2010-2019, Film Review

The Imitation Game (2014)

Posted on February 22, 2015May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Imitation Game – Film Review

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Matthew Goode, Allan Leech, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance,

Director: Morten Tyldum

Synopsis: An account of how mathematician Alan Turing and a team of analysts helped to crack the Enigma code to help the Allies in their efforts to win the Second World War.

Review: When images of World War II come to mind, you tend to think of aspects such as the air raids or the Normandy landings, and the heroes are those who took part in those Normandy raids. Yet the the breaking of the German enigma code was a vital part of the war effort that almost flew under the radar of history and behind this incredible feat lies the story of one particular war hero. A torn and brave man whose story is one that is not widely known among the general public, but a very important one that needs to be known by everyone, for the work he accomplished and for the gross injustice he suffered in the years following the war, this is the life of Alan Mathison Turing.

The film documents the vast majority of Alan Turing’s life, from his school years which included suffering from bullies, discovering cryptography and of course his vital work in the Second World War playing a key role in the breaking of the enigma code, through to his persecution as a homosexual, due to the fact it was a criminal offence at the time. A script that was on 2011’s Black List, and sold for a seven figure sum, a poignant and hard hitting story about a true war hero has been wonderfully brought to life thanks to the brilliant screenplay by Graham Moore and the wonderful direction of Norwegian director Morten Tyldum. He captures the period of late 1930s early 1940s England perfectly.

In a role that has landed him his first Oscar nomination, Benedict Cumberbatch is on stellar form as Alan Turing. Interestingly Leo Di Caprio was intended to play Turing, but it arrived on the busy shoulders of Cumberbatch, and although Di Caprio would have been an interesting choice, Cumberbatch was perfect in this role. The man, the genius, the outcast who was hated by his colleagues and superiors initially for his stubbornness and refusal to co-operate with his co-workers. Yet through all this his brilliance and incredible intelligence shone through. In equally outstanding form is Keira Knightley playing fellow code breaker Joan Clarke. The chemistry between her and Cumberbatch is wonderful. The rest of the cast also are outstanding, Matthew Goode as fellow code breaker Hugh Alexander and Charles Dance, channelling his inner Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones, are the key stand out performances in an excellently acted movie.

With a movie set in the heart of the Second World War, not a single shot is fired, yet the film packs riveting scenes, that can get you off your seat as easily as an intense action scene, with some heartbreaking moments on top of that. The cracking of enigma was a major factor in the success of the Allies, and although the part the Polish played in the breaking of enigma is glossed over, the story triumphantly delivers . It is horrific to watch as we see Turing go through what he does after the war is over and what the brutal treatment of people, like Turing who were homosexual endured. It was something people incredulously at the time believed to be a curable condition and also was a crime on top of that.

The story does do a Tarantino and jumps back in time to his days as a schoolboy and back to his days at Bletchley and forward to his persecution, yet it all flows superbly and comes to a head incredibly well with an emotional punch with a heartbreaking closing scene. The work that Turing did was vital not only to the success of the Allies but for the future as through his work he is widely believed to be the father of computer science. An achievement like that cannot be ignored, and this film honours Turing in the best way possible.

Wonderfully acted, brilliant dialogue, directed beautifully with a gripping story that everyone the world over should know about, this is a film that gives one of Britain’s true war heroes the credit he strongly deserves.

2010-2019, Film Review

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

Posted on February 18, 2015October 26, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 – Film Review

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Wright, Natalie Dormer, Sam Claflin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Willow Shields,

Director: Francis Lawrence

Synopsis: Following her rescue from the Hunger Games arena, Katniss finds herself in the unknown District 13, where she has to decide if she wants to take a stand against the Capitol, and become the Mockingjay and the symbol of hope…

Review: One inevitable fact of life is that when movies adapted from a series of books are adapted for the big screen, the last book is going to be split up into two movies. Harry Potter and Twilight did it, and Divergent will also follow suit. While it may be hard to look at this decision as anything more than a money-related one, if the movies themselves deliver enough content to leave the viewer satisfied, then all is right with the world. With this first part, it feels like an elongated starter before we reach the excitement of the main course.

With Katniss being rescued from the 75th Hunger Games and arriving in the unknown District 13, the initial focus is on her dealing with the events of the last movie. Her home has been destroyed, her best friend captured, and she has to decide whether or not to become the Mockingjay, the leader who will take down the evil Capitol and the cold President Snow (no pun intended). The film focuses on her psychological struggles, dealing with everything she’s been through and at the same time see the two sides using propaganda to try and rally people to their cause with her being the key piece in the puzzle for the rebellion. The propaganda does provide some compelling viewing with a particularly emotive and powerful scene at a lake, but there is a desire to get to the action scenes that you know are brewing.

The film is not devoid of action, and there are some great scenes to get the heart pumping, but they are over before they have had a chance to really get going. The main focus of the film is on the propaganda and the political speeches and in that we get a new angle on the story that we have not seen before. The Games themselves are now old news, the brewing war between the Capitol and the Districts is the bigger picture of the story, and those who have read the books know what is coming. This part could have very easily fallen flat due to the surplus in action but it is held up by the scheming and the propaganda which is riveting to see. On top of this, it provides a beautiful piece of cinema with a song performed by Katniss herself, which is a nice companion piece to the film’s excellent soundtrack.

Jennifer Lawrence, is once again the driving force of the film. The Oscar winner shows the horrible Katniss struggles and her determination to save her family in the face of sheer horror and desolation make for some gripping moments. The audience has grown with her over these last two movies and she’s the one you really care about. With the majority of the rest of the characters, there is not the same level of connection and in that some of the characters do feel expendable. The one new character that stands out is Julianne Moore as President Alma Coin. As the charismatic leader of District 13, it is her task to rally the rebels and prepare for war, and she does this with great aplomb. Of course the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman remains on form as former Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, as he did throughout his illustrious career. The acting on the whole remains solid from everyone else, but with all the build up and the political subtext we have, there is just not enough action to leave the viewer satisfied.

A step down from the highs of Catching Fire, but there is enough in this instalment of this popular franchise to keep your attention. With Lawrence remaining as solid as ever in her role as Katniss, the odds are definitely in our favour for an action-packed conclusion to this franchise.

2010-2019, Film Review

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Posted on February 12, 2015May 18, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

dotpoa — **Image is property of Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment and 20th Century Fox**

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Film Review

Cast: Jason Clarke, Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Director: Matt Reeves

Synopsis: Ten years after the events of the first film as humanity has been devastated by the virus. The colony of Apes, led by Caesar are prospering. However, when a last batch of surviving humans resurface, tension resurfaces and it is poised to erupt into a war to establish control over the planet.

Review: Sequels, are seemingly ever-present in the world of Hollywood. Sometimes, they come along and disappoint, failing to top its predecessor, or nothing more than a cash grab. Yet when a sequel takes the first film and tops it, in many ways, it is something to be admired. 2014 showed itself to be the year of remarkable sequels. With the Matt Reeves-directed Dawn, a sequel to 2011’s Rise, we continue that great sequel trend with a beautifully directed and riveting story that will ensure that the Planet of The Apes franchise is not going anywhere any time soon.

With humanity obliterated in the wake of the Simian virus that was unleashed at the end of Rise, Caesar, once again brilliantly motion captured by Andy Serkis, and his crew of apes have their spot where they live. With a whole community established, it is enthralling to watch the apes interact with each other. They have their own language and their population is thriving. There are no humans about (or so they think) and all is right in the ape world. They live, and they prosper. This is, until a group of humans come along looking for something to help their population return to normality. Instantaneously, conflict threatens to break out once more between the two factions amid uneasy truces. Distrust is brewing in the ranks of both camps and it threatens to completely boil over into all-out war as there are those on both sides who simply do not trust the other. In some cases, these reasons are clear and in others, they are not.

Through the marvel of motion capture realised by WETA Digital, it is Andy Serkis in the role of Caesar who completely steals the show once again. His performance is incredible to watch, it is almost as if it is not brilliant computer-generated imagery and is actually a real life ape communicating with humans. He is the glue that binds the ape community together and he is the star of the show. The motion capture technology looks astoundingly for all of the ape community, with different actors playing different apes, and the different personalities of all of the apes shine through. Yet Caesar’s not the only ape who takes the limelight, the more hostile angry Koba, portrayed by Toby Kebbell is an ape on a mission, to eradicate humanity. He is vicious and angry and is determined to gain revenge on the humans. The computer generated imagery is flawless and it is a strong contender to scoop some awards for its breathtaking visuals in this year’s awards season. With great apes also come some interesting human characters, namely Malcolm (Jason Clarke) and Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) also come into conflict about what to do with the Apes. One wants peace, the other wants war, and it threatens to boil over at any given moment.

The action in this film is taken up a notch from the first movie, with some enthralling battle scenes. 2014 offered some sweet action scenes but some of the battles in this sequel are some of the stand-out moments of cinema in 2014. As the title poster illustrates, apes on horses is a sample of this brilliance. Under Matt Reeves’ masterful direction, Dawn provides a compelling and somewhat moving story about a fight to survive, mixed with compassion and a desire for both species to co-exist, whilst some factions of both communities strive for supremacy over the other. With a third film in the works, once again directed by Reeves and scheduled to be released in 2017, more Apes goodness will be on the way.

With incredible visuals, interesting human characters and even more interesting apes, combined with a really well-told and interesting story, this is arguably the best entry of the revitalised Apes franchise, and with Reeves returning for a third outing, the stage is set for something special.

2010-2019, Film Review

Mr Turner (2014)

Posted on December 18, 2014May 29, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Mr Turner – Film Review

Cast: Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Marion Bailey, Dorothy Atkinson, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson

Director: Mike Leigh

Synopsis: An account of the life of the artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, detailing his final years.

Review: The fine stroke of the paintbrush of a distinguished artist is comparable in some way to the art of making a film. Each shot feels like it needs precision and accuracy to acheieve the perfect moment. Yet like an artist at work, the shots in a film can fall flat, they can feel disjointed, and they can bore certain people. With this biopic of the artist J.M.W. Turner, it feels like a piece of artwork on a canvas being set up ready for viewing, only to see someone come along and ruin it.

The film focus on the final twenty five years of the artist’s life. Timothy Spall certainly brings him to life in a charismatic way, albeit with a considerable amount of grunting. Leigh does an incredible job in which we see scenes of Turner at work. There can be a certain amount of awe as he effortlessly creates a piece of art, sometimes even using his own spit to create an effect. Or in some cases, being tied to a ship to create the perfect piece. Spall certainly humanises the artist as becomes increasingly eccentric in his later years, and is the stand out performer. Being the titular character, you would expect him to be the most developed and he is, by a considerable distance. The rest of the cast don’t quite match the very high standard that Spall set, with many actors feeling a bit over the top in their performances. Furthermore, there are some characters, such as Turner’s first mistress who are left severely under-developed. In spite of this, the film boasts top direction and cinematography.

Yet, the plot feels a bit disjointed. One scene he’s in Margate and another scene he’s back in his home. There are random moments in which he and his housekeeper get intimate, and you’re never really sure what’s going on or why it is happening. With the plot feeling a bit all over the place, there is much to be desired and it feels tedious at times to sit through. In addition with a run time of two and a half hours, you cannot help but feel some parts of the film could have been cut out. Like an artist finishing off a masterpiece there is almost a sense of relief when the credits start to roll. The biopic was presented as a view of the life of a great 19th century artist, and on paper it appears to represent the work of such an artist like turner. Yet at times it feels like a botched attempt to recreate a famous 19th century masterpiece, just ask Elias Garcia Martinez, the woman who brutally failed to restore a famous piece of 19th century art. Leigh’s story is by no means on that scale of horrendous, yet there is not a lot here that is worthy to be put on display.

With a charismatic leading performance by Timothy Spall, the brush strokes of the movie were set for an interesting biopic. However, the framed final piece falls flat with a disjointed somewhat dull plot and underdeveloped characters

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, 2014March 2, 2026 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 storytelling is merged with brains.

If you had to describe Nolan in one word, it would be ambition. Inception dealt with dreams and the subconscious, 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 is immediately shown, 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 are all riveting, on the edge of your seat entertainment. Along with the magnificent cinematography and excellent directing, frequent Nolan collaborator Hans Zimmer once again weaves his magic and produces 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, his determination to save her and his family, who 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 or 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 filmmaking, 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 storytelling, it is almost like Gravity meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. 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 breathtaking cinematography, wonderful acting and a powerful emotional story at its core of human courage and sacrifice. Interstellar is a cinematic event that will scramble your brain cells, but at the same time, it 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.