Movies: What Have You Seen Today?

[Connor Harrison]

Just a place for film fans to share reviews of any films you may have watched, either new or old. Recommendations? Warnings? Favourites? First time views? Share your thoughts on what you've seen with us!

I'll get the ball rolling with a film I saw over weekend:

'The Jungle Book' (2016)

I’ve only seen the 1967 Disney original once, so could go into this without the need to compare or worry emotionally about my childhood being ruined blah blah blah. All the better for it, because this is a magical piece of story-telling with stunning visuals, wonderful performances and a few moments that made me jump more than any recent horror film I’ve seen.

This is evidently a project that wants to stay faithful to the source material, never straying too far from a simple story we all know. While director Jon Favreau adds and tweaks a few sequences here and there from a narrative point of view and to maintain a sense of “realism”, it’s familiar territory from the off.

On a sense of realism, our CG animals are scarily real. They move and act like wild animals should. Only when they start to talk do we remember that they are fantastical creatures and not something in a wildlife documentary. These magnificent beats are so accurate you’ll be hard to imagine they are all CG creations because they look and move so realistically around the jungle and with young Mowgli. All the animals, big and small, are awesome to behold on the big screen and really put the scope of this in context. While we don’t have dancing elephants or bears wearing coconut bras, as I say the realism of what animals can do is kept here, they are still very entertaining, scary, emotional, powerful and loveable in their own way.

The cast is also brilliant and I couldn’t hear the animals any different to what I was doing. Stand-out roles are Bill Murray as Baloo who gives his best performance in years – nothing quirky or obscure, just warmth and humour and emotion in the way Murray does best when he’s given good material – and Idris Elba as Khan, a tiger so menacing that with his deep, silky voice you never feel comfortable in his presence because you don’t know when he’s going to lash out next. Christopher Walken is too cool as King Louie, and never fails to win me over with his unique dialect and smooth voice.

Scarlett Johansson is very much a fleeting role and serves only a few minutes of screen time but still embodies her python Kaa with that seductive threat she needs thanks to her voice. With Lupita Nyong’o, Ben Kingsley and Giancarlo Esposito also on fine form, the animals here and brought to life more than I expected. Kudo also to newcomer Neel Sethi, a boy acting alongside nothing but green screen animals but still manages to convey the right amount of pathos and fun needed for a boy raised in this fantastical jungle. He is a perfect screen Mowgli and really gives it his all acting-wise to make you invest in him, believe in him and really connect with his relationship with the animals he meets. A great little actor indeed for such an important role.

The pace rockets along fine, and it’s made easier with such beautiful landscapes and CG locations that rival ‘Avatar’ in terms of sheer gorgeousness on screen. The jungle is sprinkled with that lush Disney magic that looks hyper-real in places, but this is fantasy, and so you let your imagination spiral with the raging waterfalls, sky-tall trees, dangerous cliff faces and sun-baked clearings. It really is a gorgeous looking film from the off and brought to life through harsh sun, fierce rain and tropical thunderstorms.

I find it hard to fault this on the whole – it’s a very simple story, but nothing is hard to follow or simply enjoy. Maybe the CG will be too much for some, but because it’s never done in a tacky way, it actually works on the whole and the realism of it bowled me over. Maybe the tone is a little more scary and “real” that can put off young children; as I say there are a couple of scary moments due to Khan (then again, he IS our villain and it never lingers too long)? I’m not sure – I think parents should take their children to see this as they’ve probably seen worse, but with each scary moment the sequence is quickly diffused with action or a scene change and no violence is lingered on to frighten young viewers.

It’s a magical adaptation of the current live-action Disney era, and with a rousing soundtrack and sweeping camera work that takes us below, above and through the jungle as only Disney can, this is a real winner. I can’t think fans of the original will be offended by this remake; it’s a loving remake for a new generation whilst respecting the source. And even two toe-tapping songs feature in moments that work surprisingly well to keep that sense of “realism” – Sethi, Murrary and Walken…in fact the whole cast and crew….do us proud.

 

[Connor Harrison]

'Criminal (2016)

The cast look good, and the idea is interesting BUT the execution and story is pretty lazy, which results in a wasted opportunity to make this Kevin Costner’s ‘Taken’. It’s predictable, violent and ends up being something you’ve already seen before, but not pulled of as good.

I like Costner, I always have, and have most of his films, but sadly his recent offerings haven’t done him any favours. With the right material, he can deliver. He was fine as Jonathan Kent in the new ‘Man Of Steel’, but look at him in ‘3 Days To Kill’ and now ‘Criminal’, he’s being cast as broken men who have demons to battle as well as the baddies.

Playing a man who is fighting with his own violent nature against a more caring and emotional one, it’s like a strange blend of ‘Face/Off’ meets ‘Total Recall’, but not as good. The film is very slow once the story starts and, to be honest, Costner is portrayed as a man too damn violent and cruel to really care for at all. I found myself not liking him, even when I probably SHOULD have been trying to like him. The violence he commits is, and I’m shocked to say this, un-necessary for his character and the plot.

Gary Oldman is just playing Commissioner Gordon on a bad day. Tommy Lee Jones is always on point, but here he just looks troubled and miserable. Gal Gadot shows she can act better against CGI monsters in suits of armor, because here she’s just the crying, love-lorn but resilient widow/mother who ends up being the obvious damsel in distress. It’s a shame, because this is a good cast, but the material is too routine, too normal and too lazy for them to actually test their own ability and give us something memorable. Even watching Ryan Reynolds get the poodoo beaten out of him is very run-of-the-mill, but still enjoyable for those of us who hate him and ‘Deadpool’.

And the story? I don't know why it was relevant to be the basis of film. We have a villain who I don't know what he was trying to do, and a sub-villain who doesn't know if he wants to be a villain or not. Also, the fact everything said villain does is done via a laptop is boring - he can control weapons, hack into CIA databases, watch London CCTV...I mean, this is just cheap, using technology as a plot device to enable someone to do anything. And the fact the laptop is never plugged in? Must have good battery and network connection to do all this government hacking and missile launching.

In the final stages of the long, drawn out cat-and-mouse game across London (getting very boring as a city to film in with the same old places used in films over and over again – ‘London Has Fallen’ did it all before), the film does pick up into tacky but fun actioner and lets Costner enjoy himself a bit, but it’s soon brought back down quickly and full of, on the whole, lots of people shouting and being confused at who is working for who and why.

So, yeah. On the whole it’s another disappointing outing for Kevin Costner who deserves better. He deserves a solid action film without him having a cold, or being a psychotic with a head-ache or anything like that. Just let him be Kevin Costner going after bad guys, because he does that very well. Everything else around him and the cast in this just brings the enjoyment down and adds to the already bloated feel of the 110min run-time.

 

[Connor Harrison]

'Bastille Day' (2016)

You’ve seen this sort of film before many times. It could be a 2010 Liam Neeson outing, or even a Jean Claude Van-Damme straight to DVD effort. It’s not groundbreaking or game-changing, but it’s not the worst of these sort of by-the-numbers action films.

Yes it’s set in Paris (as all these action films seem to be of a certain ilk) and it features the American secret service taking on a European problem. We have roof-top chases, car chases, tight fist-fights in limited space, shoot-outs, a few twists and some non-watered down violence and language. All in all, it gives us a 90min excuse to turn the brain off and have some fun.

Idris Elba needed a transition to the big screen being the man of the moment. Blending his characters from ‘The Wire’ and ‘Luther’, he makes the leap to the big screen to show he’s not got what it takes to be the next James Bond, but for being the next Jason Statham – churning out the action films with basic plots but enough testosterone to keep you happy if you’re into that sort of thing.

He’s a tank of a man – thundering across roof-tops and hallways to take out the bad guys minus the one-liners. He’s not a man to mess with, and Elbra isn’t a bad actor at all, dishing out the pain here in a very likeable way that makes this look like a walk in the park for him. With the usual comedy sidekick, who’s actually not that annoying as side-kicks go, in Richard Madden who can do anything because “he’s a top pick-pocket”, which makes acquiring things so easy in this film, the two form a good enough partnership to enjoy without it being irritating.

The shaky-cam is back, the editing is a little sloppy and the bloke in charge of the sound production was enjoying himself too much – every punch and kick is accentuated by the same OTT noise of fabric moving and fists hitting faces and walls that makes it sound like a nasty over-dubbed kung-fu films in places. They try a little TOO hard to make Elba out to be the total badass.

But we’ve got a good story, pretty dark in places with some mature levels of violence to boot, so it’s not a watered down action film for sure, and there are a couple of nice twists in there that I didn’t expect once the cards are on the table.

Like I say, 90mins for a loud and well-acted action film isn’t a chore to sit through at all, and while it’s not very memorable, you get what you expect and can’t really complain once the credits roll.

 

[Connor Harrison]

'Captain America: Civil War' (2016)

I will try to keep this bite-size, as I’ve learnt I can prattle on an awful lot about certain films that either blow me out the water or leave me very under-whelmed, and I don’t want to write ‘War & Peace’. This blew me out of the water; and, the testament to knowing it was superb, was that is made me want to go and re-visit all existing MCU films from the start which is something I’ve not cared much about until now. And I didn’t find Tony Stark annoying. That’s an achievement for me.

I’ve seen most of them, skipped a few, not given all my full attention, but on the whole I know what’s going on. I’m not a die-hard Marvel fan, or even DC fan. I know basics. I know the obvious heroes and villains. I can sit on the fence while fan-boys blast each other on either side. And this makes me enjoy the films more because I take what is given as an audience member and process it as a film fan. ‘Captain America: Civil War’ may well be the greatest modern superhero film for me, easily surpassing ‘The Dark Knight’.

(Come on then DC fanboys, waste your arguments on me. I’m immune. I’m loyal to no studio exclusively!)

At just under 2.5hrs, the film never drags. While it takes it’s time to set up the second-half, the first is a steady pace of character development and relationship exploration. These are character’s we’ve invested in for over 8 years now, and that is an achievement you can’t fault for Marvel. This finale for the Captain America trilogy doesn’t feel at all like a 13th film in an overall series – it deals with the past, present and future of a world we are following with characters we love and/or hate. It’s important as a Marvel film and a superhero on, and feels as fresh as ever.

With a clear understanding of the source material from the Russo brothers directing, this deals out some breath-taking comic-book style action as well as calmer, more emotive sequences that all play a part in fuelling the growing “civil war” between the Avengers. There are brilliant links to previous films and events that make so much sense to the story and very clever indeed without feeling shoe-horned in.

The cast, too big to mention each by name, is perfect. They continue to flesh out their characters, give them new sides and new motives and all as important as the other, regardless of screentime. From the faultless lead stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey, Jr who give you just what you’ve come to expect, the supporting Avengers are crucial to making this whole thing work and the conflict that ensures comes off far better than you could imagine thanks to their portrayals. Each hit is reluctant, and each action comes with consequences for all and you can’t wait to see where they go. From Paul Rudd to Paul Bettany, from Chadwick Boseman to William Hurt – heroes or villains, they are perfect and you know them already; you care for them and feel torn with them. And the good thing here is that each Avenger gets their own moment; not just to “shine”, but to remind us who they are and what important part they play in all of this. It’s why we can invest in them, right?

With super set design, some exceptional stunt work and enough plot to make sure you don’t even miss Thor, Hulk or Nick Fury, this is a fitting finale for Captain America’s trilogy as a weak war recruit to modern day super-soldier and the legacy he builds, and destroys, during it. I loved every minute of it and found the balance of comedy, drama, emotion and suspense to be just right. I chuckled when I wanted to, and was gripped when I wanted to be.

And yes, guess what, it was so nice to have another superhero film shot during the day where I could actually see the intricate choreography, set detail and CG visuals rather than it all being dark and gloomy and covered with rain. Atmosphere is one thing, but if it takes away everything else? No thanks.

Kudos to our new Spider-Man, Tom Holland, who wipes away all previous Sony efforts with his new Marvel backed outing who I will be happy to see where his solo film goes – he’s smart, strong and uses Star Wars to take down an Avenger. What’s not to like with this debut? My only quarm is Marisa Tomei as Aunty May. After following on from a 74yr old Rosemary Harris and 67yr old Sally Field, this 51 year old May is nothing but a distracting MILF. Come on, you’re all thinking the same. Certainly will take some getting used to!

AND one final thrill for me was the Leipzig/Halle Airport scene. Teased in all the trailers, the seconds we see make it look a little underwhelming, but TRUST me; it’s the most exciting and well-staged action sequences in all the Marvel films and certainly most recent superhero films. It’s fun, exciting, dangerous, painful and giddy when you see these comic book characters acting as if they’ve jumped from page to screen. It’s an assault on the senses and worth the price of a ticket alone for fans of CB movies and entertainment.

 

[Connor Harrison]

'Special Correspondents' (2016)

I’m a big fan of Ricky Gervais, and I have been since 2001 watching the original UK series ‘The Office’. Since then I’ve invested in his projects such as further TV works, his animated series, the radio shows, podcasts, stand-up and feature films. It’s clear he’s become America’s favourite comedic import, working across in the US than the UK, so I can say that I’m not a huge fan of the American produced work he writes and directs which primarily caters for the US audience.

Ricky Gervais can write funny material; he can also do emotion very well as he’s proved in the UK sitcom ‘Derek’ and even ‘The Office’ and ‘Extra’s. He also plays his characters as you’d expect from seeing David Brent in 2001 – foot in the mouth, a little cheeky, a buffoon but likeable at heart. He never changes his appearance (facial hair not included) and his accent. You know what you’re getting if Ricky Gervais stars in a film or show, no matter the country it’s made in.

Here, I found him amusing in places but overall the material wasn’t what I may have expected, but it seems he’s adapting his style for, as said before, the American audience. The jokes sometimes are watered down so everyone understands them and the gags are very generic, in fact most things in this are very generic; the bickering leads, the selfish wife, the love-lorn co-worker, the desperate boss, the silly friends. It’s the checklist of basic comedy again, each character having a very specific trait to play on. And Gervais tries to play TOO hard at the down-trodden Brit who has a thing for collecting comics and Marvel figurines and dresses underwhelmingly; is this how he feels best to portray Brits alongside the Ray Ban wearing, slick dressing, confident American portrayed by Bana?

The story is fun enough, working more when we actually get to it and have Bana – a strange arrogance to him that comes across as pathetic to his character rather than charismatic – and Gervais up against it creating a fictional war-torn Ecuador in a dark room using radio equipment and sound effects. From this, it’s a case of them trying to find a way to repair their wrongs when the whole country unites to raise funds to bring them home when they are “kidnapped” and held hostage, just so they don’t have to report back to their boss.

The resolution to all this is a little rushed for me; it’s funny in places, yes, but not Gervais style funny. It’s just…mild comedy funny. It all wraps up in about 15 minutes and just too easy to really buy. It’s as if Gervais finally realised he was running out of time to wrap up the story with a satisfying ending and so knocked out a basic finale where everything comes together quickly and we are supposed to accept it. Done.

Featuring a slew of American comedy talent, Gervais directs them well, but as a fan for 15 years, I don’t feel this is his strength comedy wise. Maybe he’s growing up (finally) and trying to deliver more safe forms of entertainment to the masses, being that this is a Netflix exclusive, and he knows America don’t “get” his David Brent routine. While over here in August we are getting a David Brent movie, full of the gags and quips we are used to seeing form the “British” Gervais.

The “American” Gervais doesn’t amuse me very much, and while I will continue to support his work, it’s not something I look forward too eagerly if this generic comedy is anything to go by.