Rev Stan's film blog

Review: The superman reboot, Man of Steel

Synopsis: It's back to beginning for the Superman story following our hero from birth to how he ended up  on earth pursued by a big baddie.

Stan's thoughts: This is by far the most sci-fi looking Superman with lots of Star Trek-esque space ships and settlements on other planets which were quite stunning. However, they don't make up for the fact that this felt like a long film.

As soon as Michael Shannon's General Zod says he's going after Kal-El/Clark Kent it just feels like a very slow build up to an inevitable fight. And the fights do go on a bit. Once you've seen Superman smash through a series of buildings, you've seen Superman smash through a series of buildings.

There is an attempt to give the character a bit more depth by raising the issue of how mankind would deal with 'a superman' which was interesting but not quite interesting enough and with little humour to bolster the special effects dominate.

All that aside Henry Cavill's bod was worth the ticket price alone, it certainly filled out the Superman suit nicely.

Ratings

• Stan's: 62%
• IMDB: 81%
• Metascore: 55%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 56%

Recently seen

The Iceman

Behind the Candelabra

Byzantium

The Great Gatsby

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

Review: The Iceman

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Richard Kuklinski, played here by Michael Shannon, who was a prolific hitman while maintaining a normal family life with wife and two daughters.

Stan's thoughts: The Iceman is an appropriate nick name as Kuklinski in the film is a man of few words and few emotions, that is except when he is with his family where, while still quiet is a devoted and loving husband and father.

What I liked about this film is the tension and danger that floats at the edges of Kuklinski and his day job for a gang boss and the slow break down of the cool as events start to spiral out of his control. It is a subtle thriller, solidly performed and made.

Ratings

• Stan's: 60%
• IMDB: 71%
• Metascore: 60%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 68%

Recently seen

Behind the Candelabra

Byzantium

The Great Gatsby

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Ratings

• Stan's: 80%
• IMDB: 71%
• Metascore: None recorded
• Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (but not enough reviews to be judged a consensus)

Recently seen

Byzantium

The Great Gatsby

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Bernie

- See more at: http://film.revstan.com/#sthash.WxQfyPE6.dpuf

Ratings

• Stan's: 80%
• IMDB: 71%
• Metascore: None recorded
• Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (but not enough reviews to be judged a consensus)

Recently seen

Byzantium

The Great Gatsby

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Bernie

- See more at: http://film.revstan.com/#sthash.WxQfyPE6.dpuf

Review: Behind the Candelabra is Hollywood's loss

Synopsis: Story about the relationship between flamboyant 60s and 70s entertainer Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his young lover Scott Thorson (Matt Damon).

Stan's thoughts: I'm still chuckling about scenes and aspects of this film which has to be a good sign. From the extreme camp behaviour, outrageous clothes and plastic surgery to the darker undertones of Liberace and Scott's relationship this is just all round good fun.

Fantastic performances from the two leads who must have had a hoot with some great support from the likes of Dan Aykroyd and Rob Lowe.

The film was apparently turned down by Hollywood (HBO picked it up) because they thought it would only appeal to a gay audience but I think what they forgot is that Liberace had a lot of fans of all ages and sexual preference; the screening I was at had a wider mix of people than you normally get at the cinema. Shame on you Hollywood.

Ratings

• Stan's: 80%
• IMDB: 71%
• Metascore: None recorded
• Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (but not enough reviews to be judged a consensus)

Recently seen

Byzantium

The Great Gatsby

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Bernie

 

Review: Neil Jordon returns to vampires in the gothic Byzantium

Synopsis: Mother and daughter vampires Clara (Gemma Arterton) and Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) take refuge in a seaside town but in meeting a boy, Eleanor becomes disillusioned with living a life of lies.

Stan's thoughts: It's frustrating Twilight seems to have become the benchmark from which all vampire films are judged. Byzantium is supposed to be scarier and for grown ups. It's all hokum because it isn't so much scarier as more gothic, grungy and melancholic than Twilight. Yes some nasty stuff happens that wouldn't have happened in Twilight but they are very different beasts.

And, as film critic Mark Kermode says you can like both. And I do. Byzantium feels a little more dangerous helped by the less glamourous portrayal of vampirism - there are no super powers for a start. Eleanor and Clara struggle to make ends meet never able to set down any roots and loneliness is a central theme.

It oozes atmosphere from the grimy, down-at-heel, sea-front where faded fair-ground rides form a back drop for where prostitutes are worked by their pimps to the desolate island and fountains of blood that form the creation sequences.

Great cast too with the likes of Tom Hollander, Sam Riley and Jonny Lee Miller joining Arterton and Ronan, I really enjoyed this and it made for a refreshing take on the genre.

Ratings

• Stan's 72%
• IMDB 69%
• Metascore 62%
• Rotten Tomatoes 59%

Recently seen

The Great Gatsby

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Bernie

Iron Man 3

 

Review: How great was The Great Gatsby?

Synopsis: Based on the classic novel by F Scott Fitzgerald this is the story of mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby (Leonardo diCaprio) and his love for Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan).

Stan's thoughts: Confess I wasn't a great fan of the book when I read it years ago - maybe I should re-read - as I couldn't find a connection or empathy with any of the characters. With this film Baz Luhrman has put the book into a cocktail shaker alongside all his trademark ingredients. This is Gatsby with the raucous in your face extravagance and glamour of Moulin Rouge and the heart of Romeo + Juliet. And I enjoyed it far more than I expected.

Having not read the book for many years I couldn't tell what he'd added and taken away but the key difference for me and, therefore, the key to my enjoyment was that I cared about the characters. For all the noise and colour it felt like a love story. Gatsby is an enigma un-coded by his love for Daisy and that is something I never got from the book. It felt like a tragic tale which, again, is something I never got from the book.

I've heard some sniffy reviews but I really enjoyed this. Looking at the review aggregators it seems to be a film audiences are enjoying more than the critics (audience rating on Rotten Tomato is 72% and the IMDB rating below is an audience rating).

Ratings

• Stan's 78%
• IMDB 75%
• Metascore 54%
• Rotten Tomatoes 50%

Recently seen

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Bernie

Iron Man 3

Review: Jack Black calms down for the brilliant Bernie

Synopsis: The mild-mannered, ever-helpful and devout Bernie (Jack Black) befriends a crotchety, rich widow (Shirley MacLaine) no one else likes but even his patience gets sorely tested.

Stan's thoughts: Normally I'd run a mile from a Jack Black film but here he has reined in his zaniness to give an assured, more subtle performance in a film based on a true story. Darkly funny and shot in a documentary style this is a strange and fascinating story about the grey area of doing wrong but for the right reasons.

Ratings

• Stan's 79%
• IMDB 67%
• Metascore 75%
• Rotten Tomatoes 90%

Recently seen

Mud

Star Trek Into Darkness

I'm So Excited

Iron Man 3