For 2011 (Top 10)

10. Benda Bilili!


Directors: Renaud Barret, Florent de La Tullaye


Calling Benda Bilili a rags to riches tale barely scratches the surface of the everyday strife that a bunch of disable Congolese street musicians must endure on the path to becoming world music phenomenas. Their troubles manifest through limps crippled by polio, extreme poverty in the survivalist Kinshasan ghettos, improvised transportation methods and homelessness. Their triumphs are simply garnered by the ability to transmogrify such hardships into sound, a sound made more remarkable by its origins of makeshift rehearsals in the local zoo and production from homemade instruments. All of which is captured in this joyous documenatry that is filled with all the charm and warmth you could wish for.

9. Hanna

Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana





"Saoirse Ronan may just be the best young actress on the planet at the moment..."






8. Melancholia

Director: Lars von Trier
Stars: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland

“A Pessimist is never disappointed”.. well not in Lars von Trier’s moody science fiction gloom-fest about the impending apocalyptic threat created by a blue planet named Meloncholia on a collision course with mother earth. There are no Bayhem like Armageddon heroics, instead there is just inward despair and crumpling panic. There is also a superb Kirsten Dunst performance that holds the film and its themes firmly in tact, her portrayal of Justine a manically depressed bride becomes the embodiment of Melancholia’s symbolic resonance, in as much blueness hangs overhead, everyone dealing with their own anger, denial or morbid acceptance. Von Trier tells a crushing tale of life in its final moments and moments in lifes dying embers.





7. Submarine


Director: Richard Ayoade
Stars: Craig Roberts, Sally Hawkins and Paddy Considine


"Ayoade’s directorial flair makes for a flourishing aesthetic..."



6. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy


Director: Tomas Alfredson
Stars: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy



Tomas Alfredson’s stunning cold war spy piece and adaptation of John le Carré’s much loved novel delivered one of the years more sophisticated films. Gary Oldman’s range and talents have never been more on display here where he plays the antithesis of his much loved commissioner Gordon as a partly disgraced, partly retired and particularly crusty MI6 stalwart George Smiley who must track down the double agent among his former colleagues, with only a pair of incongruous intelligence officers for assistance. 70's London creates an immersive backdrop of an extraordinary grey and murky colour palette giving the film a gorgeously authentic look. Alfredson unclutters the heavy tone of a complex espionage narrative into an easily digestible 2 hour “who dunnit” lifted by a superb cast who create a sliceable and taut atmosphere with mere raising of eyebrows and folding of hands - a quite dextrous enterprise from all involved.


5. Win Win

Director: Thomas McCarthy
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor

"McCarthy pens a story very much of our time.."




4. Moneyball

Director: Bennett Miller
Stars: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright and Jonah Hill

Whilst many actors of his generation are getting lazy and settling for undemanding DVD fodder, Brad Pitt continues to diversify his career with a tremendous foray into the business world of America’s favourite past time. Moneyball like 2009’s Blindside is based on a Michael Lewis book that at its heart is a study of the change in player and talent evaluative measures in American sports. Billy Beane’s (Pitt) Oakland A’s must battle the swelling odds brought about by the financial inequities within Major League Baseball. With help of a Yale economics grad (Jonah Hill), his scientific computer generated financing method and some thick skinned resistance to the “Old Skool” ideologies Beane transforms The A’s fortunes. Subject matter aside director Bennett Miller broadens the films appeal by exploring deeper into Beane’s personal space, finding failures in equal measure to his success', be it fatherhood or his own underachieving playing career. Moneyball revels in its own transcendence, a story of second chances, perseverance and collaborative spirit that could work in any setting or any time.

3. Drive


Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston



A penny for Quinton Tarantino’s thoughts… having attempted the same kind of whizzing B-movie pastiche in his bloated 2007 effort Death Proof, The oft revered director must have been consumed by the green eyed monster after watching (If indeed he has) Nic Winding Refn’s dizzying Crime Actioner Drive. Rich in cinematic bluster and bursting with creative influences in something close to alchemic genius, Drive is the years biggest surprise. Ryan Gosling’s strength as a screen presence is he is a majestic talker The Believer (2001) being a hard boiled evidence. Yet his role as the semi-eponymous lead “The Driver” a part time getaway speedster/part time Hollywood Stunt driver , is closer to a Clint Eastwood like silent hero archetype - allowing his striking features and to the point actions optimal prominence. Following a botched heist the Driver and love interest Irene (Carey Mulligan) are unwilling left holding the loot and find themselves at the mercy of some nefarious mob characters in the process. Refn's  thrill ride delivers a poetic, operatic and ultra-violent experience topped with on of the best eclectic soundtracks you'll hear.

2. Senna 


Director: Asif Kapadia

"...charting a journey from Go-Karting ambitions to Formula 1 glory, exploring the vitality of a great sporting rivalry and uncovering the truths about a sport with a politically oppressive system. ....a celebration of a miraculous figure"



1. We Need To Talk About Kevin


Director: Lynne Ramsay
Stars: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller




"..Director Lynn Ramsey is in masterful form weaving together a tri-linear composite of hazy memories, comprising of barely conceivable early warning signs of the unimaginable. They are vignettes offering such subtle indicators as overly involved video-gamesmanship, odd breakfast time behaviours and other nihilistic virtues- Rounding it off with a bleak realisation of a life in tatters and the daunting task of picking up the pieces. There is a noticeable attention to detail through incredible visceral sounds of thumping heart beats and reoccurring themes of varying stains of red matter, Ramsey’s artistry is simply stunning..."

4 The Week

1. Some Think Old


Pale Rider (1985)


Director: Clint Eastwood
Writers: Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty and Carrie Snodgress

Set in late 19th century California Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this strong piece of genre as the archetypal lonesome stranger, who is a pretty handy guy to have around when a fist or gun fight breaks out. Masquerading as the “Preacher”, a source of religious allegory which sees Clint become a saviour and beacon of hope for a group of luckless gold digging settlers as they fend off the thuggish attention of a businessman laying claim to their homes. Say what you will about Eastwood but his work always has a deeper sense of meaning and beneath the pastiche is a story of cultural change during the birth of industrialised America, where machines gobble up the ways of the common man and erode the beauty of the surrounding nature. Pale Rider is a terrifically balanced and paced film which is a must for Eastwood fans.

8/10

2. Some Think New The


Rum Diary (2011)


Director: Bruce Robinson
Writers: Bruce Robinson (screenplay), Hunter S. Thompson (novel)
Stars: Johnny Depp, Richard Jenkins and Aaron Eckhart


 The Rum Diary is a film about the sobriety of the Amerian dream and its varying challenges. For some the challenge is alcohol and substance abuse, but for others intoxicants are less tangible characteristics or emotions such a love, greed and denial. Journo Paul Kemp (Depp) arrives in the lush spoils of 1960s Puerto Rico in a drunken haze, a tone that carries the film through its first hour – A first hour that is seen mainly via Kemp's comedic adventure into the belly of the beautiful island and the bosom of new friends including an edgy boss (Jenkins), drunken colleagues and seedy businessmen (Eckhart).

 Director Bruce Robinson’s tonal change of pace in the last hour almost feels like a sobering realisation, where the consequences of everyones actions come to light, and things are taken a little more seriously. However this doesn't detract from the sharpness of the witty dialogue, laughs and script which find an effective concoction of slapstick physicality and punchy anecdotal rambling. Depp’s on form performance is a key contribution and there are no weak links within the solid supporting cast, whilst the strong production, direction and above all humour make for an outlandishly fun watch.  

8/10
3. Some Think Foreign


O’Horten (2007)




Odd Horten is an Oslo based train driver having to come to terms with some difficult realisations, namely retirement, old age and loneliness. His risk averse nature and dour ritualistic lifestyle are about to be taken on an epiphanic journey when he gets lost on the way home from his own retirement party. Director and Writer Bent Hamer’s beautifully shot and beautifully sounding path to enlightenment is littered with peculiarity of character and circumstance as Horten’s encounters include Airport Terminal security, Red High-heeled stilettos, a senile mother, death, a child’s bedroom and best of all a free willed and spontaneous stranger (who enjoys driving his car blindfolded). A little one paced at time but this is a joyously dark comedy about life slapping you in the face when you least expect it.

7/10


4. Some Think Due


Hugo (2011)



Release: 2 December 2011 (UK)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz and Christopher Lee

Plot: Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.

Why Get Excited?: Legendary Director Martin Scorsese trades in Gun and Gangsters for Fantasy and 3D in this Family Adventure.

In Cinemas Now

The Help (2011)

Director: Tate Taylor
Writers: Tate Taylor, Kathryn Stockett (novel)
Stars: Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Bryce Dallas Howard 

A combination of white guilt and black uprising is the driving force behind the drama in “The Help” which looks back at an ugly time and place in US history through a distinctly feminine eye (the male cast members are mere token gestures). Jackson Mississippi is the place, early 1960’s the time where the lives of a disparate group of southern ladies unfold and intermingle, coping with the agenda heavy plight of their surroundings which covers everything from racial tension and domestic violence to less substantial yet equally rewarding avenues of coming of age triumphs of womanhood and friendship. 

With award season on the horizon this is an almost a sure bet for nominations and Viloa Davis as negro Maid Aibileen and the ever-plucky Emma Stone as budding journo and black sympathiser “Skeeter” will rightly lead the charge with likably rangy performances, neither would be possible if not for Bryce Dallas Howard career highlight portrayal of Hilly, whose spiteful and obnoxious nature incumbent of the era allows everyone else to mount the moral high ground. 

Everything here works, it’s a smooth feel good movie which is sugary but not too sweet, resentful but not too bitter and in the process captures an endearing light in an otherwise dark time. 



8/10

We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)

Director: Lynne Ramsay
Writers: Lynne Ramsay , Rory Kinnear (screenplay)
Stars: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller

Certain parlances use the phrase “You’re either teaching it or allowing it to happen” and  it's debatable whether or not this sort of hard line stance on teaching and parenting works when dealing with such an incredibly tough subject meshed with remarkably complex emotions that are encountered in  “We Need To Talk About Kevin”.

Adapted from the novel of the same name this is a hauntingly transcendent experience which in its purest form is a film about an ordinary American family coping with an extraordinary evil before, during and after the aforementioned malevolence manifests itself through mass murder. 

Teenager Kevin (Ezra Miller) is to quote Heath Ledgers Joker “an agent of chaos” revelling in an introverted destructive nature which acts as force field to deny access to his true thoughts and feelings. There are shades of the Ricky Fitts character from Sam Mendes’ American Beauty (1999) in his mysterious and dark aura which inevitably originates from the darker recesses of family life, which in this case is the story of a broken maternal relationship. Tilda Swinton is the mother Eva, inwardly torn by the rejection of her affection by her first born,  and systematically broken by Kevin’s psychological prowess and abuse whilst father John C. Reily laps up his sons ostensible love. The cast strike up a dynamic chemistry which is fed by the divisive oedipal themes that in part drive the narrative, it’s slightly reminiscent of Ordinary People (1980) but with dread and terror replacing angst. 

Director Lynn Ramsey is in masterful form weaving together a tri-linear composite of hazy memories,  comprising of barely conceivable early warning signs of the unimaginable. They are vignettes offering such subtle indicators as overly involved video-gamesmanship, odd breakfast time behaviours and other nihilistic virtues- Rounding it off with a bleak realisation of a life in tatters and the daunting task of picking up the pieces. There is a noticeable attention to detail through incredible visceral sounds of thumping heart beats and reoccurring themes of varying stains of red matter, Ramsey’s artistry is simply stunning – Making this easily one of the years best films

9/10

1-2-3

1. Midnight In Paris (2011)

Film makers as they find themselves in the latter stages of their lives do one of two things – look backwards or look forwards. Unlike Clint Eastwood’s gloomy vision of the after life Hereafter (2010) Woody Allen decides to recount a golden age of artistry and Parisian elegance in Midnight In Paris (2011). A blend of fantasy and comedy are on offer here as Owen Wilson plays a budding novelist caught up in the beauty of the French capital whilst searching for artistic inspiration. Juxtaposed is fiancée Rachel McAdams a repressive force to his new found bohemian longing, the couple are looking for very different things from their idyllic settings. 

 

Wilson of course is Woody from 30 years ago with blinding neuroticism delivered pitch perfectly, and our central character finds himself in a Parisian Time Machine. At this point Nostalgia and the supporting cast come to prominence, we meet renowned literalists, surrealist painters and composers among others who revel in Gallic inspired artistic hay days. Allen cleverly conjures up his legends in a historical paradigm, which sort of plays out like a displaced episode of Friends. The dialogue is whimsical, light-hearted fare which isn’t ruined by the Allen constant of triangulated romance. In the end Midnight In Paris is an enjoyable piece of Allen comedy filled with whit and charm.

7/10 

The Three Musketeers (2011)

Alexander Dumas’ famous novel has seen as many on big screen, small screen, stage and animated adaptations as any piece of literature, but few have looked like Paul W.S Andersons latest version. Of course there are the signature archetypes of flashing swords, and heaving bosoms but Anderson attempts a fantastical spin on the tale with whacky weaponry and crazy constructs such as flying maritime ships. 

It’s the bona fide stupidity that feels as though it’s from the same world as the “Pirates – Franchise”, Which is both the films strength and weakness – The swordsmanship is full of entertaining cut, thrust with plenty cat and mouse action sequences, but the dialogue is riddled with corny cliché aided little by a mixed bag of a cast despite the top efforts of baddies Christophe Waltz and even Millia Jovovich shows that she can act, yet she also symptomatic of the films issues as her portrayal of Milady iscoupled with over the top gymnastic histrionics. The Musketeers themselves are a likeable bunch are outdone in the performance stakes by the enemy, as none have the charisma to make you want to cheer them on  – Enjoyable but forgettable at the same time.

6/10 

The Stoning Of  Soraya M (2008)

Cynics have and will write Soraya M’s story off as a mere anti Middle-East, American funded propaganda, the way in which the subject matter is handled paints a very bleak view of Islamic life in a patriarchal dominated rural Iranian village. However The Stoning of Soraya M is a film that should not be taken purely on face value, as beneath the surface lies a transcendent piece of topically fuelled drama laden with political, cultural and spiritual embattlement. Think of the inner turmoil in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt (2008) with the vitriolic oppression of the anger inducing Mississippi Burning (1988), only in set Persian desserts.

The catalyst for the goings on is Ali a purveyor of patriarchal tyranny which manifests in physical violence and psychological bullying against his disenchanted wife Soraya, as well as unashamed neglect of his two daughters in favour of his two sons who witness proceedings in what in essence is a 101 teaching in misogyny. When Ali becomes a want away husband having fallen for a school girl from a neighbouring village, things turn ugly when his plans to emancipate himself from his marriage become a deadly plot. 

Faith and spirituality form key thematic structures, as Soraya and her devoted Aunt Zahra find a cathartic strength through their belief which carries them through the ordeal, and the unwavering power of their prayers  is emotionally taxing and somewhat beautiful. In contrast the Holy figure (Mullah) uses and abuses his status to feed his and his cohorts sycophantic desires, the irony being that the oppressors are the only ones to doubt their religion.

Spiralling toward the inevitably climax (the title gives little away) the film remorsefully savours every detail of the barbarously punitive method, which is both a calculating and morose ritual. The atmosphere created is mixture of sorrow, hate and joy - Not for everyone but Soraya M is a haunting tale of civil rights that is ultimately a disturbing yet rewarding watch.

9/10 

For 2011 (So Far)

Just over halfway through the year is a good time to review the year so far, so below is my top 5 up to now. You may notice some big omissions The Kings Speech, Black Swan, True Grit and The Fighter are not included mainly because they were very much 2010 films and only released in this Calendar year and country due to the Oscar machine.


5. Source Code 

Director: Duncan Jones
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga



Duncan Jones’ second feature doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor Moon (2009) but there really is little shame in that. Source Code sees Jones again toy with high concept Science fiction but with a methodology more akin to summer block busting as opposed to his debuts more low key scale. Captain Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) is the soldier lost in a reoccurring mission that is half Groundhog Day and half Quantum Leap where he must enter the body of a stranger in an attempt to thwart the deadly bombing of the train he is aboard. What ensues are the conventional big budget synonyms of cat, mouse, chase, punch and explode. However Jones finds an inner warmth to proceedings in the shape of varying shades of romance, humanity, joy and sorrow. Resulting in a film that will engage heart, mind and soul.

4. Hanna

Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana




It really is testament to the qualities of film making when it can take an idea that has done to the proverbial death, yet induce some kind of freshness and originality out of it. In what should feel like a Luc Besson effort such as Nikita (1990) or to a lesser extent Leon (1994), director Joe Wright envelopes all cliché in a wondrous shroud of fairy tale thematics, gorgeous visuals and a near perfect cast who deliver just about all that could be asked. Saoirse Ronan may just be the best young actress on the planet at the moment and her performance as the eponymous, laser blue eyed, Germanic, child assassin equates to boarder line mesmerism. Adding to the piece are Eric Banna and Cate Blanchett creating a deranged oedipal dynamic which drives the simplistic structure of the plot, in which Hanna trained all of her life Erik( Banna) in isolation for the challenge of Marissa (Blanchett) she must encounter. In the process the real beauty of the film evolves which sees our heroine in an innocent mode of inner journeying and self discovery as a juxtaposition to the violence that is ingrained in bother her history and destiny.

3. Submarine

Director: Richard Ayoade
Stars: Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige and Paddy Considine
 


Much in the way of the glorious (500) Days of Summer (2009), Submarine is a film about core generation X values. Richard Ayoade makes the jump from small screen actor to big screen orchestrator and writer in this delightful debut where he brings together a mesh of childhood memories and sappy teenage ideals. Everything here works the leads Oliver (Roberts) and Jordana (Paige) offer assured performances as the incongruent (He a cine-phile, she a pyromaniac), would be school boyfriend and girlfriend loners forging a relationship based on obscure romantics, adolescent exploration and an ambivalent sense dependence based on shared woes of of each others family strife. The superb supporting cast are tasked with portraying the ridiculous and the ordinary including home-wrecking mystics, depressed fathers, over supportive teachers and more. Ayoade’s directorial flair makes for a flourishing aesthetic, even finding the beauty of Swansea, whilst the comedy is fueled by witty dialogue it is also blackened by themes of adultery, bullying and terminal illness but never to the point of crassness. The finishing touch is Alex Turner’s dreamy soundtrack which galvanises this heartfelt, darkly funny and distinguished film – a real achievement.

2. Win Win

Director: Thomas McCarthy
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor



American cinema is often at its best when operating in a mode of self examination, and in doing just that Thomas McCarthy unravels the functionality of dysfunction that resides within the post-millennial American dream and life. McCarthy pens a story very much of our time, Mike Flaherty (Giamatti) is the patriarchal arrowhead of his family, a practicing Lawyer who's facing the impending hardships of his failing career and business. When the opportunity arises to earn some much needed extra income as a carer for an elderly client circumstances converge to bring Mike in contact with a hapless and semi-homeless youngster named Kyle played with impressive understatement by rookie actor Alex Shaffer, the two are drawn together by their love of wrestling. Wife Amy Ryan’s maternal instincts are soon engaged and Kyle becomes part of the Flaherty clan. Win Win however doesn’t just wallow in the ideals of doing the right thing, there are plenty of shadowy  moralistic mechanisms in McCarthy’s script such as pity, forgiveness, inconvenient truths and general ambivalence between characters to allow his directorship to focus on invoking a range of bittersweet emotions and ironic humour. This is a rewarding picture of multi generational appeal and effortless charms.
 .
1.Senna 

Director: Asif Kapadia
Stars: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Frank Williams

 It will be interesting to see if at some point anyone will attempt to give the life of Aryton Senna the full blown biopic treatment that many possibly would have preferred. However the thought of topping Asif Kapadia's triumphant documentary will however be a daunting task. Senna succeeds on every level – Visually it is an intrusive collage of uninterrupted clips  sharing all facets of the legendary race driver’s revered life, from grainy home video to polished FIA film. The Audio plays like a sombre eulogy as we hear voice after voice faceless interview footage broken up with words from the man himself. When put together the narrative is undeniably the strength of the film, charting a journey from Go-Karting ambitions to Formula 1 glory, exploring the vitality of a great sporting rivalry and uncovering the truths about a sport with a politically oppressive system. Of course the truth is this is a celebration of a miraculous figure Senna the man belied boy racer pastiche with a complex psyche, portrayed as on one hand an ethereal almost prophetic character, manifested by his talent, faith and mutual love of his country . On the other hand a cannibalistic competitor focused, irksome and rebellious in his nature. Gripping from start to finish Senna is a must see.

New X-Men: First Class (2011)

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Lawrence

Few things in Hollywood  have made as much sense as the decision to reunite Matthew Vaughn (Director) and Jane Goldman (Screenplay) for the latest Marvel comic endeavour X-men: First Class (2011) following the blustering antics of cult hit Kick Ass, which traversed effortlessly between realms of comic book hero pastiche and spoof mockery.

This latest X-Men project's  first issue however is in its classification which is lost somewhere along the line, officially it is a prequel to Bryan Singer's work when he first brought the story to the big screen over a decade ago with X-Men (2000) and a follow up X2 (2003). Singer who took a back seat for the third installment, the franchise butchering  X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) makes up part of the production team this time around, so there is the lingering presence of the early franchise but equally a distancing combination of new faces and places . The second issue is the script which was rewritten twice due to what essentially is a merger of ideas between a Magneto Origins spin-off (which is how the film started out)  and the remodelling of the X-Men story, and for the first hour of the film there is a clearly evident conflict in what the film wishes to achieve.

At its heart we have a revenge story - Erik Lehnsherr (Fassbender) the would be Magneto is the Holocaust surviving mutant with the ability to manipulate metals, looking to avenge the murder of his mother at the hands of Kevin Bacon’s ubiquitous Sebastian Shaw, a deranged and destructive leader of malevolent mutant gang. Completing the triangular affair is Charles Xavier (McAvoy) a clandestine physic mutant and budding professor, who is hired by the US government to forge a gifted task force. The feelings of vengeance are deflected into obscurity somewhat by the politically driven motives of all involved which is cleverly worked into the narrative through the histrionics of Cold War paranoia and the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

 

All of which means the young X-Men are for relegated to subtext anonymity for long periods, whilst the big boys talk politics or ideologies the adolescents ponder more personal and inflective feelings like identities and acceptance. In one section of the film the unsuspecting heroes are effectively shoved into a room almost as if to buy Vaughn some more time to figure out what to do with them. At this point things feel rather clumsy as we are introduced very quickly to their powers as well as less tangible weakness’, but in a rather unbalanced fashion from unearthing a potential love interest to circus trickery.   

What saves the day in the end is a combination of power house aesthetics,

 which manifests itself in anything from seismic action sequences to gorgeous 60’s nostalgia. And Fassbender’s magnetic (excuse the pun) performance which paints a portrait of man equally at odds with himself and the world, bringing a menacing tenacity to proceedings. 

Still not the finished article for Marvel though, whose big screen adaptations seem intent on having one eye on the future promises instead of making something for the here and now, but interesting enough for comic book lovers and newcomers alike.

7/10 

4 The Week

1. Some Think Old

Fantastic Planet (1973) 

Our exploration of the Fantastic Planet takes us into an immersive and surreal utopia inhabited and ruled by Blue skinned Draags, a species of extreme vastness, exhibited mostly by their gargantuan size which is a hundred times that of a human. Beyond the imposing stature the Draags existence is that of ostensible peace, enhanced by a fascinatingly fantastical combination of extensive technological and theological orientation. Beating beneath the paradisaical surface is a savage heart, Oms (Humans) are a primitive and tribal race, used as part domesticated pet by the dominant Draags, but viewed with vermin like disgust also. On the Fantastic Planet humans are relegated to living within the bushy terrain of the wild with early civil structures of religion, laws and hierarchy. The narrative centres around the relationship between Tiwa a young Draag and a recently orphaned and adopted pet Om Terr. Terr longs to escape into the wild and be among the his own race, and when he succeeds he finds his domesticated conditioning troublesome when integrating with his own kind.With animation that is both grim and psychedelic in look, director Rene Laloux finds the perfect balance to portray a cleverly satirised social experiment. By looking into humanities face of the future what is reflected is its past, and within its past he envisages an alternative reality still bearing the hall marks mans angry existence and vague purpose.

8/10 

2. Some Think New

Rio (2011)

 
Director: Carlos Saldanha 

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann and George Lopez
  

Rio starts off with honourable intentions, we learn the story of the genuinely endangered Spix Macaw (or Blue Macaw). Blu (Eisenberg) is the home reared flightless Macaw with an adhesive companion Linda (Mann) for an owner. The two share a somewhat reclusive existence in snowy climbs of Minnesota. When jetting off to Rio De Janiero Linda and Blu meet female Macaw Jewel (Hathaway) in an effort to have the two mate in the name of conservation , however obstacles arise through the pairs odd couple detractions, bungling kidnappers and our feathered friends becoming lost in the labyrinthine Favela's of Rio. Vibrant colourisation and occasional outbreaks of song helps capture of the cities beauty and buzz of its carnival spirit, which undoubtedly drives the movie especially through its best bits.  However Rio fails with an unremarkable dialogue which lacks the charm and humour of its Ice Age stable mates, whereupon a muddled sense of self-discovery exhibited by the lead characters dilutes the initial good will of the opening moments of the film.

6/10 

3. Some Think To Borrow

The Lost City (2005)

Director: Andy Garcia

Stars: Andy Garcia, Inés Sastre, Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray
 

Andy Garcia directs and stars in this story of a family torn apart by the differences in political and social ideologies of three brothers in 50’s Cuba. The backdrop is of a transitional nation absorbing the bloodshed of Cuban Revolution. Showcasing the countries beauty and cultural verve, Havanna is Garcia's “Lost City” painted as buzzing cauldron of Latin sounds, arts and life. Fico (Garcia) is the Nightclub owner transfixed by his love of music but burdened by his role of peace keeping big brother to both Uber-Socialist Ricardo and democratic Luis who fighting at opposite ends of Cuba’s bloodied political spectrum. Garcia engineers an on screen performance that is heroic and romantic as anything he has ever done, Fico stands up to the upheavals of change brought by the revolution as well as falling in love amidst tragedies and heartache. Behind the camera it is as if Garcia an Havanna native uprooted as a young child is rediscovering all of his own and the cities lost possibilities. The direction has an undying devotion to the Lost City but it has an eye for the poison that flows within its blood such as Jewish gangster Meyer Lanksy (Dustin Hoffman) and the detailing of the  oppressive incoming rule. In addition to Garcia’s personal affections there are other virtues at hand, the tale is written with a classic feel of Corleone-esque family dynamics and themes offering a transcendent quality that could work against almost any landscape - even a factually shaky historical foundation manages to be insightful and balanced without feeling like a schemed or contrived piece of anti Castro propaganda. 

An endearing journey.

9/10 

4. Some Think Due 

The Tree of Life (2011) 

Release: May 4th 2011
Director: Terrence Malick
Stars:  Sean Penn and Brad Pitt

Synopsis: The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence 

Why get excited: Some people are prolific film makers and some people aren't, Terrence Malick unless he gets busy in his later years will have be considered in the latter category. In a career that began nearly 40 years ago Malick has directed five films in that time. The good news is however that the trend so far seems to be quality over quantity, of his previous works his debut Badlands (1973) and war epic The Thin Red Line (1998) are both highly revered pieces of work and The Tree Of Life promises much of the same. To add to the anticipation Brad Pitt and Sean Penn are the formidable headline cast pairing in their first ever on screen collaboration. 
 

4 The Week

1. Some Think Old

Requiem for a Dream (2000) 

Director: Darren Aronofsky


Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans and Jennifer Connelly

If the films of director Darren Aronofsky have taught us anything it is that the path to self destruction is both  a process and a journey, Requiem For A Dream is arguably his most shining example of this as we follow the drug affected dramas of 4 individual and interlinked lives. Aronofsky’s craft behind the camera often manifests itself like a duologue of before and after, with one recounting jaded hopes and dreams of the other. Sara (Burstyn) and Harry (Leto) are the mother and son foundation of the story. Sara is a lonely, widowed, TV Junkie blissfully unaware of her sons addiction to hard drugs, but soon she has her own cross to bear when synthetic dieting methods lead to a world of paranoid psychosis. Harry, his friend Tyrone (Wayans) and girlfriend Marion (Connelly) are coke and crack fiends harbouring ambitions of industrialising their drug orientated proclivities into a life that offers less destructive parameters. In front of the camera Aronofsky offers his cast a reduced scope in which to operate forcing them to refine the emotions and characteristics of their journey toward the diminishment of their souls, namely fear or denial.  Behind the camera Aronofsky’s contrast of flash cut trickery and dreary realism  paint a haunting and bleak picture of urban decay.

9/10 

2. Some Think New

Limitless (2011)

Director: Neil Burger
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel and Abbie Cornish
 

 Is greatness something that is earned or incumbent among a chosen few? Well the action packed trials and tribulations of Eddie Morra (Cooper) in Limitless suggest that the answer may not be a simple black and white answer. Cooper portrays as well as self narrates his story  as a down and out writer imprisoned in a mental  cage of creative lethargy,  financial repression and romantic oblivion. There are notions early on when the film is at its most interesting  to suggest that  there is Derren Brown-esque psycho-babble which divides the "Haves" from the "Have nots", that somehow we all innately capable of high achievement but the limits of our mind holds us back. NZT-48 is a super drug that allows full access to the far reaches of the brain, acting as an accelerant for ability, cerebral capacity, inspiration and ambition.

Morra is offered the substance by an old acquaintance and director Neil Burger delivers and exciting visualisation of the subsequent rise from mediocrity of our lead, we see an array of swishing and swirling camera techniques and effects which serve in making the journey aesthetically appealing. The setting is both grimy New York streets and heady Manhattan skylines further illustration of Morra’s upward turn.

The supporting cast slowly but surely become entangled in the ordeal, want away girlfriend Lindy (Cornish), equally bemused and impressed boss Van Loon (De Niro) and Russian mobster Gennady (Andrew Howard) all battle it out to be the dominant sub plot, whilst murder mystery, gun shots and adrenaline fuelled street chases sees the film take on a nightmarish shift in pace and tone  as cracks begin to show in Morra’s utopia. And it’s at this point Limitless may have benefited from some restraint as the multiplicity of narrative threads coupled with a swift run time means  Burger is overstretched, failing to full explore all of the ideas established in the first hour of the film before the action peters out with a rather dissatisfying conclusion which lacks the conviction and sharpness of what preceded.

7/10 

3. Some Think Foreign 

La Vie en Rose (2007)

Director: Olivier Dahan

Stars: Marion Cotillard
 

You could do worse than labeling Edith Piaf a French Britney Spears of her time, but that would only be telling half the story. Olivier Dahan’s biopic is a visceral depiction of the early 20^th century Gallic songstress enduring a range of hardships throughout a turbulent life that made her a celebrated and vilified icon. Marion Cotlliard's Oscar winning recital of Piaf is not so much a tale gutters to stars, but of Piaf simply finding more brightly lit gutters. From growing up as a young child in the foul stench of a Normandy Whore House, to busking for food on the streets which are simply replaced in line with her rise to stardom to glitzier hell holes of New York penthouse suites cloaking clandestine affairs and alcoholic binging among the social elite. The true grace of Cotillard's performance is her physical and emotive metamorphosis which allows her to be immersed in all phases of Piafs life. Be it the enigmatic performer, free falling romantic and final stand of defiance on her deathbed, all whilst protecting a lust for life and quaint religious ideals.

8/10 

4. Some Think Due 


Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) 

Director: Michael Bay
Release: 1st July
Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Tyrese Gibson

It’s difficult  to play down the significance of the 1986 animated Transformers the movie, a movie still etched in the memories of a generation of children and equally treasured in the nostalgic realms of their now adult hearts. Both a shrewd marketing product to showcase the next generation of merchandise but more importantly a celebration of the original band of robots and their eternal Old Skool  good vs evil struggle. The film  was arguable for many young their first experience of loss and first realisation that some day we all have to grow a proverbial pair an take on responsibilities.

  

20 Years, various anime reincarnations, and a dancing Citroen Robot later Transformers (2007) saw our robot friends back on the big screen in Live action format. Guided by Michael Bay's  thirst for the enormity of uncompromising explosion laden blockbusters. Transformers was a success in the box office, fairly typical of a franchise starting movie we are spoon fed the back story and introduced to a plethora of robots and characters. A key difference from the animated version was the lack of dialogue from the Transformers them, choosing instead to focus on the human characters led by the inane posturing of Shia Lebeuf and Megan Fox as well as the chest pumping dynamics of Josh Duhemel's military chums. All of which seem pretty irrelevant when there are giant robots with the ability to destroys cities with their bare hands involved. In the end we are treated decent fun and giant action set pieces that if anything opened up a wealth of potential for the rest of the franchise.

Revenge Of The Fallen (2009) the Sequel however is an ideologically decrepit piece of cinema, containing racist undertone, woefully misplaced humour such as Robot scrotum and fart jokes, as well as being an unimaginative companion to its predecessor failing to enhance any of its charm or excitement. Ultimately Revenge Of The Fallen is a regurgitated template of the first movie naively leveraged by twice the amount characters, robots and explosions. Yet despite being exposed as having half the ideas and creativity Fallen was an even bigger smash at the box office. The result of which means Bay gets a 3^rd crack of the Whip with Dark Of The Moon (2011). The artistic pressure is on however to produce the signature piece of the trilogy. Christopher Nolan’s lastest offerings The Dark Knight and Inception have changed the summer blockbuster landscape for the foreseeable future, proving that huge budget summer releases can be creatively, financial and critically fulfilling. 

4 The Weekend

1. Some Think Old

Repulsion (1965)

Director: Roman Polanski

Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry and John Fraser

The notion of the mind resembling some form of abstract imprisonment is a well visited cinematic vehicle, Roman Polanksi’s take on the concept acts like a metaphorical  soliloquy of one woman’s battle with sexual and social phobias.  The troubled mind of Belgian beautician Carol (Deneuve) is lost in a structural four walled abyss of her London apartment, degenerating into a nightmarish surreality of murderous impulses brought about by a fear of predatory assailants that lurk inside. Polanski’s use of symbols is to be marvelled as sights of rotting meat and cracking plaster aptly signify the degradation of our subjects psyche, whilst grotesque tentacle like arms that grow from within the walls prevail to dehumanise Carol’s fragile disposition. It’s easy to see the influence the piece has had in the years after its creation be it Carrie (1976) and as recent as Black Swan (2010), Repulsion is an impressive voyage into the realms of our minds more shadowy reaches. 

8/10

2. Some Think New

I am Number Four (2011)

Director: D.J. Caruso

Stars: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant and Dianna Agron

Imagining a blend of tried and tested  Sci Fi conventions like ET and Superman, tied together by teeny melodrama of the Twighlight Saga, will bring you somewhere near I Am Number Four ‘s derivative stink. We follow John (Pettyfer) coming to terms with his covertly natured existence, inherent demigod powers,  which come about with life as an on the run alien avoiding a deadly intergalactic race war which threatens his very being, yet despite the seriousness of his predicament, life soon becomes embroiled in high school innocuities that unconvincingly take priority.  The unforgiving back story, multiplicity of narrative strands and accompanying wave of characters make it difficult not to exhort  the observation that this would have been better served as an episodic TV series and indeed feels like one at times. If you still care past the laborious first hour or so of mostly painful character development, and even with the Bayhem style car smash finale I Am Four still feels like an overblown pilot episode of some ghastly Smallville imitation.

5/10   

 3. Some Think To Borrow

 (500) Days of Summer (2009) 

There is something rare and indeed endearing about watching a piece of cinema that captures beautifully the dying embers of a lost era like a generational montage. (500) Days Of Summer is just that, a film about and for the last wave of generation X-ers coming to terms with their ideals and memories being relegated to nothing more than nostalgia of 80's TV theme tunes and inane Beatles debates, whilst the world becomes an increasingly vapid cauldron of cynicism with older generations embarking on second lives and marriages, with a younger generation offering a bemusedly wise shoulder to cry on.

Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is the post modern romantic about to be torturously put to be the sword over 500 days of acquainted love that befalls him. Tom is a builder, a planner, not literally of course but in nature, epitomised by his budding but elusive profession as an architect and displayed by a love for creating structures both physical and poetic as a greeting card wordsmith. Tom lives on a steady foundation of contented certitude with a network of friends, steady employment, and a love of contemporary music and cinema. Zooey Deschanel is the 500 day Summer (her name) that he will endure, one could argue the “are they aren’t they” couple are cut from the same cloth, but where as Gordon-Levitt’s character wears his heart on his sleeve, Summer is a more introverted enigma, a staunch detractor of love and its existence, she lives by a code of conflicted spontaneity which is even a puzzle to herself. 

 

Both leads produce performances that become delightfully sketchy effigies of 21^st century relational dynamics. We see a quietly devastating contradiction as Gordon-Levitt’s manages to bring out Tom’s possessive lust strung out by his blind obsessions,  whilst Deschanel’s delivery has Summer contritely cognisant or her own imperfections.  

Director Marc Webb’s work bears all the hallmarks of his prowess as a pop video virtuoso, as there is a inspiring dexterity in the way pieces of the narrative play out like fragmented music videos. The same can be said of (500) Days Of Summer’s use of non-linear recitation which somehow manages to still feel very much sequential with scenes melting gloriously into one another with ease, whilst others are ignited by lush tones of the eclectic soundtrack. 500 days is a transient journey which finds a variety of angles to shed a light on the American romance with all of it fascinating intricacies.

9/10 

4. Some Think Due 

Source Code (2011)

Release: April 1^st 2011

Director: Duncan Jones

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga

Synopsis: An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Why get excited: Source Code is the eagerly anticipated follow up to Duncan Jones much heralded debut Moon (2009). Jones gets over 7 times the financial backing of his maiden feature most which was probably spent on acquiring  Jake Gyllenhaal  to spearhead the project. Source Code promises to be another cerebral offering Bowie jnr (his father is musical legend David) with the added potential of big budget thrills and spills.

New True Grit (2010)

It’s been 27 years since Joel and Ethan Coen’s first deliverance of brotherly genius with the snarling brilliance of Blood Simple (1984) which set the foundation for glimmering catalogue of revered and treasured timeless classics that which have become synonymous with the Coen brothers brand. When studying the aforementioned filmography one cannot help but locate a Shakespearean style split within their cinematic portfolio. And it isn’t hard to find your equivalent Comedies or Tragedies. Especially when you think they do the frenetic and the farcical sublimely in offerings such as Burn After Reading (2008), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)  and perhaps to this day their signature piece The Big Lebowski (1999), which fulfil the Comedic end of this comparison. Black humour even swings it’s way into the more darkened choices making Tragedies are a little tougher to distinguish but there is no denying that there is much that is tragic in the Coen’s most underrated exhibit The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) a hang dog expression of a film, whilst Fargo (1996) and the mighty No Country for Old Men (2007) also fit the bill.

So where to place True Grit? A Gun slinging, Horse Riding adventure of true Western pastiche, conjured up with undoubted Coen Wizardry and idiosyncrasy. Aesthetically the film is a triumph, set in late 19^th Century Arkansas  True Grit captures the beauty of the American old west by combining elegantly crafted and selected sets with powering scenery. Held in a delicate time incumbent of post civil war savagery and yet preserved in a pre-industrialised grace. Structurally it follows in the simplistic path of other Coen works, a reoccurring methodology is designing the narrative around a man hunt or a goose chase and we get the former here. Mattie Ross played irresistibly by the irresistible rookie Hailee Steinfeld is caught somewhere between the lines of vengeance and justice brought about by her back story predicament, having lost her father to a botched robbery she seeks out see the now fugitive man who did it punished, but there is one problem she is a puny 14 year old girl who gets by on a brazen wordy tongue, fuelled by unrelenting smarts and courage. 

So by putting her self-taught virtues to the test Mattie finds the man the who she believes can get the job done which comes in the shape of the human Cyclopes Rueben Cogburn an ostensibly uncompromised man ravaged by war and alcohol, almost burdened by his tough guy reputation as much as he abides by it. And it’s funny that the word abides allows an easy set up to introduce Jeff Bridges as the man to detail Cogburn in his first Coen reunion since reprising the “Dude” and the performances aren’t too dissimilar in the sense that Cogburn and the Dude are self ostracised, alcoholics who care little for what others may think of them. It will be difficult to say how Bridges career will be most remembered, but Jeff is on top form here and his leisurely and casual style works wonders with Rooster. Matt Damon chips in as the “all the gear, no idea” Texas Ranger Leboeuf, jangling spurs and all, is the third member of the group and a quiet success. “LeBeef” as his is name is somewhat amusingly uttered, allows Damon to provide some comic relief with a performance of deliberate overtone and lacking of sophistication. 

The Coen’s cap it all off by immersing our heroes in a wondrous adventure that takes pseudo fantastical elements reminiscent of O Brother, encountering mystifying corpse collecting Indians, and bear suited dentists are undeniable Coen touches. The film has a pulsating No Country like mode of deadly cat and mouse, filled with all shoot-outs and chase scenes to keep the audience on seats edge. All in all True Grit is another fluent outing from Joel and Ethan, a sharp and convincing statement of their talent.

8/10

New The Fighter (2010)

The key to success of most sports drama’s is in its ability to capture a binding quintessence of both sport and hero or heroine. Boxing in itself embodies a wealth of humanistic teachings such as resilience, endurance and discipline. In the case of David O Russells biopic The Fighter manages to broaden the parallel past the notion of one man’s fight into gripping family drama, a statement of brotherly and motherly love, galvanised by the thematic complexities of obscured loyalties and conflicted priorities.

Mark Wahlberg leads the line as Pro Boxer “Irish” Micky Ward, an embattled soldier like man of noble but crushed spirit, who we meet at a cross roads in his seemingly mediocre career. Wahlberg’s performance bares shades of the hapless loss of control that eventually evolves in Boogie Nights (1997) as well as the bulldog spirit of Invincible (2006). Early in the film the question is raised about the validity of his tutelage. Ward is governed  by a coalition of blood firstly inside the ring with star of the show Christian Bale, playing brother Dicky a decayed local boxing legend turned trainer, whose life is in near terminal free fall through Crack addiction and accompanying petty criminality. Bale gives by far the most authentic performance of his career, an emotionally rangy tour de force, maneuvering through Dick Eklunds crippling self destruction.

 

Outside the ring Melissa Leo in her portrayal of mother Alice Ward attempts at being the matriarchal adhesive that must forge Family and Business, whilst a pack of Hyena like sisters also seem to be feasting from Micky’s trough. The disorganised managerial set up soon becomes an unsuspecting triumvirate when an incredulous Wahlberg falls in love with Amy Adams who plays a Charlene, a tough talking waitress eager to apply her own wisdom and perspective to the situation roundly rejected by the rest of the Ward clan. These performances provide the foundation for the feature, complimenting each other leaving sparks flying around the screen with Wahlberg’s pathos comes Bales preposterousness whilst Leo’s motherly devotion is countered by Adam’s  divisibility.

Beyond the character study is an effective social commentary as the Ward/Eklund family are products of their drab and at times oppressive surroundings of Lowell, Massachusetts. Boxing is an outlet for many to lash out in a controlled environment, whilst those who don’t submit to the temptations of drug addiction, alcoholism and crime. 

Other iconic Boxing films of differing eras will no doubt draw comparison but we aren’t romanticising as in Rocky (1976) or partaking in the savage poetry of Raging Bull (1980). The Fighter finds a place of its own within the pantheon of great Boxing pictures telling a story both of and for its time.

8/10