Certificate:

Director: Duncan Jones

Release Date: 1 April 2011

Tagline: Make every second count.

Main Cast:

Jake Gyllenhaal … Colter Stevens

Michelle Monaghan … Christina Warren

Vera Farmiga Colleen Goodwin

I’m not a believer in parallel universes (I think it’s an easy cop out for scientists when they can’t explain something), so I’m in two minds (one in this universe and one in another?) about this. I really enjoyed it up until the end when it got all sentimental and schmaltzy. Source Code is basically Groundhog Day with peril and some dodgy acting (Michelle Monaghan is bland and uninteresting).

As was explained to us early in the film, they have the ability to put the consciousness of one person (x) into the mind of another person (y) in the last eight minutes of y’s life (in this case Colter in to a man called Sean Fentress). For reasons that will become apparent, it is mentioned that the scientist chose Sean because of his physical similarity to Colter. A train on its way into Chicago is blown up (nice SFX here), and Colter is sent into an alternate/parallel universe to discover the identity of the person who placed the bomb on said train. He is told that he cannot affect the outcome as he can’t change the past – his mission is simply to find out who the person is so that they can stop him from further bombings. I could have told him who it was in the second attempt and saved him the bother

MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW!

In the end, the story gets really bogged down in its own quantum physics complexity. Christina obviously knows who Sean is – she is travelling with him. She also has a bit of a thing for Sean. As each attempt is in its own separate timeline she should find his behaviour odd every time, but she doesn’t seem all that bothered. Now, here’s where the ‘physical similarities’ comes in. Guess what? Colter, in between trying to find the bomber, falls in love with her. It’s a good job they put him into that handsome male body and not the pale and spotty geek or, Heaven forbid, the old lady on the top deck! She’s also a deus ex machina – a sloppy plot device if ever I saw one.

I thought that they’d actually come up with a plausible and poignant ending (the freeze frame scene), but that was wrenched away only to be replaced by a ‘lovely’ ending.

So, what happened to Sean in the timeline where Colter saves the day and gets the girl? I don’t think we’re supposed to ask this! Is it even morally ethical for Colter to steal Sean’s body? Surely someone as conscientious as a heroic soldier wouldn’t do such a thing. Oh – wait a minute – in this timeline Sean doesn’t die. Which means that Colter could not have entered his mind because there would be no ‘last eight minutes’ for Sean.

The things that we are asked to suspend disbelief for the sake of stupid endings never ceases to amaze me.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Directors: Doug Liman (Identity), Paul Greengrass (Supremacy and Ultimatum)

Release Dates: 2002, 2004, 2007

Main Cast:

Matt Damon … Jason Bourne

Franka Potente … Marie

Chris Cooper … Conklin

I’m reviewing these all together as they are all of the same quality, which is not bad!

The Bourne films are, overall, pretty good films. As usual though (with this type of film) you have to suspend disbelief as there are quite a few situations that are, when you think about it, pretty ludicrous. However, all three films are consistently good and are well worth watching. I recommend that you watch all three back to back, as there are one or two confusing aspects which make more sense when watched in quick succession.

In a nutshell, the plot is this. A young man is rescued from the sea by a fishing boat. He has no idea who he is or what happened to him. Fortunately for him, there seems to be a fairly competent medic on board who removes bullets and such from him. The medic also removes a device that projects an image on the wall of details of a very exclusive Swiss bank account. Yes – we’re suspending disbelief from almost the word go! Anyway, the unidentified man goes to said bank to look at the contents of a security box. In it, he finds passports in various names all with his photo on them, money and a gun. He takes it that his name is Jason Bourne. His presence sets all sorts of alarms going off and he finds himself evading the security with alarming ease. He enlists a total stranger (she’s a sucker for money – money talks, after all) to drive him to Paris. Rather than just leave him in Paris, she stays with him and they *yawn* ‘fall in love’. Bourne is in the middle of a tangled web of corruption, and spends the three films in outrageous car chases and fights.

The Bourne films are perfect ‘popcorn movies’. Don’t worry about the nonsense – grab some munchies, sit back and enjoy!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars (combined)

Certificate:

Director: Christopher Nolan

Release Date: 16 July 2010

Tagline: The dream is real.

Main Cast:

Dom Cobb … Leonardo DiCaprio

Arthur … Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Ariadne … Ellen Page

Eames … Tom Hardy

Saito … Ken Watanabe

Ok, first things first. 12A? Ludicrous. Not only is there a lot of violence, you’ll have to be very intelligent and/or are able to concentrate well to follow this if you are twelve. Any child less than this age/and or ability will only whinge, moan, declare (loudly) that they want to go to the toilet (it’s 148 minute long) and, more than likely, run around. Therefore, watch it with children present at your peril – distractions *will* result in you being completely lost.

Secondly, forget what you have heard about how it’s confusing and incomprehensible. The primary plot is very easy to grasp. It’s only when you try to link every subtle and glorious details that you begin to question and mull things over.

The primary plot is this. Dom Cobb and his colleagues are thieves, but not in the ordinary sense. They go into the the dreams of people to extract and steal things that are in the dreamer’s mind. They are architects of dream worlds and are able to manipulate the dreamer. Cobb has been accused of his wife’s murder and is unable to return to his home and children. A powerful business man, Saito, offers him a chance to get this accusation ‘taken care of’ if he helps him plant a seed (an inception) in to the mind of his terminally ill fiercest rival’s son. The inception in question is to place the idea that the son does not simply inherit the company and keeps it as it is, but to convince him that he is his own man and dissolve the company and follow his own path. Saito claims that if the son continues the business as it is, then it will be “the next superpower”. It seems that Saito has the world’s best interest at heart, but this is niether confirmed or proved false. Needless to say, Dom accepts this job.

It makes total sense. At least on the surface. I need to watch it again to fully understand all the intricacies of the film as a whole!

Inception is a true slice of originality that is sadly lacking in today’s remakes and regurgitations of the same plot but with different trimmings and actors. Absolutely bloody marvellous!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

P.S. Leonardo DiCaprio is proving himself to be an exceptional actor with every passing year

Certificate:

Director: Louis Leterrier

Release Date: 13 June 2008

Tagline: You’ll like him when he’s angry.

Main Cast:

Edward Norton … Bruce Banner

Liv Tyler … Betty Ross

Tim Roth … Emil Blonsky

William Hurt … General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross

I don’t switch many films off, so when I do it means that it’s terrible. I have less tolerance these days to seeing rubbish through to the end. This is the second ‘modern’ Hulk films, and both have been bad.

I’ve decided that a boring comic book can only result in a boring film (Electra and Daredevil are boring too and have made very poor conversions to film). The problem with the Hulk is that we only ever see him when Banner gets angry. Batman and Spider-Man make lots of appearances in the comics and therefore make for exciting films.

I’ve never quite worked out the purpose of the Hulk. He is neither good nor bad and all he seems to do is jump around and smash things up. It is impossible to make an emotional connection with him as Bruce Banner is about as interesting as a wet lettuce.

What is it with comic book adaptations and romantic scenes in the rain? It’s cheesy. Why is the American military so dumb? Bullets clearly have no effect on the Hulk yet they keep on firing away.

Finally, the question of how the Hulk keeps his trousers on is still a mystery. A couple of inches longer and they’d have fit like a glove. They were less convincing than the old TV series.

Please stop making Hulk films. It’s a crappy comic and should be left well alone. I turned it off after seventy six minutes. I just couldn’t take any more. It was making me angry…

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Steven Spielberg

Release Date: 22 May 2008

Tagline: The adventure continues . . .

Main Cast:

Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones … Harrison Ford

Cate Blanchett … Irina Spalko

Shia LaBeouf … Mutt Williams

Awful, awful, awful. Harrison Ford is too old for this type of roll. He was embarrassingly bad in the first part of this, and only seemed to show any real enthusiasm about two thirds in. It’s full of the same old Indiana Jones clichés – I don’t think that they even tried to inject anything new into it. Why bother when it will put bums on seats with little to no effort? What on Earth was Cate Blanchett thinking when she took this role?

The lack of imagination in the above tagline says it all. This is a tired franchise that should have been laid to rest by now. Let’s hope they don’t dig it up again.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

P.S. I don’t know what it was really made of, but does anyone else think that the ‘crystal skull’ looked like plastic with some scrunched up cling film in it?

Certificate:

Director: James Cameron

Release Date: 17 October 2009

Tagline: Enter the world.

Main Cast:

Sam Worthington … Jake Sully

Zoe Saldana … Neytiri

Sigourney Weaver … Dr. Grace Augustine

Stephen Lang … Colonel Miles Quaritch

3D cinema – fancy gimmick or pleasurable enhancement? Both, actually. In the fantasy sections of the film it works very well, but in the run-of-the-mill scenes it’s pointless and somewhat distracting. So, all in all, 3D is something that, with the right film, could be fantastic.

So, on to the film itself. Cheesy, clichéd and over long, Avatar would not have been the massive success that it was if it was merely a 2D film. The plot and the dialogue are dreadful, and it’s obvious that Cameron was not in the least bit concerned about making a good film, which is a shame as it is certainly visually stunning. I believe that special effects should help tell the story and not be the only attraction and, sadly, Avatar is a film without a soul. Take Titanic – love it or hate it, Cameron had the sets built to perfection. To see that wonderful ship come to life was an absolute joy, and you were completely immersed (no pun intended) in the experience. With Avatar, I found myself constantly aware of the 3D visuals and just couldn’t engage fully with the film.

Having said all that, I appreciate that Avatar is the first genuine 3D film (as opposed to the ones that have 3D versions with a few things that poke out of the screen at you) and, as such, I applaud it. Was it worth paying good money to see? Yes, it was. Do I think 3D is the future? No, I don’t.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars (film only)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars (overall experience)

Certificate:

Director: J.J. Abrams

Release Date: 8 May 2009

Tagline: The future begins.

Main Cast:

Chris Pine … James T. Kirk

Zachary Quinto … Spock

Karl Urban … Leonard “Bones” McCoy

Leonard Nimoy … Spock Prime

Eric Bana … Nero

I’m not a Trekker. I think that people who have learned to speak Klingon need to get out more. I don’t like the numerous spin-offs and the feature films (bar one or two) have been rather tedious. I do, however, like the original series, and was excited at the prospect of Star Trek re-imagined with all of the original characters.

It has a wonderful feel to it. The actors have really researched their parts well and the casting (especially Pine, Quinto and Bones) is excellent. I remain undecided about Simon Pegg (Scotty) though. His Scottish accent was, at times, somewhat dodgy to say the least.

So, they get a 10/10 for the look and feel of the film, but it has its faults.

This is very much a prequel to the original series. It deals with character introduction not only to us, but to each other as well. It therefore has to spend considerable time in scene setting (as did Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace). I really enjoyed this section of the film as I think that introduction to the characters is an extremely important part. If you don’t care for the characters (be it in film, book or TV series) then it won’t work.

With regards to the plot, I liked that they didn’t leap to the obvious enemy and went with the slightly lesser known Romulans (the Klingons will require more screen time and it was a wise decision to leave them until, at least, the next instalment). I did find myself a bit confused in one or two places, and I found that I lost concentration at one point in trying to work out what the Hell was going on, which was a bit of a shame. I would have preferred something other than the inevitably messy time travelling story. There are always so many loopholes when time travel is involved, and I’m really not a big fan of it. When you throw in a parallel universe too, it gets even messier.

So, despite its faults, now that the crew of the Enterprise has been established I expect the next one to have a much better story with more heart and depth to it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Mark Herman

Release Date: 12 September 2008

Tagline: A timeless story of innocence lost and humanity found.

Main Cast:

Asa Butterfield … Bruno

Jack Scanlon … Shmuel

David Thewlis … Father

Vera Farmiger … Mother

Set in wartime Germany, the story is seen through the eyes of a young boy whose father is a high ranking Nazi who has been promoted to a commander of a concentration camp. Forced to leave his grand home in Berlin and his friends, Bruno finds himself in a modest house in the middle of nowhere with no peers. From his bedroom window he can see what he thinks is a farm. It is, of course, the camp but he has no idea of the nature of his father’s work and his assumption is not corrected.

Forbidden to leave the front yard of the house, he becomes fascinated with what lies beyond, and curiosity soon gets the better of him. He stumbles upon the outskirts of the camp and meets Shmuel, a boy his own age sitting behind the fence.

I shall end the review here as this is a film that should be allowed to unravel at its own pace.

Simple yet so incredibly powerful, TBITSP will leave you silent as the credits roll.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: David Koepp

Release Date: 24 October 2008

Tagline: He sees dead people… And they annoy him.

Main Cast:

Ricky Gervais … Bertram Pincus

Greg Kinnear … Frank Herlihy

Téa Leoni … Gwen Herlihy

Ghost Town is an amiable if somewhat predictable comedy (bordering on, dare I say it, a romcom). I’m not a huge fan of Ricky Gervais, but thankfully he manages to reign in his usual style somewhat and gives his character the endearing charm needed.

The plot centres around Bertram Pincus (Gervais), a man who dislikes people (I’m with him on that one!) Following an operation (did they have to go for a cheap peurile laugh here?) in which he learns that he was clinically dead for seven minutes he becomes able to see the dead, and they all seem to want something from him.

There are some very funny moments, but nothing to really lift it much beyond average.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Certificate:

Director: Mike Leigh

Release Date: 7 January 2005

Tagline: Wife. Mother. Criminal.

Main Cast:

Imelda Staunton … Vera

Richard Graham … George

Eddie Marsan … Reg

Deserving of all its awards, Vera Drake is another superb film by Mike Leigh. It is set in 1950s England and is about a woman who is totally selfless and devoted to her family and to humanity in general. Vera is a hard working woman who ‘helps girls out’ i.e. she performs abortions. She takes no payment and is unaware that Nellie, a lifelong friend and the woman that puts the girls in touch with her, charges them. Nellie also runs a black market on scarce goods. Although her method is the safest possible, unfortunately, one  goes wrong and the girl nearly dies. Vera is then arrested and sent to prison.

Imelda Staunton is simply stunning.

One final note – giving this film a rating of 12A is ludicrous. Not only are scenes of abortion not suitable for young children, but I can’t think of many more films that any child could be more bored by.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars