The Sapphires

Mini Review

http://thesapphiresmovie.com/

The Sapphires tells the story of an Aboriginal girl group in the 60s that's made up of three sisters and one cousin. Whilst trying to win a local talent contest the girls are spotted by Irish music manager Dave (Chris O'Dowd), who takes them on tour to Vietnam to entertain US troops.

If the film sounds like a strange mix, that's because it is that. But a delightful one. It's based on a true story which I think says it all, a story so crazy it must be true! The film is funny, touching and will have you on side in minutes. If you aren't singing along and rooting for the girls to succeed by the end then you must have a heart of stone. 

O'Dowd is his usual charming self and was definitely the key for me as I think the story might have lacked some of it's comedy value without him. What surprised me was his chemistry with Deborah Mailman as I worried that their budding romance might feel a bit forced. Quite the contrary, despite the fact that I'd not seen Mailman in anything before, I found her to be a feisty leading lady and relished her scenes with O'Dowd. 

If you're looking for a feel good film with a funny bone, look no further! The Sapphires satisfies on every level. 8 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 15th November 2012
UK Release Date - 7th November 2012

Cast Overview:

Chris O'Dowd ~ Dave

Deborah Mailman ~ Gail

Jessica Mauboy ~ Julie

Shari Sebbens ~ Kay

Miranda Tapsell ~ Cynthia

Director ~ Wayne Blair

Writer(s) ~ Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson

Skyfall - Guest Review

http://www.skyfall-movie.com/site/

Another guest review. But this time from my brother, Mike, instead of my usual guest reviewer:

Bond is in Istanbul, seemingly, popping in to see some fellow spies. While he is there he discovers that a hard drive containing the names and alias’ of MI6 agents around the world has been taken from a computer. Going after the people responsible Bond is shot while attempting to catch the perpetrators and falls to his certain death ...DUN-DUN DER! ...And so begins SKYFALL the 23rd film in the series, released in the 50th Year since DR NO first graced cinema screens.

For the rest of the film Bond contends with his own inner demons, a body and psyche that’s showing the rigours of the abuse laid upon it, but that’s not all! Bond’s recovery is not made any easier by the fact that he has to deal with a madman who seems to have a personal issue with M (In the great hands of Dame Judi) who herself is equally under pressure from a political system that seems to want to rundown the department because it costs money (the privatised version of MI6 sponsored by Toshiba becoming nearer a reality every day now!)

If this sounds quite dry and not your typical Bond film then you’re right it’s not. In fact apart from the stunt sequences and action set pieces at times it doesn’t feel like a Bond film at all. Bond’s meeting with Q takes place at the National Gallery ...Why? No idea, the name of the film which seems during trailers and what-not to relate to the scheme of the film relates to nothing of the sort. And the middle section seems to lag at times when it should be pulsing. This film like many other event films has been given universal five star reviews and usually that means one of two things, EITHER, it is as good as critics say OR everyone who goes to the press junket showing just gets caught up in the moment. Sadly, for Bond, it appears to be the latter.

That’s not to say there aren’t good bits in the film, the pre-credit sequence is all right, Bond’s disintegration and breakdown are both handled with aplomb and it’s here that Daniel Craig is at his best along with all his scenes with M, Javier Bardem is a fantastic villain and the end, which so many critics say is where the film lags was for me one of the most interesting bits of the film.

BUT, there are two major bad things and I will get to that now.

SPOILER ALERT

So far in Daniel Craig’s tenure in Bond films he has failed to save five women in three films and has only managed to save one. Only one ...In three films. Without being rude it is making Bond a bit crap, and Bond shouldn’t be a bit crap. Also ...Where are the henchmen? I for one miss the Jaws’, The Odd-Jobs and the Xenia Onatopp’s! Bond should test his metal against a decent henchman.

And it also fails the last test. Would I want to buy it on DVD? No.

6/10.

If you enjoyed my brother's review you might also want to check out his blog as he has opinions on a LOT of topics, not just films: http://mike-lambert.blogspot.co.uk/

Cast Overview:

Daniel Craig ~ James Bond

Judi Dench ~ M

Javier Bardem ~ Silva

Ralph Fiennes ~ Gareth Mallory

Naomie Harris ~ Eve

Berenice Marlohe ~Severine

Albert Finney ~ Kincade

Ben Whishaw ~ Q

Director ~ Sam Mendes

Writer ~ Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan

Based on characters by Ian Fleming

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted 3D - Guest Review

http://www.madagascarmovie.com/

As with my previous guest reviews, I haven't seen Madagascar 3. But as my friend Faye saw this recently, and as her reviews have been quite well received, I thought I would again hand over to her one line review style. She had this to say:

It's good - if you like the other ones, you'll like this one!

So there you have it. If you (or your kids) are Madagascar fans, head on over to the kids club or catch this one on DVD, you'll like it! ;0)

Cast Overview:

(If you don't like knowing who the voices are DONT SCROLL DOWN! ;0)

Ben Stiller ~ Alex

Chris Rock ~ Marty

David Schwimmer ~ Melman

Jada Pinkett Smith ~ Gloria

Sacha Baron Cohen ~ Julien

Cedric the Entertainer ~ Maurice

Frances McDormand ~ Captain Chantel DuBois

Jessica Chastain ~ Gia

Bryan Cranston ~ Vitaly

Martin Short ~ Stefano

Vinnie Jones ~ Freddie the Dog

Director(s) ~ Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath and Conrad Vernon

Writer(s) ~ Eric Darnell and Noah Baumbach

Argo

http://argothemovie.warnerbros.com/

I went to see Ben Affleck's directorial debut Gone Baby Gone with my good friend and occasional guest reviewer, Faye. As you might have guessed from her reviews, she is not a woman of many words. But what she does say does tend to resonate and have meaning. Needless to say we both loved Gone Baby Gone and when we discovered Ben had made another film, The Town, we went to see that one too. And loved it. 

When we discovered that a third film had been directed by Mr Affleck we again had to see it, together, as we had the two previous films. But this time we allowed a third person into the mix, a person who had not seen the two previous Ben Affleck directed movies. So the other night we set about rectifying this with a screening of his first film Gone Baby Gone. As we settled down to watch it I commented that I felt like our friendship had formed over a mutual love of Ben Affleck movies. And in a sense I believe it was. 

I hadn't seen Gone Baby Gone since the initial viewing at the cinema and neither had Faye. But it was just as good as we remembered and I urge anyone who's not seen that or The Town to rent them at the first available opportunity. 

Argo, on the other hand is a very different beast to those first two movies which are set in present day Boston. Argo is set in late 70s, and the location is split between Iran and Hollywood. Not exactly two places that you would expect to go hand in hand. But then this movie is based on a true story. One of US Embassy Diplomats working in Iran, who escape the Embassy when it's raided by Iranian revolutionaries, and who hide out in the home of the Canadian Ambassador. In order to get them safely out of Iran, the CIA's top extraction expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), concocts a cover story of them being a team of Hollywood hotshots, on a location scout for a science fiction film called Argo. Will this hair brained idea actually work?

Well I won't spoil it of course, but what I will say is that the 30 or so minutes set in the airport at the end of the movie, were so intense that I not only held my own hand to get me through it, I don't think I breathed! 

The cast is a tight ensemble and film is as well acted, scripted, shot and produced as any of Affleck's previous movies. The difference for me was that you feel like you've learned something when you walk out of the cinema from seeing Argo. And in my book, that is never a bad thing. So see his other movies but most importantly, see Argo. And you'll forever be saying "Argo f*ck yourself" to those you've seen it with. 9 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 8th November 2012

UK Release Date - 7th November 2012

Cast Overview:

Ben Affleck ~ Tony Mendez

Bryan Cranston ~ Jack O'Donnell

Alan Arkin ~ Lester Siegel

John Goodman ~ John Chambers

Victor Garber ~ Ken Taylor

Tate Donovan ~ Bob Anders

Clea DuVall ~ Cora Lijek

Christopher Denham ~ Mark Lijek

Scoot McNairy ~ Joe Stafford

Kerry Bishe ~ Kathy Stafford

Rory Cochrane ~ Lee Schatz

Kyle Chandler ~ Hamilton Jordan

Director ~ Ben Affleck

Writer(s) ~ Chris Terrio (Screenplay) and Joshuah Bearman (Article)

Rust And Bone

http://www.sonyclassics.com/rustandbone/

I will admit that when I went to see Rust And Bone this weekend I didn't know it was a subtitled movie. I probably should have guessed by the fact that there was no dialogue in the trailer. Personally I just thought that was a clever way of making the movie look good with the use of imagery and music alone. The reason I'm telling you is so that I can beg you, please, please don't let that put you off this movie.

In the film we meet Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts), a former boxer who has taken his son Sam away from a seemingly unstable home in Belgium in order to live with his sister and her partner in France. Whilst working as bouncer he meets the beautiful but strong willed Stephanie (Marion Cotillard), who by day trains Killer whales in the local Marine Wildlife Centre. After an accident during a whale show leaves Stephanie having to start her life over again, she finds that Ali is one of the few people she can turn to who still treats her like the person she was before. But will he let her down when she needs him the most?

I felt pulled into this film from the opening scene where Ali and Sam make their way from Belgium to France, and it didn't let go of me until way after the credits had rolled. The performances, particularly from Schoenaerts and Cotillard are so perfect that I find it hard to articulate just how good they both were. Both showed great heart and determination in their respective roles and really made you feel for their characters, even when they weren't being particularly likable. 

The film is very realistically shot but still retains beauty in almost every frame. The script sparks in both it's honesty and humor and the score compliments the movie perfectly. I honestly have nothing bad to say. Even the ending, which I thought I had predicted to a tee, managed to surprise me.

I don't often beg, but I urge you to see this movie now. It deserves to be seen by as many people as possible and by next weekend it may have been replaced at your local cinema by some other Hollywood blockbuster that isn't as worthy of your time or money. Bond is sold out, so wait until next week to see it. Don't miss out on Rust and Bone. See it now. You won't regret it. 9.5 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 4th November 2012

UK Release Date - 2nd November 2012

Cast Overview:

Marion Cotillard ~ Stephanie

Matthias Schoenaerts ~ Alain van Versch

Armand Verdure ~ Sam

Celine Sallette ~ Louise

Corinne Masiero ~ Anna

Bouli Lanners ~ Martial

Jean-Michel Correia ~ Richard

Director ~ Jacques Audiard

Writer(s) ~ Jacques Audiard (Screenplay), Thomas Bidegain (Screenplay) and Craig Davidson (Story)

Frankenweenie

http://www.disney.co.uk/frankenweenie/

Anyone who read my review of Dark Shadows will be aware that I used to be a very big Tim Burton fan, but that in recent years he has let me down again and again to the point where I very nearly didn't bother seeing Frankenweenie as I assumed it would be as bad as all his other recent offerings.

However, I did go and see Frankenweenie and I was so glad I did. Because Tim Burton is back to his cooky but heartwarming best. And all without the 'help' of usual collaborator Johnny Depp. This speaks volumes to me that the two of them need to stop working together (which has been my belief for a while now).

Not many people will know this but Tim Burton actually made Frankenweenie as a live action short film for Disney back in 1984. It tells the same story of a boy who revives his dog after it is run over by a car. It was also filmed in Black and White. Back then Disney execs deemed the film too dark and scary for children and fired Burton, who has now had the last laugh because Disney re-hired him to make this black and white stop motion version of the same film.

The story is also a very personal one for Burton who had a dog who died when he was a boy. Young Burton's love of horror stories such as Frankenstein gave him the idea for the story. I think this is one of the reason's that the film works so well. The story feels personal, and like a lot of love has been put into making it. 

Danny Elfman's beautiful score brings back memories of the wonderful work he did on my favourite Tim Burton film, Edward Scissorhands, and adds the perfect finishing touch to the brilliant voice work and animation. The film brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion and it's been quite some time since I've been able to say that about a Tim Burton feature.

The fact that this has been filmed in black and white might put some people off, it might also put kids off, but if you're a fan of old school Burton I urge you to go and see Frankenweenie and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. 7.5 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 23rd October 2012

UK Release Date - 17th October 2012

Cast Overview:

(If you don't like knowing who the voices are DONT SCROLL DOWN! ;0)

Charlie Tahan ~ Victor Frankenstein

Catherine O'Hara ~ Mrs Frankenstein / Weird Girl / Gym Teacher

Martin Short ~ Mr Frankenstein / Mr Burgemeister / Nassor

Martin Landau ~ Mr Rzykruski

Winona Ryder ~ Elsa Van Helsing

Robert Capron ~ Bob

Conchata Ferrell ~ Bob's Mom

Director ~ Tim Burton

Writer(s) ~ Leonard Ripps (Based on his Screenplay), Tim Burton (Based on his Original Idea) and John August (Screenplay)

On The Road

http://www.ontheroad-themovie.com/?lang=en

I wanted to see On The Road from the moment I heard about the people involved, I'd seen a couple of Garrett Hedlund's performances and thought he was impressive, I'm a huge fan of Tom Sturridge, Kristen Stewart and Amy Adams. And even the addition of Kirsten Stewart, who I normally can't stand, was not enough to put me off.

The film was not showing at my local Cineworld so I even elected to pay £9 to see On The Road at my local independent cinema, The Duke Of Yorks. I wish I could say it was worth it.

Considering the film is essentially a 'road trip' movie, it goes nowhere. Admittedly I have not read Jack Kerouac's novel but if it's as mindless, meaningless and meandering as the movie then I don't want to read it and I have no idea why so many have, and moreover why they rave about how good it is.

The film is a series of strung together scenes of sex and drug taking with the occasional reflection on these characters lives and where they're going. The problem is that there is so little known about the characters that by the time it gets to the reflection part, you don't really care what happens to them. The actors in this film are of such a calibre that the characters could have been so much more interesting, so rich. But the actors are not given the opportunity to do anything with these characters and so we never really connect with them.

It's such a pity as a film with this many amazing people in it could and should have been one of the best films of the year but instead it's an instantly forgettable film and one which I feel robbed me of £9. Avoid. 4 out of 10. (the movie overall is a 3 but I raise it 1 point for the quality of the actors involved, it's not their fault they had nothing to do!)

Viewing Date - 21st October 2012

UK Release Date - 12th October 2012

Cast Overview:

Garrett Hedlund ~ Dean Moriarty

Sam Riley ~ Sal Paradise

Kristen Stewart ~ Marylou

Tom Sturridge ~ Carlo Marx

Kirsten Dunst ~ Camille

Amy Adams ~ Jane

Viggo Mortensen ~ Old Bull Lee

Steve Buscemi ~ Tall Thin Salesman

Danny Morgan ~ Ed Dunkel

Elizabeth Moss ~ Galatea Dunkel

Terrence Howard ~ Walter

Director ~ Walter Salles

Writer(s) ~ Jack Kerouac (Book) and Jose Rivera (Screenplay)