Cowboys & Aliens

http://www.cowboysandaliensmovie.com

I knew next to nothing about Cowboys & Aliens until my cinema buddy told me about the film. I then started to see articles in various film magazines and trailers, but it never really grabbed me. Despite this, I agreed to accompany my cinema buddy to see the film last week.

The film opens on a man (Daniel Craig), asleep in the desert. He soon wakes up to find a strange device attached to his wrist. He has no memory of who he is, how he got there or what this device is. He walks to the nearest town where he soon discovers he is a wanted criminal by the name of Jake Lonergan. When night falls the town is attacked by aliens who capture several of the town's inhabitants, including the son of Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Dolarhyde is the most feared resident of this small town as his cattle farm is the only source of income the town has. Dolarhyde, Lonergan and a small band of townspeople go in search of the aliens and those they have captured, in the hope to get back the ones they love, and rid the town of the alien menace once and for all.

Considering this was a film I didn't particularly want to see in the first place, I can't begin to describe how disappointed I was with it. But I will try. Firstly, the mixing of the genres, western and sci-fi, does not work. Not on any level. It might have worked in the comic book from which it is based, but as a film, no. Just no.

Second, it is boring. We're talking a tumbleweed rolling across the screen would be more exciting than this film is, kind of boring. You keep expecting it to get better and for something really cool to happen. But it never does.

Third, Daniel Craig. I will never understand the attraction that people have to Daniel Craig. I should explain that the reason I picked the poster I did is because you can't see his weird, craggy looking face but you can see his rather shapely bottom, which is about the only thing he's got going for him.

I don't know if I can go on - or if you'd want me to. This really is one of the dullest films of the summer. You don't get a particularly good view of the aliens, and when you do they look just like a million other aliens you've already seen. And to top it all off, it has a really naff 'let's tie all these strings into a nice little bow' kind of ending.

The film should just be avoided until it finally leaves the saloon. 3 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 24th August 2011

UK Release Date - 17th August 2011

Cast Overview:
Daniel Craig ~ Jake Lonergan

Harrison Ford ~ Woodrow Dolarhyde

Abigail Spencer ~ Alice

Buck Taylor ~ Wes Claiborne

Olivia Wilde ~ Ella Swenson

Sam Rockwell ~ Doc

Matthew Taylor ~ Luke Claiborne

Cooper Taylor ~ Mose Claiborne

Clancy Brown ~ Meacham

Paul Dano ~ Percy Dolarhyde

Director ~ Jon Favreau

Writer(s) ~ Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby - Screenplay. 

Plus Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby and Steve Oedekerk - Screen Story. 

And finally Scott Mitchell Rosenberg - Platinum Studios Comic Book. 

(Have you ever heard the saying, too many writers spoil the film?)

Morning Glory

http://www.morningglorymovie.com/

At last, a film I wanted to see before I even saw the trailer! I have loved Rachel McAdams since I saw her in The Notebook in 2005 and was excited to see Morning Glory just by seeing the poster. Problems started when I discovered I was going to be away during the opening weekend, then had a really bad cold which meant I couldn't go out. The final nail in my cinema going coffin was that no sooner had Morning Glory arrived than it was dropped by my local cinema. 

Undefeated I decided to make the short train journey to Worthing and saw the film with my best friend in the delightful Dome Cinema. I'd had the most awful afternoon at work and was in a terrible mood when I arrived, but the cinema is so quaint and welcoming that I instantly felt better the moment I walked into the cozy lobby. My mood was lifted further when I saw that they were selling off movie posters, for the bargainous price of 2 for £2, two of which were for Love and Other Drugs. If you know me or have read my earlier reviews you'll realise how ridiculously happy this made me. Bad mood forgotten, we purchased coffee from the bar and headed up to the screen. 

The film opens on ambicious TV producer Becky Fuller (McAdams) who is made redundent from her job on 'Good Morning New Jersey'. The job was her life and so she quickly starts trying to find a new one, sending resumes to any and every television network out there. Eventually she gets a break from IBS Network Executive Jerry (Jeff Goldblum), who hires Becky as the new Executive Producer of their morning show, Daybreak. Becky soon finds her feet in her new job when she fires the show's co-presenter on her first day, earning her a reputation as a no-nonsense boss. In trying to find a replacement co-presenter Becky stumbles across legendary, award winning news reporter Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford), who is already on contract with IBS but who has found a loophole in his contract that means he can get paid for doing nothing at all. Becky, determined to get Mike off his ass and onto her show makes him an official job offer he can't refuse. Literally, as if he does, he loses his salary! Disgruntled and cantakerous, Mike accepts the job on one condition, that he can refuse any story he doesn't want to do. Being a serious reporter on a breakfast television show means that he turns down most of the stories offered to him, leaving long suffering co-host Colleen (the surprisingly hilarious Diane Keaton) to pick up the slack. Somehow, during all of this Becky manages to start a relationship with fellow IBS producer Adam (the charming Patrick Wilson), conjure up innovative ways to increase Daybreak's ratings, saving the show from being cancelled, and land an interview with the prestegious Today Show which is where she has always wanted to work.

I shan't spoil the ending but I will say that Morning Glory was a welcome delight. At first I thought that Mike's grumpiness was a tad too much. Not that Harrison Ford was OTT, just that it made him more unlikeable than he needed to be. I didn't see how he could possibly redeem himself. Like I said, I won't spoil it! I loved Diane Keaton so much in this movie. One of the last films I saw her in, which ironically also starred Ms McAdams, was the awful Family Stone. Which I will never forget, had a review on the back of the box that said it was "very funny". It isn't! However in this, she had me crying with laughter. Amazing the difference a decent script can make!

Engaging and genuinely funny, with believable characters at it's core. I can only hope the DVD cover ends up saying something like that, because it'd be true! 8 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 2nd February 2011

UK Release Date - 21st January 2011

 Cast Overview:

Rachel McAdams ~ Becky Fuller

Harrison Ford ~ Mike Pomeroy

Diane Keaton ~ Colleen Peck

Patrick Wilson ~ Adam Bennett

Jeff Goldblum ~ Jerry Barnes

Director ~ Roger Michell

Writer ~ Aline Brosh McKenna