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An error has ocurred. Please try againThese films are considered the best of the best, the pinnacle of cinema so there shouldn’t be any stinkers here. There have been some films in the top 50 which didn’t live up to their extremely high expectations such as Citizen Kane but I did admire certain aspects of the film despite finding it pretentious However through the top 250 I have found gems such as my new all time favourite movie Charles Chaplin’s City Lights which is considered to be the favourite movie of many directors on this list but isn’t really talked about as being a masterpiece of cinema like Citizen Kane in my humble opinion. I hope other users agree up and make their own similar lists.
Reviews
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
A brilliant addition to a very hit or miss franchise. Dare I say better than "The Avengers"?
I always thought the X-Men were the real deal. When everyone was praising the brilliance of The Avengers I was more preoccupied in the compelling dynamic between the 2 leads, Xavier and Magneto in X-men First Class. Despite loving "Earths Mightiest Heroes" the story hasn't got a lot of grit to it and is rather zany. X-Men on the other hand I find to be a lot more compelling especially through it's sub-text of societies prejudice on minorities these are highlighted specifically well in First Class and X2.
By taking the principal characters from both these films and bringing them together into a desperate attempt to warn the past of the atrocities of the future in Days of Future Past is a work of genius. Days of Future Past is loaded full of exceptional performances James McAvoy is superb as a young Professor who has lost his way and has withdrawn from offering guidance. Michael Fassbender's performance is magnetic quite literally...but figuratively it is a fascinating portrayal of a man determined to get his way yet still showing respect for his old friend Charles Xavier. This dynamic that has carried on from First Class really fascinates me. Yes the action scenes with the mutant side characters like Blink and Storm are very impressive but the conflicting principals of these 2 characters is the big draw to me.
Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian's interpretation of these characters is a much welcome return adding an element of class to the rowdiness of there youthful selves. However I wanted to see more of the desperate survival within the post apocalyptic future. A whole movie could've been done on establishing the bleak future of a world ruled by Sentinels.
The big poster characters of these movies Wolverine and Mystique are also great. Wolverine is a bit of a bore in his solo outings. Having him function within a team is infinitely more compelling. Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique has many poignant scenes with the story hinging on her actions entirely which really raise the stakes.
With such an expansive cast all having a chance to shine it is a massive shame that Bryan Singer didn't direct the major let down that was X-Men 3 and Origins. It's nice that the characters act like the events never happened but it's a shame that I can't. As a standalone entry to the series X-Men Days of Future Past has a thoughtful script that doesn't rely on mindless action sequences to keep your attention. Along with it's stellar cast, this is a truly amazing installment to a messy franchise that now has a chance to develop.
The Lego Movie (2014)
Brickin awesome!
Upon the announcement of the Lego Movie I was hyped I always enjoyed the slapstick and inventive humour of the Lego games and of course like every other child, grew up with the toy that you spend more time building rather then actually playing with. What I didn't expect from the Lego Movie was the amount of imagination and the sheer fun that was in store. At first glance the film seems like a run of the mill adventure story of Emmet a likable everyday Lego figure who is mistaken for the special and is supposed to be a master builder of Lego bricks but is only a humble construction worker what follows is a madcap juvenile adventure with surprisingly a bit of social satire undercutting the story of our samey and conforming culture. The story becomes more and more original and creative as it speeds along with it's surreal humour.
The animation is simple yet groundbreaking in how CGI is used to replicate stop motion so much detail can be seen with the scratches and finger prints on some of the characters faces in close ups. The voice-work is also top notch I can't think of a character that didn't make me laugh they were all so wonderfully weird, and quirky.
The twist ending is also very thought provoking but was hinted at very early on so it was kind of a dead giveaway. I do admire the themes that were being addressed and has a great message for kids of all ages to never forget your sense of play.
Frozen (2013)
An animated winter warmer
Full of heart and humour, Frozen is a delightful film. The heavy and dark subject matter sets it apart from the traditional Disney style along with subtle postmodern mockery to the old Disney formula. The relationship between the two sisters works very well and is very touching from the get go supplying the films drama and emotional moments.
The snowman Olaf supplies the comic relief and if it wasn't for him the film would be very depressing, when he livens up the characters he livens up the audience. One aspect of the story does resort to traditional Disney conventions which ruined it a little for me because of the radical new direction the film seemed to be taking. That being said the story is great but some of the songs just come out from no where with little warning and unlike Beauty and the Beast, aren't as memorable and have little variety with some sounding quite corny however some do show what the characters are going through. There are some genuine plot twists too that no one will see coming.
Overall a great film perhaps not as innovative as Wreck it Ralph but Frozen is way ahead of it's competitors at Dreamworks and offers a charming story with three dimensional characters and a great message for kids about true love. The animation is also stellar and is very creative in terms of it's character design.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
This film maybe overlong but it ain't no King Kong.
Has some pacing issues and is perhaps too character cluttered but the second chapter of the Hobbit is a great romp. It starts with a bang with the chase still on from the previous film leading onto some trippyness and great action scenes in the forest, to the inclusion of Legolas and his lady friend Tauriel who's appearance isn't as forced as it could have been.
The film grinds to a halt once Bilbo and the gang enter laketown where not a lot of consequence occurs but the grand unveiling of Smaug makes plodding through these scenes worth it. Smaug the dragon is definitely one of the best CGI creations in a movie. The size and scale of this character is immense with Benedict Cabbagepatch lending his refined and silky voice to the vain unstoppable dragon.
An amazing score from Howard Shore, just heightens the tension and the atmosphere of these middle earth movies significantly. Although I think Tolkien must be rolling in his grave hearing Ed Sheeran's warbling.
The Hobbit part 2 is most memorable for it's inventive action set pieces such as the barrel sequence, the spider fight and Gandalf's showdown with some evil dude in a tower. All these scenes make the film very episodic like a Saturday matinée. Martin Freeman is also a delight to watch as Bilbo Baggins, he is a great physical comedian as well as verbal and all these qualities are very chaplinesque which adds great character to this unexpected hero.
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor (2013)
23rd of November, an early Christmas for Dr Who fans
A great big treat for anyone who has at least loosely followed the show within it's 50 year history.
Moffat has met the incredibly difficult task of catering this story to the casual and the hardcore Dr Who fans with his brilliant and dynamic writing. I feel bad for doubting the man I always thought he was losing his touch with overly clever plots that were making him come across as smug but he nailed it here, with this celebratory milestone.
This may also be a contender for the funniest Dr Who episode with the humour mainly provided through the banter of Smith, Tennant and Hurt who have amazing chemistry together and deliver the right balance of humour and drama to this feature length romp. (Actually, thinking about it the 1979 story the City of Death cannot be beaten in the humour department but this is the funniest the revitalised series has ever been.)
Overall a great episode that will ensue Doctor Who will go on with it's startling and slightly controversial conclusion that may irritate some fans however the two surprise appearances one of a familiar face, another of a taste of what is to come is the icing on the timey wimey cake.
Gravity (2013)
Good film but why is the hype OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!
A visual marvel depicting space as a place of great beauty yet great danger. The stunning camera work flows majestically and is bound to win some sort of Oscar it really takes your mind away from the simple narrative of hopping from one space station to another with the films grand visual beauty.
The small cast heightens the sense of isolation and leaves you engaged throughout the movie for the most part. The casting decisions for me are hit and miss, it is understandable that this movie needed the biggest stars possible to draw in audiences and keep them engaged, but on the other hand it is distracting seeing Bullock and Clooney two of the most recognisable actors in Hollywood playing astronauts so perhaps undiscovered talent would have been better off. I hate ripping into a film that looks aesthetically pleasing but in the script department it is rather underwhelming, why did George Clooney have to crack a joke about 10 million people losing their Facebook? Lucky for Bullock half of her dialogue consists of grunts and groans, must have been easy to learn those lines.
The 3D is also hit or miss sometimes it enhances the scene other times it just feels obnoxious such as the 3D tears coming towards your face.
The films most memorable scenes occur at the end I won't give away much but their are a few really great moments that provide genuine character depth more of this would have made it worthy of the hype this film has achieved.
Overall the film is extremely pretty much like Avatar it exceeds in visuals but provides little depth in characters and narrative, making it a must see one off viewing at the cinema, people are seriously missing out if they wait for the DVD or Blu-ray because the film will lose much of it's majesty on the small screen. The whole film kind off reminds me of a promotional demonstration for Imax cinemas which would showcase the great sound and visuals for Imax theatres.
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Ralph Rules!!
Wreck it Ralph is on another level! It is so refreshing to see a film that is based on videogames to be actually not just good but amazing for once and really capture the feel of retro games. The script is full of heart and humour but also has a bit of drama and pathos but of course being a Disney movie everything is alright in the end. Wreck it Ralph uses ideas and concepts of other animated films, if you put Toy Story, Monsters Inc and Who Framed Roger Rabbit in a blender you would get Ralph's unique video game hopping story. The film is full of references to retro games but it won't put of casual viewers or even non-gamers (like my mum) from the story which focuses on Ralphs search for a medal and the colourful characters and captivating worlds he visits on the way however it is worth seeing the film a second time around to try to spot famous video game characters in the background. There is also a funny mention about modern games "since when did video games become so violent and scary" a legitimate question. Overall Wreck it Ralph is also the best Disney film (although the unique story and characters feel a lot like a Pixar film) and has a brilliant message for kids which is a about acceptance and changing your outlook on life.
Monsters University (2013)
Will Pixar ever let go of my childhood?
The first Monsters Inc film came out when I was 10 having this film come out in 2013 with me going to University feels so right and is proof that these films are made for adults as well as kids. The film itself is a great story of the friendship between the impeccable duo Mike and Sully when they weren't on good terms with each other although we know what the outcome is, the journey throughout the movie of these 2 characters is great to witness. Although the film never really captures what University life is like and never really relying on funny material from that scenario it instead creates a funny cast of memorable monsters. Although it isn't as good as the first film Monsters University is a great nostalgic throwback to my childhood. Just like Toy Story 3 and most likely the eagerly anticipated Finding Dory.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Should be called an Unappreciated Journey.
Tolkien's bed time story is revamped in a more epic fashion with Peter Jacksons return to the stunning world of Middle Earth in The Hobbit, a tale of a secluded, comfort loving Bilbo Baggins who prefers his comfort loving home to the perils of adventure with his whole world turning upside down when the wizard Gandalf nudges him into a quest to help a group of dwarfs reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug. The story involves the fish out of water character of the reluctant hero Bilbo Baggins trying to find courage he never knew he had. We start with a party before the perils before moving on to encountering the good, the bad and the ugly the world of middle earth has to offer with a slash and dash approach of fighting then running away.
However, The Hobbit should be called an Unappreciated Journey then an Unexpected Journey because of its critical reception. Most of the backlash is unfair, with criticism's involving comparisons to Lord of the Rings and the drawn out narrative that is a slender children's book being divided into 3 movies. Comparing Lord of the Rings to The Hobbit is unfair surely anyone who is aware of the source material would know that, The Lord of the Rings isn't in the same league in a narrative level to The Hobbit. The Hobbit is the younger brother compared to the bolder older brother being the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In fact I thought some of the efforts to connect these 2 stories together were rather distracting with the inclusion of Frodo in the prologue, with ElijahWood delivering his 2 lines of dialogue, collecting his pay check then leaving. It seemed rather self indulgent and pointless. The looming threat of the Necromancer is intriguing however, adding a darker element to a relatively light-hearted journey making the decision of making these 3 films justified if executed correctly. These negative reactions only come off as minor gripes and shouldn't put anyone off watching this film. Jackson has created a true gem of a movie, with its delightfully charming cast of characters delivering brilliantly quirky performances.
Once again Andy Serkis steals the show as the schizophrenic Gollum despite being a feral creature of his forma self there is a real sense of attachment to his character with elements of morbid comedy in Serkis's performance. The Riddles in the Dark scene is defiantly the stand out moment of the film I've never known a game of wits could be so intense! Martin Freeman brings the beloved character of Bilbo Baggins to life with his funny facial expressions and quaint movement. His performance is very relatable much more so the the slightly dreary Frodo in the Lord of the Rings. Sir Ian McKellan provides an enigmatic and a cunningly powerful performance as Gandalf the Grey (which is far more interesting then Gandalf the White in my opinion.) Richard Armitage plays a ruff battle,hardened dwarf determined to reclaim his home from the dragon Smaug(who we only get a teasing glimpse of.) All these performances are stellar apart from the fact that some Dwarfs get more screen time than others but giving every dwarf a chance to stand out is hard amongst this bunch of characters which best works as a rugged team of Dwarfs. One performance that stood out too me as flat out bizarre would be Radagast the Brown and his frantic frolics in the woods with his bunny sled, it made me wonder if someone put LSD in my pepsi. The whimsy, wonder and peril of Howard Shore's Soundtrack also show the sheer range of the films gravitas which resembles the soundtrack of the Rings trilogy.
It's definitely worth going there and back again to your local cinema to witness the wonders of Middle Earth on the big screen despite the strenuous running time.
Skyfall (2012)
Adele's song makes sense now!
50 years have definitely been kind to the Bond franchise the appeal of car chases, brutal action, snazzy suits, gadgets, larger than life villains and Bond babes is a spectacle that definitely endures to modern day audiences and has been implemented in other films and TV shows but Bond has had some catching up to do with the likes of plot and character heavy movies of today while maintaining its identity. The first 2 Daniel Craig Bonds haven't quite reached these expectations but Skyfall has definitely created something new yet retaining Bonds swarvness. Mendes is to be commended for his vision, style and flair and combining it with character richness making this probably the most character driven Bond film yet specially into the second act. Some Bond purists may be up in arms about making Bond more human and attached but it is only a small part of his character it is not delved into its only touched upon and shown and never explicitly told. The only grumble I have with this is that the film becomes slightly more complicated when the franchise is more about style than substance but I would much prefer to see a more vulnerable human being then just a womanising action man. Despite seeing a more vulnerable James Bond this is strictly meant in the psychological sense not the physical sense, the action scenes are as ludicrous as ever normally he would dodge the bullet and get out of sticky situations but even when he doesn't dodge the bullet he survives with hardly an explanation no bullet proof vest or nifty gadget he just shrugs it off, bones some chick and pretends to be dead for awhile (which is starting to become a cliché that is really pissing me off, main characters pretending to be dead with the audience for a brief moment believing are hero to be dead but revealing not to be and is integral to the plot e.g. The Dark Knight Rises, Sherlock, Dr Who) The story starts off with this recent cliché and starts off slow because of this we know Bond is alive and is going back to MI6 he is not just going to sit around in Istanbul or wherever he is since we have another 2 hours of film left. So it's a little hard to get into the first 30 or 40 minutes of the film because of this implausible even for James Bond standards opener however once the villain starts to come to the forefront of the film the film picks up brilliantly. Javier Bardem as Silva is quite simply the best Bond villain ever he is every great Bond Villain rolled into one he is maniacal, sinister and slightly camp with a really intriguing motive for revenge. I won't reveal what it is but he and Bond are sort of like the 2 sides of the same coin and both of them have their similarities. Through Bardem's performance the script writing really shines through. Silva's reveal brings excellent writing, excellent direction and excellent performances all at once to the screen. Once the momentum gets going the plot of Skyfall is brilliant normally the plot of a James Bond film will follow a formula of stopping the bad guy and his cronies while making smart quips and driving fast cars along the way but in Skyfall it felt like they done that in the first half and show of the locales then make the movie more character driven Bond is a wreck and is losing his skills because of old age the future of a nation isn't really at stake it's more about loyalty and a bit of self reflection. Overall Bond is well and truly back with the classic style the older films merging with a more credible and personal story creating something fresh yet familiar. The action set pieces are as excellent and as explosive as ever. It probably isn't the best Bond film but probably has one of its greatest Villains in the franchises 50 years of history.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
When IMDb is ashes then you have my permission to review The Dark Knight Rises.
After the highly received and stunningly brilliant second instalment in Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy (which is in fact my 25th favourite movie to be precise) it is now time to witness the closing chapter of The Dark Knight saga, The Dark Knight Rises where we will finally see Batman hang up his hockey pads for good. So is this final instalment worth chanting about or is it just bunch of fishy pasta.
The story entails of Gotham City still living a lie from Harvey Dents decent into madness and Batman's blame for it. We now see a crippled Bruce Wayne who must deal with a city without Batman who is now obsolete however the baddie Bane forces Bruce to put on the Bat costume once again. Huhh!? Did I miss something? How did Bruce become crippled? In fact this film does have a few chinks in the plot but the spectacle and the performances lessen niggles in the plot although one or two are very distracting involving some baffling and implausible moments. Of course just like Nolan's other films, DKR is very intellectual in its story telling and characters giving us a insightful struggle of becoming a super hero which is practically Shakespearian in character portrayal and relationships along with showing the commitment Bruce has for this city like any other of the Batman films or superhero films in general. Batman/Bruce does go through a huge arc throughout the movie which puts Batman against the biggest crisis Gotham has ever faced along with personal struggles making this a truly fitting finale.
What stands out to me is Alfred pointing out the realism of the situation that Batman has been out of the game and that facing a foe such as Bane is suicide. In the previous films Alfred's irritation of Bruce's plan to stop the bad guy was usually played as comic relief but now things have gotten serious. Although Alfred hasn't got a big role in this film his relationship with Bruce is actually the thing I admired the most about the film.
The real draw in for me from the last Batman film was The Joker one of the most iconic screen villains. The films villains or should I say villain Bane and on and off villain Selina Kyle are interesting and intriguing. Bane comes across as an intelligent yet destructive terrorist with a somewhat intimidating voice that sounds like Sean Connery talking through an empty loo role. Banes motivation is also pretty weak he comes out of nowhere and decides to continue with Ducard's plan. Why did he wait for that long to spring his plan? Maybe the Joker beat him to it last time and decided to patiently wait and twiddle his thumbs until it all died down or some BS reason like that. Despite a weak and convoluted diabolical plan Bane has great gravitas and physical presence as a villain unlike Liam Neeson's character in Batman Begins. Catwoman on the other hand is a fascinating femme fatale who is very clever at deception which is established when we first see her. I'm not sure if this is an attempt at comic relief but her fighting style is funny. There is moment when she asks a guard to hold her hat while she checks for something and then she just punches him in the face. I'm not sure if this was intentional but some people did laugh at this scene (not as hard as me though.)
The end of the film is going to be a big talking point of the movie and there are about 3 twists to the plot the first twist I hated. There's a business woman called Miranda, a minor character who Bruce Wayne hands over Wayne enterprises to so it turns out that she is the true villain behind everything and that she rose from the pit that we are led to believe that Bane came out from. This twist feels very tacked on with this character who has about 2 minutes of screen time creating a poor plot twist that makes Bane less intimidating. If she was established in the other films it could have worked. Other plot twists such as John Blake turning out to be Robin I found to be an interesting variation on the character but I did feel stupid for not figuring this out earlier. I also liked the end of DKR which reminded me of the end of series 2 of Sherlock and series 6 of Doctor Who keeping us under the impression Bruce Wayne is dead but they then finally reveal at the end he isn't or is he? Just like Christopher Nolan tradition the ending of this film is up to the audience's interpretation. That's the thing with Christopher Nolan is that he twists conventions it's like there are other directors who follow the tried and tested but effective formula of a happily ever after and then there is Nolan who just defies convention. Although I'm not a huge Nolan fan I do admire him for thinking outside Hollywood's box of movie clichés.
Overall DKR is a spectacle of a finale with the audience truly behind the Batman and what he stands for. The dialogue is as memorable and riveting as ever especially from Bane (when you can understand him) along with some memorable action scenes my favourite would be when Batman reveals himself again with an action scene on the Batbike. No fuss is made about his comeback he just turns up like he never left. Now we have the full trilogy, debate will stem off which of the 3 is the best Batman movie. I'll just have to go with the "The Dark Knight" it was just more thrilling then DKR and BB. I know it's unfair to keep comparing to DK but it's probably the best comic book and one of the best movies period. How can I not compare?
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Good film but it should have been called "The Amazing Peter Parker"
It is clear from the trailers that The Amazing Spiderman is cutting off all ties with the old silly Spiderman 3 with a new, more serious Spidey. Of course everyone will be comparing this to Sam Raimis take on the wall crawler so re-telling the origin story of the young college student Peter Parker needs to be fresh yet familiar. So does Spiderman swing to new heights or does it get washed away like a spider in the bath?
The Amazing Spiderman echoes the plot threads of Sam Raimis Spiderman with the origins of these unusual powers which Peter obtains and how peter recklessly uses them for selfish gain and then thanks to his Uncle Ben Peter atones his powers to become a hero rather than a vigilante. What Marc Webb emphasises in his version of Spiderman Peter Parkers struggles having mysteriously lost his parents, having a tough time at school and losing his uncle. This fleshes out Peter with the first act introducing the insight to the struggles he carries even before he becomes Spiderman. But in the few moments we see Peter in the iconic costume the film doesn't know what to do with its self and the film swings (if you would pardon the pun) from one story arc to another making everything feel less connected.
The performance from Andrew Garfield is defiantly the highlight of the film. I can't believe the guy is 28 years old he looks like a teenager so he pulls of the look as well as the portrayal of his introduction from a typical ruff day at school to worrying his aunt and uncle with his odd behaviour. Garfield conveys Peter similar to Maguire accept more restrained in his awkwardness and perhaps more timid which makes him a captivating brainy character who keeps himself to himself. One of my favourite scenes from the film which is in the 4 minute trailer is when Spiderman is saving a little boy and throws him his mask and says it would make him stronger this emphasises the humanity of Peter Parker and is a very suspenseful and touching scene. It's just a same there isn't more scenes where Spiderman is being Spiderman. Sally Field and Martin Sheen who play Peter's Aunt and Uncle are very versatile characters who play the kooky yet concerned guardians. Of course the same tragic events occur just like in the 2002 Spiderman accept with a rather different outcome.
Other performances, that leave less of an impact would be Emma Stone as the brainy Gwen Stacy. Her portrayal was nothing great nor nothing terrible it's just a little dull how there are breaks in the action for a scene about coco. The romance isn't as developed then the first Spiderman also and is blended in well with the other plot points in that movie. Rhys Ifans who plays Doctor Connors is also a rather one dimensional villain they try and make him interesting by throwing in that he's got schizophrenia at the last minute but it's too little too late. Plus I found the effects on the Lizard to be more cute then threatening with that permanent smile on his face he looks like the snake from The Jungle Book.
Marc Webb also doesn't fully utilise the vistas that New York has to offer it is also a lot more domestic then the 2002 Spiderman. The soundtrack is also lacklustre and distracting and at times it doesn't complement the scene but it's only a minor nitpick.
Overall The Amazing Spiderman has now got everything setup for hopefully a worthwhile sequel where we get to see Spiderman doing what a Spider can. It's slightly annoying that we must sit threw another tiresome and somewhat predictable origin story but Marc Webb just barely manages to keep things fresh with his leading man Andrew Garfield pulling it off. Out of all the superhero films that are coming out this summer The Avengers is for those who are looking something larger than life and straightforward, The Dark Knight Rises is for the Drama and the psychological battle as well as the physical one and The Amazing Spiderman is for people looking for a coming of age story with someone who has everyday problems along with supernatural problems thrust upon them. 7/10
Prometheus (2012)
In the IMDb Prometheus page no one can read your review!
Next up in the highly anticipated summer blockbuster film line up is Ridley Scott's semi prequel to 1979's Alien, Prometheus an ambitious sci-fi adventure seeking some of mankind's burning questions. Unlike the previous Alien films this raises a bigger sense of discovery then an all out gore –fest instead focusing on this all important expedition for mankind's maker and is all the more complex as a result. This is a hard film to wrap my brain around mostly because of the mix of a complex premise of finding our maker with a sci-fi horror movie.
Prometheus is an intriguing film with Scott creating this ambiguous mythology that really heightens the sense of mystery and awe. This is defiantly the films highlight with the film going at a slow pace to build up in this extraordinary adventure. Information is slowly dispersed to us from the ancient markings that our female protagonist Elizabeth Shaw (played by Noomi Rapace what a name) finds in a cave to the exploration of the planet, to the realisation of what they have really discovered. Once Shaw and her crew land on the planet the sense of unknown is really heightened by parking the ship next to the alien ship and constantly returning to and from the ship, Prometheus and the alien spaceship does show the inquisitive and slightly apprehensiveness of the crew on-board the Prometheus.
Another great aspect of the movie is the overall look of the movie. Scott is usually great at making grand worlds for his characters to inhabit such as Blade Runner and Gladiator. What is really a breath of fresh air is the sparing use of CGI to create a naturalistic world. The visuals from this are all very traditional sci-fi accept with a super budget to make it all possible. The soundtrack also captures the sense of wonderment and has a very Jurassic Park feel to it.
What I found to be the major problem with this film was the lacklustre screenplay by Damon Lindelof in which I could predict what the characters would say before they said it. Side Characters also don't leave there designated stereotypes and have little interaction and development. It is like Lindelof can't be bothered to develop these characters because we know they will be alien chow but the point is to make these characters interesting so we become attached to them so we don't want them to become alien chow. At other times some characters lack passion for the expedition there on which makes no sense why would you fly halfway across the galaxy for something they have no enthusiasm for did they lose a bet or something? It is slightly embarrassing that the film with spandex wearing heroes has more of an engaging script. However the main characters are engaging enough especially David the android (played by Michael Fassbender) despite his confusing motivation he was an interesting character providing an enigmatic view on his agenda who I feel deserves more screen time but he quit while he was ahead :P.
A further gripe is the disappointing resolution where the film just ends abruptly with the hope that the remaining questions will be explained in further sequels.
In conclusion Prometheus is hit and miss fans of the alien films will most likely be disappointed but if you're not a fan or just a fan of Ridley Scott's auteur then it is worth checking out. Overall Prometheus is a solid film with its unique atmosphere and striving story but the side characters don't merge with the fantastical world they are on and the film is just building up to more build up. 7/10
The Avengers (2012)
The Bar has been raised!!
Finally, after 5 years of waiting the Avengers have finally assembled! That means no more teasing from that bold, black guy with an eye patch and having to wait through the end credits but more importantly we get see Earths mightiest heroes join forces for the first time. Should you and your friends assemble to the cinema to see it? The plot is simple and straightforward which involves Loki, the God of mischief entering Earth through a portal using the tesseract which is a glowing cube of doom, along with Loki's glowing staff of doom he possesses the minds of Clint Barton and Dr Erik Selvis. In response to this takeover Nick Fury decides to reinstate the avengers initiative to recruit Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and my favourite of the bunch Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) who we are all reintroduced to before the team finally mobilizes. Everyone is present and correct accept for Spiderman, Aunt May was ill at the time you see. The Story is as silly as it sounds with the villain's diabolical plan but director Joss Whedon managers to pull it off with the story's memorable and iconic characters rubbing shoulders. The Avengers is also about the clash of egos which must be overcome if they want to succeed against Loki. Whedon is self aware of how silly a team of colourful superheroes coming from vastly different backgrounds' coming together really is with these characters mocking and taunting ways each other in playful and witty ways being the highlight of the movie offering some hilarious moments such as Tony's confrontation with Thor and Steve Rogers having to adjust to modern day tech no babble. As good as the script writing is there are moments where the dialogue feels over the top such as the Chitauri's conversations with Loki. There are also moments which are needed to be taken more seriously that weren't and mixed both tragedy and comedy. What really makes the Avengers great was the banter which ensued by putting these characters together. Banner and Stark get along well because of their intellect however Stark is put off by Rogers who he thinks as "a lab experiment" Watching these personalities collide is almost like watching a reality T.V show. This makes the ark the characters go through more prevailing as they gradually come to accept the responsibility of being a team and finding common ground with their vendetta against Loki. This brings us to our villain Loki (Tom Hiddleston) who I thought would be a generic villain took me by surprise. I was expecting an over the top clichéd performance just like the loud and lacklustre Red Skull from "Captain America" but I was wrong Loki has versatility and depth being the God of mischief he has a sense of humour to go along with his slimy and crafty attitude. His motivation maybe mad but he gets it across with such conviction making this the best on screen villain since Heath Ledgers Joker from "The Dark Knight". The action scenes are brilliantly shot and handled the final action scene is just the right length however there is little suspense with our heroes being immune to every knock, explosion and everything else that is thrown at them however the spectacle is amazing to behold the action and the special effects also have substance behind them giving it more significance thanks to the brilliant ensemble cast of likable personalities. Who doesn't like the fact of the ego manic Tony Stark taking on a massive metal space worm? Michael Bay will probably be in a huff that Joss Whedon can destroy New York better then Chicago. The camera work is also very creative with a scene panning across everyone bickering but as they bicker the camera shows Loki's staff activating behind them. I don't know how Marvel has done it but "The Avengers" lives up to the hype. It redefines the fun and frantic comic book movie which proves you don't have to have a superhero movie be dark and brooding for it to be well received critically. It definitely is a breath of fresh air for a summer blockbuster to have substance behind its crazy style. The Avengers maybe silly and predictable but silly and predictable can be good sometimes thanks to its likable characters and entertaining story to create a thrilling experience. 8/10 Memorable moments It's hard to pick just one so I will pick one for each of my favourite Avengers Captain America-Taking control and leading the team in the final battle despite being dressed up like a blueberry Thor- Face off with Iron man in the woods Iron Man-Confronting Loki in Stark tower The Hulk-Giving Loki the old fashioned comic book Thwack and Thwomp.
X: First Class (2011)
Is it top marks for Xavier's first class?
Another year another X men film in the summer blockbuster pipeline but is this latest mutant outing worth getting your adamantium claws into after the recent disappointments that was the character cluttered X men Last stand and the unnecessary X men origins Wolverine? X men first class tells the origins of how the x men came to be with Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) recruiting other super powered mutants to find and locate Mutant bad guy Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) who believes that Mutant power is a gift and should be used to wipe out humanity. In Xavier's pursuit to recruit other mutants to join his cause Xavier encounters Erik lehnsherr he has his own personal vendetta for taking down Shaw. The core of the plot focuses on Xavier and Erik's strenuous relationship with their 2 conflicting ideologies clashing throughout the movie however what makes it interesting is the gentlemen like manner their arguments have making this an interesting character dynamic with the hero respecting the Villains decisions and vies versa. This makes the audience somewhat sympathise with Magneto with his suffering at the hands of humanity and Shaw.
Along with the relationship between Xavier and Erik there are a vast amount of side characters which all get their chance to shine with the training montage which shows the audience how these characters grow and the relationship between each other with Hank and Havoc having a ladish and competitive relationship and the blossoming romance between Hank and Raven. These relationships between the vast amounts of characters aren't explored in great detail but it does provide a sense of unification between the X men. X men first class is also embedded into historical context with the cold war offering a backdrop to the civil conflict between the mutants. This heightens the tension with the looming threat of the cold war contributing to the pacing of the film with the Cuban missile crisis leading to the climax of the film and an explosive finale which wraps everything together. Other memorable scenes such as the training montage and recruiting the mutants provided with some interesting camera work and unforgettable words of wisdom from Xavier. The overall the film's strengths would be the struggle the characters go through and how mutants are shunned by society especially the ones with physical indifferences such as Mystique/Raven and Hank/Beast (perhaps echoing the intolerance of homophobia) and how the mutants confront it. It is also interesting to see the youthfulness of Xavier by chatting up ladies this shows a different aspect of the character from the X men trilogy. The relationship between Xavier and Magneto as mentioned before is the films basic core with both these characters having similar and different agendas and creates a moral dilemma for the audience. The pacing is also handled very well with the looming threat of war gradually building up throughout the film in which the X men prepare for. The action scenes in the film are also stellar with the mutant's powers which are cleverly handled in the action scenes. Despite the interesting character dynamics of Xavier and Erik some characters aren't developed as well an example would be the villain Sebastian Shaw despite his lust for power he doesn't have a clear motive apart from to exterminate all the humans this makes his agenda (got to stop using that word) very cliché. It is interesting however that the character of Shaw foreshadows Magneto's own agenda but unlike Shaw, Erik has been a victim of humanities cruelty. Some of the dialogue between characters is also very obvious and isn't needed with scenes like this in need of some tweaking. Another criticism would be the lack of continuity between the other X men films. This comes across as confusing with First class being a Reboot and a prequel. The film is also left open for a sequel which might be a risky move because the film stands better on its own.
Although it's not in 3D X men first class has all the right pickings for a summer blockbuster. Brilliant characters combined with brilliant action gives X men first class full marks from the mutant Ofsted inspection.