We Progress

A short mental health film called We Progress will premiere at 8pm on the 8th of May.

See it here:

Two of the films makers have struggled with mental health challenges themselves, so this film is very close to their hearts.

I hope you will tune in for this great short film project.

Tongue in cheek dating

As there is so much to sadden around at the moment I thought I'd share this piece of free art I found online, I suspect it will resonate with some of you.

Not my own work

Serendipity

If you haven't already seen this film, let me enlighten you.

Serendipity is a beautiful romantic comedy about a rare kind of love.

Adventure love

Would you chase through America chasing a girl you had a chance encounter with?

Our hero, John Cusack does.

He meets Sara, Kate Beckinsale, in a fight over some gloves.

Crazy girl

This is where the madness really gets started.

Sara, instead of giving this man his number, as any sane woman does when she sees a man she likes.

Instead the details are divided between a book and a dollar bill.

The rest is an enchanting and rib tickling story, which will hopefully inspire you to love again, no matter how much of a pig you just realised your ex boyfriend/girlfriend was.

10/10 Go rent, trust me.

Kingsman

So I caught up with a bit of random spy action recently.

Young south London kid gets trained to be a spy, lots of people very stereotypically posh and rough, as if there was no complexity to human character.

This film hardly blew me away.

Good points, bad points

It was quite paced, but it tended to rush its way through with no real plot intricacy.

I guess I feel plot intricacy is appropriate for a spy movie.

If you want something fun when you're tired though it could be a giggle and they do amazingly reference the vagina monologues.

Bit male dominated

This is a bit of a 'lads' film, I think, not much that made me laugh and some jokes that I found in poor taste.

Also a shot of a South London pub I know which is a bit of a winner and a fun sound track.

There are some touching moments though, maybe 5/10..?

Which way now?

I believe that good journalism should underpin the democratic debate.

Alongside my younger brother we put together a short film with interviews in London and Birmingham to address the question of how people currently feel about voting in the UK.

This is a not for profit venture.

Calling time at the bar

Simon Pegg has another movie offering in The World's End.

In the same vein as Shaun of the Dead Pegg's protagonists find themselves dealing with a perfectly normal night out, which is inexplicably turned into a day of the dead type sceanario.

The plot

Five friends reunite through the infamous Gary King who clearly has not and probably never will grow up.

But what began as an 'innocent' bar crawl soon takes a sinister comedic turn, as it transpires that the town has been body snatched by robots.

The friends decide that there only answer to this horrendous realisation is to go on and reach the end of the pub crawl: The World's End.

The verdict

This film takes a while to warm-up, I confess to crafting a flower part of the way in to stave off boredom, but when it gets cracking it really gets cracking.

There are some epic comedy fight scenes and some priceless Pegg moments and it's worth the entry fee.

It isn't Simon Pegg at his best, but it still makes for a fun night out with your mates if you don't fancy an epic pub crawl.

Wadjda

Wadjda is a delicate story by Haifaa Al Mansour (a female Saudi director) about a girl that is trying to buy a bike in Saudi Arabia.

The film explores the difficulties of living in a devout society through the eyes of a young girl.

The girl's dilemma

Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) is a bit of a tomboy.

She wants to buy a bike so she can race Abdullah (Abdullrahman Al Gohani) in a different tribe to her.

However, her mother won't buy her the bike because a woman riding is a practice that is frowned upon.

A chance

A school competition offers SR1,000 for a perfect recitation of the Qu'ran.

Thus, so it is that the less than devout Wadjda enters a competition to recite verses from the Qu'ran. 

Surprisingly light

I first thought because of the subject matter that this film would be painfully depressing.

In fact it is surprisingly heart warming and funny, yet still manages to tackle some difficult subjects about faith and femininity and the ending has a similar mix of dark and light.

I would recommend this film to anyone.

Superman's slipping

I skipped off to the cinema to see Man of Steel with memories of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder in my head.

Yes, I know it was a long time ago, but that is still my bar.

The trailer blew me away, I was excited, pretty foolish at my age

Back to the beginning

So we're winding back to the origin story, again, you'd think they would have moved on from there.

The planet Krypton faces imminent destruction due to its unstable core.

Jor-El (Russel Crowe) faces general Zod and launches his son Kal-El off Krypton to save his life, sound familiar..?

Kal-El (Henry Cavill) then has to forge his new destiny on earth, where the past comes calling...

Entertaining but earnest

The plot is paper thin and I miss all the knowing nods and slightly camp humour of the first Superman adventure, I'm sorry, I'm a bit old... 

Amy Adams makes for a far too flirty Lois Lane.

I expect Lois to be hard bitten and sassy, not to go bouncing around in crisis situations with her hair falling in her eyes.

I'm sorry but I really wish I hadn't gone to the cinema for this one, your kids might like it though.

A rusting Iron Man

After two very successful adaptations, the third Iron Man film comes up a bit short.

In this incarnation Tony Stark's world is threatened by the terrorist called the Mandarin, who in no way mirrors Bin Laden (oh no).

It has all the action that was packed into the previous two films, but wth a bit less of the plot.

Wham, bam, no thank you mam
 
If anything this time around it seems a little too slap-stick.

So although the audience is successfully whirl-winded to the end of the story, I am left at a bit of a loss of what happened along the way.

The previous balance of a thoughtful tale that packs a punch is rather lost in a film that seems to have contented itself purely to punch wildly at its audience.

Girl Power...

The high point for me was seeing Pepper Potts, and indeed the actress Gwynth Paltrow, take a more action inspired role.

I secretly hope to see more of Gwynth P charging round and shooting things.

Last word

It's a bit of a giggle, but don't expect an gravitas, or even to really know what is going on.

Beauty across the water

I have indirectly discovered the 'cups song'.

It turns out that the film Pitch Perfect has spawned a meme.

Of performance, after stunning performance, of You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone.

The original, seemingly a Lulu and the Lampshades song, or Brooks & Dunn, the juries out, answers on a postcard.

Most recently famously performed by Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect.

Here is Ms Kendrick in the film: http://youtu.be/yhECTE2-Oqc

One up

But, here is something a little later: http://youtu.be/F0nwA1kP3H0

Malia Rogers, to my mind a better version (no disrespect to Anna Kendrick, who has done a number of brilliant renditions).

 I just feel there is greater warmth and depth to the performance.

Beautifully done.

A long tale for a short wonder

And finally, yet another rendition that I absolutely love, but sadly I cannot find to share.

So, I will describe it to you.

Two young ladies that look like dancers sitting cross legged with two cups playing perfectly rhythmically together.

The blond girl sings the first verse and chorus and her brown haired partner sings the second in a voice even richer and more beautiful than Malia Rogers.

If you find them, let me know...

Black Swan

Black Swan has been lauded by everyone it seems and it has a lot going for it, but I'm not sure it deserves quite the level of praise it is getting.

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a committed member of a ballet company who are about to put on Swan Lake. The role that she wins proves to be the start and not the end of her problems.

Her insecurities run wild and spin her into destruction.

Portman puts in a brilliant performance as both sides of Nina that I would struggle to fault, but the film overall doesn't quite seem to deliver on my expectations.

What is being played out is all too clear and the characterisations are truly wonderful, but at times it is simply too brash and stilted.

It is hard to put my finger on exactly what I didn't like about this film, after all the supporting actors are perfect and the characterisations life like, but I just wasn't left as wowed as everyone else seems to be.

I guess I just feel it's almost there, but not quite, ironic in the extreme for such subject matter.

It seems to want to be as much horror as drama and I'm not sure it works.

It doesn't help that Swan Lake has never been a favoured plot of mine.

I prefer Coppelia, the woman is still standing at the end of that one.

127 hours of absorption

I imagine a lot of you out there will have heard of 127 hours by now.

Unfortunately all you may have heard is: "I had my knees up to my chin, it was horrifying."

I think that is a shame for such a well crafted, moving and insightful film.

Danny Boyle has to be up there with my most loved film directors, I'm not sure I've ever seen him make a film that puts a foot wrong.

The plot

127 hours essentially focusses on the true story of one man getting stuck down a canyon and having eventually to go to extreme lengths to survive.

But that makes this film sound grim and interminable.

In fact it is the most gripping, absorbing and hopeful piece of storytelling that I have seen in a long time.

The character portrayal is well rounded and infinitely believable.

And yes there are some fist biting moments, but there is also a lot of complex emotions played out on screen and felt as an audience member.

Final word

Both Danny Boyle and James Franco should be given awards for this film.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place is the next book to be added to my reading list.

The Green Hornet

Adding to the list of comic book adaptation that seem to be oozing like super power bestowing radioactive waste out of America, Michel Gondry has decided to bless us with The Green Hornet.

The Green Hornet was never going to be particularly groundbreaking, but it did look fun and Gondry is a bit of a visual genius.

Britt Reid (writer and actor Seth Rogen) is the wayward son of a newspaper man.

For those well versed in comic book heroes wayward son of a rich guy is fairly standard.

His father dies leaving him the newspaper and low and behold one of his staff (Kato) sticks around to help him into his role as unlikely crime fighter.

However, what is perhaps less common is that Britt is sent up quite a lot throughout the film through his juxtaposition against his 'sidekick' Kato (Jay Chou) and well qualified secretary Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz).

This film may be unashamedly gun slinging action nonsense, but it has its tongue firmly in the back of its cheek.

Making all the surreal and overblown plot that follows infinitely palatable.

The plot doesn't bear much scrutiny, but it's a hilariously fun ride.

Perfect for switching off and giggling to at the end of a hard week.

It's in 3D for those who care.

I don't.

Monsters, yeah all right then

A friend of mine invited me to see Monsters.

I had heard nothing about this film but from the title I assumed it was a kids film.

As it happened I was wrong it was a Sci-Fi clearly aimed at adults or at least older teens.

The main characters are Andrew Kaulder (Scoot McNairy) a photo-journalist and his boss's daughter
Samantha Wynden (Whitney Able) who has found herself needing an escort out of an (alien) infected 'zone'.

This film had the feel of District 9, but it just wasn't quite as good.

However, it was made for a fraction of the budget entirely by Gareth Edwards.

It was beautifully shot.

The idea behind Monsters was very interesting and equally challenging.

And the acting was practically flawless, I believed what was unfolding at every turn.

My real complaint came that the beginning caught my attention and I was drawn on a ponderous strangely compelling journey.

And the end of that journey failed to meet my expectations.

It was sweet, but very hollywood for a film that had promised so much more.

I'd reccommend it, but you will be left wanting.

Unfortunately, unlike District 9, it doesn't allow much scope or promise for Monsters... 2.

Legend of the Guardians: 300 with Owls it isn't

I am quite squishy at heart.

I get sickened by cheese at the same time as liking positive messages and films like Happy Feet.

So all the advertising and reviews of Legend of the Guardians sucked me in.

Christmas was approaching, the guy on Newsnight Review said: "It's like 300 with Owls", The Guardian said: "a cross between The Lion King and Star Wars - but with owls."

So, there was definitely going to be owls in it and it looked like it might be, slightly too innocent for my age, fun.

I'm sorry but it wasn't 300 with Owls by any stretch of the imagination and could only be compared to the newer, shitter, Star Wars episodes.

Legend of the Guardians was also made by the same people as Happy Feet, another draw.

This wasn't a patch on Happy Feet.

There were touches of good story telling, but overall it was disappointing and it lacked a real crescendo.

The end sort of caught me by surprise with a distinct: "Is that it?" feeling.

At best this film was cosy.

Also, I can't see 3D - it's getting old, I just want a good film.

Facefilm aka The Social Network

The Social Network starts with a date, an end of a relationship and Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg); fitting for a film all about the Zietgeist of modern times - Facebook.

The overblown tag line for this film gives a fair hint of what it's all about, but don't let this put you off.

Yes, it has a soundtrack that drives, pumps and screams fast lane.

Yes, Justin Timberlake is in it as Sean Parker - he's bloody good.

Yes, there are hot girls, deal table posturing and dot com bickering.

This film is not subtle, but then what about building a billion dollar business before your thirty is subtle, slow paced or small scale!

This film is not about technical brilliance or geekish facts.

It is about building the characters behind the ongoing saga of our age: the internet and big business.

But it isn't a biopic, it's a selection of moment by moment snatches of the insecurities and confidence that intertwine to make some of the most powerful, frightening and fragile characters you could possibly imagine; beautifully acted by all.

This film is comic, fun, fast paced and, if you grab all the implications, brainshatteringly scary.

It paints a picture of the power and arrogance of some of the greatest young business minds in America.

If everything this film portrays of these characters is true (they're all completely nuts), I never want to use Facebook again, but if this film teaches you anything it is that I, you, everyone will.

In the Loop

Time to learn to breath through your laughter, else you aren’t going to get through this film alive.

I haven’t laughed this much since Jacqui Smith’s husband was revealed as getting porn courtesy of the tax payer.

In The Loop is a spin off film from The Thick Of It, the successful BBC drama about the modern political system, and includes a lot of the same actors found in its TV forerunner.

The story is based around the American and British political manoeuvrings and blunderings surrounding a possible war in an unspecified country.

I don’t know where they get their ideas from…

In the Loop is a brilliant mix of intelligent and base humour.

So neither so far up it’s own arse that it loses its audience, nor so puerile as to be dismissed by an audience with some brain cells going spare.

Equally you don’t need to be an avid politico to follow it, but familiarity with the political game does add to your appreciation of the story that unfolds.

Peter Capaldi is brilliant as Malcolm Tucker, the policy co-ordinator who rules his minister with an iron fist.

The sheer pace and imagination of his insults are amazing enough in themselves without the dedication of a solid performance of pure venom.

The rest of the cast put in equally sterling performances, as this is a true ensemble piece, backed up by excellent writing.

There isn’t a weak moment and the actors make all the action seem frighteningly believable in the midst of pure political farce.

This isn’t the kind of film where you can leave your brain at the door, so if you want an easy life affirming comedy steer well clear.

If you want a comedy with a little less of the Adam Sandler touch and a crate more witty bite then you’ll come out ready to buy it on DVD.