Rev Stan's film blog

Review: The charming Way Way Back

Synopsis: Shy and awkward 14-year-old Duncan is on holiday with his mum, her overbearing boyfriend and the boyfriend's daughter. He doesn't feel like he fits in until he makes friends with the manager of the nearby water park.

Stan's thoughts: When favourite films such as Little Miss Sunshine are name-checked on the poster it normally sounds alarm bells and while this doesn't quite have the wit and charm of LMS it is still a great watch.

Liam James as Duncan gives a beautifully understated performance but it is Sam Rockwell as his friend Owen that is the stand out. He has all the best lines and for once we have an adult in a film that actually understands kids. While most of the other adults behave abomnably in some way Owen proves to be just what Duncan needs and it is lovely to watch him blossom.

Also lovely to see Toni Collette, Maya Rudolph and the ever fabulous Allison Janney.

It is a film the made me laugh and smile and certainly one to file under feel good.

Ratings

• Stan's: 68%
• IMDB: 72%
• Metascore: 44%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 47% 
• RT audience rating: 77%

Recently seen

We're the Millers

Elysium

Mortal Instruments

Lovelace

What Maisie Knew

Kick Ass 2

Bling Ring

Wadjda

Review: We're the Millers

Synopsis: Small time drug dealer is forced by his supplier into collecting a large stash of dope from Mexico. As a cover he persuades a stripper, a homeless girl and the dorky teen from his apartment block to pose as his family for the trip.

Stan's thoughts: This is definitely not the sort of thing I would normally go and see - it looks like the usual dreadful American gross-out comedy fare but actually it had me laughing and laughing quite a bit. I wasn't the only one in the audience either (makes a change). Not quite sure why it particularly tickled my funny rib - perhaps it's because it doesn't involve people getting drunk and lots of scantily clad, impossibly pretty woman.

Great to see young Brit actor Will Poulter stepping into the big time too.

Ratings

• Stan's: 65%
• IMDB: 78%
• Metascore: 67%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 85% 
• RT audience rating: 90%

Recently seen

Elysium

Mortal Instruments

Lovelace

What Maisie Knew

Kick Ass 2

Bling Ring

Wadjda

Review: The World's End - no Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz

Synopsis: Gary King (Simon Pegg) persuades his mates from childhood to return to their home town to try and complete the infamous 'golden mile' pub crawl but they soon discover that not all is well in the town.

Stan's thoughts: Was listening to a discussion about The World's End on Radio 4 last night (rock and roll I know) and they spent a lot of time talking about it as a film about not growing up and growing up too much.

I do sometimes think high-brow arts programmes look a little too closely at films that have been made as pop corn fodder and that isn't to disrespect the film-makers, pop corn films have an important entertainment role. I certainly didn't buy my ticket expecting something deep and meaningful, I just wanted something diverting and funny. I'm not thinking about nuanced character portrayals when they are joking about having sex in the disabled loo.

So is it any good? Well, maybe I've moved on from this type of film or Edgar Wright et al have used up all their best ideas because while were a handful of good laugh out loud moments it wasn't Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz. In the case of the former replace zombies with robots that spout blue ink when they are decapitated and it is pretty much the same.

It isn't helped that Gary is an extremely annoying character and his big character reveal comes a little too late to really make for any emotional impact. The World's End was at times funny but it was also at times a little boring. Gary's friends exchange a look when they realise just how many more pubs they will have to visit, on an evening that is already proving trying and I knew just how they felt.

Ratings

• Stan's: 50%
• IMDB: 77%
• Metascore: 77%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 89%

Recently seen

World War Z

Pacific Rim

Summer in February

Man of Steel

The Iceman

Behind the Candelabra

 

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

Review: Almodovar camp airplane-esque comedy I'm So Excited

Synopsis: Spanish aircrew discover shortly after take off that the landing gear is broken and have to try and entertain the business class passengers while resolving their own differences as they fly around trying to find somewhere to land.

Stan's thoughts: Like the Spanish version of Airplane but camper and far more naughty, mainly because it's made in Europe and not America where you certainly wouldn't have so much casual drinking and drug taking. Outlandish and full of giggles and laughs, it's a little too frothy to be among Almodovar's best but nonetheless delightfully silly.

Ratings

• Stan's 65%
• IMDB 56%
• Metascore 61%
• Rotten Tomatoes 62%

Recently seen

Iron Man 3

The Place Beyond the Pines

Olympus Has Fallen

Oblivion

Spring Breakers

Good Vibrations

In The House

Review: I Give It a Year

Synopsis: Nat (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Rafe Spall) meet and marry after knowing each other less than a year, Nat's sister (Minnie Driver) predicts it won't last a year. Nat has a hunky new client that has the hots for her and husband Josh has unresolved issues with an ex.

Stan's thoughts: There were times when I laughed so hard I thought I was going to rupture something while at others it was cringe-worthy. So it's fair to say this doesn't wholly work but it definitely passed the Mark Kermode 'five laughs' comedy test. Some great little vignettes, love the bitterness of Drivers character and Olivia Colman plays a fantastic relationship counsellor who is equally bitter about relationships. It's the sort of film I'd stick on for background amusement while doing the ironing or some other mundane chore.

Ratings

• Stan's 62%
• IMDB 64%
• Metascore - not rated yet
• Rotten Tomatoes 70%

Recently seen and liked:

No

Warm Bodies

Hyde Park on the Hudson

Reviews, reviews, reviews: Ted, Take This Waltz & Bourne Legacy

Ted

On paper Ted shouldn't work - a boy wishes his teddy bear was real, gets his wish and grows up with said bear still as his best friend but the trailer convinced me that it might actually be funny.

And it is, laugh out loud funny but there is still something just a little bit awkward about the story. It almost feels extraneous to the funny bits where the grown man is hanging out with his pot-smoking, drinking, womanising soft toy. His girlfriend basically wants him to grow up, take responsibility for his life and not be so influenced by Ted but can the two friends be parted? 

In balance, the funny wins so I am going to give it 64%. On IMDb it gets 76% with a metascore of 62% while on Rotten Tomatoes it has 70% with 80% of site visitors giving it 3.5 stars or higher.

Take This Waltz

Was really looking forward to this as it has the wonderful Michelle Williams in it. It's about a happy couple Margot (Williams) and Lou (Seth Rogen) who's relationship is challenged by the arrival of neighbour Daniel (Luke Kirby) who falls for Margot. As Margot examines her feelings for Daniel, from a distance, it make her assess her relationship and what she has with Lou.

It is a nicely subtle, gentle film, human in that is resists extremes - none of the characters do anything particularly wrong  and are all likeable - but that's about it. It was  well acted, pleasant, interesting and mildly engaging, slightly long but that is about it. It didn't blow me away, it didn't quite tug on the emotions as it could have but it was nice to watch for a bit.

So I'm going to give it 59%. On IMDb it's got 66% with a metascore of 68% while on Rotten Tomatoes it has 78% and 63% of site visitors gave it 3.5 stars or higher.

Bourne Legacy

What can I say? It's more Bourne but with a different Bourne - Jeremy Renner. The story is essentially the same, those that created him are now out to get him and this time he picks up a female side kick in the form of scientist Rachel Weiss along the way.

If you are happy with the concept and sitting back, disengaging brain and watching the action unfold then you'll enjoy it. If you are expecting anything different or a development of the idea, plot twists etc then you'll be disappointed. It's more of the same and I liked the same so it worked perfectly for a wet Saturday afternoon. 

I'm going to give it 60% based on entertainment value although it would get 20% for originality. On IMDb it's got 71% with a metascore of 61%, while on Rotten Tomatoes is has got 55% with 58% of site visitors rating it 3.5 stars or higher.

Brilliant marriage of thriller and black comedy: Killer Joe

Killer Joe is dark, brutal, funny and unexpected. Marrying humour with terror is a great skill and here it is done beautifully.

The premise is that when a young man's trailer trash mum nicks his stash leaving him in debt with his dealer he decides to hire a hit man to kill her for her life insurance money.

Superb cast particularly enjoyed (and was surprised by) Matthew McConaughey as the cop with a dark sideline and Juno Temple, as the innocent little sister, just goes from strength to strength. Emile Hirsch who plays the young man continues to makes interesting choices and is certainly on my list of actors to follow. 

I'm going to give it 80%. On IMDb is has 74% and has yet to get a Metacritic score. On Rotten Tomatoes it has 88% from critics and 80% of site visitors gave it three and a half stars or more.

 

Review round up: Pirates: An Adventure With Scientists, Good Bye First Love and Free Men

Pirates - not Aardmen's best film but still enjoyable with a few laugh out loud moments. Definitely benefit from repeat viewing as the details are easily missed and playing guess the voice over is always fun. 59%

Goodbye First Love - musing on the power of first love. Story is fairly simple girl meets boy. Falls in love and everything is perfect until boy decides to go travelling for a year. Girl is devastated. They write to each other for a while. As time goes on girl eventually starts to move on meets someone else then boy comes back.

It's a nice gentle film but never quite plumbs the emotional depth the subject matter demands. It has it's moments but just wasn't quite satisfying enough. 55%

Free Men - great second world war film told from a different perspective, that of a Muslim living in German occupied Paris who after getting caught selling black market goods is persuaded to spy on the local mosque, suspected of harbouring Jews. 

Loyalties and duty are tested but it lacks the wrought emotional and moral dilemmas and sense of danger of films like The Counterfeiters. Otherwise an interesting film. 60%

 

Review round up: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen and Jeff Who Lives At Home

Salmon Fishing In The Yemen

Haven't read the book so didn't have any preconceived ideas about this. And, I also wasn't planning to see it but ended up buying a ticket on a whim. But I'm really glad I did because it's a nice gentle rom com. Funny and warm, if a little predictable it worked for me. A pleasant couple of hours in the cinema and so I'm giving it 73%. 

On IMDb it has 69% and a Metascore of 58% while on Rotten Tomatoes it has 68% and 72% of site visitors gave it three and half stars or higher.

Jeff Who Lives At Home

From the trailer this could have gone one of two ways: quirkily funny or just irritating. It's about Jeff who is too old to be still living at home and sits around smoking dope and generally not doing anything useful. He believes that everything is a sign, that fate will lead you down the right path and in the process of following 'a sign' one day he ends up on a voyage of self-discovery.

And it worked. It is nicely quirky with some laugh out loud moments. Susan Sarandon as Jeff's mum is particularly good and the Porsche scene still makes me chuckle.

I'm giving it 73% while on IMDb it has 70% with a Metacritic score of 60%. On Rotten Tomatoes it has 77% and 74% of site visitors gave it three and half stars or more.