Rev Stan's film blog

Review: Spiderman (it's the second Amazing one)

Synopsis: The debate about whether Spiderman is good or bad rages, Spiderman struggles with his relationship with Gwen (love her put her in danger, leave her and she is safe but heartbreak etc) and then of course there is a new baddie to contend with, well two actually, who are out to get him. The usual stuff.

Stan's thoughts: I do really like Andrew Garfield as Spiderman. He has far more charisma than Tobey Maguire, more personality in general. He's cheeky and there are some nice little wink and nod references such as Peter Parker's ring tone being the old Spiderman theme tune. But Garfield is a skilled actor and brings just enough emotional depth, often an inner conflict to Peter, to make him a rounded character. If you want proof of his acting credentials just watch Never Let Me Go - there is one scene towards the end which will emotionally tear you apart.

There is probably less action in this than will satisfy some comic book movie fans but I actually prefer that and enjoyed the fact that characters and plot were given time to develop. It helps that people like Sally Field and Dane DeHaan are in the cast.

Dane DeHaan has long been a favourite of mine since I saw him in the little indie film Chronicle. There is a solid back story to his character Harry which gives him depth and a nice little twist to the usual storyline.

This was a fun Spiderman with a bit more heart than usual which made it a more rounded and satisfying film for me. A comic book movie that makes me laugh and cry gets the thumbs up but then I could watch Andrew Garfield and Dane DeHaan all day.

Ratings

• Stan’s 79%
• IMDB 77%
• Metascore 58%
• Rotten Tomatoes 72%
• RT Audience Rating 82%

Recently seen

Locke

The Double

Divergent

Yves Saint Laurent

Captain America

Starred Up

Under the Skin

Grand Budapest Hotel

Lilting

 

Review: Tom Hardy in Locke

Synopsis: Ivan (Tom Hardy) has a big day coming up at work but a decision to do the right thing sets his life into free-fall.

Stan's thoughts: Locke is a film in which a man is driving his car making and receiving phones calls. Considering the concept it is a thrilling film but not in the way the trailer suggests, you can understand why the filmmakers struggled with that.

Tom Hardy gives a nerve-jangling performance as a man juggling the twin pressures of work and family life as a one-off past misdemeanor comes back to haunt him. He is a man trying desperately to do the right thing while everyone around him thinks he is doing quite the opposite, trying to remain calm as those around him fall apart.

Lets face it a film that can make a concrete pour at a building site thrilling has to get awards in fact that is the genius of the film is in taking a story line you'd expect to see strung out in a soap opera and making it thrilling and engaging.

I'm not sure the sequences when he talks to his dead father completely work in putting his decisions into context but overall this is a surprising film, surprising for not being at all what I expected and surprisingly good considering the concept had I known.

Ratings

• Stan’s 78%
• IMDB 77%
• Metascore 79%
• Rotten Tomatoes 89%
• RT Audience Rating 74%

Recently seen

The Double

Divergent

Yves Saint Laurent

Captain America

Starred Up

Under the Skin

Grand Budapest Hotel

Lilting

The Zero Theorum

 

 

Review: Jesse Eisenberg in The Double

Synopsis: Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) is a skilled clerk but lacks the confidence to get noticed and move up in the organisation. His love life mirrors his career, he watches and yearns but just can't quite bring himself to take the next step. Then James turns up. His exact double in everything but personality, in that he is everything that Simon isn't charming and confident.

Stan's thoughts: Really like Richard Ayoade's directorial debut Submarine which had a lovely quirky humour to it. The Double is one of those films that I can appreciate but I can't say I really enjoyed it but then that might be the point.

It's stylistically shot and great to see Jesse Eisenberg play two very different characters but I found Simon excruciatingly annoying to the point where he had me fidgeting in my seat and occasionally huffing. It tainted my enjoyment of what is otherwise an interesting, nightmarish, almost Kafka-esque concept - I've subsequently found out the film is based on a Dostoevsky novel.

An accomplished work but not necessarily for me.

Ratings

• Stan’s 70% (for technical merit)
• IMDB 75%
• Metascore 70%
• Rotten Tomatoes 89%
• RT Audience Rating 67%

Recently seen

Divergent

Yves Saint Laurent

Captain America

Starred Up

Under the Skin

Grand Budapest Hotel

Lilting

The Zero Theorum

 

 

Review: Biopic of Yves Saint Laurent

Synopsis Biopic of bipolar fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent who was thrown into the spotlight at the tender age of 21 when he was made head of a large Parisian fashion house before going on to establish his own label.

 

Stan’s thoughts Pierre Niney who plays Yves is an enigmatic screen presence and oozes geeky, gawky handsomeness.  Naturally the film is stuffed with beautiful clothes, beautiful people and beautiful settings but other than a nervous breakdown and what seems to be the usual tantrums that those with talent inevitably display there is little revelation.

 

He is horrible to those around him, particularly his lover/partner, without whom he probably would have been a flash in the pan and his spiral downwards into drink and drug abuse seems wholly predictable.

 

So beautiful to look at but not enough meat on the bone to make a truly satisfying biopic.

 

Ratings

• Stan’s 53%
• IMDB 64%
• Metascore 47%
• Rotten Tomatoes 47%
• RT Audience Rating 52%

 

Review: Did Divergent live up to the book?

Synopsis: Set in the future when most of mankind has been wiped out by war and enclave of humans has divided themselves into factions depending on their dominant trait. Anyone who doesn’t have a dominant trait, like the films heroine Tris is divergent and seen as a threat - if they are discovered.

 

Stan’s thoughts: Loved the books. They don’t have quite the same level of cruelty and brutality as the Hunger Games (sorry but comparisons are inevitable) but it’s an inventive world and compelling story. However, where the Hunger Games films have managed to capture the blood, grit and fear of the books in Divergent the film-makers have not been able to resist adding a Hollywood gloss.

 

For a start Tris’ is from the Abnegation faction whose dominant trait is selflessness. They reject vanity, dress simply and without make up or adornments and yet both Tris and her mother look pristine and made up in the film.

 

Then when Tris is in training she gets quite badly beaten up in the books but there is just the merest hint of a bruise on her face in the film which disappears very quickly.

 

What I did like about the film is the way they visualised the ‘fear’ simulations and the Dauntless cave and their escapades. Divergent the film is entertaining enough - better than the critics seem to be giving it credit for  and Theo James who plays Four is pleasant eye candy but I can’t help feeling a teeny bit disappointed. Maybe the producers of the Hunger Games films set the bar too high.

 

Ratings

• Stan’s 60%
• IMDB 75%
• Metascore 58%
• Rotten Tomatoes 41%
• RT Audience Rating 77%

Recently seen

Starred Up

Under the Skin

Grand Budapest Hotel

Lilting

The Zero Theorum

The Book Thief

Stranger By The Lake

Only Lovers Left Alive

Review: Captain America (the second one)

Synopsis: Captain America is adjusting to his new life in the 21st century and then it's the usual baddies have infiltrated the goodies which turns the goodies against goodies and hero has to sort it out.

Stan's thoughts: After seeing a run of really, really good intelligent and thought provoking films it was time for the musical equivalent of easy listening. Something you can just sit back and enjoy without much thought and Captain America fit the bill perfectly.

It's definitely an improvement on the first film although the Captain America costume still looks ridiculous and the character is still a little bland. There is a nice central plot premise which is a modern day equivalent of genetic cleansing as well as lots of car chases, explosions and fighting and Chris Evans looking buff in tight top.

Scarlett Johansson gets some of the best lines and as a result is probably the most interesting character. And Samuel L Jackson gives the performance you'd expect in that sort of role.

What can I say? It's satisfying, well-made, disengage brain fun.

Ratings

• Stan's: 60%
• IMDB: 83%
• Metascore: 70%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
• RT audience rating: 95%

Recently seen

Starred Up

Under the Skin

Grand Budapest Hotel

Lilting

The Zero Theorum

The Book Thief

Stranger By The Lake

Only Lovers Left Alive