This week's releases 31/08/2012

A Few Best Men: With a wedding in Australia planned, David realises that the three best men he has chosen are not up to the job in this Australian comedy. Many people seem to be expecting a toned down version of The Hangover.

The Possession: "Probably the scariest movie ever made" and "based on a true story" are usually two quotes that are shown to entice you into seeing some garbage that isn't scary and didn't actually happen. A young girl becomes possessed after buying an antiques box which contains an evil spirit which forces her family to take drastic measures. I think I'd be more scared if David Dickenson turned up with the box.

Come as You Are: A Belgian film that follows three young men on a quest to lose their virginity. One is blind, one is in a wheelchair and the other is completely paralysed. They take a road trip to Spain to hopefully complete their quest with some cringeworthy humour along the way.

Film Review: Tron Legacy

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Just short of 30 years after the original Tron movie was released, a sequel was released bringing back old favourites like Jeff Bridges as Flynn and Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley who were the heroes of the original. It was a movie I had put off watching since its release in 2010 as the original was probably my favourite movie as a kid and didn't want the memory tainted by a sub-par sequel that wasn't needed. The original spawned fantastic retro games and was praised for its pioneering graphics which were revolutionary at the time.

The new look lightcycle

Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is missing causing many problems at his company Encom which is losing money and his son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) is convinced by Sam Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) to investigate a signal from his Dad's old video arcade. There he discovers a secret tunnel which leads to him to be teleported into the virtual realm that his Dad created 20 years ago. In there he is instantly forced to fight on the grid before he is rescued during the light cycle contest by Quorra (Olivia Wilde aka Thirteen) and taken to his Dad who has become trapped because his duplicate is now in charge of the Grid. They then plan to get to the portal before it closes so they can escape back to reality.

My immediate reaction is that it wasn't as bad as I first anticipated after falling in love with the first film as a child but felt that the film didn't really know what it wanted to be. It is a sequel as we come back 20 years later but the plot is inherently the same as the original in so many ways that it might as well be a remake. I understand it wanted to remain true to the original in terms of the games and how the grid works but they didn't have to make the same movie but branded as a sequel.



Kevin Flynn returns (Jeff Bridges)

Naturally with the huge improvements in the years since the original it is visually a fantastic spectacle with the high definition gloss making the light seem pin sharp but this is something you would instantly expect in this day and age. The score for the film was written and performed by the popular French electronic group Daft Punk which is again superb and in perfect keeping with the context of the movie which again should be applauded.

There are a few moments where the movie creeps into Star Wars territory with light saber like battles but one of the main gripes is the cheesy and clichéd acting of Garrett Hedlund, in fairness some of the problems stemmed from the script but his delivery of certain lines were obviously meant to appeal to kids. Look out for a superb cameo by Martin Sheen in the second half of the movie.

2/4 enjoyable but muddled return for Tron

Film Review: The Imposter

Director: Bart Layton

Losing a child is always an upsetting and harrowing experience which in many cases is made worse as they simply vanish never to be seen again. In many ways this is worse because you will never know what happened to them and always cling on to some small hope that they might re-appear. For the family of Nicholas Barclay this appeared to happen over 3 years after he disappeared from San Antonio, Texas.

Frédéric Bourdin who impersonated the missing teenager Nicholas Barclay

As time moved on the reality turns out to be very different, the Nicholas Barclay that was found in Spain and claimed to have been abducted for a child sex ring that abused and raped him turned out to be 23 year old French/Algerian man who looked quite different (Nicholas would have been 16 at the time). Bourdin claims he never had a childhood and wanted to create an identity for himself but the biggest shock comes when the family accepts him and believes that he is their son. This is a story that you would dismiss as unbelievable if somebody had written it as fiction.

Frédéric Bourdin is a hugely manipulative character based on his interviews from the documentary, he is very convincing in making you feel sorry for him for having no childhood and being brought up in a family that didn't want him. You have to remind yourself that he is an serial liar and that his up-bringing is no excuse for his actions in adult life. On many occasions as the family members speak about Nicholas the camera will show a shot on Bourdin just smiling towards the camera which sends shivers down your spine.

Nicholas Barclay who went missing aged 13

The final section of the film produces some incredible twists that you just don't see coming, you expect it to be a simple case of Bourdin being caught by the FBI and that being a satisfying conclusion. What follows leaves many unanswered questions and really sticks in your mind as you walk out of the cinema. The family's readyness to accept him despite the huge difference in appearance and the doubts raised by local people including a private investigator and a forensic doctor. The whole film takes on a sombre and unsettling tone which sits through the entire film.

4/4 chilling, disturbing and all completely true

Film Review: Tommy

Director: Ken Russell

Based on the simply immense rock-opera album of the same name by the band The Who, Ann-Margaret received a Golden Globe for her performance and also a nomination for an Oscar as Tommy's mother.

The film is based around the life of Tommy who is a deaf, dumb and blind boy who becomes a master pinball player despite his disabilities. His parents have differing feelings towards him as Nora (Ann-Margaret) is sympathetic whilst his step-father Frank (Oliver Stone) finds him a nuisance. He is bullied by cousin and molested by his alcoholic Uncle (Keith Moon) but could a possible cure end his powers as a pinball wizard?

Tommy (The Who frontman Roger Daltrey)

We see a rousing performance of 'Pinball Wizard' by Elton John which is excellent and as well known as the original version performed by The Who themselves. The whole film has some strange sequences especially Tommy's experience with the Acid Queen (Tina Turner) who supplies him with LSD which produces some haunting hallucinations. In many senses the film is as weird as the album was when you listen to the lyrics.

The film tries to say a lot about a range of topics including worshipping false idols (even more relevant today than at the time) but fails to build on these themes. Overall the cast of stars produce an intriguing film which you are unlucky to want to watch over and over again.

2/4 as bizarre and strange as the album but fails too match its brilliance

Film Review: Taken

Director: Pierre Morel

Taken is a French thriller produced by Luc Besson (the man behind Leon) which helped turn Liam Neeson's career round after he starred in number of films that failed at the box office. A sequel has already been filmed and is slated to be released on Friday 5th October 2012 in the UK.

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson in kickass form) is a retired CIA operative who in retirement is trying to get closer to his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), who he neglected during his years of work. She wants to go to Paris with her friend but Bryan is unsure of two young teenagers going abroad alone but finally agrees even though he finds out they want to travel around Europe following the rock band U2. On reaching Paris Kim and her friend are kidnapped by an Albanian human trafficking ring who intends to drug her and use her as prostitutes to make money so Bryan flies into Paris to get her back.

CIA Operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson)

Liam Neeson is impressive as the loving Dad who uses his skills to fight, kick and kill his way through Paris on the trail of his daughter. The action scenes are interesting to watch with the time frame of 72 hours to get her back before it becomes nearly impossible to find her adds to the tension. Unfortunately the plot doesn't have much in terms of surprises or twists that make it really catch you out with the corruption element being clear from the outset.

None of the characters around Neeson are particularly well acted and only serve as a platform for Neeson to smash his way through rooms of villains. The final 30mins is pretty much a relentless torrent of violence as Neeson kills around 50 people in the hunt for his daughter which is stretching reality somewhat. The storyline of his daughter being kidnapped in Paris will probably stop Republican voters in America from ever going there at all.

2.5/4 an enjoyable action film but has a thin plot and indifferent acting aside from Neeson.

Film Preview: Killing Them Softly

Directed by Andrew Dominik (Chopper and The Assassination of Jesse James) working with the 1974 novel by George V. Higgins called Cogan's Trade. The cast brings together Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and James Galdofini to name a few which ends up looking like all the iconic mobsters from the world of TV and cinema together minus Joe Pesci. It was filmed in and around Louisiana.

Brad Pitt plays professional enforcer Jackie Cogan who investigates a heist on a high stakes poker game involving the local mob with Gandolfini playing an alcoholic over the hill assassin. All the characters are remarkably foul-mouthed and opinionated especially when the bullets start to fly. The film looks quite grey and bleak throughout with a lot of the bolder colours removed to give it a slightly depressing look but is muted to be a lot more thought provoking than you might expect.

Killing Them Softly is released in the UK on 21st September 2012 and the trailer is embedded below:

This week's releases 24/08/2012

Unfortunately this is another bad week for movies with some poor releases but is once again saved by two films more likely to be found at arty independent cinemas. Enjoy!

Keith Lemon The Movie: He has become immensely popular in the UK after the success of Celebrity Juice that he has been given his own film. Whether 90mins of Keith without advert breaks will be overkill remains to be seen but expect the usual celebrities to appear (David Hasselhoff and Verne Troyer) in this rags to riches tale.

The Three Stooges: Included in my blog post of Why are they being released? as Hollywood decides to ruin the memory of the classic slapstick comedy offered by the Three Stooges by bringing them back with a new cast and less funny humour.

Shadow Dancer: A story of spying during 'the troubles' in Belfast after a failed plot implicates a young mum.

Full Preview here: Shadow Dancer Preview

The Imposter: A film that flew under my radar until its release this week, a documentary about the true story of Nicholas Barclay who disappeared near San Antonio in Texas in 1994 aged just 13. A horrible but familiar story that was turned upside down when three years later he is reported to be alive in Spain after being kidnapped and tortured. Only when he returns to his family he looks completely different and speaks with a French accent that cannot rationally be explained and it slowly dawns on them that his might not be their son after all.

Film Review: The Inbetweeners Movie

Director: Ben Palmer

After three TV series on E4 in the UK, one grand finale was required for the boys as a send off and it was decided that it would be feature film (although it has since become apparant that a 4th series will be made, shame). Compared to it's budget it made a huge profit at the box office and set a record for the most successful opening weekend ever achieved by a comedy film in the UK beating the previous record by The Hangover II.

The film follows the 4 boys as they decide to venture on a summer holiday to Malia after Simon is dumped his girlfriend Carly. Once they arrive they enjoy the usual drunken debauchery that is expected on a lads holiday in Greece and lots of the usual crude jokes that made the original TV series so popular.

Will, Simon, Jay and Neil in Malia

The laughs are certainly there in this film but everything is very much as you would expect beforehand. The same characters have similar jokes to what they had in the TV series with Neil doing stupid things and Simon proving he's useless with woman. It's not really a film you could watch having not seen it on TV with so many jokes that are funnier because you know the characters, but since I did I laughed at some hilarious moments.

The plot and jokes wear a bit thin at many stages of the movie, the big problem TV programs have when they run a feature length film of 90mins or more is having enough happening or enough funny jokes which is where The Inbetweeners Movie falls short. This aside it's still an enjoyable flick and guaranteed to be a hundred times better than any American remake.

2.5/4 usual fun and crude jokes but wears thin over the 90mins

Film Review: Catching Hell

Director: Alex Gibney

An ESPN documentary showing how one moment can completely change your life and just how important professional teams are to fans. The story of Steve Bartman who tried to catch a foul ball as a souvenir during Game 6 of the National League Championship Series in 2003 when the Chicago Cubs were one game away from the World Series which they haven't won since 1908. Moisés Alou was the Cubs outfielder who tried to catch the ball to claim the second out of the 8th inning leaving just 4 outs remaining for the Cubs to win the ball game as they lead 3-0 at the team. The crowd completely turned at this point after realising that the fan had denied the Cubs an out and the team then committed errors including a wild pitch by Mark Prior and a misfield by shortstop Alex Gonzalez who led the league in fielding that year.

The film begins by comparing the incident to what happened in the 1986 World Series when Bill Buckner let a groundball sneak through his legs to let the Mets win game 6 against the Red Sox. He was made the scapegoat for the teams loss that night despite errors from others that meant the Red Sox blew a 5-3 lead in the 9th inning. The documentary showed how Bartman stopped Alou catching the ball but that another 3 or 4 people in the crowd also went for the ball and that it was the errors by the players after that caused the defeat.

Moisés Alou prevented from catching foul ball by Steve Bartman who tries to catch a souvenir

Every single moment of what happened and the aftermath is superbly analysed in the film including another fan that filmed himself and the reactions of those around him towards Bartman after they realised what happened. It is truly shocking to hear some of the things that were shouted before he was showered with beer and other debris before one fan went down to pick a fight with him. Bartman has pretty much been in hiding ever since as he fears for his safety and the curse of the Billy Goat continues in Chicago as the Cubs haven't won a playoff game since.

We hear interviews from fans who were sat near the incident as well as telecasters from the game and other local media. They discuss at length the ethical debate of endlessly discussing the incident on the news against the harassment of somebody who in the end only did what anybody else would have done as the footage proves. Bartman turned down a chance to be interviewed for the documentary and also turned down lucrative offers from big brands including a six figure sum to appear in an advert to be aired during the Super Bowl. The film captures the emotions from both sides of the argument brilliantly and was intriguing to watch throughout even if you aren't a fan of baseball.

4/4 thorough and compelling documentary

Film Preview: Antiviral

Just one look at the trailer will show you that the acorn doesn't fall from the tree as far as Brandon Cronenberg is concerned. The body-horror has links to Videodrome which was an early classic of his father David and certainly shows that Brandon is as bold in his film-making. The end result, looking at the trailer, looks truly shocking and unsettling.

Antiviral is set in the future where the status of celebrity has grown to increasingly worrying levels that now companies are selling diseases that are harvested from celebrities to bring the fans closer to their idols. Caleb Landry Jones works for one company and decides the temptation is too much so tries it himself but realises the disease he has contracted is far more serious than anyone realises. Look out for Malcom McDowell as Dr. Abenroth.

The film hasn't got an official release date in the UK yet but the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: The Bourne Legacy

Director: Tony Gilroy

Unfortunately it does come across as an industry very short of ideas at the moment with many remakes and franchises being rebooted mostly to horrible effect (ahem Total Recall ahem). But with the screenplay written by the same man (Tony Gilroy who also directs here) who wrote the first three adapting them from Robert Ludlum' books it produces an enjoyable ensemble. Some parts of the movie feel very similar to the previous Bourne movies and some of the chase scenes do feel a bit rehashed like the rooftop chase but its always going to be difficult to make it feel different despite a similar plot.

Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) and Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz)

The plot follows on from the end of the third film with many subjects involved in Operation Outcome are given pills to enhance their physical and mental capabilities. With Operation Blackbriar and Treadstone exposed by Jason Bourne, the CIA decides to shut the operation down where the subjects are given new pills that instantly kill them. With Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) finishing a training trek through Alaska he is not given a pill so a drone is sent to kill him with a missile but he avoids detection and goes in search of new pills whilst Dr. Marta Shearing is a scientist that the CIA want to silence who worked on the enhancements.

Eric Byer, the primary antagonist (Edward Norton)

Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz make a good pairing as they try to escape the CIA across America and then the world. Renner is a much more physically imposing agent than Matt Damon was making him less inconspicuous but certainly proves himself to be physically enhanced in combat. Edward Norton is the main face of the government trying to track them down but is rather underused in his role but these films aren't always about the antagonist.

The franchise feels like its in safe hands for the time being and there is certainly enough in this film to produce a sequel. The format of the CIA chasing a couple from a base hidden away in America is becoming a bit tiresome through four films though and a sequel would need a change of direction in that sense to succeed.

2.5/4 some parts feel like a re-tread but still enjoyable and room for another instalment

Film Review: Training Day

Director: Antione Fuqua

*spoiler alerts throughout* Twenty-Four hours an as LAPD narcotics detective in South and East Los Angeles is what Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) signed up for when he meets Alonzo Harris (the excellent Denzel Washington) at a cafe (which was also used in the films Old School and Seven to name a few). In the end he doesn't quite realise what he's let himself in for when he becomes entangled in robbery, murder and abuse of police duty. Like the old cliché it is very much good cop, bad cop.

Alonzo (Denzel Washington) and Jake (Ethan Hawke)

Denzel Washington is excellent as Detective Alonzo who has become so involved in policing narcotics that he is now breaking the law himself to suit his own needs. Ethan Hawke is also impressive as the good cop who is always going to try and do the right thing but is also thinking about how to further his career in the police force. The research done into their characters and how the real police and gangs operate out in LA was obviously thorough as the film felt very real from the outset and then gradually lost grip on reality.

Alonzo involved in a shootout after stealing drug money with a phony warrant.

The ending is what spoils the film as a whole is the ending that defies general logic really as there is no chance that Alonzo leaves Jake without killing him after paying Smiley to do it. He would finish it himself and then go to pay the Russians without having to deal with him again in front of his neighbourhood. I was sure that the ending would see them get involved in a shootout with the gang from early who they had a battle with that would see Alonzo killed and Jake carrying on in narcotics but in a different manner from how he was taught, turned out I was very wrong.

2.5/4 superb movie tainted by an implausible last 20mins

This week's releases 17/08/2012

Take this Waltz: A tale of how all love is doomed, full preview here: Take This Waltz Preview

The Expendables 2: The gang are enlisted on an easy mission by Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) but when one of them is murdered it becomes all-out war. Expect non-stop action and explosions.

The Bourne Legacy: There was never just one apparently so Jeremy Renner takes over where Matt Damon left off, full preview here: The Bourne Legacy Preview

The Wedding Video: British Comedy which sees Rufus Hound play a layabout whose chosen as his brothers (Robert Webb) best man as he marries Lucy Punch. He soon realises that his cool brother is more of a selfish snob and that the wedding industry is a totally commercialised rip-off.

Film Review: Eraserhead

Director: David Lynch

This film certainly gave me a lot to think about even after repeated viewings, its a film I would say is amongst the best I've seen but not to be confused with my favourite films. It is a truly unsettling and darkly disturbing film which follows little logic in showing the life of Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) who is printer who is on vacation in a hugely industrial city. Many strange happenings occur like mini man made chickens that move and ooze when being prepared to eat, strange premature births and a bizarre encounter with a lady in the radiator.

Henry Spencer (Jack Nance)

As a film it is thin on narrative and actual events but creates an unrelenting sense of dread through the bleak imagery and non-stop drone of the surroundings. This is Lynch close to his most abstract but without a budget as the film is Lynch's first and was completed for under $20,000 using borrowed funds as well as an AFI grant. I believe it is a look at the difficulties of raising a child in an increasingly hostile world using this scenario as a metaphor but also at the consequences of irresponsible sex which in this case is quite frightening.

For me it created a constant angst about what was happening on screen and why? It feels like the whole film is being filmed in a bleak industrial future just as the world is about to end. In an unconventional sense it was one of the scariest films I have ever watched.

3.5/4 superb artistry creates a truly terrifying spectacle

Film Preview: Take This Waltz

Michelle Williams who was impressive in the depressing but superb Blue Valentine which tried to signal the death of romance falls back to familiar territory with Take this Waltz. Once again looking at the complexity of marriage as the happily married woman suddenly finds herself attracted to the new guy who moves in across the street. Seth Rogen (her husband) and Luke Kirby (guy across the street who she meets on a business trip) play the two men in her life. It will be intriguing to see what direction the film takes but I am prepared for an unhappy finale.

Take this Waltz is released on Friday 17th August 2012 and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Preview: Trouble with the Curve

Since Gran Torino we assumed that Clint Eastwood's acting days were over and that we has sticking to directing but only 4 years later he is returning in Trouble with the Curve. Eastwood plays Gus who is an aging scout for the Atlanta Braves baseball team who is known for picking out elite prospects for the team. He sets out to see whether he still has what it takes to be a scout as well as father as he takes his daughter (Amy Adams) with him and runs into rival scout Johnny (Justin Timberlake).

The trailer comes across as a bit cheesy and cliche in parts but still looks likely an interesting story with some good actors involved. The film is released in the UK on 30th November 2012 and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: The Bourne Ultimatium

Director: Paul Greengrass

Paul Greengrass takes up the directing duties for the second time in the Bourne series and does a much better job with ratcheting up the tension than he does in the second film, The Bourne Supremacy. Greengrass made his name making TV films especially Bloody Sunday about that fateful day in Belfast in 1972 that was praised upon release. As always the film is based on Robert Ludlum's novel.

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) with Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles)

A Guardian newspaper journalist is tracked after he speaks to a CIA informant who mentions Jason Bourne and Operation Blackbriar which alerts the CIA who track his movements. Noah Vosen (David Strathairn) and Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) believe that Bourne was the informant that was speaking to the media so try to track him down but have differing ideas about how to do it. Vosen wanting to shoot Bourne on sight whereas Landy wants him brought in alive. Whilst Bourne continues to try and find out about his past which takes him via an operative in Tangier then back to New York City to where it all began.

Noah Vosen (David Strathairn), the primary antagonist from the CIA

A more than satisfying conclusion to the trilogy where Bourne's flashbacks are finally pieced together to make sense. The unwanted shaky camerawork continues again in this film especially during scenes where it isn't required, Cloverfield this is not. The tension is better handled than in its predecessor which makes the chases and action sequences more intriguing. The combination of Strahairn (sinister) and Allen (goodie/baddie) arguing at the CIA is an improved twist which gives the finale a better edge in the hunt to find Jason Bourne. If they knew anything from the previous films then it should be that Bourne is an avid user of public transport, he is regularly seen jogging down the steps into the underground system regardless of whether he is in Munich, Moscow or London.

3/4 fascinating and tense finale to an enjoyable trilogy

Film Review: The Bourne Supremacy

Director: Paul Greengrass

The second in the Bourne trilogy which features Matt Damon as Jason Bourne and as ever is based on a novel by Robert Ludlum. After the back-story was set for Jason Bourne in the first film, it gives the second film in the series more freedom in terms of plot and the opportunity to get straight into the action and the story much quicker.

Jason Bourne is once again a wanted man after being framed for killing two CIA operatives and stealing $3 million that the operatives had as part of a buy option on finding out who the mole is within the CIA. Two Russian agents have involved Bourne and then decide to have him killed after tracking him down to his hiding spot in Goa, India. From there he must escape from the Russian agents as well as the CIA who are ruthlessly tracking him down.

Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) and Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) flee from an assassin

The Bourne films are very easy and enjoyable to watch, the pace of the second film is quick and efficient. You don't feel like you are watching too many scenes where nothing is really happening which is the key with action films of this type. The last thing you want to watch is a film that is bloated by needless scenes.

The story is certainly bold in terms of killing off a main character which is crucial in adding to the tension that the people you are rooting for will not survive anything. Although I wasn't so interested by the chase for Bourne in the CIA being conducted by Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) compared to Chris Cooper's character in the first film, she excels better in the secondary role that she takes up in The Bourne Ultimatum. The shaky camerawork is a bit frustrating in some non-action scenes when two people are just talking but it's still a lot of fun to watch which is exactly what you want from this film.

2.5/4 slightly lacks the intrigue of the first but still very enjoyable.

This week's releases 10/08/2012

Brave: Animated adventure from Disney and Pixar, Princess Merida is an expert archer but wreaks havoc on her own kingdom. She is helped by a witch but has a deadly curse put upon her that could ruin the kingdom she is due to inherit forever.

The Athlete: Abebe Bikila suddenly became a world renowned athlete when he won the marathon at the 1960 Olympic games in Athens and then repeated the feat four years later in Tokyo. Born an Ethiopian who ran barefoot this film shows the pain and suffering he endured physically and mentally to become one of the greatest long distance runners of all-time.

Al Weiwei - Never Sorry: An in-depth look at the controversial artist and activist who is very vocal in his criticism of the leadership in China which landed him under house arrest. The film looks at his political expression as well as his artistic side in a film drawn together from over 100 hours of footage.

Jackpot: A Norweigan language thriller which was written by famous author Jo Nesbo, the full preview can be found here: Jackpot

Film Review: Undefeated

Director: Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin

After winning an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, this film has gone from strength to strength which involved the film being released outside of America despite being based around American Football which is still a minority sport in many countries. With the increased popularity in countries like England and Germany I'm glad to see the film was released at many cinemas over here.

The story follows the Manassas Tigers High School Football team who have never won a playoff game in over 100 years and failed to win a game for 17 straight seasons before Coach Bill Courtney took over with new ideas and most importantly a new attitude. Despite being a volunteer and working hard to the detriment of his business and family he teaches the players discipline and pride both on the field and off the field which has to be admired.

Coach Bill Courtney encouraging a player

One thing this movie does prove is that the hit TV series Friday Night Lights was actually incredibly accurate with it's storylines of trouble and hardship in small town Texas. Coach Bill Courtney is Coach Eric Taylor from the series except for the fact Courtney does this in his spare time and isn't paid but that side the love they have for the players is touching.

The film focuses a lot on the coach which takes away from some of the stories of the players as only 3 players are looked at extensively. But the film truly shows how hard it is for kids to get a good education in small town Tennessee which is shameful and is happening all over America. You are left in no doubt that without Coach Bill teaching them football then many of these players wouldn't even be at school anymore, the image of every pupil going through metal detectors and being patted down on the way into school is something that continues to go round in my mind.

3.5/4 Superbly touching documentary even for people who don't like American Football

Film Preview: Shadow Dancer

From Academy Award winning director James Marsh (Man on Wire) returns with this story of a single mother, Collette (Andrea Riseborough who is a republican in Belfast during the troubles and is arrested after a failed bomb plot. She is then offered a choice by the MI5 to either go to prison for 25 years for the crime or go back to Belfast to work as an informant in the IRA. When rumours of an informant become rife she has to do what is best to protect her family.

Clive Owen plays Mac, the MI5 operative who gives her the choice after her arrest. This is a film with great potential as a story to see the troubles from the Republican perspective in Northern Ireland which I've taken a great interest in after visiting Belfast recently, lets hope were not disappointed.

Shadow Dancer is out on Friday 24th August in the UK and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: Saving Private Ryan

Director: Steven Spielberg

American Soldiers prepare for the Normandy beach landings knowing that they are attacked a heavily manned German stronghold in the Second World War. How would you feel knowing that hundreds of bullets are waiting to pounce as soon as you are in view and there's a good chance you won't make it out alive? Spielberg produces a truly harrowing film epic that many councillors advised that ''psychologically vulnerable'' veterans should not watch the movie. It's become popular to portray war in a very dark bad light and not many films paint it in a worst light than Saving Private Ryan.

The Brutal Beach Assault at Normandy

The opening assault on the beaches at Normandy is a brutal unflinching scene with hundreds of soldiers cut down by enemy bullets before they even get off the landing craft. The directing and effects are superb, Spielberg literally invites us to watch some of the worst atrocities committed by man. Hanks is admirable as Captain Miller who leads the party who go in search of Private Ryan as they encounter different problems en route.

Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks)

Unfortunately it falls into the familiar Hollywood trap of being too patriotic in altering history to make it look like the Americans did everything and many other nations are marginalised. The Normandy beach landings were performed by the Royal Navy with the Americans arriving on their ships rather than the American Coast Guard ones depicting in the film. A small criticism but considering this film was all about historical accuracy it's a shame the Americans after overplay their role. This aside it's a very realistic look at a mission during the Second World War which feels like a film version of Band of Brothers or The Pacific which is high praise indeed.

3.5/4 stark realism provides a harrowing watch

More Jo Nesbo adaptations

After the phenomenal success of 'Headhunters', the big screen version of Nesbo's book of the same name and the similar success of the Steig Larsson books that were adapted to the big screen in their native language (not the English speaking version which actually struggled). It was inevitable that more of these incredibly popular dark murder mystery books from Scandanavia would be bought up and made into films.

The first up is a film based by Norwegian director Magnus Martens who is making 'Jackpot' which Jo Nesbo helped write the screenplay for. The director described it as "that his adaptation channels the black comedy of the Coen brothers and films such as Fargo" which is also something that 'Headhunters' was compared to. The film is about four men who win a huge amount of money on the Football Pools and we see how they come about winning the money as well as what happens afterwards. The structure is richly complex with numerous narratives running simultaneously and is actually released in the UK on Friday 10th August.

The Snowman book cover

The second film is the book that made Jo Nesbo a famous author. The Snowman followed detective Harry Hole who features in a number of Nesbo's books but had the most intriguing and surprising plot of the series. Hole must find the sadistic serial killer lose around Oslo who builds Snowmen outside of people's houses before killing them on the first day of the snow in the winter. With many plot twists and nerve-jingling moments it really is a pleasure to read which should make the film a joy to watch. Oh and I nearly forgot, Martin Scorcese is directing the film so expect an impressive cast and a big budget.

Film Review: The Bourne Identity

Director: Doug Liman

An action-spy film which is based on the novel of the same name by Robert Ludlum. Despite Ludlum's death in 2001 he is still credited as one of the producers for the movie and his books continued to be the basis for the other films in the franchise.

It felt necessary to watch these films to get me back into the mood before The Bourne Trilogy is released in the very near future; my enjoyment of this film has only raised my expectations though.

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon)

A man (Matt Damon) is plucked from the sea in the Mediterranean having been shot in the back twice and is suffering from amnesia as he has no idea who he is. The only clue is a safe deposit box that is stored at a bank in Zurich but as the man goes the property from the box he realises that he is being chased by people for reasons he doesn't know. He pays a local woman named Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) to drive him to Paris to the address on his passport that says he is Jason Bourne amongst other fake passports.

The second asset, The Professor (Clive Owen)

The mystery surrounding what happened to Jason Bourne and why he is inexplicably able to speak different languages that he didn't know about and is an expert in hand-to-hand combat is intriguing as the film plays out. We see the battle from both sides as we watch Chris Cooper and Brian Cox plan to bring down Bourne from within the CIA to cover up their tracks. Naturally with action films of this type the film becomes a bit slow and uninteresting in the middle after the fascinating start and explosive ending.

Matt Damon is excellent as Bourne whilst Franka Potente is decent as the love interest who becomes wrapped up in the hunt. Chris Cooper also stands out as the man ruthlessly trying to capture and/or kill Bourne to cover up his tracks from a previous CIA operation. The whole film is about being one step ahead of your opponents and has some interesting twists before concluding.

3/4 intriguing and fresh take on the spy drama

This week's releases 03/08/2012

Another slightly sparse week as they expect everyone to be on holiday or out enjoying the sunshine which is currently non-existent in the North of England.

Salute: One of the most powerful images in recent history is of athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a silent protest to the oppression they felt during the civil rights movement. A protest that would go on to ruin their athletic careers but make them idols amongst millions of people throughout the world. This movie looks at the protest and what happened to the athletes following the 1968 Olympics.

Ted: A film I was unimpressed by having already seen it, a full review is posted here: Ted Full Film Review

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days: The latest installment of the series that I hadn't heard about until I saw this movie being released sees Greg have his summer holiday plans ruined but looks to make amends with varying schemes to help him enjoy his summer with his dog.

Why are they being released? (August edition)

A new segment where I question why certain films were ever given a budget to be made and released to the general public. These films will no doubt make money for the people that financed them which makes me worry about the decline of Western civilization as this means a lot of people will have paid good money to see these films at the cinema.

The Expendables 2:

Explosive action with a bunch of over the hill actors with a wafer thin plot if the first film is anything to go by. They have added Liam Hemsworth and Yu Nan as if that will solve all the problems the first one had. The only thing missing is Steven Seagal and his knitted hair.

Keith Lemon: The Film:

Keith Lemon realistically has only a few jokes that eeks out over a 40minute show (with adverts) on Celebrity Juice so it's going to be difficult to make something that is funny throughout for 90mins. If you are going to watch this film then you know exactly what to expect but don't be surprised if you are disappointed.

The Three Stooges:

An updated version of the classics that had a charming and likeable quality whilst the new version just seems to be over the top slapstick. The film features cameos from member of the TV show Jersey Shore for reasons I don't think anyone can explain. By the way, that is not Jim Carrey on the left of the picture above.

Total Recall:

As far as remakes go this year, Hollywood will do well to make a worse choice than this. Colin Farrell takes the tiny amount of acting talent he has into a remake of a very popular film first time round. Do yourself a favour and just buy the original on Blu-Ray.

Film Preview: The Bourne Legacy

With the lack of original ideas in Hollywood at the moment it seems inevitable that the Bourne franchise would return even without Matt Damon in the lead role, the question that remains is whether it can live up to the originals. The man in the directing chair is Tony Gilroy who wrote the screenplay for the original three whilst the lead role this time goes to Jeremy Renner, who was excellent in The Town and more of an after thought in Avengers Assemble. Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton make up the other lead roles with Norton playing the primary antagonist.

It has already been confirmed that Matt Damon who played the original Jason Bourne will not feature in the film (sorry) but it is based on ''Operation Blackbriar'' which is a program mentioned at the end of the first film, The Bourne Identity, by Ward Abbott (Brian Cox).

Movie Poster

The film is released on 13th August in the UK and the trailer is embedded below: