways to the top and to the whereabouts of his secret stash. His own safety is a constant worry and with the drugs side-effects slowly wearing him down, Eddie has little time to outwit the oncoming threats.

Limitless as a concept is very intriguing. The human brain's ability to only use 20% of your brain and finding a drug which can enhance and allow you to use the other 80% is a very interesting idea for a film. Especially in this day and age of awful remakes and sequels. However, for a plot that entails super intelligent human beings, the screenplay is surprisingly dumb. However ironic this is, its not an act of genius from the director but more a Fax pas on bad scriptwriting.

What would the worlds most intelligent man do with all of his knowledge and capabilities? I would hope the greed and narrow mindedness of human nature would prevail due to a higher sense of purpose and being. But i guess that is somewhat wishful thinking with a blockbuster.

I felt this film wasn't daring enough in its exploration of what this situation might entail, questioning rather than boasting in the flashy surfaces of power and wealth. Or the American dream gone wrong..

Regardless of this, the film is actually very engaging and moved with considerable style. But i hope super intelligence does not involve alot of nauseating quick cuts and zoomed in fish eye lens camera work..

Bradley Cooper is somewhat more believable than his previous roles. He always brings charisma and vitality to the role. This is also attached to his own smugness which makes the lead character somewhat a nuisance to confide and empathise with.

I guess the trick to this film is to do exactly the opposite of the plot. Turn your brain off, sit back and enjoy.

3/5

Monsters

With all the hype of 3D and CGI films, this post-modern Sci-Fi film is a breath of fresh air and puts most multi million blockbusters to shame.
The special effects and theme of 'Monsters' is actually only a backdrop to a wonderfully realistic story of love and fear, it almost has the feel it doesn't need the monsters at all, but don't worry, there's enough of them to wet your appetite!

NASA receives news of Alien life and sends up a probe to collect specimens. Upon re-entry the plane crashes in Mexico and the Aliens hatch and turn the whole country into an "infected zone". America, fearing the Aliens can gain entry to their country, build a giant barrier to keep them out whilst dropping chemicals all over Mexico to eradicate the lifeforms.
A photojournalist called Kaulder (Scoot McNairy), is trying to document and capture that epic shot of the creatures. He is frustratingly asked to "babysit" his boss's beautiful, vulnerable daughter Samantha (Whitney Able), accompanying her through the highly dangerous infected zone to the US border. Inevitably, their new found relationship begins to blossom.

McNairy and Able shine in their roles. Creating incredibly believable characters through mostly improvised dialogue scenes. Their relationship and chemistry feels very real and emotionally engaging and alot of credit is down to two very fine performances.

However, British born writer-director Gareth Edwards deserves the majority of any praise. Shooting this masterpiece on a shoestring budget (some reports as low as $100,000!) and creating the special effects on his home computer. He has crafted an incredibly endearing cult classic. Theres almost a feeling of a Spielberg genius to his work and I eagerly anticipate his blossoming career in the film world.

'Monsters' is a breath of fresh air to a genre that has been heavily plagued with gloss and some over compensating of special 3D effects. It transcends it's own considerable limitations and the creatures are merely the catalyst to the relentless tension and journey we are taken on.

A must watch.
4/5

Si Jewell

The Eagle

Set in 140 AD in roman ruled Britain, a young solider (Channing Tatum) endeavours to honour his fathers memory by finding his lost legions golden eagle. Aided by his slave (Jamie Bell), they venture beyond the known world on a resilient quest that pushes their boundaries of loyalty and respect to the end.

There is plenty of grit and craft on display in this feature and alot to enjoy about it. This is not your typical sword and sandal cheese fest. To start with, the cinematography and location scenery are breathtaking. Filmed in Scotland and Hungary (mostly for the sunshine scenes i imagine), the details stay very true to its origin.
Almost from the outset the corny plot is forgiven with engaging performances from Bell and Tatum. The two play off each other admirably and the message of betrayal, trust and honour is understood and conveyed clearly.

The two sides to this story are portrayed with accuracy, whilst perhaps it is not as historically true. The opening 20 minutes we are submerged into roman life. The thick American accents and homoerotic compassion can be somewhat misleading to historical fact and we are left with the alarming thought of over an hour of Channing Tatum as our furry browed, deadpan hero leading us to the eject button.

All is forgiven and forgotten very soon, once they venture into the mysterious highlands of the Gaelic speaking land of the painted people.
Portrayed in a rather over the top barbaric, yet honourable fashion, the tribe of the painted people are truly a fascinating race and this is what helps the otherwise looming plot from becoming stagnant.

But the accents and history can be ignored and forgiven as this film really gives more enjoyment than the sullen satisfaction of previous contemporary pieces. The action scenes are engaging and lifelike, perhaps due to the lack of CGI that plagues our screens.
All in all a very enjoyable viewing that ignites some boyish enthusiasm of war and honour that has been somewhat lacking from most periodic pieces. A surprisingly and hugely entertaining film..


5/5

Dead Jeff - The Movie : Jake Scott to Direct Jeff Buckley Biopic

Details of the long awaited Jeff Buckley biopic are finally coming together.
Jake Scott is well regarded for his extensive music video credits which include : Radiohead's "Green plastic trees", Oasis' "Morning glory" and the epic REM hit "Everybody Hurts".

Scott will be working from a script by Ryan Jaffe, who penned the 2008 Rainn Wilson comedy "The Rocker".

Buckley's mother Mary Guibert validates the film as exec producer, with Michelle Sy and Orian Williams as producers.

Plans for a Jeff Buckley biopic have been in talks since as far back as 2006, with various different names being thrown about. The most interesting addition will definately be who takes on the lead role as Buckley, with James Franco, Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt all showing previous interest.

Jeff Buckley biopic, coming to a hollywood blockbuster very soon.. Courtesy of his loving mother Mary Guilbert, who has progressively maintained Jeff's money legacy in the way's that Jeff wouldn't have wanted.

One can only fear for how this film will eventually turn out. But Jake Scott is actually a suprising and refreshing addition to a growing ensemble.

London Boulevard

London Boulevard fails to avoid the numerous clichés surrounding a London based gangster film. At times it actually feels as if it welcomes them. An Urban crime drama meets 'notting hill', mixed with the characters of 'The Bodyguard' and a twist of 'Sunset Boulevard'. Not much of this script feels original. It is however well-characterised, moved with considerable style and boasts a cast that would make most of hollywood blush.

Colin Farrell stars as 'Mitchel', a london hardman just released from pentonville prison after three years for GBH (Grievous bodily harm), and has his mind set on going straight. However, very soon he's faced with the option of his previous life of crime, or a bodyguard/minder type of role for a reclusive and vunerable film superstar Charlotte (Keira Knightly). The two plot lines are predictably intertwined and our star has to fight for his love against the backdrop of his criminal past and his London crime boss(Ray Winstone).

William Monahan (The Departed screenplay), somehow fails to entice us, in what is his directorial debut. With the wealth of talent available and his own screenplay (to a best selling novel) this film could have been a massive commercial success or even a cult classic.
The film runs out of ideas after the first 20 minutes, and we are left with a stagnent plot, some overuse of the F word and our two lead roles that fail to emit even a single volt of sexual chemistry.
Farrell's baffled look throughout this film is probably the best reaction to sum it up, confused, far fetched and more loose ends than a plate of spaghetti.

Even from this disjointed film, there are some very catchy and well paced scenes, driven by a satisfactory cast and enveloped with a fantastic 60's classic soundtrack. Most noteably 'The Yardbirds' 'Heart full of soul', which is somewhat overused (but who's complaining really).


However, Farrell's constant mumbling of a fair cockney accent mixed with Keira Knightly's over exhasperated and plain take on an elegant and universally loved woman failed to leave us enthrawled. Seemingly all the best lines were given to David Thewlis who plays Knightley’s extravagantly subdued housekeeper. “I was on a children’s TV show, then methadone!”and also "If It wasn't for Monica Belluci she'd be the most raped woman in European cinema".
These witty one liners raised some hope, but the overall feeling is one that William Monahan lit the match that inevitably torched his own film.

Animal Kingdom

Tense is probably the best word to describe this Australian gangster film. The gripping tension is carefully balanced and rarely the story unfolds enough to put you at ease. Its captivating and beautifully shot yet hyper violent at times, with some very threatening characters that are brought to life from such a well rounded cast.

The film opens with Josh (James Frecheville), only 17, sitting beside his mother who has just died from a heroin overdose. He numbly stares at a TV as he pieces together his surroundings. His only family to turn to is his grandmother (Jacki Weaver), who lives at home with her four sons. His grandmother takes him in and we learn why his mother has shielded him from this side of the family for so long. They are a precarius bunch.

Josh is quickly flung into the middle of conflict as his Uncles, Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) and Darren (Luke Ford), who are working with their business partner Barry ‘Baz’ Brown (Joel Edgerton), are all trying to protect their unhinged and extremely dangerous brother Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) from the police. The heat is on Pope and the family are currently in hiding until the police escalate the situation themselves by killing one of the family.

Caught in a world he doesn't belong, Josh quickly has to choose between his own survival and what is right.

From start to finish this film creates and builds in intensity which is embellished by some painfully intimate cinematography and the powerfully resonant soundtrack from composer Jo Ford. Writer/director David Michod handles his material with great confidence and some extremely powerful and real performances from the cast, notably Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), who delivers an enigmatic and fearfully true performance.

Animal Kingdom breaks the mould of crime dramas. Theres no gimics, no wise guy humour. Its involving, gritty and so gut wrenching beautiful in its simple yet realistic feel, yet so powerfully executed..

The King's Speech

Following the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon), and the ludicrous abdication of his playboy brother King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. Bertie has suffered from a serious speech defect for as long as he can remember, and has failed to overcome it despite the help of of various highly qualified physicians and speech therapists.
His wife Elizabeth (Helen Bonham Carter), arranges for her husband to see a formal speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). The two form an undenyable bond even throughout Lionels unorthodox methods. With the support of Logue, his family and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King tries to overcome his impediment and unite and lead his country into war.

With all the oscar buzz that is surrounding this film, it is sturbbornly hard to ignore the hype. Some might even argue it was designed as "oscar bait". Regardless of that, this film is a timely, elegant piece that captures the realistic nature of a future King. Firth will recieve alot of praise for accurately capturing the stammer of the future king, but it is not solely on that merit that his performance is so strong. Firth is excellent because he humanises George VI.
That said, Rush plays his counterpart with absolute authority and the two play off each other in perfect tandum.

In all honesty, you would be better off ignoring the hype and seeing the movie simply because it features an unusually intimate portrait of a king, and a compelling story of personal triumph over adversity.


4/5

Simon Jewell

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go is a love story, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro's bestselling, Booker Prize short listed novel of the same name. Kathy, Tommy and Ruth live in a world and a time that feel familiar to us, but they are not quite like anything we know. They spend their childhood at Hailsham, an English boarding school. When they leave the shelter of the school and the terrible truth of their fate is revealed to them, they must also confront the deep feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to pull them apart.

Nothing about this film is casual. Perhaps one of the most impeccably shot films of the year. Every scene is portrayed as a beautiful painting.
Carey Mulligan is the lynchpin of this film. Her doe-eyed softness and melancholic smile subtly engage the viewer. Strong performances from Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightly and by the 3 younger selves of these characters.
This film isnt about heartbreak, but about losing people and the aknowledgement of human life.

At points this film feels oddly detatched, the cast drive the isolated plot and the beautiful cinematography keep the viewer at picturesque attention. Perhaps the detatchment from the overall theme is purposely done to give more human disconnection & isolation, either way this film definately succeeds at touching the mind, but fails to tug the heartstrings.
Its raw portrayal of human connection and isolation inspires some deep thinking about the world we live or could live in soon..

Beautifully portrayed.
4/5

The Fighter

The fighter follows the tale of Irish American boxer Micky Ward and his "crackhead" brother, who helped him train in the 1980's.

Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is a blue collar worker with a dream of making it big as a boxer. In his corner is Dicky Ecklund (Christian Bale) who once knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard and has lived off the local fame and crack cocaine ever since. His mother (Melissa Leo) is the older version of a pageant mom who desperately wants success for her boy but struggles against her own selfishness. Everyone in his corner is working against him until he meets Charlene Fleming (Amy Adams) who helps him get his career and his life on track.

The performances from this very strong cast are electrifying. Each holds their own immensely, but a standout performance from Christian Bale shines through.
The lengths he endures as an actor to achieve such a believable character from the last is very admirable and any nods for awards are duely deserved.
Wahlberg's duties as Micky are largely confined to that of a dramatic anchor. This might be a thankless role by comparison, but The Fighter would fail to land its knockout blow without him.

It's uncomfortable at points, because it's so squirmingly guilt-inducing. It oozes off the screen with every Marlboro sigh, and snuffly threatened tear. The fight scenes move like real life and any comparisons to Rocky style action shots fall flat, you feel every punch and blow.
Real people have been created here. Yes they are based on actual real life characters, but the depth and emotional impact in the performances give a very believable inlet into this story.

Even if you're not a boxing fan, The Fighter should be on your list of things to see. It's a movie that transcends the limited audience of the sport it covers thanks to a universal story brought to life by some of the best actors working right now.

A definate knockout..

5/5

Blue Valentine

This film centres on the space and hardships of a married couple. Charting the evolution and fearless examination of a troubled relationship.
This is a bittersweet storytale featuring two of todays finest actors. Ryan Gosling is known for his painfully honest depictions of the everyday man, giving more truth than the storylines had previously been intended for, or could be perceived.
His realistic moments of inspiration, confusion and truth keep the watcher on full alert to its realism.
Michelle Williams is still a newcomer to the scene, and in this film, she is so perfectly cast. She isnt afraid to give the viewer her soul with desolation.
The two play off each other so perfectly that its sometimes inconceivable to remember that this is a very controlled enviroment.

There is a subtle sense of magic that enhances this film into a very personal feeling. Some could label it a "downer" or "buzz kill" type of film, but the sheer truth involved has to overpower the mood to even the biggest cynical of viewers.
Realistically, films rarely try or succeed to do what this film achieves in truth.
This is truely a beautiful, brutal and affecting piece of work.

Both can never be right in an argument, only a solution or reasoning can disolve this. But the stubborn truth is somewhat lacking from other portrayals of human relationship. This is the key point to this film succeeding. Its truth and heartbreak...


3/5