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 ****

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 ****

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 ****

The Cove

   A group of activists and the well known Ric O' Barry attempt to infiltrate a cove in the town of Taiji, Japan to try and expose shocking acts of abuse on dolphins.
   I have been meaning to see this film ever since I saw a trailer for it back in 2009. However, somehow I've only just got round to seeing it! The Cove is one of the best documentaries that I have seen in a very long time.
   At the beginning I thought that the people slaughtering these dolphins in their thousands each year had a reason for it, even if it was wrong, but it turns out that they didn't. The fact that the chosen few that are taken away to be kept in captivity and perform as show dolphins are actually the lucky ones is heart wrenching. The rest are cornered into a secret, highly guarded cove and butchered. They are either falsely sold as 'whale meat' (as dolphin meat is high in mercury and is therefore poisonous), or just killed as they are 'pests'. Some of these fishermen actually believe that dolphins and whales are the cause of fisheries being in decline, which is ridiculous to say the least. The high profile activist Ric O' Berry believes that many of the problems of Taiji are made worse by the lack of effort from the government and possibly even a government cover up.
    I was thoroughly entrenched in this film. I felt the pain of the dolphins, and for the activists that tried so hard to uncover the full truth. I wouldn't say this is a film to be enjoyed, but it is a documentary that must be seen. Three years on and the killings continue, though they have marginally decreased since this film was released. The more people who know about this, the more chance there is for it to be stopped for good.

For fans of dolphins, hard hitting documentaries and a moral conscience.

Stars *****

These are just a few sites to visit if you want more information about supporting the activists:

www.savejapandolphins.org

www.taijiactiongroup.blogspot.com

www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/

www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/724/210/624

Argo

   Argo is based on the true story of the 1980 CIA-Canadian secret operation to remove six fugitive American diplomats from Iran. It is directed by Ben Affleck, who once again shows his directing prowess with a brilliant film. I am a fan of his other films The Town and Gone Baby Gone.
   There are countless recognisable faces, such as the well known John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Affleck himself. There are also the actors that you recognise straight away but take a few minutes for you to remember where you have seen them before, such as Tate Donovan, who plays Joshua, a love interest of Rachel in Friends and Clea Duvall from The Faculty. I found myself constantly saying to myself 'bloody hell! Look who that is!'
   The film was tense, moving and full of suspense. I felt entrenched in the six fugitives dilemma all the way through, as the worry, fear and anxieties of the trapped Americans were transferred through the screen with the great script, directing and acting.
   The film was certainly not devoid of humour. Arkin and Goodman's scenes had a lot of comedic value, but there was humour dotted all around, which helped break up the suspense and give you a few moments to laugh and take a breath before returning to the edge of your seat.
   I have seen too many average films at the cinema of late, interspersed with the odd great one. Maybe that can be blamed on half term which brings out the kids films, and Halloween which sees its yearly dose of painfully average horror films. However, now that storm has blown over, the cinema is seemingly back on track with the awesome Skyfall and now the dramatically brilliant Argo.

For fans of suspense, true stories and more suspense.

Stars ****

Photo from www.guardian.co.uk