The Jungle Book Review

Plot: The orphaned man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) has lived all his life in the jungle with his wolf family and panther protector Bagheera (Ben Kingsley). When Shere Khan (Idris Elba) – a bloodthirsty tiger – learns of Mowgli’s existence, he makes it his singular goal to hunt and kill the boy. Concerned for the Mowgli’s safety, Bagheera sets out to return him to his own kind.

Disney’s original animated adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s novel is a classic; full of charm, humour and iconic moments, so I was initially very skeptical of the idea of a live action/CGI version. Any worries I had were quickly forgotten after the first few minutes of this film, which as it turns out, is easily on par with the 1967 animation.

Director Jon Favreau’s take on the tale doesn’t just bring fresh visuals to the table; there are a lot of surprises here even for people familiar with the story and the new material never strays too far from the path of its animated predecessor. This is after all a remake of the original Disney adaptation, and there are constant reminders of this found in its cinematography, dialogue and most noticeably soundtrack. Only two songs from the animation have made it into this film, but both of them are done well and – despite going ‘full musical’ – never took me out of the film.

Neel Sethi is the only actor to give a live action performance in the film and is instantly likeable as Mowgli. His interactions with the lifelike, CGI animals are convincing and the actors voicing them bring their own flare to the jungle creatures. Bill Murray’s Baloo and Christopher Walken’s King Louie were my personal favourites and both soaked up the spotlight whenever they were on screen.

Verdict:

The Jungle Book offers plenty to gawp at; from stunning backdrops to exciting action sequences, and thanks to strong performances, solid screenwriting and the quality of a classic tale, it’s a success that will both surprise and delight movie-goers of all ages.

5/5

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

Plot: After witnessing Superman’s (Henry Cavill) capacity for destruction first hand, an aged and battle-hardened Batman (Ben Affleck) sets out to confront him. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Jessie Eisenberg) attempts to destroy Superman’s reputation by any means necessary.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is director Zack Snyder’s second Superman film and one that has the daunting task of hurriedly setting up the DC cinematic universe whilst also acting as a sequel to Man of Steel and introducing a new Batman. That’s a lot to take on, and makes Dawn of Justice bloated and unfocused, weighing down what is otherwise a rather entertaining film.

Excluding Eisenberg’s cartoonish portrayal of Lex Luthor, Dawn of Justice takes itself very seriously and – unlike Marvel’s superhero ventures – isn’t brimming with comic relief. If you found Man of Steel too moody, Snyder isn’t going to win you over here. Superman flies around rescuing Lois Lane (Amy Adams), punching through walls and shooting lasers from his eyes but rarely cracks a smile; so focused is the film on his guilt, anger and pain that it forgets to have fun with the character. Batman however feels a lot more well rounded, and Affleck is well suited to the role. The back and forth between him and his faithful butler Alfred (Jeremy Irons) works well and the fights featuring the caped crusader are intense and exciting. My only gripe is that this take on the character kills people, which is famously very un-Batman and the film never addresses this significant change to the hero’s moral code.

Like The Amazing Spiderman 2 and Avengers: Age of Ultron before it, Dawn of Justice falls into the trap of focusing so much on setting up future films that its own plot suffers, a problem further emphasised by poor pacing and abrupt editing. Knowing The Justice League is on its way is exciting, however a series of cameos and jarring visions don’t feel substantial enough to significantly set-up what’s to come and will only confuse anyone unfamiliar with the film’s source material.

Verdict:

An uneven, overburdened film with moments of brilliance and an exciting new Batman.

3/5

Deadpool Review

Plot: After being tricked into undergoing dangerous medical treatment by a shady organisation, former mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) discovers he has mutant powers. To his horror the transformation leaves him deformed, causing him to hide away from the love of his life. Wilson suits up and sets out on a path of revenge.

Whatever you think of superhero films, there’s no denying that in a saturated market a title like Deadpool needs to shake things up a bit to make an impact, and shake things up it does. At its core Deadpool is a superhero film set in Fox’s long-running X-Men universe, but on the surface this is an R-rated, violent comedy made to engage with an audience who are craving something new from the superhero genre. What we get is a mixed bag; a film that managed to nail the tone of the character, but within a bland and surprisingly familiar story. In one of its fourth wall gags Deadpool acknowledges and pokes fun at its titular character’s notoriously disappointing role in the franchise’s most poorly recieved entry X-Men Origins: Wolverine. With that in mind, it’s strange that a film so self aware then offers its audience a similarly flawed story, be it buried under a layer of witty quips and muddled within a non-linear narrative.

Plot aside, Deadpool is a funny film. I laughed throughout, enjoying the character’s engagement with the audience and the absurd scenarios that played out on screen. The fourth wall breaks, OTT action and quirky humour mostly works, with Reynolds’ showing off the merc with a mouth’s true potential as an engaging and charismatic screen presence. With the spotlight so focused its no surprise that the film’s other characters pale in comparison; a gritty love interest played by Morena Baccarin exists mainly to serve as the damzel in distress, whereas Ed Skrein’s Ajax is a completely uninteresting villain who’s very good at being evil and erm… fighting. Two B-list X-Men also feature in the film, although the franchise’s new timeline, the recast of Colossus (Stefan Kapicic/Greg LaSalle) and the films’ contrasting styles make it unclear where exactly Deadpool fits within the larger universe.

Verdict:

Deadpool’s revised introduction gives us a glimpse of the character’s potential, but witty quips and fourth wall breaks aside, this is a formulaic origin story that favours style over substance.

3/5

The Danish Girl Review

Plot: Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) begins posing as a lady for his wife’s paintings. When he discovers that he enjoys dressing as a woman he gradually gives way to his alter-ego, Lili Elbe, and struggles to maintain his relationship with Gerda (Alicia Vikander) whilst living in a society where many won’t accept his new-found self.

Last year Eddie Redmayne gave a very physical performance that saw his character’s marriage dissolve as he underwent a complete transformation. The film was the heartwarming Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything and the transformation was due to a horrific, rare form of ALS. In The Danish Girl we see Redmayne  give another very physical performance as Einar/Lili, and undergo another transformation with similar effects on the relationship. The Danish Girl does feel awfully familiar in that respect, despite it being a story that hasn’t been covered before in cinema – that of one of the first identifiable transgender women. The film’s subject matter makes it intriguing, but is it actually an interesting watch? Well no, not really.

Whilst a similar part worked well for Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, his performance as Lili often feels too much – there’s an overabundance of whispered conversations, toothy grins and shy giggles and they get old fast. As a result, I found myself waiting for this character to feel like a real person and not a drawn out impression.

Speaking of drawn out, The Danish Girl feels long. This is no doubt because, despite its bold subject matter, the film plays it very safe, and is missing any real excitement. Potentially tense scenes are played out in a way that tells the audience “it’s a bit shit but everything’s ok”. Even the surgery lacks any real sense of danger. Lilli’s first public appearance is as thrilling as it gets, which is unusual given the events that unfold later in the story. The film never risks provoking a serious reaction from its audience, as if not wanting to risk making anyone uncomfortable. It plays it so safe in fact that there are few surprises to be found, making it a rather dull watch.

Verdict:

The Danish Girl lacks any vibrant character, coming across merely as a watered-down, sumptuous costume drama.

2/5

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens Review

Plot: The First Order has risen from the ashes of the Empire and is on a mission to conquer the galaxy. A group of ragtag heroes join the Resistance, the only thing standing in the way of this new threat.

The Force Awakens may be one of the most talked about films of all time, but does it live up to the hype? Lock S4s in attack position, we’re going in.

When an audience is excited for the return of a popular franchise, it always helps to see that excitement reflected by the creative team behind the film. And reflected it was. Director JJ Abrams’ love of the Star Wars universe shines throughout. From subtle nods to key scenes from the original trilogy, to in-your-face “yeah that happened” moments that show longtime fans exactly what they want to see. The Force Awakens aims to please, and for the most part it does just that.

There are certain aspects to The Force Awakens that are too familiar. Its no surprise that there’s a bit of repetition, Star Wars does after all need to tick certain boxes with each release, but I would’ve preferred it if the film didn’t play it quite so safe. Some may see this as homage, others as a lazy retread. Whichever side you fall on you can be safe in the knowledge that The Force Awakens brings enough new material to the table to be a strong, fresh experience in its own right.

Star Wars has never looked better than it does here. Strange new aliens populate baron landscapes, lightsabers clash in a dark snowy forest and fighters soar over pristine waters, all accompanied by John William’s iconic score.  This often feels like a world (or galaxy) that’s alive and breathing, which no doubt is largely down to a variety of real locations that give the environments a much appreciated physicality.

As for the cast; fan favourite Harrison Ford kills it as Han Solo, but the real highlights are the saga’s new stars. John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver were instantly likeable as the upbeat Fin, the mysterious Rey and the sinister Kylo Ren. The script offers all the necessary beats, including some much appreciated comedy, but doesn’t offer any depth for potentially interesting supporting characters and occasionally throws in unnecessary expository dialogue, awkwardly telling the audience information rather than showing them. Here’s the thing though – you rarely have a moment to dwell on these problems because they’re swept under the rug by scene after scene of pure excitement. Stormtrooper raids, alien encounters, aerial battles, lightsaber duels – it’s all here. The Force Awakens is a relentless thrill ride bound to satisfy old fans and introduce a new generation to a galaxy far far away.

Verdict:

The force is strong with this one. A triumphant return that, despite retreading many of the steps of its predecessors, breathes life back into a galaxy many of us never want to leave behind.

4/5

Crimson Peak Review

Plot: Edith, the daughter of a rich American businessman, is charmed away from her homeland by a smooth talking Englishman. She moves to his family home in England, only to discover that the house and its owners carry a terrible secret.

Director Guillermo del Toro has long been known for his attention to detail and signature style. His best films immerse viewers in their worlds and Crimson Peak is no different. This is a film whose look alone is full of character, with cinematography, set and sound design all finely tuned to pull viewers into its 19th century world.

At Crimson Peak things go bump in the night, every night. Ghosts appear throughout, terrorising Edith (Mia Wasikowska) every time the sun goes down. Its just a shame that, despite their frequent appearances, none of these ghosts are particularly interesting or memorable. It is in fact the charming Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) and his frosty sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) that steal the spotlight. Hiddleston and Chastain’s performances are on point, and their characters’ strange relationships with Edith are intriguing and give weight to what is otherwise a rather simple story. JC

Verdict:

Despite the ghosts themselves being somewhat a let down, Crimson Peak is still a good watch. This is a creepy, stylish gothic romance full of atmosphere.

3/5

Mr Holmes Review

Plot: An elderly, retired Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) lives out in the British countryside with his housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her son (Milo Parker). Haunted by memories of his past, Sherlock befriends the boy and together they work through the unsolved case that ended his career.

There have been so many portrayals of the iconic Sherlock Holmes that it could be said that modern fans are spoilt for choice. It’s therefore impressive that Mr Holmes succeeds in showing the great decretive in a new light: this is an aged, thoughtful and somewhat bitter Sherlock, weighed down by defeat and regret.

Based on Mitch Cullen’s novel of the same name, Mr Holmes is more personal and smaller in scale than the average Sherlock story. Ian McKellen makes the character his own, portraying Sherlock as a grumpy old man in need of a wake up call. This call comes in the form of his final case, which leads him through some of his most painful memories on a journey of self discovery. All this is balanced well with Sherlock’s relationship with Roger, his housekeeper’s son. It’s fun to watch Roger ease Sherlock out of his comfort zone as he attempts befriend the old man, despite his frosty nature.

The twists and turns in this film aren’t as frequent nor as significant as you’d expect from a typical detective flick, but this isn’t that. Mr Holmes’ story is about its character, not its case. JC

Verdict:

Full of character, warmth and intrigue, Mr Holmes is a satisfying story of closure for the great detective.

4/5

Spectre Review

Plot: Bond strives to uncover the mystery of Spectre, a deadly organisation with links to his past.

From the opening moments of Spectre it’s made clear that this is a Bond film with a sense of scale; epic locations, huge fights and a villain that poses a worldwide threat. Also looming large are the shadows of Spectre’s predecessors. Spectre comes after fan favourites Casino Royal and Skyfall, and styles itself as a direct follow up to the latter. It seems appropriate then, that this film is helmed by Skyfall director Sam Mendes, who certainly knows how to make a great looking Bond film.

Spectre is a cinematic spectacle. Its set pieces offer a variety of intense action full of signature Bond moments. The film’s car chases, henchman showdowns and stealthy infiltrations are all well shot and exciting to behold. Daniel Craig himself is, to nobody’s surprise, still a perfect fit for Bond. Ben Whishaw’s Q and Ralph Fiennes’ M bring some much appreciated charisma and humour to the faces of MI6 and Monica Bellucci’s Lucia Sciarra is a decent Bond girl with more than just a pretty face.

Spectre ticks a lot of Bond boxes but suffers from its timing. The film is bogged down by unnecessary scenes that push back the screen time of its villain, played by Christoph Waltz, resulting in what ultimately feels like a forced relationship between the character and Bond within the film’s third act. This is a shame, because Waltz’s performance is on point, he brings a sense of cunning and power to what could have been the greatest villain in the Craig era of 007. And here’s the thing: the film thinks he is. Spectre will keep telling you that this is the big boss, this is the man behind all of 007’s pain, but its script hasn’t earned him that title. It’s disappointing that a two and a half hour long film ultimately fails to find time to establish a strong relationship between two of its main characters. JC

Verdict:

A decent watch, but this 007 isn’t quite on target.

3/5

Southpaw Review

Plot: After a devastating tragedy, celebrity boxer Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) must reinvent his fighting style and get back in the game if he is to reconnect with his daughter (Oona Laurence).

Southpaw does everything you might expect from a fighting film and… not much else. Despite an impressive physical performance from Gyllenhaal, it’s difficult to engage with the film’s two-dimensional characters and generic plot. This is the kind of script where you can pretty much guess every major plot point from beginning to end. That’s not to say Southpaw isn’t worthy of any praise – it’s a well shot, well edited film and the fights look legit, which may be because, in a way, they are. Gyllenhaal was really taking those punches and there’s only so much a relentless training routine can prepare a guy for taking hits like that. But Billy Hope himself isn’t a particularly likeable character and when a plot follows a path this well-trodden, it’s hard not to roll your eyes and check your watch when trudging through this summer’s fighting film. JC

Verdict:

Southpaw might be visually impressive, but its plot struggles to engage and ultimately fails to land a punch.

2/5

Inside Out Review

Plot: Emotions Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Anger (Lewis Black) and Fear (Bill Hader) make up “headquarters” – the central control room of 11-year-old Riley’s brain. As Riley suffers from a life changing event, emotions Joy and Sadness find themselves thrown from headquarters and into the outer sections of Riley’s mind. They must learn to work together in order to get back to headquarters and stop Riley from loosing who she really is.

Comparing Pixar’s Inside Out to Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi heist Inception might sound odd, but hear me out. If you’ve seen Inception you will have likely noticed how well the film takes something ordinary that we all possess and makes it extraordinary – everybody dreams and so everybody can relate to the rules of the film’s dreamworld. In the same way everyone has emotions and, like Inception, the rules of Inside Out build on this familiar concept in an extraordinary way. Mood swings, nostalgia, trains of thought and more are all present in this fun, colourful take on how the mind works.

Inside Out is likely to be the most upbeat film about depression you’ll ever watch, with the absence of Joy and Sadness leaving Riley with only anger, disgust and fear to keep her company. Dealing with a topic as serious as this and managing to keep it funny without watering it down is one of Inside Out’s greatest strengths. The other would be its world building – headquarters is only a tiny part of Riley’s mind and some of the film’s best gags come from its exploration of other areas including dream productions, imagination land and the subconscious to name a few.

Joy and Sadness share an interesting relationship, with their polar-opposite personalities gradually pushing forward the moral of the story. There are also some solid supporting characters such as Riley’s imaginary friend Bing Bong (Richard Kind) who steals the spotlight whenever he’s on screen. It’s characters like these that give Pixar films that special something that puts them a notch above your average children’s animation. In doing so many Pixar films broaden their audience-appeal and their latest release is no exception – Inside Out is too smart to be just for kids, it’s a true family film that you can appreciate whatever your age. JC

Verdict:

Smart, likeable and very funny. Inside Out is a film that’ll keep your own emotions busy throughout.

4/5