The Iceman

   Michael Shannon pops up in two films in quick succession. As a film The Iceman is being overshadowed by the blockbuster Man of Steel. Nevertheless, this takes nothing away from this superb true story based on the notorious contract killer and loving family man Richard Kuklinski. Shannon is excellent as the contracted killer, nicknamed the Iceman. He is supported by a brilliant cast, Ray Liotta, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans and the rarely seen David Schwimmer.
    Based on a true story Roy Demeo (Ray Liotta) takes on Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) as a contract killer and after years of juggling his dangerous profession without his family knowing, things finally unravel, leading to tough decisions to be made from Kuklinski. .
   The film hasn't lasted long at the cinema, which isn't surprising because of it being blockbuster season. But this is a must see once released on DVD.
    I especially enjoyed the unusual and well acted roles of Chris Evans and David Schwimmer.

For fans of true stories, great acting and classy killings.

Stars ****

Iron Man 3

    I was concerned with this latest installment of the Iron Man series. Since Iron Man 2  there has been Avengers Assemble, and I was very intrigued with how they were going to integrate that film into Tony Stark's history within his own franchise.
    I found myself rather pleased with how it was done. Iron Man 3 was a kind of sequel to Avengers Assemble. Stark finds himself to be suffering from anxiety and panic attacks brought on by what he had to go through in the Avengers. The fact that none of the other Avengers were in the film was also handled well, as Iron Man wasn't saving the world, but saving himself and the people he loved. It was made a personal vendetta.
    The villians matched Stark in humour and stage presence. Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian and the brilliant Ben Kingsley as The fearsome Mandarin were excellent.
   Although probably not as good as the previous two installments in the franchise, Iron Man 3 still hit all the right spots for any fan of the comic book hero. Remember to stay to the end of the credits, as there's a funny scene that should not be missed.

For fans of Iron Man, comedy and an action packed ride.

Stars ***

Bernie

   In my opinion Jack Black  has struggled in recent years to star in anything even half decent. Films such as Year One and Gulliver's Travels were big disappointments, so I almost passed up on Bernie.                              
   However, that would have been a mistake, as Bernie is a very good film based on a true story about an assistant funeral director who strikes up a companionship with a mean wealthy widow, played by Shirley MacLaine, in the small town of Carthage, Texas. Her meanness towards him leads towards her death by his hands and he goes to great lengths to cover up her death. 
   Jack Black is excellent as the incredibly friendly and slightly camp Bernie and there are other good roles from the likes of Matthew McConaughey. Bernie is funny, intriguing and actually quite a sad film. It is good to see Jack Black still has the ability to act and pick films with substance.

For fans of Jack Black, true stories and slightly camp expressions.

Stars ****

Films of April

Identity Thief ***
Sandy Patterson is a nice businessman who has his identity stolen by an apparently harmless looking woman. He has to travel from Denver to Miami to track the thief down as the Police do not have the jurisdiction.
Jason Bateman plays his usual role as the friendly hard done by funny guy. However, he never fails in making me laugh and his co-star Melissa McCarthy pairs up well with Bateman in making this enjoyable comedy.


 Trance****
Danny Boyle's latest film lives up to the expectation. The story is interesting, exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I'll keep this short, as the film is riddled with twists that turns the film upside down and inside out.

James McAvoy improves in every film he is in and annoyingly I missed his other film 'Welcome to the Punch' which was released in the same week. The great Vincent Cassel adds to the well picked cast.


 Jack The Giant Slayer**
This adaptation on the old children's story is fun and enjoyable, but will not be in the top ten at the end of the year. Ewan McGregor and Stanley Tucci always put in a enjoyable performance, while the young Nicholas Hoult is building up his prestige as a recognisable actor that can be the lead actor in a Hollywood film.


Oblivion***
The ever reliable Tom Cruise stars in this beautifully shot futuristic film, in which the earth is a baron planet after humans won a war against an invading alien force, but sacrificed the planet in doing so. Oblivion is a really good Spring blockbuster, packed full action, suspense and magnificent special effects.
I was only satisfied with the ending, as I feel the easy way out was taken.

The Place Beyond The Pines****
The Place Beyond the Pines is an incredibly well made film and story. Once again I don't want to give away any spoilers so I'll step lightly around this one. This film is like 3 stories in 1, which gives it an unusual feel as you have to adapt to the story as it evolves.

Beyond the Pines is one of the best films of the month and a must see.


Oz:The Great and Powerful**
Set as a prequel to the Wizard of Oz, Oz the Great and Powerful does a respectable job of creating a back story to a well known classic. However, after a promising couple of scenes involving Oz, Finley and the china girl, where there are several laugh out loud moments, the film struggles to reach that level again and slowly trails off.



Olympus Has Fallen**
Olympus Has Fallen is a high action robust film, in which the White House is hijacked by terrorists and it is up to Gerard Butler and his shady American accent to save the day. As I am not a insanely patriotic American I found it best to switch off my common sense and political correctness.

I never had a tense feeling in me about whether the good guys were going to win. I just hoped the ending wasn't to God bless America, but it was rather painful and red, white and blue. Remember to set your nausea level quite high.

Films of March

Broken City ***

Russel Crowe and Mark Wahlberg were strong, gritty and played their roles well in this suspense filled crime drama. However, the storyline was rather predictable, and it appeared to me that it was just a matter of time before Mayor Hostetler (Crowe) was going to be taken down by the good guys.
This is still a film worth seeing, as it has the edge of the seat thrills and spills to keep you entertained throughout.


 Robot and Frank ****

Set in the near future, Frank, played by Frank Langella is an old man who is living by himself and slowly losing his memory. His son decides to give him a robot that will help him in his daily tasks, while trying to improve his condition. The relationship between Robot and Frank is a touching one. Frank doesn't like the robot, but they become friends and the film is an interesting story of what life could be like in the near future.

For once a film set in the future was realistic, unlike most films that over estimate technological advancements in such a short jump to the future.


The Incredible Burt Wonderstone ***

I wouldn't say that this was Carell's best film, but there are still a lot of comical scenes involving Carell, Carrey and Buscemi. Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) is a selfish, ignorant magician and like the majority of the films I have watched this month it followed quite a predictable route. However, that wasn't as much of an issue here, with it being a a fun comedy to sit back and enjoy. Olivia Wilde, who seems to pop up in a film every month these days, had some of the laugh out loud moments.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is an enjoyable comedy with an inevitable ending.


Side Effects ***

Steven Soderbergh's last film Side Effects is a well made crime drama with a big twist, which wasn't obvious, but also wasn't much of a major shock. Nevertheless it is still a tense, well acted story that keeps your mind running throughout.
This is supposed to be Soderbergh last film. However, he is only 50 and I very much doubt this will be the last we see of him. Soderbergh is not the only one to say they're retired and inevitably return, just look at Liam Neeson. Why Soderbergh hasn't just said he's taking some timeout instead of pretending he's retiring I'm not too sure. Maybe it's to create more hype for his next film.


G.I Joe: Retaliation **

I decided to go see G.I Joe in 3D, as I had seen a 3D trailer and for once the 3D actually seemed good. However, the 3D was the best aspect of the film. It was an all action blockbuster, with a lot of guns and explosions, which is enjoyable but the acting was rudimentary and the enjoyment of this film was up and down, as a comical scene was followed by a corny scene or vice versa. The ending was also painfully corny and patriotic.

Films of February - Part 2

Wreck It Ralph ****

   Although Wreck It Ralph is only Disney and not Pixar, this animated movie is original and enjoyable from the off. I loved the idea that the characters in the arcade games are real and once the arcade closed then their work shift was over they could head to 'Game Central Station' which meant catching a train through the electricity wires into the plug socket.
   I actually didn't know what was going to happen as the film built up to it's finale. This is an animated film for the kids and the grown ups and is well worth going to see.


A Good Day To Die Hard ***

   When I saw the trailer for the first time I was desperate to see the film. I thought Die Hard 4.0 was awesome and expected the same with the fifth installment, but after seeing A Good Day To Die Hard I felt strangely deflated. Bruce Willis is his usual super cool, but he is almost playing 2nd fiddle to his son Jack, played by Jai Courtney. This is bad in itself as Bruce Willis is John McClane and John McClane is Die Hard.
   The action scenes are exciting and varied. There are Die Hard style bad guys, but they are nothing compared to the baddies of the previous films. By the end of it I just felt that it was all a bit too easy. Willis didn't seem like he cared, he almost appeared tired with his role....maybe he too realised that this fifth installation in the Die Hard franchise simply wasn't up to scratch.


This is 40 ****

   Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprise their roles from the painfully unfunny Knocked Up, in this comedy about a couple who reach 40. I found that This is 40 was an excellent film. Paul Rudd played the exact same character that he always plays, but fortunately I like him. Not only is it incredibly funny through out, with many laugh out loud moments, but it is very real and is a very important story about ageing and growing up. I'm sure most people who see this film will be able to relate some part of it to their own life.

   The running joke of the oldest daughter, Sadie, watching Lost was especially funny. This is not just a film for women or couples, anyone can go and see it and find it funny and enjoyable.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter **

   Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton star in this 3D action packed fantasy based on a well known children's story. I had my hopes up that this was going to be a good film, but sadly that isn't the case. There is never any worry that something will happen to Hansel & Gretel, or that the Grand dark witch played by Famke Jansen was going to succeed in her evil plans. However, if you are looking to see a film jammed packed with action and gore then this is for you, but there is little else there for anyone else.

Films of February - Part 1

Hyde Park on Hudson ***

Bill Murray puts in an enjoyable performance of the American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in this story of when The King and Queen of England visited the President at Hyde Park. However, unlike Daniel Day Lewis' magnificent performance of another President, Lincoln, all I saw with Bill Murray's performance was Bill Murray...

This is a predominantly lighthearted film which unveils a true story that had been unknown for decades until Daisy's (Laura Linney) secret letters were found after her death.


Flight ****

Denzel Washington deserves his Best Actor nomination in this powerful performance of an alcoholic pilot, who comes under heavy fire when alcohol is found in his system after the plane he is piloting crashes. Whip Whitaker (Washington) is a character you can't help but like, even though he's a selfish alcoholic in denial. Flight is one of the best films of the month.



Zero Dark Thirty ***

It was always going to be intriguing to see how Zero Dark Thirty played out, especially with Bin Laden being killed in real life. So this had to be the ending for the film but without making it some sort of God bless America situation. Although this is a good film, well acted, tense and a true story based on real events, there's a annoying sense of generic familiarity to it.

Jessica Chastain plays the hardened female character who is career obsessed and has no personal life, while also not being afraid to swear at and argue with people in authority to her. This has been done a thousand times and in my opinion was an error by the director.



I Give it a Year ***

It was nice to go see a romantic comedy that was a bit different from the usual tripe. Nat (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Rafe Spall) get married after 7 months and their marriage is a struggle as they begin to realise that they are not meant to be together. As the viewer you are actually hoping for the couple not to end up together, which made it different. There was a lot of humour too and this is a very good Couple's comedy.

My Oscar Nominations

These are my nominations for the best that film has had to offer over the past year. Unlike the Oscars I don't neglect everything that was more than 6 months ago.


Best Film

Winner - Seven Psychopaths                                                

Runners up - Django Unchained
                    Skyfall
                    Moonrise Kingdom
                                                                           

Best Director

Winner - Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained

Runners up - Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
                     Ben Affleck - Argo
                     Wes Anderson - Moonrise Kingdom


Best Actor

Winner - Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln

Runners up - Jamie Foxx - Django Unchained
                     Brad Pitt - Killing Them Softly
                     Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Looper            


Best Actress

Winner - Judi Dench - Skyfall/The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Runners up - Noomi Repace - Prometheus
                     Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
                    Kara Hayward - Moonrise Kingdom


Best Supporting Actor

Winner - Christopher Waltz - Django Unchained

Runners up - Matthew McConaughey - Killer Joe
                    Javier Bardem - Skyfall
                    Woody Harrelson - Seven Psychopaths                  


Best supporting Actress

Winner - Juno Temple - Killer Joe

Runners up - Emily Blunt - Looper
                    Charlize Theron - Snow White and the Huntsman

Lincoln

  Steven Spielberg has redeemed himself with his new film Lincoln, after the awful War Horse. Lincoln has been nominated for a bunch of Oscars and other awards and it very much deserves to win the majority of them. Daniel Day Lewis as Abraham Lincoln is faultless. I actually forgot that it was Daniel Day Lewis, he was that good. The supporting cast were also superb, Sally Field, David Strathairn and Tommy Lee Jones were all excellent.
   Although the film was a serious historical drama set in 1865 during the American Civil War, humour was interwoven perfectly into the story. Lincoln wanted to pass the 13th Amendment by the end of January 1865, so his Secretary of State (Strathairn) hired three men to help procure the votes needed to create a majority in the Senate. These three men added an extra comedic value to the film, which helped break up the tension of the storyline.
   I really did love this film and if Lewis doesn't get the Oscar for Best Actor I will be nothing short of astonished.

For fans of history, true stories and Oscar winning performances.

Stars ****

Django Unchained

   Quentin Tarantino's latest film is nothing short of awesome. The cast are exceptional. Jamie Foxx puts on one of his best ever performances and looks super cool in cowboy gear. Christopher Waltz and Samuel L Jackson are at their comic best, while Leonardo DiCaprio does a great job in his first outing as a villain.
   Django (Jamie Foxx) is a black slave who is bought by the quirky German bounty hunter Dr King Schultz (Christopher Waltz) so that Schultz can find a specific bounty. Once Schultz realises Django is a natural at hunting bounties and that he is in search of his wife who had been sold to another plantation, they partner up and aim to get his wife back.
  Samuel L Jackson is hilarious as the elderly senile butler, who is cleverer than his intial actions appear. DiCaprio makes for a great villain and it saddens me that there has been unnecessary and ridiculous criticism that the word nigger is used too often and especially by DiCaprio. The film is set in the deep south of the United States in 1858. DiCaprio is a brutal plantation owner with countless black slaves, nigger was a term used and if Tarantino tiptoed round it, it would have been unrealistic.
   In my opinion Django Unchained was better than Tarantino's last picture, Inglorious Basterds, which is no mean feat, and his best film since Pulp Fiction.

For fans of Tarantino, superb acting and masterpieces.

Stars *****

Gangster Squad

   Set in 1949 Los Angeles, Gangster Squad is a true story about a selection of cops handpicked by Sergeant John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) on the orders of Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) to take down the ruthless mob leader Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn).

   O'Mara is a tough honest police officer who is struggling to put the war behind him, and the opportunity to take down Mickey Cohen by any means possible fits well into his repartee. There's plenty of blood and bullets to satisfy the viewers who love their violence and action in films. Everyone excels in their roles, especially Sean Penn who appears to slip seamlessly into the role of the brutal mob boss. 

   Although on first thought there appears to be little wrong with Gangster Squad, there is also nothing particularly special about it either. The story is slightly predictable and the unnecessarily corny ending meant I didn't feel fully satisfied once the credits started rolling. At least the American flag didn't make an appearance near the end...

For fans of gangster movies, cool fighting scenes and true stories.

Stars ***

The Impossible

   After the first five minutes of The Impossible I was concerned that it was going to be a total flop. The film begins with the family on a plane to Thailand. The script was corny and the acting even more so. It didn't help that Naomi Watts' voice seemed to be out of sink, but this could have been the cinema's fault. However, after this rickety start the film got going the moment the tsunami hit. The tsunami was incredibly well shot and the special effects were bang on.
   The story follows Maria (Naomi Watts) and the oldest son Lucas, as they manage to survive the tsunami and try to find their way to safety. Maria's husband, Henry, played by Ewan McGregor becomes more prominent in the second half of the film as he searches for the rest of his family.
   There are a lot of edge of the seat moments, as well as upsetting scenes as you feel their pain and anxieties as they try and reunite and battle through the worst natural disaster of modern times. I feel the director, Juan Antonio Bayona did a great job of capturing the right mood of what would have been an incredibly confusing, upsetting and traumatic situation for hundreds of thousands of people.
   The Impossible is a very good film, though I found it quite upsetting, so this may not be one for the overly sensitive.

For fans of true stories, emotional films and great special effects.

Stars ****

Jack Reacher

   Jack Reacher has got 2013 off with a good start, although it was actually released on Boxing Day, so technically it's last year's film...Nevertheless, it is a very good film, though it doesn't challenge my top 10 films of 2012 and I don't believe it will challenge the best of this year either.
   Tom Cruise is as enjoyable as ever to watch and he has good chemistry with Rosamund Pike, who plays Helen, the lawyer who takes on the seemingly impossible task of helping Barr (Joseph Sikora) avoid the death penalty.
   Jack Reacher is based on a series of books by Lee Child, and though Tom Cruise does a great job, Jack Reacher is supposed to be about six foot five and Cruise scrapes in at a modest five foot seven. However, I think only the hardiest of Jack Reacher fans will have a problem with this.
   The car chases are exciting and the fight scenes have a comical edge to them as Reacher has little trouble beating his enemies senseless. The film begins to trail off during the second half and although the final fight sequence is well shot, humorous, exciting, tense and intriguing, I can't help but feel annoyed that Reacher decides to put his gun down and fight his main enemy with bare hands. He could at least have his gun knocked out of his grasp instead of voluntarily laying down his weapon to endure a punch up.

For fans of Tom Cruise, Lee Child and humorous action scenes.

Stars ***

The Best and Worst of 2012

Top 10 films

1. Seven Psychopaths
       I was surprised this was my best film of the year. I thought it was going to be good, but never expected to be blown away by the great story, top acting performances, writing and humour.

2. Skyfall
       One of the best Bonds of all time and easily Daniel Craig's best Bond film. I enjoyed this so much I had to see it twice. It was also a great goodbye to the legendary Judi Dench as M.

3. Moonrise Kingdom
       An all star cast in this unusually brilliant film. There was great acting from the children and the film was hilarious from the off. A film that had the imagination, originality and great writing to be up there with the best of the year.

4. The Dark Knight Rises
       A great end to a fantastic Batman trilogy. Probably not as good as The Dark Knight, but still a brilliant film, with great music and an ending to die for.

5. Looper
       Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt perform at their very best in an action packed futuristic thriller filled with twist, turns and some of the best action scenes of 2012.

6. The Descendant
       A well written and solid film with nothing really wrong with it. Funny, emotional and enjoyable.

7. The Artist
       A favourite for the critics and it raked in the Oscars. An original and well made film for the 21st century.

8. Lawless
       A great film based on a true story, filled with action, gore and well placed comedy.

9. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
       A wonderfully written film with a lot of humour and great acting from some of British acting's ageing elite.

10. Killing Them Softly
       Superb acting from Brad Pitt and Richard Jenkins in a cool and dark thriller.


Best Performances

Judi Dench - Skyfall/The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Javier Bardem - Skyfall
Matthew McConaughey - Killer Joe
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Brad Pitt - Killing Them Softly
Bruce Willis - Looper/Moonrise Kingdom



Worst films

1. War Horse
      A ridiculous farce, where a young man loves a horse more than his friends and family.

2. Dark Shadows
      Bitterly disappointing and curiously boring. Even Johnny Depp struggled through this one.

3. Here Comes The Boom
     Generic with not one original idea to be found in this unimaginative attempt at a story.

4. Expendables 2
     Unsurprisingly one of the poorest films of 2012, with laughably poor acting and an obvious storyline.

5. Life Of Pi
     Magnificent special effects, but corny, critically overrated and lacking characters to connect to.

Worst Performances


Sylvester Stallone - Expendables 2
Rebecca Hall - Lay The Favourite
Maggie Grace - Taken 2