All the Money in the World – Worth the watch

If you can get past the controversy of recasting Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer and having all relevant scenes reshot in about a week, you’ll actually find there’s quite an interesting film here.  It’s based on a true story about the (at the time this film was set) richest man in the world, oil billionaire Paul Getty, and his reaction to the kidnapping of his grandchild back in 1973.  Now, most of us would instantly say ‘Just pay the ransom!’ if a family member was in mortal danger (and you had millions in your back account!).  However, he responded by saying something like, ‘I have fourteen grandchildren.  If I pay the ransom for one I’ll have thirteen more kidnapped grandchildren.’ Weirdly, and against all natural parental reactions, I can kind of see where he’s coming from.

‘All the Money in the World’ is directed by veteran, Ridley Scott, so, if you’ve ever seen any of his other work, you’ll know you’re in for a visual treat.  Now, on to the casting… Despite a strong cast, all talk about who was in it surrounds Kevin Spacey, who was recast after all his scenes were shot and edited into the movie, due to his off-screen life at the time.  Therefore, Christopher Plummer stepped in at the last minute and went on to win awards.  Before I saw the film I did wonder whether these awards were given simply to try and justify the blatant recasting, however, now I’ve watched it, I can see that he did turn in an amazing performance at what must have been extremely short notice.  But, while we’re on the subject of the stars, I think Mark Walberg deserves a mention for his part as Getty’s ‘facilitator.’

I guess if the film does have a ‘drawback’ is that some may feel that it goes on for quite a long time.  It feels like it’s drawing to a conclusion at just over the halfway mark, before you realise that it’s all starting off again.  This is certainly not a thrill-ride, so you’ll need to know that you’re not going to get Bruce Willis storming into an enemy lair to rescue the teenage Getty.  Instead, you get the story as it plays out – and all the laborious and depressing loopholes that have to be jumped through in order to get your loved one returned to you safely.

So, if you’re in the mood for something well-acted, well-directed, interesting, yet kind of long and drawn out, then you should definitely give this one a watch.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that

The World is Not Enough – Never quite got all the hate

There’s been good Bond films and bad Bond films, but, in the long run, they’re all pretty similar and you should – by now – know what you’re getting with Bond, whether you’re watching the new ‘grizzled’ Daniel Craig era, or anything before that which is distinctly ‘lighter’ in tone.  I’m not going to say that ‘The World is Not Enough’ is ‘classic’ and will be remembered for being one of the seminal films of the franchise, but I was always surprised about the amount of hate it generated. 

Most people agree that the previous film ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ was Pierce Brosnan’s highpoint as the super-spy and the following two films were a slow decent into the reboot which came afterwards.  I always thought that Brosnan had really settled into the role by now and was clearly having fun with it.  As usual, he’s got to save the world again and, besides the excellent action (highlight being the boat chase down the Thames) and naturally exotic locations, this one gave us quite a few new elements to the traditional mix. 

First of all we see more of MI6.  I know it’s a small thing, but I felt we got to see a lot more of what goes on behind the scenes of Bond’s world.  Plus Judi Dench was given a bigger role than any previous ‘M’ has ever been afforded.  The villains (and, yes, there are two – just in case you don’t know I won’t spoil one of them).  However, Robert Carlyle seems to be enjoying playing the bad guy who’s impervious to pain due to a bullet being lodged in his brain, slowly cutting of the sensations one by one.  Robbie Coltrane returns as his Russian gangster, which is a nice touch as it brings the ‘Brosnan era’ films together as one and – as a fan of John Cleese – was delighted to see that he was being lined up as Q’s replacement (sadly the last time we got to see Desmond Llewelyn on screen).

So, all in all, I thought it was a good time if you’re looking for a decent enough Bond film that will kill a couple of hours.  I guess most people’s criticisms were levelled at Bond-girl, Dr Christmas Jones (played by Denise Richards at the height of her fame).  Yes, I know it’s a stretch to see her as a ‘nuclear scientist’ but – hey – this is James Bond, after all!  Okay, so she’s hardly going to win any Oscars for dressing like Lara Croft, but – again – she’s hardly a reason to completely hate this film.

If you’re a fan of Bond then you should know what you’re getting and this one should tick all the boxes you require to sit back with a vodka martini or two and have a good time.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that

Hostiles – No need to hold on to your hats

If the film title ‘Snakes on a Plane’ told the audience everything they needed to know about the story, ‘Hostiles’ goes the other way entirely.  Is it set in space?  Or the Second World War?  Or is it about hostile bacteria invading the human body?  Well, despite its pretty much nondescript title, it’s actually set in the blood-thirsty days of 1892 and a battle-hardened soldier (Christian Bale) is reluctantly charged with the task of escorting some newly-released Native American prisoners across the country where the sickly eldest of which now wishes to die in his homeland.  Therefore the cast is divided into the group of soldiers and the group of Native Americans, who naturally butt heads more than once along the way.  This is largely because Bale’s elderly ‘prisoner’ was responsible for many of Bale’s former friends in the force.

This certainly sets up the story nicely for plenty of tension between the two groups, but – and I hope I’m not spoiling this too much – you can kind of see where the plot is going to go from the opening scene.  And, while we’re on the subject of the opening five minutes, I have to point out that it’s one of the most grisly and disturbing scenes I’ve seen in mainstream cinema in a long time.  For there’s another bunch of Comanche Native Americans on the prowl who are more than happy to scalp anyone – and that includes fellow Native Americans – who they come across.  They wipe out a local farming community leaving only Rosamund Pike’s character alive until the main cast stumble across what remains of her home.  So, you can probably guess that Bale’s team will have to bury his differences with his captives in order to survive the journey.

Now, Bale is no stranger to ‘carrying’ a film on his own and, I’m pleased to say after the ‘blip’ that was ‘Terminator: Salvation,’ he looks like he’s confident to do it once more.  This really is his film and I found him the most interesting of all the cast.  He’s a battle-hardened soldier who’s no stranger from murdering those Native Americans he’s now forced to protect.  However, as brutal as he is to those he deems ‘savage,’ he shows nothing but total respect and compassion to the ‘victim’ Rosamund Pike and he seems to anticipate her feelings with a degree of empathy that isn’t often seen when the character is supposed to be some sort of ‘grunt’ in the military.

The film looks great and the director has clearly taken a lot of care and attention to crafting each shot.  However, don’t expect the film to be that fast-paced.  Just because there are some moments of action and gore, the setting doesn’t lend itself to anything really ‘high-octane’ that’s on a par with other action scenes in today’s cinema.  Plus the film is long and, as much as I enjoyed it, the length may well put me off from watching it again any time soon.  I reckon if you cut about fifteen minutes out of the story (mainly in the final act) you’d have a much tighter piece that would still have focused on the characters’ journey as they are forced to grow together.

Don’t expect an ‘action/adventure,’ but do expect a slow-moving character piece in a ‘Wild West’ kind of backdrop.  Another good one for Christian Bale’s CV.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that

Burn After Reading – It’s a little bit funny

I think I've watched the Cohen Brothers' 'Burn After Reading' about four times now and, although I find it a weirdly enjoyable film, I still can't get my head round the beginning.  I guess you'd call it a black comedy/drama, filled with mix-ups and adulterous relationships, yet the catalyst for how it all begins seems to be one of those 'blink-and-you-miss-it' kind of moments.  A CIA analyst (John Malkovich) gets fired and ends up being blackmailed by a pair of gym employees (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt), one of which is sleeping with a married man, George Clooney (who is also sleeping with John Malkovich's wife, Tilda Swinton).  Confused?  You may well be.

It’s a pretty confusing plot, not because anything’s that difficult to understand – it just has a real air of confusion about it all.  And, I think that’s deliberate.  For we, the audience, are treated like the CIA agents in the film, left to look in on this series of odd developments and wonder what the hell is going on here.

Of course the film’s storytelling style may not be to everyone’s liking, however you have to admit that it has a stellar cast.  With those names in the lead you’ll be hard pushed to not enjoy their performances.  Although, I have to say that (no-so-famous) Richard Jenkins stole every scene he was in and brought a real air of tragic pathos to the cast.  In fact, he may well be the film’s ‘heart,’ as, despite the other lead actors being big names, you may find it difficult to empathise with anyone besides Jenkins.

Although everything ties up with these characters lives, like I said, it does it in a deliberately vague way which leaves you with question marks over your head (making you see the events through the bewildered eyes of those men supposed to know everything that’s going on ever).  Oh, and don’t read too many spoilers – as there are definitely some moments that you won’t see coming!

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that

Molly’s Game – Game on!

‘Molly’s Game’ is one of those ‘based on a true story’ films where you never really know quite how much has been based on true events and what’s been added to make it a better story.  However, whatever the split, I quickly found I was able to suspend my scepticism and just enjoy the film for its entertainment value.

Jessica Chastain plays the titular ‘Molly’ – a professional skier involved in a freak accident on the slopes at a young age.  Then, and this is one of those moments where something is so unbelievable it is probably totally true, she changes her career and becomes host to exclusive high-stakes poker games for the rich and famous.  Yes, there is a bit of a leap there, but, don’t worry, it’s not quite so glossed over in the film.

The story itself is one of those than bounces around through time.  One moment you’re with the adult Molly who’s standing trial for taking back-handers at the table, the next you’re with her teenage incarnation who’s in the middle of a row with her – slightly overbearing – father, played by Kevin Costner.  However, that’s not as jarring as it sounds and you shouldn’t be confused as to what time period you’re in.  However, because of this way of telling the story, you’re – sort of – told how it ends near the beginning, but, again, there’s enough intrigue to make you keep watching.

Plus, of course, Molly’s lawyer is played by Idris Elba, who, of late, I felt hasn’t been getting the ‘meaty’ roles he deserves.  Well, he’s not in it as much as fans may like (being that he’s only in the ‘present’ and never in her past), but when he is there he does what he does best and steals the spotlight.

Then you have the direction – it’s possibly more stylish than your average biographic drama is used to.  It comes across as something between a Guy Ritchie film and ‘Ocean’s Eleven.’ But then it is – technically – a crime caper, albeit a ‘real life’ one, so perhaps the style of direction is fitting.  It works either way.  It’s over two hours long, but never really feels as long as it could do.  You’ll find yourself rooting for the characters and maybe even trying to Google who the mysterious ‘Player X’ really is.  I have my ideas.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one

Midnight Run – Old school entertainment at its best

If ever the phrase ‘They don’t make ‘em like they used to’ applied to something, it was the 1988 Robert DeNiro film ‘Midnight Run.’ There’s something about it that just works.  Maybe it’s the simplicity of the plot, i.e. Robert DeNiro’s bounty hunter, Jack Walsh, has to escort his – unwilling – prisoner, ‘The Duke,’ played by Charles Grodin, from one side of America to the other.  Even the supporting characters claim that’s a task so easy that it could be done backwards.  However, Jack finds this simple accountant more of a handful that he bargained for.  It’s not just the Duke’s repeated escape attempts and constant chatter about Walsh’s unhealthy lifestyle that cause the problems (apart from bringing on Jack’s ‘sleeping’ ulcer!), it’s the fact the Duke is also wanted by the FBI, another bounty hunter and the Las Vegas mob.

As I say, this film is a product of times past.  It doesn’t rely on extensive computer effects or high octane action, it simply has excellent chemistry between its two leads.  If you read the trivia online surrounding this film, you’ll see that a lot of the dialogue was adlibbed between DeNiro and Grodin which normally means that the actors clearly took great pleasure in interacting with each other and got a feel for the relationship and how it progresses.  There’s also a decent amount of character development, especially with DeNiro, as the two of them – naturally – start off hating each other, due to the fact that DeNiro is basically taking his prisoner to long-term incarceration (and possibly death at the hands of organised crime lords!), but they gradually warm to each other and end up as different people than where they began from.

It’s a bit of a mish-mash of genres really, bouncing effortlessly between action, crime, chase, road movie and, perhaps most notably, ‘buddy-cop’ movie (despite the fact that neither of the two leads are currently police officers).  There’s not too much here that you won’t expect, so it’s not like the story is going to revolutionise Hollywood script-writing.  However, it’s simply a good, fun, entertaining film.  I would almost go as far as to say that it could be ‘enjoyed by the whole family,’ but it does contain an excessive amount of swearing (perhaps somewhere out there is a nice, police ‘clean’ version that kids could enjoy?!).  If you like you’re entertainment fun-filled and well-written, you can do much worse than spending a couple of hours in the company of a grumpy bounty hunter and his unwitting captive (oh, and it is a couple of hours long, but don’t worry – it never drags!).

9/10 almost as perfect as The Godfather

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle – You don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy this film…

…but it probably helps!  Direct sequels to films that are released a loooong time after the original don’t have a tendency to do that well at the Box Office (‘Basic Instinct 2’ – anyone remember that?).  Most times it appears that the original fan-base isn’t in the cinema-going demographic and the film doesn’t click with today’s audience.  However, ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ not only does well to differentiate itself from the original, but also succeeds without the inclusion of the man who (arguably) helped make the first instalment so special – the ever excellent Robin Williams.

‘Jumanji’ was about a magic board game that sucked players in and made them play the game ‘for real’ in order to survive.  Well, in this day and age, the producers of the film obviously realise that no self-respecting kid would ever play a board game any more (sadly, in my opinion – I love a bit of Monopoly!) so they’ve brought it right up to date and turned the board game into a computer game.  So, when four high school students find themselves in detention cleaning out the school’s dusty basement, they stumble across the ‘antique’ console and decide to kill some time playing a quick game (this never happened to the ‘Breakfast Club’ did it?!).

Now, this is where the film gets a bit different.  The first ten to fifteen minutes are spent introducing us – the audience – to our young heroes.  However, as soon as they enter the computer game, all of them acquire ‘avatars’ i.e. in-game characters who are all older, hunkier and possessing skills required for completing the game.  Therefore, pretty much the entire film is spent with the kids’ ‘adult’ incarnations, but seeing as one such incarnation is Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, that’s not so bad. 

So, our young heroes quickly become ‘old’ heroes and have to save a fictional jungle-land from a tyrannical regime.  I guess that’s a pretty standard plot for either a modern action film or a computer game.  I suppose that’s what this film is – a standard action film and it’s enjoyable enough if that’s all you’re looking for or expecting.  However, if you’re a fan of computer games and the clichés that come with the medium, you’ll get a lot more out of it than just a few action set pieces.  It does brilliantly at poking fun of all the silly things you can expect from video games – everything from entering the game with three ‘lives’ to owning a backpack which can seemingly fit numerous ridiculously-large items in and never slow its owner down.

But, however many ‘in-jokes’ are included for us gamers and no matter how impressive the action scenes are, the film would be nothing without the stars and I have to hand it to the four (adult) actors who take the reigns for the majority of the film.  It’s because of them that this film succeeds, for they don’t just have to play ‘their’ characters – they have to play their teenage incarnations playing adult characters who are, in turn, playing clichéd computer game characters.  And, as much as I love Dwayne Johnson in everything he does, I have to say that the star of the show is Jack Black.  This is because he’s – technically – playing a spoilt teenage girl.  No, seriously.  And he does it perfectly, stealing every scene as he goes.  Also, you may not expect much ‘character development’ in a film about kids being drawn into a computer game, but I thought there was actually a decent enough ‘journey’ for the youngsters (albeit in their adult bodies!) to go on and they ended their story as different people to how they began it.

So, if you’re only looking for a run-of-the-mill action film to put your brain on hold to, then you’ll certainly find it here.  However, if, like me, you’re a gamer and want to see a film that lovingly pokes fun at everything we hold dear, you’ll definitely find that here to.  Special mention to something that happens at the end.  I expected something to happen between a pair of characters and it didn’t.  Something more ‘realistic’ happened instead and I found myself awarding ‘kudos points’ to the film’s writers for not taking the predictable route at the end.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that