Rev Stan's film blog

There is something unsatisfying about Inception

Christopher Nolan wowed us with The Dark Knight  and so Inception was naturally highly anticipated and, in many ways, it does live up to expectation.

There are some jaw-dropping set pieces and incredible effects in it, almost worth the DVD alone if the behind the scenes extra's are up to muster. And the basic concept of being able sneak around in someone else's dreams with the motive of stealing from them or planting an idea refreshingly original.

But here's the rub, it's all a bit too over conceptualised. It's almost as if Nolan was trying to out-clever himself. The result is that you are left clinging on to the bits of plot you understand while watching the waves of the rest of it wash away. It leaves you feeling almost as soggy as Leonardo diCaprio's character Cobb when he is dunked in a bath of cold water to wake him up.

Perhaps the concept of time increasing the deeper into the consciousness Cobb and his team travel, relative to the 'real time', is a device to help the audience keep up but after a while, you just want them to get on with it.

Indeed for a film that is essentially set in people's dreams it lacks any humour. Maybe Nolan never has dreams that are a little bit silly.

Hearthbreaker: Is a French chick flick more chic?

A gorgeous, swarthy French man who breaks hearts for a living? Yep that's the premise of this French chick flick.

A French chick flick? But surely French films are chic, stylish and sophisticated, not fluffy, contrived and unfunny like rom-coms tend to be?

Well Heartbreaker certainly has a storyline straight out of writing rom-coms 101.

*Potential plot spoiler* Alex is hired to split up unsuitable relationships by flirting with the girl. He, assisted by his team of sister and brother-in-law are hired to break up a couple ahead of their wedding which is just a week away. And he falls for the girl.

There is Gallic charm aplenty in the form of Romain Duris as Alex and Johnny Depp's missus Vanessa Paradis as the sophisticated and chic bride-to-be/love interest Juliette. And some delightful rom-com moments such as when the two leads re-enact the famous dance scene from Dirty Dancing.

But there are also some odd moments of slap-stick, usually centred on the brother-in-law who desperately wants the heartbreaker role, which just don't quite fit.

The pace is baggy in the middle and without the Dirty Dancing scene towards the end to lift the film the whole thing was in danger of falling a little bit flat.

So is a French chick flick more chic? Well Romain Duris certainly brings a big dose of je ne sais crois to proceedings and it has the glamourous Monaco as it's back drop but overall it's just a mildly pleasing rom-com that happens to be French.

If you do go and see it, make sure you get the version with English subtitles and not the awful dubbed version. (Hate dubbing with a passion. It should be banned.)

The professional view

Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian gave it two stars saying: "This French attempt at a high-concept Hollywood-style rom-com falls pretty flat, despite Romain Duris's nifty dance moves."

Little White Lies recommended it enjoying the heist movie approach saying: "It exudes the air of authentic European chic that Steven Soderbergh tried and failed to capture in , whisking its bedazzled audience from the streets of Paris to the hills of Monaco where everything is bathed in the golden glow of wealth, health and success."

I'm not sticking the trailer at the end of the post, as I usually do because I can't find a version that isn't dubbed.

Twilight Eclipse - the verdict

  

Definitely had different expectations going into this one compared to New Moon. I really loved New Moon as a book but not so much Eclipse.

I always thought Eclipse would benefit from a film makeover to put a bit more dramatic tension in it. The book seemed bogged down with back story, building up to a big scary battle that was ultimately neither big or scary - only baddies died and none of the goodies ever really looked threatened, well OK, so Jacob gets a little bit roughed up.

Anyway back to the film. Before I went to the cinema I had a reply to a tweet saying that the film closely followed the book, which made my heart sink a little. And it did closely follow the book.

There is a lot of back story which made the pace a bit soggy at times but, I enjoyed the film more than the book for several reasons.

Firstly the book is tome-length (Stephanie Meyers was suffering from the JK Rowling successful writer-indulgent editor syndrome) so condensing it down to two hours means a lot of guff is inevitably cut. 

Off to see Eclipse this afternoon

Yep, I'm excited. The reason? Well I have to confess that the book is my least favourite - too much character stuff and a big build up leading to a damp squib ending (wrote my thoughts on all four books after reading them here). But a bit of Hollywood interference might just raise it's game a little.

And there is no crucial scene that I loved in the book that I worry the film makers will mess about with so I can head to the cinema feeling completely relaxed and hopefully come out entertained. If not there are always all the fit young men to look at. 

Will no doubt be posting my 'review' tomorrow.

Twilight Eclipse filmmakers talk through their favourite scenes*

Another great little video from the MakingOf team. Three of the Twilight Eclipse crew talk through their favourite scenes. Look out for some insight into Robert Pattinson's reservations about one crucial Bella/Edward scene.

*I've taken the video off as it starts playing automatically which can be a bit annoying so here's a link for it instead

A little bit of light relief: Street Dance 3D

You don't go and watch Street Dance 3D for the plot or any sort of sociological statement you go to watch Street Dance for the, well, the dance. Oh and to ogle the fit young male dancers (or is that just me?).

And after the disturbing and intense, but nonetheless brilliant, Killer Inside Me last week I needed some light relief. I was a Fame-teen you see and still hanker after anything that fits into that mold.

Street Dance ticked both the light relief and fame-fan boxes. It has a wholly predictable plot about a street dance crew who need somewhere to rehearse for a competition. Add a ballet school that needs to inject some life into it's dancers and a deal whereby the ballet students have to join the crew in return for free rehearsal space and cue dance style clashes, romance, will they won't they work together etc that leads up to the big dance competition.

It's a great toe-tapping non-brain cell worrying popcorn movie set around London - a city I love. Only grumbles are the unnecessary 3D and as a Londonite the lack of continuity in filming locations - but that is a very minor grumble and if you don't know London it won't make a blind bit of difference.

Prince of Persia is perfect popcorn movie (and I liked it more than Avatar)

Always knew Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was going to be a popcorn movie so expectations weren't high except for the beefed-up presence of Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role.

It's based on a video game and is about a street urchin, Dastan, adopted into the Persian royal family as a young child who is framed for his father's murder, at the same time as coming into possession of a dagger that facilitates time travel. Cue: lots of chasing and fighting as he is pursued both for the murder and the dagger.

But it's good fun, some nice little twists in the plot, lots of action, a witty script (if you ignore some of the cheesier lines) and nicely paced. Not normally one for lots of fighting, the scraps are well done with lots of impressive parkour-style jumps, tumbles and dodging weapons.

Gemma Arterton plays the beautiful Princess Tamina who is the feisty damsel and guardian of the dagger and Jake, well, Jake looks gorgeous, playing Prince Dastan with a cheekiness and English accent that made me giggle like a fourteen year old. (There's a nice interview with Jake over on HeyUGuys.)

So many films, so little weekend (with post script)

It's not often there is nothing on that I want to see at the cinema - I've already clocked in 26 films this year. But then there are occasions like this weekend when there are just too many films being released that I really want to see and not enough viewing hours (or finances to see them all).

So which to choose from this bunch?

Robin Hood

Well Robin Hood for me, is like a vampire to a goth. I'm always curious to see what they do with such a well worn tale. Will there ever be a Sheriff of Nottingham as good as Alan Rickman? Will there ever be such a lack of attempt at an English accent as Kevin Costners? Will Robin Hood ever be as gorgeous as the Michael Praed/Jason Connery telly combo of my teen years? Indeed will Robin Hood be lapsed gentry or from the mean streets of Nottingham? Will Marian kick-ass or be a damsel? You get my drift.

And it's got Russell Crowe whom I have a reluctant admiration for, Cate Blanchett and the lovely, lovely Matthew MacFadyen who I'm really curious to see play baddie Sheriff of Nottingham as he is usually the good guy. (PS tick yep, did this one. Views here)

Vincere

This Italian film has been all over the trailers at the Curzon and looks really interesting. It's about Mussolini's secret lover with whom he had a child and then rejected and I know nothing of the era.

And it feels like Italian film making is warming up to something outstanding this year after one or two disappointments last year. So it has the potential to be very good. (Seen and reviewed here)

Iron Man 2 - popcorn* for the eyes

Haven't seen a good popcorn movie since Alice in Wonderland (well I liked it, I'm sorry but I did) and after watching Iron Man on Sky I got quite excited about seeing the sequel.

So Monday afternoon I found myself in the slightly cheaper seats at the big screen Odeon in Leicester Square. So was it worth the excitement and £14?

Well there is nothing new. The super hero formula of first film establishing, second film wobbling but making good is not new (third film I confidently predict will be the bigger, badder, baddie and a slightly more learned Iron Man).

But it doesn't matter because it is done well with a cocky and uber-cool hero, witty script, big special effects, fights, clever gadgets, great baddies and a toe-tapping sound track. And the girls kick-ass too.

It's an entertaining pop corn movie.

Robert Downey Jnr as Iron Man doesn't give anything in his performance I haven't seen before but could quickly become an bankable blockbuster asset. Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) isn't stretched but is obviously having fun as is Scarlett Johansson (Natalie Rushman) although she just doesn't look right with red hair.