2010-2019, Film Review

Gone Girl (2014)

Posted on December 16, 2014October 10, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Gone Girl – Film Review

Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Tyler Perry, Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, Tyler Perry

Director: David Fincher

Synopsis: When Amy Dunne (Pike) disappears in mysterious circumstances, her husband Nick (Affleck) becomes the centre of the police inquiry into his wife’s disappearance whilst also being the focal point of an intense media glare as it is suspected that he may not be as innocent as he appears

Review: For anyone watching this movie, either in a marriage or preparing to enter one, this film could give them an anxiety attack. Marriage used to be seen as the ultimate form of commitment to your significant other, but on the basis of this film, one could be forgiven for having second thoughts. The film pulls you in and offers a deep, complex look at what marriage is and what it can do to people, under certain circumstances. In that we get a stylish, dramatic story of a couple that pulls no punches and will keep you engaged. You do not know where the story will go next and it stays on point for almost the entire run time.

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, the story focuses on Nick Dunne who comes home to find that his wife Amy has disappeared in unusual circumstances and the media frenzy that ensues when it starts to appear that Nick may have had something to do with it all. For the next two and a half hours, through flashbacks and present-day perspectives, the pieces of the puzzle are steadily put together in order to find out what happened. It is gripping to watch as obviously we see Nick’s life quickly descend into a living hell. The viewer is taken along for a ride, you feel like you’re the onlooker as you watch it unfold. From his perspective to hers, there are twists and turns, shocks and moments that will leave you speechless.

Under Fincher’s expert and flawless direction, the acting on show is flawless. Affleck is a man who has come under intense media speculation and backlash due to his casting as Batman in the upcoming Batman V Superman flick. With this in mind, he does an incredible job as he tries to come to terms with all that is happening and the intense media frenzy that develops in the wake of his wife’s disappearance. Equally mesmerising is Rosamund Pike as Amy. Her scenes mostly come in the form of flashbacks but she delivers a fantastic performance that is at one moment incredible and in the next moment shocking and almost socio-path-like. A stunning career highlight that should earn her an Oscar nod when next year’s Oscars roll around. The rest of the supporting cast was also absolutely on point with special mentions going to Tyler Perry who gave a strong performance as Nick’s lawyer. In addition, Neil Patrick Harris also delivers a wounded yet creepy performance playing the very creepy ex-boyfriend of Amy’s.

Fincher is one of the best directors working today, and every shot of this film feels meticulously crafted in its execution. One of the producers said that the director took as many as fifty takes per scene. The dedication that the director shines through in almost every frame. The script is astounding and the story keeps you engaged throughout its two-and-a-half-hour run time. As well as a potential Oscar nomination for Rosamund Pike, nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Direction are definitely possible. The film does not shy away from that dark and controversial material, it throws it in your face and when the credits roll, it will leave you reeling and should you be single, you may be thankful you are.

Thought-provoking, twisted and daring, Gone Girl is a suspenseful, on-the-edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that does not hold back. With Fincher’s flawless direction and outstanding acting, this is a film not to be missed and one of the best of the year.

2010-2019, Film Review

Interstellar (2014)

Posted on November 20, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Interstellar – Film Review

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Bill Irwin, Josh Stewart.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis: With planet Earth dying due to a lack of food, former engineer Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is recruited for a mission to explore new worlds in a bid to find to find a new home world for humanity.

Review: When anyone mentions a list of the best Hollywood directors working today, names like Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese might come to mind. However, one name that will surely go down in the Hollywood Hall of Fame is Mr Christopher Nolan.The man who brought Batman back to the fore of the superhero genre, and with Interstellar, brilliant science fiction story-telling is merged with brains to give what is one of the best films of the year, and certainly one of Nolan’s best.

If you had to describe Nolan in one word, it is ambition. Inception dealt with dreams and the sub-conscious, his brilliant Dark Knight trilogy dealt with order and chaos in society, and with Interstellar, his most ambitious film to date, the premise of wormholes and the theory of relativity, inspired by the work of physicist Kip Thorne. Steven Spielberg was once attached to direct the project, but left and the project fell into the lap of the Nolan brothers.

One could argue that few directors would have the bravery to take on a film of such scope. The sheer ambition of the story might have caused other directors to back off, but not Christopher Nolan. The scale of the film on show immediately and it gets your brain thinking and working, whilst at the same time, leaving you breathless with the thrilling cinematography that is provided throughout. The launch sequence and the journey to the new worlds, it is all riveting, on the edge of your seat entertainment. Along with the magnificent cinematography and excellent directing, frequent Nolan collaborator Hans Zimmer once again weaved his magic and produced a terrific score to accompany the film. The action scenes are accompanied by sweeping music that adds a great level of intensity to what’s occurring on screen.

Many great directors pick out the perfect actors for the roles they write, and Nolan is no exception. Fresh from his Oscar success, Matthew McConaughey is on hand to lead this voyage, and he does so in great style. While his accent is hard to grasp at times, you empathise with him and his struggles with his daughter and his determination to save her and his family that are trapped on a dying Earth. Anne Hathaway also gives an excellent performance as one of the fellow astronauts on their mission. Child actresses can sometimes be hit and miss on such big blockbuster occasions. Yet on this occasion Mackenzie Foy was on stellar form as Cooper’s daughter Murph. Her emotion and connection with her father is felt, you care about her relationship with Cooper and want to see them reunited. This continues when Murph has grown up and is played equally brilliantly by Jessica Chastain. Unfortunately, Cooper’s son played by Casey Affleck is left somewhat underdeveloped, as there is no connection there with his character, in comparison to that of Murph. His son is somewhat left on the sidelines, yet the emotional bond between Murph and her father drives the film, and does so to incredible proportions.

One minor fault in that the film’s run time was maybe just a bit too long, and could have potentially wrapped up sooner. However in this world of film-making, an original film that is not a sequel, or a franchise is rare and Nolan has once again brought an incredible experience to the big screen. Brains, beauty and incredible story telling, It is almost like Gravity meets 2001: A Space Odessy . In a year that has brought us some remarkable films, Interstellar has taken off and landed among the best films of the year, and is an out of this world addition to the remarkable filmography of Christopher Nolan.

With breath taking cinematography, wonderful acting and a powerful emotional story at its core of human courage and sacrifice. Interstellar is a cinematic event will scramble your brain cells, but at the same time, it is one that will take your breath away.

2010-2019, Film Review

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Posted on October 15, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

GOTG 3 — **Image is property of Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures**

Guardians of the Galaxy – Film Review

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Batista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Djomon Hounsou, Glenn Close

Directors: James Gunn

Synopsis: When a team of space criminals come into possession of a valuable space orb, they must band together to prevent the villainous Ronan from seizing it and wreaking havoc and mass destruction.

Review: If someone says to you: “name a Marvel superhero character,” the names of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America or Spider-Man might come to mind. However, the names of the likes of Groot , Gamora, Star Lord and Rocket Raccoon might not sound as familiar. Yet with this latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that will most certainly change. This film when it was announced had a lot of people scratching their heads in bemusement and uncertainty. Fans wondered if it could be pulled off, and Marvel had pulled it off and the gamble has paid off immeasurably.

Director James Gunn has put together one of, if not the funniest Marvel films to date, with a very entertaining script as well as some intense and enthralling action sequences. Being the title characters, a lot is expectedly riding on the Guardians, and they deliver. With previous Marvel films that lead to the Avengers, we had several movies detailing their stories and their struggles. Guardians does not have this luxury, as we are introduced to our protagonists immediately, but James Gunn did an exceptional job in making the audience care about each of the main ensemble.

Star Lord (Chris Pratt) is the leader of the team. He is like the love child of Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones , and his scenes are wonderful to behold. Witty lines and real heart and charisma go into his performance. Likewise with the Green skinned assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana) who’s again a really interesting character to watch with a very intriguing back-story. The main comedy relief comes from the likes of Drax (Dave Batista) who has some of the most hilarious dialogue we have seen all year, including a difficulty to understand metaphors. Groot (Vin Diesel) is a sentient tree, he doesn’t say much, all of three words, but he adds a great comical presence in the film. Yet, the star of the show is the gun wielding raccoon, Rocket. Brilliantly voiced by Bradley Cooper and terrifically brought to life on the big screen, he is a character that will have tears rolling down your face due to laughter.

Together, the ensemble have some brilliant moments together. Yet the film does have its problems, namely the villains. The three main baddies Ronan (Lee Pace) Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Korath (Djimon Hounsou) are not as fleshed out as much as the Guardians. Their make up is all very well done with Gillan looking very menacing as the blue skinned Nebula and there is more to her character development than her villainous counterparts. With Thanos lurking in the shadows, it is almost a desire to cut to the chase and have the Guardians fight Thanos, as we know of his presence in this universe. Although chances are that could certainly happen in a coming movie (Avengers 3 perhaps?). Despite this one mishap, the film stands as one of the best we have seen this year. The visuals are all superb, with brilliant make up on each of the characters, and some top drawer action scenes that will fill the audience with immense satisfaction. The penultimate movie of Marvel’s Phase 2 has left its mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we will definitely be seeing more of Groot and Star Lord in the future.

A terrific ensemble, brilliant dialogue, top quality visuals and make up, some outstanding action sequences and lots of very memorable characters. The villain is a let down, but it does not take anything away from this fantastic addition to the Marvel Universe.

2010-2019, Film Review

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Posted on July 14, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Edge of Tomorrow – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Dragomir Mrsic, Charlotte Riley, Jonas Armstrong, Franz Drameh, Kick Gurry, Tony Way, Noah Carter

Director: Doug Liman

Synopsis: Lieutenant William Cage is an untrained soldier forced against his will to join in a battle fighting against deadly alien foes. But when he dies in combat, he mysteriously awakens, reliving his penultimate day over and over again…

Review: Many movies often borrow elements from movies gone by . They also might borrow from other entertainment forms, and take them in interesting new directions. For instance, if you take the time loop element of movies such as Groundhog Day, the Normandy beach landings as depicted in Saving Private Ryan, and elements from the popular video game franchise Halo. When these things are merged together, the end product is this thrilling sci-fi adventure.

Adapted from the anime novel All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Humanity is at war with an alien race and the troops are being rallied in England to prepare for an attack on the enemy foe. Enter William Cage (Tom Cruise), a top General in the US army who is more into talking than fighting. He ultimately is forced onto the front line to help repel the alien forces. Yet after seemingly meeting his maker, he finds himself waking up, relieving the same day again and again. As the film’s tagline goes” Live. Die Repeat.” and this happens many times. This premise may sound familiar, but with Doug Liman (Bourne Identity, Mr and Mrs Smith) on the director’s chair, what we have an innovative and refreshing perspective on this similar premise.

For three decades, Tom Cruise has given us exciting action movies such as the Mission Impossible series. And yet again, he gives another enthralling performance as we see his character really progress from quite frankly a complete wimp who barely knows how to fight, to a fearless warrior determined to wipe out the foe whilst using his impressive tech suit. Despite being 52 years of age, the man can still give a solid action performance. As he falls each time, he learns something new and uses this knowledge to his benefit. The key piece in this science fiction puzzle however is Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). Her character has gone through something similar to Cage and he must utilise her knowledge to help win the war. The two leading actors have great chemistry on screen as she is the one who helps train him into the soldier that he needs to become. Blunt gives an exceptional performance and demonstrates that you can have a strong female protagonist who does not need a man to stand up and make herself count. In many respects in this film it is vice versa, he is the one who needs her to stand up and make himself count.

Liman himself stated that the scenes with the character repeatedly dying and respawning were an intentional comparison to video games. The fight scenes are fun to watch, particularly with Cruise running in his tech suit and taking down the bad guys. While the fighting does come across as almost too video game like at times, it is intriguing and there is plenty of action here to get the heart pumping. In particular the final showdown against the aliens is fantastic to watch. The continuous loop element of the movie could be tedious and dull. Yet it works to great effect as each time Cage bites the bullet, there is something new and energising that is brought to the plot, and it effectively moves the plot forward.

With elements of video games and time loops and time travel from past movies all blended together, along with a revitalising and exciting story that keeps you entertained from the word go. The final result is a film you will (hopefully) enjoy and watch many times.

Watch. Enjoy. Repeat

2010-2019, Film Review

X Men- Days of Future Past (2014)

Posted on June 19, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

DOFP — **Image is property of 20th Century Fox, Marvel Entertainment and Bad Hat Harry Productions**

X Men Days of Future Past Film Review

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Evan Peters.

Director: Bryan Singer

Synopsis: In an apocalyptic future, with humanity enslaved and the X Men on the brink of extinction. Wolverine is sent back into the past in an attempt to change the future and prevent the extermination of all mutant kind.

Review: With the original trilogy of X Men films that came out in the 2000s, and the 2011 prequel X Men First Class, as well as the two Wolverine stand alone films. There were two different timelines of this popular franchise with different casts. Two loose ends that needed tying up. They were tied up and the end result is an enthralling combination of both of these timelines as past and future collide in epic proportions with the triumphant return of the man who launched this universe way back in 2000.

That man, Mr Bryan Singer has pulled out of the bag the best X Men movie that has been put to screen, whilst at the same time erasing the wrongdoings that went down in his absence (cough, The Last Stand). The amalgamation of both the First Class storyline and the present day X Men storyline is a master-stroke, and full credit for that must go to screenplay writer Simon Kinberg. Under Singer’s direction these two sets of actors, both of which are all exceptionally talented, go all out .Every one of them give excellent performances from the veterans like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, to new recruits such as Fan BingBing as Blink.

The mutant race is facing a dire threat in the form of the Sentinels who are coming to eradicate them. The mutants, past and future alike must stand together to avoid the extinction of all mutant kind. The real scene stealers come from The First Class cast, but the original cast are by no means out of their depth. One of the stand out performances comes from James McAvoy as the young Xavier. He is at his lowest low after his fall out with Magneto and must be urged to come to the fore once again. First Class really humanised the wise Professor X, and with Days of Future Past, that carries on.

Similarly as the young Magneto, Michael Fassbender, has similar grievances with Xavier and once again these two men clash. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine has had a tendency to stand out in previous X Men movies and while he is central to this story, and he is still a really cool character, he’s outshone on this occasion by the younger versions of Magneto and Professor X. Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique is another character who takes it up a gear. Her role in this movie requires here to be a lot more of a badass when compared to her role previously, and she pulls it off well.

With the old cast, they are not in the movie as much as their First Class counterparts, they feel somewhat underused, and some only make fleeting appearances. Likewise with the new selection of mutants, there are some exciting action scenes with these new characters, but they are almost over before they really get going. Yet with the central action of the film being focused on the events surrounding the First Class cast, it is understandable why the original cast have comparatively little screen time. With one scene involving one new character that you WILL remember once you have left the cinema.

The main antagonist in the form of Bolivar Trask, the man who created the Sentinels and brilliantly played by Peter Dinklage. While his motives are not completely clear, he nevertheless he gives an excellent performance. The action here is not quite as intense as First Class. The battle is not being waged right in the middle of the Cuban Missile crisis, but it gives it a great run for its money with a superb final showdown taking place in Washington DC.

Time travel films can be horrifically inconsistent if they are done badly, and plot holes can be found in abundance. Luckily with this film that is just simply not the case. The story is solid and it is very well done with excellent directing and great execution. It makes you care about all the characters and they all provide memorable performances. It breathes new life back into the old franchise that suffered a regretful fate following X Men 3. Furthermore, the franchise returned with a bang following First Class and with Days of Future Past, it is clear that this particular line of comic book superheroes still has a lot of Xciting things going for it!

With such a large cast of old and new, it means some characters do not have a large amount of screen time. However with Singer’s return, the amalgamation of these two franchises results in the best X Men film that has ever been made.

2010-2019, Film Review

Godzilla (2014)

Posted on June 3, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

godzilla 14 — All image rights belong to Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros

Godzilla – Film Review

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanbe, Elizabeth Olsen, Sally Hawkins, David Straitharn, Juliete Binoche

Director: Gareth Edwards

Synopsis: A retelling of the story of the world’s most famous monster. As an accident at a Japanese power plant leads to the discovery that mankind has been hiding some rather large secrets that represent a huge threat to humanity.

Review: When looking at the various incarnations of huge monsters that are ingrained in popular culture, Godzilla is for many people, one of the biggest and best that has ever been brought to the big screen. Ever since the original 1954 creature stomped into existence, we have seen cities get destroyed by large monsters right throught cinematic history. Godzilla has gone through several incarnations since and with the disappointment of the 1998 version, director Gareth Edwards would have probably felt the pressure to deliver the Godzilla movie that the fans want to see.

In this respect, the director of Monsters has hit the mark as we have a new version of the iconic monster that seems like it is hoping to be a throwback to the 1954 film, and bring a very realistic take on the King of the Monsters. A version that should atone from the horrors of the 1998 incarnation of the legendary character. At the same time, the focus of the film is largely on the humans. The focus is what would be the consequences if a giant monster rose out of the ocean and threatened our very existence. It is a battle to stop these monsters from destroying everything the human race has ever known.

As the film’s focus is on the human struggle, we have our lead characters Ford Brody (Taylor-Johnson)with his wife Elle (Olsen) and Ford’s father Joe (Cranston). The latter of which is convinced that humanity is holding some gargantuan secrets. Although he is not in the film a lot, when he is on screen, the Breaking Bad star is on superb form. He is a scene stealer, in particular with one of the very first scenes in the film, his emotion really shines through. While, his son Ford was almost emotionless and stoic at times. While the Ford family look for the answers to their past. In another corner, we have an alliance of scientists and military, led by Ken Watanbe and David Straitharn, working together in order to try and understand the rather large problem and the best way to deal with it. Overall the human cast, without doubt, a talented group of actors, do a great job in portraying the horrific problem that has arisen.

With the focus being on the humans, Godzilla does not have a large amount of screen time in the film, and in that respect, some may walk away disappointed. However when he is on the screen, it is fantastic to watch. Edwards and his team certainly intended to create their version one that honoured the original. The battle scenes with Godzilla are enthralling to watch and on several occasions there is the iconic Godzilla roar. These titanic duels are going down and buildings are being reduced to rubble. This new incarnation of the legendary Toho monster, truly is something to behold. There are plenty of other enthralling action scenes to get the heart pumping. That being said, with some scenes, it is set to show a clash of monsters that we paid to see. Instead it montages through the action, which may leave the audience somewhat disappointed. It would not be unreasonable to see lots of scenes with Godzilla battling and seeing cities get torn apart, but these are rare in number.

Despite the lack of screen time that Godzilla has, Gareth Edwards made a solid film that does give the iconic character the film that it deserves. The camera work and directing, are both excellent. Equally as epic, is the score by Alexandre Desplat. The visual look of Godzilla is also superb and while the fight scenes you really wanted to see are few and far between, it is a strong, realistic take on what would happen from the perspective of mankind, if monsters suddenly rose out of the ocean and began to destroy humanity.

While there’s not as much Godzilla screen time as you might expect, with strong human characters and some fantastic action scenes, there is enough in this take on the King of the Monsters that should leave viewers roaring with delight.

2010-2019, Film Review

Prisoners (2013)

Posted on May 12, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Prisoners – Film Review

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Synopsis: When the young daughters of two families go missing after a family get together and police attempts to find the missing girls do not yield rewards. The father of one of the girls goes on an all out mission to find his missing daughter.

Review: It’s quite possible that the worst nightmare of any parent would be if your child suddenly goes missing without a trace, and there are no indications as to where they might have gone. This is the exact scenario we have in this film for two distraught families, as their daughters vanish and the families are anxiously waiting to see if their children are all right While the police launch their search for what happened.

The film begins sweetly as the two families get together for Thanksgiving dinner. It appears everything is fine , the families are enjoying themselves and having a good time. Then all of a sudden, the young daughters of the respective families are gone. Thus the panic sets in and the hunt for these girls begins, that spans across the duration of the film. Right from the moment the girls have disappeared, the film is a tense and emotional ride as the police hunt begins.

The acting in the film was excellent from start to finish. Hugh Jackman was one of the stand out performances. We know he can go mental as his portrayal of Wolverine demonstrates, but here he goes that little bit further. When the Police efforts to find his daughter yield no rewards. He goes on a desperate mission to locate his missing child, and will stop at nothing until he has found her, even if this means he has to break the law, he is a man that will do it, in an attempt to get his child back. His desperation puts him on a collision course with the Detective who’s looking for the children, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). His character goes through low points as he seeks to solve this case and the clashes between him and Jackman’s character add to the tense atmosphere that begins to build as soon as the girls have vanished. The other parents played by Maria Bello, Terrence Howard and Viola Davis show the real and raw emotion that any parent would most probably go through if their child vanished. Paul Dano and Melissa Leo were also excellent in their roles and no one gave a bad performance. Jackman and Gyllenhaal were the stand out performances and both were unlucky not to land Oscar nominations for their roles.

The film is two and a half hours, while that may seem long, the events on screen keep the audience engaged. It is a beautifully shot film, with excellent cinematography from Roger Deakins, and the direction and execution by Denis Villeneuve is also superb, combined with a great musical score. The tension gradually builds and builds with each scene that passes as you wonder if the families will be reunited with their children. As the film’s subject matter is very dark, it may not be a movie that has a high level of re-watch-ability. However it is still a brilliantly shot film with great characters and a fascinating plot that will keep you interested throughout the hundred and fifty minute running time.

Dark and gritty as you might expect with such a heavy subject matter, but it is visually stupendous to the point where you’ll find yourself transfixed by the events on-screen

2010-2019, Film Review

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Posted on April 11, 2014February 9, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

winter-soldier-poster — **Image is property of Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios**

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Film Review

Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo

Synopsis: Taking place after the events of the Avengers, Steve Rogers continues to struggle to adapt to the modern world, and find his place in society. However, his allegiance to S.H.I.EL.D is called into question amid the rise of an adversary known only as the “Winter Soldier”

Review: Phase Two of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is now in full swing and with the second solo film featuring our favourite starred and striped hero, as he struggles to adapt to an era in which he knows nothing about. All the while he is working for an organisation that is holding some sinister secrets. All in all, what we have is one of the best Marvel films ever made and by far the best Marvel film of Phase Two of their cinematic Universe.

The film is set in Modern USA after the events of The Avengers with Cap living his life whilst working for S.H.I.EL.D. It is soon realised that S.H.I.EL.D has some conflicting ideas to what he stands for, and of course this creates friction between Rogers and his employer. He is the patriotic, do it for your country superhero, but S.H.I.EL.D is not on the same wavelength as he is. This conflicting ideologies causes Rogers to question who he really works for, in doing so it adds real depth to the character of Captain America. While all this is happening, a new enemy appears and begins to cause some destruction. The ruthless Winter Soldier is out on a mission, to eradicate Captain America. The Winter Soldier was a terrific, deadly foe played brilliantly by someone who you may recognise, and ranks as one of the best villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, second only to the God of Mischief Loki.

winter soldier

Chris Evans was again superb in the role of Captain America, the character had almost unprecedented depth and he was awesome in the action scenes once more. Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow was likewise superb. This is her biggest role in a Marvel film to date, and she gave an excellent performance. Similarly, Samuel L Jackson gives his best performance in the role of Nick Fury. There are a number of excellent newcomers also. Anthony Mackie as “Falcon” was an excellent addition to the case and provided some great moments in the film. Likewise with Robert Redford playing S.H.I.E.L.D boss Alexander Pierce.

Along with some great characters, new and old, the film has some incredible action sequences. The first action scene at the start of the film was intense and enthralling, but as the film progresses they only get better. The scenes with the Winter Soldier are particularly thrilling, especially when he faces off against Captain America. Cap’s shield remains one of the coolest weapons in the Marvel universe.

By now, it is evident that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all interwoven at this point, and this is particularly true. there are many expansions on what went on in the first Captain America film that are touched upon in this film. Thus you should ideally have seen the first film before going into watch this instalment as a lot of of the plot points will make much more sense, and the film will be much more enjoyable.

Nevertheless: Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a superb film and a definite step up from The First Avenger. There were improvements in every respect from villain, to action, to character development. It is the best stand-alone film from Marvel since the first Iron Man film. It does not quite eclipse The Avengers, but it sets the story up perfectly for next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Marvel fans should rejoice as it is currently ruling the Superhero genre of films. DC’s untitled Batman VS Superman film is still two years away, and if this summer’s Guardians of the Galaxy, is a success, there may be no stopping the Marvel Cinematic Universe from world domination, of the superhero genre of films.

A terrific story with some outstanding performances from Evans and Johansson, this is the MCU’s best movie so far, without a question of a doubt.

Film Feature

Oscars 2014: Predictions

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Hollywood’s biggest night is finally here once more. Tuxedos have been chosed, bow ties will be being tied. Dresses will have been chosen and make up will be put on. Hollywood royalty will be out in force and a select few will be clutching a golden statue once the ceremony is over.

It has certainly been an interesting year for films. We have seen con artists, abduction by Somali Pirates, one man’s fight against slavery which latest for more than 12 years, a terrifying adventure in space and one man setting up a club to help people suffering from illness. Lots of great performances from some great actors and some great directing. Some excellent music, but who is going to be the winners? I will be making my predictions below.

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón – Gravity

The Mexican has swept the board throughout this awards season and it’s easy to see why. His film was a visual masterpiece and one that was mesmerising to watch. Although I would like to see Steve McQueen win the award, I feel that Cuaron will take it home.

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club as Ron Woodroof

Although I am hoping that Chiwetel Ejiofor takes this award home for his work in 12 Years A Slave I predict that it will be Matthew McConaughey who will win. He has transformed his career in recent years and this film in which he plays an AIDS sufferer, he gives a mesmerising performance worthy of an Oscar

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine as Jeanette “Jasmine” Francis

It will be a major surprise if Cate Blanchett is not the one holding the statute come the end of the night. She has swept the board right throughout this awards season and although I have not seen her performance, critics alike have almost unanimously given her high praise

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club as Rayon

Again, I would hope to see Michael Fassbender for his sublime work in 12 Years A Slave, I think that Jared Leto will scoop the Oscar. His performance, playing a transgender woman, was something extraordinary. He looked convincing in the role and the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman should be the winner. That being said I would love to see Barkhad Abdi take the prize as he gave a brilliant debut performance as a Somali pirate in Captain Phillips.

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle as Rosalyn Rosenfeld

This race seems to be a two way battle between Jennifer Lawrence and Lupita Nyong’o for American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave. Both performances were fantastic and are Oscar worthy. Yet I have a sneaky suspicion that it will be Lawrence who claims her second Oscar from only her third nomination despite only being 23 years of age.

Best Writing – Original Screenplay: Her – Spike Jonze

The concept of a man who has a relationship with a computer may seem bizarre, but Spike Jonze pulled it off with a wonderful story with another top notch performance by Joaquin Phoenix. I think Her will take the award

Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave – John Ridley

The story of Solomon Northup was one that was hard hitting but one that is very memorable and this film reminded the world of the true horrors of slavery and I think they will take this award home.

Best Animated Feature Film: Frozen – Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, and Peter Del Vecho

The latest Disney film is a strong favourite to win this year’s animated feature award. It is looking set to cross the $1billion mark and it would be a surprise if it was not victorious come the end of the night.

I won’t lie when I say that I have not seen any of the films in the following categories so these guesses are wild stabs in the dark:

Best Foreign Language Film: The Hunt (Denmark) in Danish – Thomas Vinterberg

Best Documentary – Feature: The Act of Killing – Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen

Best Documentary – Short Subject: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life – Malcolm Clarkeand Nicholas Reed

Best Live Action Short Film: Helium – Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson

Best Animated Short Film: Feral – Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden

Best Original Score: Gravity – Steven Price

The score for Gravity was wonderful and added to each scene in a terrific way. It added to the enjoyment of the film and I think it will be the winner.

Best Original Song: “Ordinary Love” from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – U2

“Let it Go” by Frozen is a strong favourite but U2’s hit from the Mandela biopic was a wonderful piece of music that I am predicting to win the award.

Best Sound Editing: Gravity – Glenn Freemantle

There is no sound in space, and this film captured the terror and anticipation of the film’s events brilliantly through sound. As the debris was wreaking havoc there was no noise, it was all silent.

Best Sound Mixing: Gravity – Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead, and Chris Munro

Best Cinematography: Gravity – Emmanuel Lubezki

The shots that were on show in this film were first class. It made the audience feel like they were actually in outer space and I think it will take this Oscar

Best Production Design: Gravity – Andy Nicholson (Production Design); Rosie Goodwinand Joanne Woollard (Set Decoration)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club – Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews

The effort that must have been required to turn Jared Leto into a stickly feminine transgender must have been tremendous and I think it will win.

Best Costume Design: American Hustle – Michael Wilkinson

Best Film Editing: Gravity – Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger

Best Visual Effects: Gravity – Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk, and Neil Corbould

The visual effects on show here was simply out of this world (pun absolutley intended) and I think it’s no contest that Gravity will win this award

AND LAST NOT LEAST:

The Award for Best Picture

In what has been another great year for films, these are the lucky nine films that are up for the biggest award:

American Hustle – Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison, and Jonathan Gordon

Captain Phillips – Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, and Michael De Luca

Dallas Buyers Club – Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter

Gravity – Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman

Her – Megan Ellison, Spike Jonze, and Vincent Landay

Nebraska – Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa

Philomena – Gabrielle Tana, Steve Coogan, and Tracey Seaward

12 Years a Slave – Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner,Steve McQueen, and Anthony Katagas

I think the winner will be: 12 Years A Slave

Steve McQueen’s film was a harrowing and brilliant tale of one man’s fight aganst the injustice of his imprisonment and sale into slavery. It was brilliantly told, well acted and all rund was perfectly executed. It is incredible to think that prior to this film, few had the knowledge of what Solomon Northup went through and thanks to this film, we all have this knowledge and this man’s struggle should never ever be forgotten.

2010-2019, Film Review

August: Osage County (2013)

Posted on February 11, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image Rights belong to Smokehouse Pictures and The Weinstein Company**

August: Osage County – Film Review

Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Abigail Breslin, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Sam Shepard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Julianne Nicholson

Director: John Wells

Synopsis: A family is brought together in a time of crisis and chaos and confrontations begin to ensue

Review: With a collection of wonderful actors all in one film, including three time Oscar winning actress Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts leading the cast, what could go wrong in this tale of a family get together? Well surprisingly, a lot can in this rather depressing tale of a family reunion, one that instead of giving you joy, saps all the happiness out of your soul.

Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name by Tracy Letts, telling the story of the Westons and their extended family. Father Beverely disappears in an accident and in the resulting crisis, the family members gather together in a time of sadness. You would think this family would be unified in their sadness but the reality is far from it. Violet Weston (Streep) along with her three daughters Barbara (Julia Roberts), Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) and Karen (Juliette Lewis) arrive to help support their mother who is suffering from cancer and has a narcotics problem. The already gloomy intro of the film sets the benchmark as this family reunion quickly descends into verbal assault matches, intense squabbling and family fighting, and the complete breakdown of family relationships. It starts melancholic and just progressively gets worse.

Almost every character endures one moment in which they are brutally put down by another. Watching these characters fall apart in front of you just saps the joy and happiness out of your soul and replaces it with complete doom and misery. The films has one or two moments where you may think the doom and gloom is going to be lifted but it is short lived as the dreary and melancholic mood sets in once more and this feeling continues to hang around for a long time after the film has ended.

To the film’s credit, the acting is of a decent order. Meryl Streep has already sealed her place in the Hollywood Hall of Fame as an outstanding actress. Streep is an actress who could look in a mirror and would get an Oscar nomination. Nevertheless, she does a brilliant job of bringing this emotionally damaged character to life. There are some humorous moments with her character when she puts her daughters down, but these are few and far between. Julia Roberts is another who gives a strong performance as the strong willed daughter of Streep’s character. She is not afraid to stand up to her bossy mother and she pulls it off well. Both Streep and Roberts have landed Oscar nominations for their roles and they are both well deserved.

Two strong performances from the leading ladies however, do not save the film from the melancholic and depressing tale that it is. The rest of the cast were very indifferent, including an unusually subdued performance from Benedict Cumberbatch. It is sad to watch as this family tears itself apart in the face of adversity and it just sucks all and any of the happiness and joy out of you. It’s just a sad and depressing tale of family misfortune, and squabbling and one that you would hope does not happen within your own family.