Rev Stan's film blog: December 2013

« November 2013 | Main | January 2014 »

December 2013

12/23/2013

The saving time final few film reviews of the year, nearly

My plan to not get behind in my film reviews this year nearly worked, I have a small handful outstanding and have decided to plump for a slight cheat to get up to date rather than miss them out. Still have a few more films to see before I can do my official best of for 2013 though.

Loved, loved, loved:

Saving Mr Banks - Emma Thomson and Tom Hanks on fine form as the prickly P L Travers, writer of Mary Poppins clashes with the affable Walt Disney and his team making the film of her book. Also good to see Colin Farrell in a non-action film and doing a sterling job

Stan's rating 80%; IMDB 79%; Metascore 67%; Rotten Tomatoes 80% and RT Audience 91%

Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Second in the trilogy and they continue to do a superb job bringing the books to life retaining the somber, fearful atmosphere and deep sense of foreboding that is ingrained in the books. Superb cast, Jennifer Lawrence beautifully captures the awkwardness, conflict and emotional scars of Katniss. I'm going back to see it again.

Stan's rating 91%; IMDB 81%; Metascore 75%; Rotten Tomatoes 90% and RT Audience 92%

Philomena Based on a true story, this is moving, warm and funny and brilliantly acted by Dame Judi in the lead. I laughed and cried and this is certainly a film I'll pick up and watch again when it eventually makes it onto TV.

Stan's rating 79%; IMDB 79%; Metascore 76%; Rotten Tomatoes 91% and RT Audience 90%

Continue reading "The saving time final few film reviews of the year, nearly" »

Posted at 06:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

12/20/2013

Review: Joseph Gordon-Levitt writes, directs and stars in Don Jon

Synopsis: Jon (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is addicted to porn and one night stands then he falls in love with Barbara (Scarlett Johansson) who obsessed with romantic films.

Stan's thoughts: Although the rapid cycle through porn montages skates close to being overkill/gratuitous underneath this is an interesting character piece. Although it comes down, in a mild way, as anti-porn where it is interesting is in what it says about Jon and the type of person he is and relationship he wants or is capable of having.

His is an interesting and often amusing journey of self discovery helped in a big way when he meets older woman Esther (Julianne Moore) who unlocks a few home truths.

The morals of the tale aren't necessarily as black and white as you'd imagine and that too makes it an interesting watch. Scarlett Johansson is brilliant, oozing an almost Jessica Rabbit-style sassy sex appeal that has Jon following her like a puppy but, like the symbolic red dress she wears when they first meet, she is dangerously flawed in her own way.

Ratings

Stan's: 65%
IMDB: 71%
Metascore: 66%
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
RT audience rating: 68%

Recently seen

Blue is the Warmest Colour

Posted at 10:37 AM in American films, Independent films | Permalink | Comments (0)

12/17/2013

Review: The wonderful Blue is The Warmest colour

Synopsis: A story of self discovery as teen Adele (Adele Exarchopolous) meets the confident, bohemian art student Emma (Lea Seydoux) and falls in love.

Stan's thoughts: Saw this at a preview back in early November and it still haunts me now. When I tweeted about it I said it was surely a contender for the Best Foreign Film Oscar but, in the joyous afterglow of seeing a great film, I'd forgotten that in the US people are far more squeamish about sex than they are about violence. Also the film has had a very limited release in the US which is a shame because it really is very good.

So why did I like it? Well first and foremost is its subtlety. The performances are so raw, honest and real, so extraordinarily ordinary, very human in fact, that you can help but be moved. Its power comes in part from director Abdellatif Kechiche decision to linger with close up shots on his two actresses who are acting with the very cells of their skin.

And then there is the story. It too is very subtle and very honest - Adele is growing up and with that comes the tensions of peer pressure, conformity and personal honesty. It is an epically small journey but one filled with successes and mistakes, clarity and confusion and you travel every step with her.

Settling down to watch I thought that the three hour running time must surely be indulgent but in the end I found it hard to tear myself away for the inevitable comfort break. I'd be surprised if this didn't make it into my end of year top 10.

Ratings

Stan's: 90%
IMDB: 81%
Metascore: 88%
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
RT audience rating: 87%

Recently seen

Posted at 11:14 AM in Foreign films, French films | Permalink | Comments (0)

12/01/2013

Review: Did Gravity live up to the hype?

Synopsis: Two astronauts fight for survival after being left stranded in space after an accident.

Stan's thoughts: The trailer for this one blew me away and the hype built in the run up to its release date. So, expectations were high and I think ultimately the film was a victim of that.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy Gravity for many reasons. It is refreshing to see a film that is solely about two characters, something of a rarity and usually the preserve of theatre. Director Alfonso Cuaron has also done an amazing job giving a real sense of what it must feel like both to be in space but also be stranded in the vastness.

Gravity certainly oozes atmosphere but after you've seen the clip of Sandra Bullock spinning through space saying "Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!" with each rotation her character, dare I say it, gets a little bit irritating. You'd think she'd get used to it after a while or was it a case that with little dialogue and a space helmet obscuring the face for chunks of the film its the best she could do acting-wise.

I don't think the character arcs were quiet enough to sustain the human plot thread or rather they were drowned out by the a to b to c survival story and the amazing visual effects. Yes I was on the edge of my seat at times and I did feel invested in the characters and their survival to a point but I did find my mind wandering to how particular bits were shot. *plot spoiler* And, I didn't get any great sense of "phew" at the end.

I'm nit-picking a little and I think that's entirely due to the fact that I had such high expectations. Gravity was really good but I didn't walk out thinking 'wow' as I had done when I saw the trailer.

Ratings

Stan's: 75%
IMDB: 85%
Metascore: 96%
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
RT audience rating: 86%

Recently seen

Posted at 10:25 AM in American films, Sci fi, Thriller | Permalink | Comments (0)

Review: Thor, The Dark World

Synopsis: Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has to enlist the help of his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to fight an old enemy.

Stan's thoughts: The first Thor was good, well-made comic book fun and it was that, Chris Hemsworth's ripped body and the fact that Tom Hiddleston looked like he was having a ball as the bad brother that made me want to see this.

For the first 20 or so minutes it's a bit plodding (plot exposition - whatever) but then Mr Hiddleston arrives and suddenly it all picks up. Hiddleston's joy in this role shines across the screen and he is up there with the best of the lovable baddies.

It is silly fun, with a sense of humour and other than the slow start my only other grumble would be that there is only one gratuitous Hemsworth torso shot. One is definitely not enough when you've worked that hard to be in that shape but that's just my...er...opinion.

Ratings