Review: Skyfall

Rating: 12a
Duration: 143 min

There are several reasons why you can't not know about the release of the new Bond flick. Firstly, it coincides with the 50th anniversary since Connery wooed us with his suaveness in Dr. No, thus prompting the 'Bond 50' Blu-ray release. Secondly, you must be living in a batcave to have avoided the unbearable amount of tie-in advertising and promo; from watches, to beer, to cars, to computers, to aftershave, to... well, anything imaginable. Oh, I forgot Coke. And thirdly, because Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty; Jarhead) is taking control of the franchise for the first, and supposed, only time.

You'll have noticed a Batman reference within the first paragraph, and with just cause, because Skyfall boasts a story that attempt to express darker, similarly toned material, including character exposition, as Nolan's superhero epic. In truth, it's difficult to ignore the success of The Dark Knight, but it by no means encumbers or defines the film in question.

In construction alone, Mendes opts for a stripped down, simplistic plot in keeping with Daniel Craig's other notable depiction of the lothario spy in 2006's Casino Royale. Its goals remain focused and clearly plotted with occasional exposition, yet masses of subtext to feast on. Side characters offer what's required, and don't overexert or outstay their welcome. As per usual, the focus is Craig's mysteriously brooding 007. However, the sublime Dame Judi Dench's M is at the forefront of the story, along with newcomer Ralph Fiennes as MI6 operative Gareth Mallory. 

Javier Bardem assumes the role as rogue terrorist Silva, and offers up a most flamboyant turn that will remind Bondaphiles of villains gone by, yet situates himself in a starkly modern period. Not only is Bardem's reminiscent of characters of yesteryear, but the film, as a whole, teases and amuses with nods to the franchise in various subtle and not so subtle ways. What could easily turn into well matured Stilton is surprisingly the opposite: early Moore-era locales blend wonderfully with nostalgic touches that feel faithfully traditional to the franchise, yet mesh seamlessly with a consistent reminder of its edgy modernity.

Of course, it isn't all completely perfect. Craig asserts himself in typically awkward fashion that is both fitting to his character's persona, but also exposes a particular woodenness in his ability (noticeably when he runs/walks). It's not enough to dampen proceedings, because everything else sets the bar extremely high; set pieces are tense and utterly gripping, yet never overplayed: think the high-octane nature of Casino Royale's opening chase, and you'll have an idea of Skyfall's quality in both intro and subsequent action sequence.

To go with the raw nature of rebooted Bond is a brave poignancy Mendes generates thanks to specific plot devices. Using London as the centre of terrorism risks upsetting a lot of people, especially the unforgiving manner it expresses itself in. However, layered with an overwhelming sense of compassion and sentiment, it works both in the context of the film and as a fitting tribute to the atrocities of 7/7.

And all this is achieved with a sublime beauty courtesy of Roger Deakins, whose framing and sepia-toned lighting transforms each scene into a mouth-watering spectacle. Whether that Oscar will finally be delivered is anyone's guess, but there's surely no better platform to showcase his skills.

Skyfall is a welcomed return for the franchise. Far superior to Quantum of Solace, yet not quite on par with the superb Casino Royale for its subtlety and gritty nature, Mendes's effort compensates with juicer exposition, greater thematic passion, and a focused simplicity rarely seen in billion-dollar franchise blockbusters.

Review: Frankenweenie

Rating: PG
Duration: 87 mins  

There are two types of people in the world: those who loyally adore the works of kooky visionary Tim Burton, and those who detest the life out of the wacky-haired maestro.

The Marmite director returns after the lukewarm reception of his other 2012 film Dark Shadows, as Frankenweenie looks to be somewhat of an anomaly from his safe zone; boasting the possibility of emulating Henry Selick's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Not only that, but there's also no sign of cohorts Johnny Depp or (shockingly) the missus, even though they've featured relentlessly in recent years.

Frankenweenie follows suit with the kooky, quirky nature synonymous with the Sleepy Hollow director. And it's with good reason, because aesthetically the entire set up is beautifully unique and oozes charm, but it takes far more than striking visuals to make a great film (see Corpse Bride).

After loosing his beloved dog Sparky, schoolboy Victor decides to take the initiative from his science class teachings and set up an experiment to reanimate his pooch. As the pair begin to re-bond, the secret resurrection becomes know to fellow pupils, which results in some darkly comic moments, as it elevates to levels of mild horror that's perhaps unsuitable for the little'uns.

Morally, the story attempts to place its ideas on a pedestal, claiming to have a message regarding coping and coming to terms with loss, as well as obvious themes of life and death. However, this entire ethos is dispelled, leaving a warm but unfulfilled aftertaste in its preachings.

The story works on a stripped down, basic level, and only really steps up a notch as it approaches its climax. Certainly quaint in its stylistic manner, it possesses a black and white nostalgic quality that works surprisingly well.

3D is incorporated as a prominent feature, and one must admit that it actually strengthens the film as a whole. Devoid of misconceptions of 'jump out the screen' and instead serves its true purpose of creating a rich, vibrant and pleasing depth of field that adds needed weight to what is a flimsy, filler-heavy script.

But it's not all completely at fault. Carefully woven into the script are numerous nods to classic cinema from (the obvious) Frankenstein to Godzilla, with nuances the more observant viewers will pick up on. Background subtleties feel Aardman-inspired, which likeably generate laughs, but are sadly much too infrequent.

Frankenweenie turns out to be conformist Burton territory after all; it rarely strays from the by the numbers formula. It has a wonderful attention to detail in its design, but with a complete lack of meat in story, wit and entertainment, it falls short when evaluating as a complete package.

Review: Lawless

Rating: 18
Duration: 116 mins

John Hillcoat's last film, The Road, was a faithfully-adapted, bleak take on the apocalypse, and his latest also falls into the category of novel adaptations; this time courtesy of Matt Bondurant (the grandson of the story's protagonists).

The transfer from novel -- originally titled The Wettest County in the World -- to big screen in the capable hands of Nick Cave (The Assassination of Jesse James; The Proposition) assures a well-paced, intensely authentic depiction of the Bondurant brothers (Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke and Shia LaBeouf, respectively) that proves an interesting if somewhat vague tale of the so-called immortal siblings.

With LaBeouf recently announcing his desire to pursue a career down the indie route, Lawless is appropriate to showcase his talents in an attempt to distance himself from the annoying twerp in Transformers. And it serves him well, because not only does he take centre stage ahead of the up-and-coming Hardy and the blink-and-you'll-miss-it contribution from Gary Oldman, he succeeds in delivering a performance to match the amount of screentime he's given.

Set in rural Virginia during the Depression, the three brothers make a living from their illicit dealings in moonshine, as they enforce a local Bondurant law of fear and violence. That is until a new, unhinged deputy (Guy Pearce) enters the fray. It's perhaps his portrayal that is most memorable, with his shaved eyebrows, centre-parted, slicked hair and (debateably) immaculate sense of style that set him apart. Both Hardy and Jessica Chastain offer subtle, more reserved performances, with the former generating humour with grunty nuances from time to time.

Whilst the acting is consistently strong, the narrative leaves a little more to be desired. As the feud between Bondurants and local law intensifies, there's little incident along the way that significantly builds to its climactic finale. Neither is there a particularly strong presence of sub plotting or subtext,  either, rendering the emotion of the characters somewhat impenetrable. What's more, the vagueness of plot points and lack of exposition prevents the characters from feeling particularly rounded or muster depth and engagement with them.

Even though the story is loose and tends to hone in on the plights of family and responsibility, it has its moments during a lengthy runtime, yet lacks the compelling nature of what it should be due to the overuse of ambiguity. Commendably, Hillcoat's period piece certainly looks the part with an authenticity that makes you wish you were able to experience things firsthand. However, such is the throwaway nature of the beast, Lawless ultimately culminates as a good film rather than a great one.

Review: Total Recall

Rating: 12a
Duration: 118 mins

Inevitable comparisons to Paul Verhoeven’s fantastic original sci-fi epic will be made, and even though it was released twenty two years previously, Len Wiseman has a lot to live up to if he wishes to satisfy existing fans and entice new ones.

Conceptually, the vision and premise are intriguing: the film begins with slick exposition of how the dystopian, bleak planet functions in the future, and is something audiences can buy into. Visually, it is, at times, noteworthy, but at others is awfully generic: The Colony -- a densely populated section of Earth -- is straight out of Blade Runner; the vehicles and action-orientated vertical chases are similar to Minority Report; whilst the legions of robotic authorities parallel I, Robot or even the clone armies of Star Wars. The result is droplets of imagination, drowned in rivers of creative laziness.

Len Wiseman -- known for his relentless Underworld series -- is simply unable to justify his decision to remake the Philip K Dick story. Rather than utilise the ideas of sci-fi, he simply moulds the existing story into a straightforward chase film, with a climax that possesses little in common with the genre. 

In fact, the two hour film is seemingly comprised of four overstretched, adrenaline-fuelled sequences. Glaringly apparent is Wiseman's obliviousness to over-indulgence, the narrative structure scraps any balance of action, exposition and storyline; instead opting for lengthy chase after lengthy chase.

What's more, the little storyline that is included feels like a condescending slap around the chops. Instead of the ambiguity and subtlety the original offered, Wiseman prefers to spoon feed his audience, insulting even the most primitive of minds. For example, a line Hauser (Colin Farrell) has early on -- a seemingly flippant comment about wishing he'd learnt to play the piano -- comes into play when he finds himself in the apartment of the life he has no memory of. We see a piano subtly chopped out of frame (which would have sufficed); followed by a shot of it in full frame; followed by Hauser sitting down and playing, as it reveals its significance in the plot. Surprisingly, we don't hear an echoey, internal monologue along the lines of 'I wish I'd learnt to play the piano' -- because it's that kind of film we're being patronised with.

Whilst the set pieces are action-filled and acceptably entertaining, they do -- as mentioned previously -- tend to drag. Regardless of whether director or editor is at fault, the sentimentalism and debauchery is plain to see, which resonates in lengthy, unnecessary segments that shape the entire film. 

The wonderful Bryan Cranston is woefully underused as villain Cohaagen, with Farrell and the eye candy combo of Kate Beckinsale/Jessica Biel offering acceptable, if  unimpressive performances. That's not to say it isn't a trio worthy of attention, because the casting are aesthetically pleasing, if nothing else.

Total Recall is a film that thinks it is far cleverer than it actually is. A lack of subtlety, intelligence and ambiguity renders it a story that could take place within any genre, dispelling all appeal of a sci-fi adventure. The trouble is that it takes itself far too seriously, yet insists on including numerous clunky references to Verhoeven's tongue-in-cheek masterpiece, as well as cringeworthy dream puns littered throughout the cheesy dialogue. 

All life has been sucked out of the satirically edgy original in favour of a straight-cut attempt at a thriller. However, without reference to its predecessor, it works on the most basic of entertainment levels. In principle it is a needless reimagining of Verhoeven's, and more significantly, Dick's work; serving merely as a modern update for non-savvy audiences in search of a popcorn flick.

 

N.B. Unsurprisingly, there's a nod to the three-breasted woman, who's not only heavy-handedly plonked into a random scene, but appears to be the only mutant in existence. Odd.

Review: Brave

Rating: PG

Duration: 100 mins

With Pixar recently announcing sequels to Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo and Toy Story, there were fears that originality was running dry, but their thirteenth and latest feature, Brave, shows that flare hasn't dried up just yet.

A story involving princesses, kings, castles, witches, spells and bears is anything but the norm for the animation giants, and turns out to be a refreshing change, especially with its woven references to many a fairytale: it shares a sensibility with Shrek for this very reason. Initially, it threatens to drift off into mundane territory a la Cars, but thankfully the strong, entertaining plot, keeps it afloat, allowing it to shine.

Whilst it may suffer from predictable plotting, the whimsy, funny and entertaining elements develop into an engaging and likeable fantasy set in Scotland. Princess Merida (Kelly MacDonald) defies her father, the King (Billy Connolly), and her destiny to marry one of three suitors as per the kingdom's custom, which forms the basis of the film.

As with each Pixar entry, the animation and attention to detail is sublime. Subtleties such as Merida's thick, auburn locks as well as various animal textures impress, but the most breathtaking visuals are perhaps the appearance of water -- one scene in particular springs to mind. It's this steady progression over the years -- as well as the consistency of their well-written scripts -- that keep Pixar one step ahead of the competition. Unlike Aardman's Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!, which boasted style over substance, Brave achieves satisfaction on both levels and actually gains momentum and strength as it progresses towards its finale.

The conclusion is both tidy and resolute -- qualities you'd expect for both studio and genre. It remains perfectly paced throughout with its humorous level of wit and intellect that transcends younger and older audiences alike. It boasts a subtle comedic presence, specifically its approach to animals conveying thought without the ability of speech -- think along the lines of the mute genius of WALL-E as a guide.

Adhering to current trends, the film has been converted into 3D, and, as per a minority of its counterparts, does a credible job in creating depth of field. It's effective as an added extra, but in the context of the filmmaking it remains gimmickry is unnecessary.

Brave offers up a fairytale style story previously unexplored by Pixar. It works, and even though it doesn't quite capture the magical highs of Up or WALL-E, it still succeeds as a solid and hugely enjoyable film that performs well and looks the part, too.

Competition: Win Wild Bill on DVD

A spur of the moment competition here at The Littlest Picture Show, The Hut have kindly given a copy of the new British movie Wild Bill (released just last week) to be won. You can check out my cinema review here.

HOW TO ENTER:

If you're on Twitter, simply retweet the following:

COMPETITION: Want to win WILD BILL on DVD? 

Simply RT and FOLLOW @littlestpicshow! 

More details here: http://tiny.cc/z1e9hw

ALTERNATIVELY,  if you're not on Twitter, then simply leave a comment below with your name and email address.

Competition closes Sunday, August 5th. Winner announced Monday, August 6th.

Review: Ted

Rating: 15

Duration: 106 mins

Seth MacFarlane's first venture into mainstream cinema was always to be an anticipated affair, especially if you're partial to his long-standing shows Family Guy and American Dad!

Creator MacFarlane assumes control over director and writer duties for a movie that is about a talking teddy bear. The premise focuses on John (Mark Wahlberg) who, as a child, wishes for his new stuffed toy -- a bear he aptly names Teddy -- to come to life, which it subsequently does. The fact that Ted is the only walking, talking bear of his kind is irrelevant (kind of), as girlfriend Lori's (Mila Kunis) acceptance of the unique situation and bond appears to wear thin.

It all begins promisingly with the sultry narration from Patrick Stewart as the first couple of scenes play out nicely. Seth MacFarlane's desire to break into Hollywood after small screen success is clear, but his venture may have worked better had he persisted with the shockingly offensive nature of Family Guy rather than catering more towards the Superbad demographic. Not necessarily a bad move, the style of Ted is overtly mainstream, as many of the jokes within it accommodate for this audience. But what's ill-fitting is how this essentially adult comedy with a potty-mouthed child's toy is set within a fairytale-style narrative. It makes for a bizarre combination, as the anti-Semitic jokes fail to gel with the more tender moments -- and, believe it or not, there are a few. 

Whilst the CGI character looks rather convincing at times, the gratuitous profanity quickly becomes stale. Therefore, those who prefer a more intelligible rather than gross-out, sweary form of comedy will find large chunks of the film laborious.

That said, there does come a point where it manages to create poignancy, and the story -- albeit as far-fetched as it is -- does deliver on a basic, engaging level.

There are a couple of cameos; mainly appearances from Family Guy regulars Alex Borstein and Patrick Warburton, as well as a few other well known faces that generate genuine laughs, but the overall quality of comedy is far too inconsistent.

Ted is obvious mainstream fodder, as MacFarlane sways from more obscure cultural references to ones about Twitter and Taylor Lautner. The gags throughout are very hit-and-miss: when they work -- and they do at their most edgy and controversial -- they're hilarious, but at other times the set-ups and 'safe comedy' simply fails to impress.