Film Review: La Vie en Rose

Director: Olivier Dahn

A 2007 French biographical film about the life of French singer Edith Piaf. The films title comes from the signature song which was sung by Edith Piaf and resulted in an Academy Award for Marion Cotillaird in the Best Actress category. The songs were mimed by Marion Cotillaird and the original music and voice of Edith Piaf was used during the performances.

The film jumps between different timelines but tells the story of Edith growing up just after the war in Paris before she is whisked off to stay in a brothel in Normandy with her grandmother. We then see Edith's rise to fame after being spotted singing in the street and the tragedies that happened during her life that drove her to alcohol and drug dependency.

Edith Piaf (Marion Cotillaird)

Marion Cotillaird is completely unrecognizable in her role as Edith Piaf, I'm not particularly familiar with the life and works of Piaf but I'm reliable informed that Cotillaird is incredibly accurate in her depiction. The scenes when she is playing Piaf near the end of her life as an old woman are stark yet wholly convincing that this 27 year old actress, at the time, is playing a 47 year old alcoholic who looks about 60. Many of the other characters pale into insignificance by comparison.

The non-linear plot was un-necessary in the most part as we jumped into different parts of her life in an almost completely random order. It certainly left me confused as to where in her life we were upto and who some of the other characters were. The whole ensemble would have had a greater flow and been easier to watch for viewers who are not that knowledgeable about her life, such as myself. This plot device also adds to the uneven pace as the film slows dramatically in the second half but finishing with a fantastic finale does save it. This is more a film worth seeing more for the acting ability of its star than anything else.

3/4 Truly amazing performance by Marion Cotillaird but non-linear plot is deeply confusing

This week's releases

Blue Jasmine: Cate Blanchett stars as New York socialite (whatever that means) Jasmine, whose marriage falls apart so she moves to San Francisco to be with her sister Ginger. From there she tests the patience of her sisters family as she tries to get her life back on track.

Prisoners: Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) suffers every parent's worst nightmare when his young daughter and her friend are snatched from under his nose. Driven mad by desperation and frustrated by the inadequacy of the legal system, he kidnaps the man he believes to be responsible for the little girls' disappearance. While Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) is the police man tasked with finding the people responsible and dealing with Keller.

Runner Runner: Another take on the evil world of corruption in big time gambling, Richie (Timberlake) pays for his college tuition using online gambling but believes he's been swindled by Ivan (Affleck). He brings Richie into his operation but then Richie decides he might try and take revenge.

Film Review: Traffic

Director: Steven Soderbergh

A crime drama that was released in 2000 and directed by one of my favourite directors Steven Soderbergh. It follows three stories that slowly come together across Mexico, Calfornia and Washington D.C. With its ensemble cast and impressive plot it soon became a box office hit before winning four Oscars for Best Director, Supporting Actor, Editing and Adapted Screenplay.

Manolo Sanchez and Javier Rodriguez get on the wrong side of someone

The film has three related stories, the first is of Javier Rodriguez (Benicio Del Toro) and Manolo Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) comes across General Salazar (Tomás Milián) after halting a drug delivery. Javier is hired to find a contract killer related to the Obregon cartel in Mexico. Whilst up in San Diego, Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Luis Guzman (Ray Castro) work for the DEA and interrupt a drug shipment from Mexico. They are then tasked with watching the criminal who has agreed to testify against his bosses which turns out to be Helena Ayala's (Catherine Zeta Jones) husband Carlos (Steven Bauer). Whilst in Ohio, conservative judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) is appointed to head the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy but then has to deal with a drug problem at home as his teenager daughter becomes addicted.

Soderberg attempts an ambitious project to try and capture the problem of drugs in modern America. Looking at importing it from Mexico, distributing it in California and the political side in the nations capital whilst whittling the film down to just over two hours is a difficult task. But the film is intriguing from start to finish and the plot moves along at a quick pace as we jump across the three storylines. We see the drugs cartels from the grimy bottom rung in Mexico City to the top where the bosses sit and make millions of pounds. The transformation in the character of Helena, played by Catherine Zeta Jones, is startling to say the least.

Robert Wakefield with his daughter Caroline

The star of the movie without a doubt is Benicio Del Toro as the Mexican cop who always wants to do the right thing despite the huge amount of corruption all around. He may take backhanders for minor offences involving American tourists in Tijuana but in the drugs trade he is all business. Del Toro's character is streetwise after years of working as a cop and really becomes a character to root for throughout the movie. The partnership of Don Cheadle and Ray Castro is also very real and impressive as the movie unfolds. The story involving Michael Douglas' character brings the suburban family into the mix and the end destination of the drugs but it is the least entertaining plot line. But Soderbergh brings together three stories that could be worthy of their own movie alone and pulls them into one beautifully constructed film.

3.5/4 Thrilling and depressing insight into stopping the drugs trade

Film Preview: Gravity

To be presented in 3D, Alfonso Cuarón has been involved in every step of making Gravity from co-writing, producing and editing as well as being the director. He rose to prominence with the Mexican drama Y Tu Mamá También before filming Children of Men with Clive Owen. Initially Robert Downey Jr was slated to be the lead male actor but he was later replaced by George Clooney. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival with James Cameron saying "I think it's the best space photography ever done, I think it's the best space film ever done, and it's the movie I've been hungry to see for an awful long time".

Medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is on her first Space Shuttle mission accompanied by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), who is commanding his final expedition. During a spacewalk, debris from a satellite crashes into the space shuttle Explorer, leaving it mostly destroyed, and stranding them in space with limited air. Without means of communication with Earth, they must cooperate to survive.

Gravity is released in the UK on 8th November 2013.

Film Review: The Waterboy

Director: Frank Coraci

As a self confessed American Football addict it seemed right that I should watch The Waterboy, some claimed it was one of the better Adam Sandler films before he descended into making absolute trash. Unfortunately it was indistinguishable from the low grade nonsense he churns out now and with not particularly like The Wedding Singer it means that Sandler will get no more chances from me.....ever.

Bobby Boucher (Sandler) is a socially inept, stuttering water boy with hidden anger issues due to constant teasing and excessive sheltering by his mother, Helen (Kathy Bates). The bullying leads to him finally cracking and he charges onto the practice field and lays a massive tackle on the QB who was leading the mocking. Coach Klein (Henry Winkler) decides to make him a linebacker despite the fact his mother doesn't know because she doesn't want him playing football.

Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler)

Why does Boucher need to have a stupid high pitched squeaky voice? It isn't needed as we can all tell he's socially awkward and geeky. Even Sandler himself seems to get bored of the voice as he intermittently drops into his more normal voice before returning back. Other characters from the offbeat team serve only to add to the low grade humour whilst the story itself is entirely predictable and cliché even for a sports comedy. If you want an American Football comedy then I wholeheartedly recommend The Replacements.

1/4 Unfunny, crass and uninteresting

Film Review: Glengarry Glen Ross

Director: James Foley

Released in 1992 and based on the famous Pulitzer winning play by David Mamet, was jokingly named "Death of a fucking salesman" due to the profanity-laden script. The ensemble cast comes together brilliantly to portray the cut throat world of being a salesman in real estate. Al Pacino was the only cast member to be nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.

The film follows the lives of four salesmen: Ricky Roma (Pacino), Shelley Levine (Jack Lemmon), Dave Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin). They regularly use dishonest tactics to make sales and push up their commission despite generally being given poor leads by office manager John Williamson (Kevin Spacey). Blake (Alec Baldwin) gives them a long speech berating them at being bad at their jobs and in life as part of a pep talk request by head office. He also informs them that only the best two sellers will be allowed to stay and the worst two will be fired.

Blake (Alec Baldwin) trying to light a fire under the salesmen

The stellar cast produces an excellent display as you would expect but the script produced by David Mamet to adapt it from the play is outstanding. The dialogue is witty, funny and yet purposeful in its direction, you feel like every sentence is meaningful to what is happening. The back and forths between characters when they insult each other is clever and believable whilst the "Coffee is for closers" speech delivered by Baldwin is top notch.

From the minimal scenes and dialogue heavy screenplay you can see how this is a film that has been adapted from a play. it would play out brilliantly on a stage. The direction is notably weak as the characters seem to operate oblivious to their surroundings and rarely interact with anything except each other. The mystery around the missing leads which the salesmen are working for is cleverly revealed and is a satisfying conclusion.

3.5/4 Sharp and slick script the key behind this intriguing film

This week's releases

R.I.P.D: Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds headline the supernatural action-adventure R.I.P.D. as two undead cops dispatched by the otherworldly Rest In Peace Department to protect our world from an increasingly destructive array of creatures who refuse to move peacefully to the other side. Slipped a bit under the radar in coming over from the States.

Diana: Naomi Watts stars in a Daily Mail readers wet dream of a movie, the story of one of the most famous women in the world has been universally panned by critics for a terrible script and uninteresting storyline (real life can be pretty boring). The likes of Watts and Olivier Hirschbiegel (director of Downfall) should know better.

The Last Fall: The story of a journeyman American Football player who is once again cut from the team and has to deal with life without the big pay cheque from professional sports.

Full review here

Film Preview: The Monuments Men

George Clooney is involved in the writing, directing and acting in The Monuments Men which will also star Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett. The timing of its release pitches it right into Oscar contention. The entire film was shot outside of North America with it all being filmed on location in Germany with the exception of the fighting scenes that were setup at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.

The film is the story of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, an Allied group, tasked with saving pieces of art and other culturally important items before their destruction by Hitler during World War II. A story less told from the Second World War although seen as quite controversial at the time.

The Monuments Men is released in the UK on 9th January 2014 and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: Kite Runner

Director: Marc Forster

A 2007 film based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Khaled Hosseini which has already been successfully adapted into a play. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of the monarchy in Afghanistan through the Soviet military intervention, the mass exodus of Afghan refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the Taliban regime. There were some safety concerns over the young actors used in the first act of the movie over the sexual nature of one of the scenes.

Amir and Hassan

The film is told in flashback to the childhood of Amir (Zekeria Ebrahimi) who is the son of a wealthy man who is referred to as Baba (Homayoun Ershadi). Amir's best friend is Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) who is the son of their servant, he occasionally reads books to Hassan who is illiterate. Kite fighting is popular among young boys and Amir is especially talented so he has Hassan work as the kite runner picking up the fallen kites that he has won. But a course of events between Amir and Hassan as well as the invasion of the Soviet Union changes their lives forever.

The cinematography in the movie is excellent as we see the hustle and bustle of the streets of Kabul in the early part which soon makes away for devastation and destruction following war and Taliban rule. It portrays the Afghans as regular people just wanting to get on with their lives and this is so often missed in other films and especially news reports. Afghanistan comes across as an extreme beautiful yet poor country and its bleak history in recent years is really a tragedy. The fact that the first act is subtitled lends to the authenticity of the movie, I don't think I could have taken it seriously if everyone spoke English in downtown Kabul.

Amir as an adult with his wife Soraya

There quite a few disturbing scenes which certainly in the first act I didn't feel were entirely necessary. The stoning of a women for adultery at the half time interval of a Football game was a scene that was truly haunting and will stay with me for a while. The acting is good throughout, the child actors do a good job of producing a genuine friendship between them whilst Khalid Abdalla as the adult Amir was a stand out performer for his kindness and caring nature. The draw Amir feels after exiling from his homeland that he doesn't recognise anymore means he feels he has to make amends for his past with a search and rescue operation. Its a touching drama with a slightly underwhelming ending but the overall story is about the struggle in Afghanistan more than the characters in the story.

3/4 Touching drama more about the struggles of Afghanistan than the characters themselves

Film Review: City of God

Director: Fernando Meirelles

A crime drama based on a true story of life in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, it was adapted from the book of the same name. It was released in 2002 and had always been a film I'd intended to see but never got round to despite the very favourable reviews. Having finally seen it I wish I'd made the effort sooner as it is quite simply a fantastic film with a fast paced plot, intriguing characters and superb camerawork throughout. It was entered as Brazil's entry for Best Foreign Language Film in 2003 but wasn't chosen in the nominations, shockingly.

L'il Ze and his gang

The film is told as a story going back from the opening scene by Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) as he charts the rise and fall of the kids he knew growing up as they become hoodlums and gang leaders in the favela know as the City of God. In his youth he often tried to help his brother Goose (Renato de Souza) who robbed people to try and make money with his friends in the Tenderness Trio. As he gets older he sees L'il Dice become L'il Ze who takes over the entire slum making it safer for the residents whilst running his criminal enterprise of selling narcotics. Rocket falls in love with a girl named Angelica (Alice Braga) but struggles to be more than friends with her.

Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) with his camera

It is simply an astonishing film to watch, completely engrossing for its entire runtime as the landscape changes from the sun beaten houses on the outskirts of the city in Rocket's youth to his adolescence in the slums right in the heart of the city. At no point does the film slow down and allow you to catch up or be bored as the story continues to power on at a relentless pace.

The story is entirely believable throughout as lives are taken on a regular basis with very little remorse, money is main priority as well as the slightly hypocritical religious element that these gangs take on. Committing all sorts of crimes and murders but still believing heavily in God and that he may approve of what they are doing. I think the most shocking aspect is that it is essentially children and teenagers who are engaging in most of these acts, this couldn't be further from The Godfather if it tried. It draws parallels with Gomorrah that was released a few years ago about the Calabrese mafia in Naples but is a far more compelling and complete film.

L'il Ze (Leandro Firmino da Hora) with Tuba

The filming is claustrophobic through the second half of the film, as you feel the intense heat and sweat in the tightly packed slums. The disco scene for Benny's party is simply superb, the use of music and light as well as the camerawork itself was a joy to behold. The sense of dread and foreboding slowly rises as characters make their way through the crowds, a superbly crafted scene. But its the characterization that is the key to this movie, you genuinely root for Rocket to escape the violence that is around him and even feel the same for the more compassionate Benny who is L'il Ze's right hand man. Leonadro Firmino da Hora is excellent as the almost homicidal L'il Ze, any moment he is on-screen you are nervous of what he may do next. His presence is un-nerving yet almost charismatic. An absolute must-see of a movie.

4/4 Simply a modern classic

This week's releases

Rush: Based on the true story of the rivalry in motor racing between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. A film certainly hoping to appeal to the fans of the golden era of Formula One when it was all on the drivers and less about the manufacturers.

White House Down: Action thriller from the writer behind Zodiac. While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a Capitol policeman (Channing Tatum) springs into action to save his child and protect the president (Jamie Foxx) from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders.

42: The true story of Jackie Robinson who became the first African-American to play in the major leagues of Baseball against a back drop of deeply seeded racism. Starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford.

Full Review here

Film Review: Sideways

Director: Alexander Payne

The 2004 Academy Award Winner for Best Adapted Screenplay is a little gem of a film about growing old believing you have failed, all the great plans of what you would do with your life when you are young have passed you by. Writer and director Alexander Payne has an impressive record in working on films like Election, About Schmidt and more recently The Descendants.

Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) is an unsuccessful writer and wine expert who teaches English in San Diego who decides to travel around the wine regions of Southern California with his college friend Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church). Jack is due to be married in around a weeks time so is seeing the trip as more of an opportunity to have one last fling before settling down. They meet up with two women both with varying degrees of success and begin to learn a lot about what they truly want in life.

Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) and Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church)

The film is beautifully shot around the Californian wine region as a road movie that sees them move from cheap motel to cheap motel. Like About Schmidt, it centres around a man whose unhappy with his life and considers how he can change things for the better. The character of Miles Raymond almost lives in a bubble as he shuns personal relationships and the adventurous side of life to live a quiet existence in San Diego. His best friend is someone he appears to have little in common with and that produces most of the strife and comedy within the movie.

Giamatti and Haden Church work very well together as there different outlooks on life collide during one wine tasting trip. The scene with the spit bucket at the wine tasting is hilarious and a little poke at the pretentious nature of the wineries that they are visiting. The film moves into a more slapstick comedy when Miles is summoned to collect a wallet that Jack has left at a womens house after being chased out. Overall its a film that ticks a lot of boxes as a comedy, drama and life affirming film.

3.5/4 Caring yet funny portrayal of middle aged life.

Film Review: Aint Them Bodies Saints

Director: David Lowery

The debut film of director David Lowery is a well known tale of an outlaw separated from his family after he is sent to prison. Whilst Lowery doesn't look to change the movie landscape with a daring plot, he does produce a beautiful looking movie set against the backdrop of the open plains of Texas and Missouri. The expansive shots portray beautiful large skies with contrasting clouds and light from the low lying sun to produce a stunning visual spectacle. Within the first quarter of an hour I could feel the influence of Terrence Malick on this picture.

Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) is a notorious outlaw living in Texas with his wife Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara) who has started to join the heists with him. Their crime spree comes to an end when they are cornered by the police, but only after Ruth shoots a policeman and Bob takes the fall. He is sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the robbery and wounding of the policeman but escapes prison on a work truck, he vows to keep his promise to come back for Ruth but will it be possible and does she want him back?

Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) holding his wife Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara)

The acting from the leads Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara is excellent, I hold both in high regard and neither did anything to change that opinion in this movie except maybe to re-affirm that belief. Even their Texan drawl is convincing for the most part. Ben Foster plays Officer Wheeler who is shot in the shootout but then becomes a close friend to Ruth and he was a real surprise performer in this film.

The film is set in the 1970's but this isn't immediately obvious and is presumably intentional to give it a timeless feel, possibly due to the varying themes in the movie. The script itself is sparsely dotted over the screenplay and generally involves long monologue type speeches by the main characters either to themselves or in them reading out a letter they are sending or receiving. The dialogue between characters takes on a heightened sense of importance when it is used. David Lowery has produced a good debut film and promises a lot in his future projects.

3/4 Conventional plot with a stunning visual style

Film Review: Pride & Prejudice

Director: Joe Wright

The classic book by Jane Austen has been endlessly reprised as a play and as a film, English director Joe Wright being the latest to take on the tale of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. The genre of period dramas is my blind spot, I have never found them particularly interesting and so have generally avoided watching them at all costs. I was implored to watch this adaptation of the classic and decided it was only fair to give it a chance and its fair to say I was right to.

The Bennet Sisters

Naturally the dialogue is of its time but doesn't generally get in the way and the acting is actually very impressive from the leads Keira Knightley who plays Elizabeth and Matthew McFadyen as the renowned Mr. Darcy. Beyond this the relationship between the Bennet sisters is genuine and fun to watch, including a turn from a young looking Carey Mulligan. The setting around the Chatsworth estate in the Peak District is beautiful culminating in an emotionally charged proposal from Mr. Darcy that is flatly refused by an angered Elizabeth over a lake.

The short timeframe for one film does mean there is a lack of depth to the entire proceedings but the film is still better at its current length than trying to squeeze out one three hour plus epic. The comparisons between McFadyen and Firth in the roles of Mr. Darcy will probably endlessly by argued but McFadyen still takes up the role well. Between the beautiful camera work and surrounding countryside along with a strong acting core, it went some way to softening my dislike for period dramas and that is saying a lot.

3/4 Enjoyable, light take on the Austen's classic

Film Review: Antiviral

Director: Brandon Cronenberg

Young director Brandon Cronenberg clearly has no problem following in his father, David's footsteps. Not only into the world of directing but into the genre of body horror. Antiviral was released at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category which honours films seen as different and groundbreaking, certainly a moniker that fits this film.

The bleeding lips

Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones) works for the Lucas Clinic that sells viruses and other pathogens to customers that have been taken from celebrities, customers pay good money to feel closer to the celebs they adore by sharing the same illnesses. Syd also steals some of the viruses to sell on the black market himself to earn extra cash on the side but is in trouble when he releases the virus he has has killed a famous celebrity.

The opening act presents an interesting idea before us and takes a satirical swipe at the culture of celebrity that has gripped the media over the last decade. To here it is taken to extremes but the constant coverage on any TV or newspaper that is passed in the film is more akin to the reality we are moving towards. Whether people would genuinely want to make themselves ill just because a celebrity has been ill is another question and surely only the mentally unstable would sign up for this. After this though the film becomes tedious as it disappears off on a strange tangent and becomes gratuitous in its imagery.

Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones)

Brandon Cronenberg presents a cold clinical look at the world of celebrity obsession, although often strays too far from his original point. Most of the set pieces are clinically white and minimalist which is mirrored by the characters as their concern for one another is very minimal as well. The problem is that none of the characters are developed to the point that you take an interest in them and their wellbeing so it makes the final third rather redundant. If the excessive vomiting of blood doesn't make you feel queasy then the shaky camerawork that follows mostly certainly will.

2/4 Interesting premise is clinical and becomes laboured

Film Review: Now You See Me

Director: Louis Leterrier

The 2013 summer won't be remembered for blockbusters like last year will be, obviously The Dark Knight Rises was the most talked about movie but was edged into second place at the box office overall by The Avengers. Then the simply excellent first part of The Hunger Games rolled in and even some people seemed to like the latest James Bond installment Skyfall. Either way we were spoilt last year and this summer has really struggled to come close to any of the four films above but Now You See Me is a light hearted film that was hoping to surprise you with its clever plot, unfortunately it fails miserably on that count.

"The Four Horsemen"

Four magicians, Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg), Henley Reevers (Fisher), Merritt McKinney (Harrelson) and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), are mysteriously brought together to perform tricks at big venues. Their first is to rob the local bank of a random person in the audience which they succeed in doing but their activities spark the interest of FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo). So they have to go underground in between shows whilst wondering who they mysterious sponsor is who brought them together.

A reasonably impressive cast tend to revert to their familiar roles in this film, Jesse Eisenberg plays a cheeky comedic type while Woody Harrelson plays his usual impatient and sarcastic self and Morgan Freeman also falls into this category. The early premise as to how they perform the tricks as well as the underlying story of who is paying them to do these stunts is certainly intriguing. It captures your interest from the opening scene but as the film develops the plot becomes less believable and with that less interesting.

Thaddeus Bradley  explaining the disappearing money trick

The film falls into the format of Morgan Freeman's character, Thaddeus Bradley who makes money revealing magicians secrets, explaining to the FBI and the audience how they managed their tricks. In the early part its reasonably clever although possibly predictable but as the film moves towards its conclusion the explanations are utterly preposterous. Then it runs into the typical action movie with a car chase scene which is as monotonous as every other one you've seen in an action movie before. Many questions are left unanswered by the end of the film and with the announcement over a sequel happening that probably explains why.

1.5/4 Possibly enjoyable if you don't take the plot too seriously

This week's releases

Ain't Them Bodies Saints: Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) and Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara), an impassioned young outlaw couple on an extended crime spree, are finally apprehended by lawmen after a shootout in the Texas hills. Although Ruth wounds a local officer, Bob takes the blame. But four years later, Bob escapes from prison and sets out to find Ruth and their daughter, born during his incarceration. A film I'm very much looking forward to seeing.

Riddick: Left for dead on a desert planet, Riddick is soon fighting for his life against its alien inhabitants and forced to send a message help. However, his SOS alerts his pursuers to his whereabouts and his rescuers become his hunters as he now faces two equally deadly foes.

Film Review: Silent Running

Director: Douglas Trumbull

I have to admit that my reason for watching this film was purely down to the popular critic Mark Kermode, he's always promotes it as one of his favourite films of all time alongside The Exorcist (which I'm never watching again). He states he sees it as a better movie than Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey from the same period due to its more touching and caring approach to the sci-fi movie genre. Since 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of my favourite films ever made I felt I should see if Kermode is right on this one.

With all plant life on Earth extinct, four men travel in space with a few specimens of plants and life kept inside giant atmospheric domes attached to the spaceship that they live in. Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) is incredibly proud of the work he's doing in the domes to preserve what is left of life on Earth whilst his crew mates are less interested. Orders from Earth come to jettison the domes full of wildlife and return the spaceship for maintenance which forces Freeman to take drastic action.

Freeman Lowell with two of the drones

First of all, this isn't a film that is even on par with 2001: A Space Odyssey. It has its more touching moments with Lowell forging a relationship with the three drones (Dewey, Huey, Louie) and has a great score that is often underused. But it lacks the depth, beautiful cinematography and ambiguity around our existence that Kubrick laboured to bring us. *spoiler alert* Despite half the movie only having Bruce Dern as the remaining character working with drones it does work.

The plot itself is too simplistic and underdeveloped which means the film stalls for long periods, it fails to keep you engrossed at its lowest points. Whilst the script is also a disappointment, the actions of Bruce Dern throughout the second half are far more measured and meaningful than anything said between the crew in the early scenes. It's an enjoyably nostalgic film these days which has recently been released on Blu-Ray but it's not quite the classic Kermode bills it to be.

2.5/4 Sweet humanistic sci-fi movie but fundamentally flawed

Film Preview: The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Scorcese returns to action after a sidestep into animation with Hugo in 2011, here he moves back to more familiar territory with a New York based black comedy. The infamous world of the mafia returns although in a much different role compared to his recent hit The Departed. Here he has assembled an ensemble cast including Jonah Hill, Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Matthew McConaughey and the sublime Kyle Chandler.

The film will tell the story of a New York stockbroker, played by DiCaprio, who refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, the corporate banking world and mob infiltration.

The Wolf of Wall Street is released in the UK on 17th January 2014 and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: Hoop Dreams

Director: Steve James

A 1994 documentary film that was originally only planned to be a 30 minute short segment on American TV but once the film makers compiled the work they had they realised they had a much bigger story to tell. Hoop Dreams also came to prominence off the back of the Oscar voting scandal where some voters only gave the films they liked a full ten out of ten and gave everything else zero, so far as not even watching certain films like this one. After the results were released during an inquiry it was found that Hoop Dreams received the highest number of 10 marks but came 6th in voting due to the number of zeroes it received from voters engaging in the vote rigging.

The film follows two young African-Americans called William Gates and Arthur Agee who are recruited on the basketball courts in inner city Chicago to play for St. Josephs High School in Westchester. A school which is mostly white but has a prestigious basketball team and the boys school fees are paid for by boosters of the basketball team. We follow their journey through high school as they release there is a lot more to making it to college on a scholarship than just playing basketball.

Arthur Agee attemps a free throw

Since the release of this film, there has been numerous films and documentaries about people who have a hard life growing up in America. The book Friday Night Lights touched upon many of the same issues as addressed here but until the film and subsequent TV series came out it didn't gain quite as much traction. In the meantime Hoop Dreams showed the plight of poor inner city children having just one hope to escape the poverty that is all around them or to escape the life of crime that so many end up choosing. Many films documenting about the struggles of the poor in America don't do as good a job as this sports documentary about getting to the issue of the problem.

The two young men who play Basketball with the hopes of making it to the NBA slowly learn that Basketball isn't the only thing in their lives and isn't the only thing that will get them into college, against a backdrop of politics and money. It is beautifully crafted film where the film makers have no input into whats happening, they just observe without casting any judgements which is exactly what documentary makers should be doing.

3.5/4 An epic that is about more than just basketball, its about life in America

Last week's releases

You're Next: Putting a terrifying spin on the home invasion horror genre, a family reunion is brutally interrupted by a gang of mask-wearing axe-wielding maniacs intent on carnage. But an unexpected savior arises amongst the imprisoned family and shows the killers that two can play their deadly game.

The Way Way Back: Mopey teen Duncan (Liam James) finds respite from his troubled home life among the slides and attractions of a dilapidated local water park.

Duncan is in adolescent hell as he spends his summer holiday with his mother (Toni Collette), her bullying boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell) and Trent's vacuous daughter Steph (Zoe Levin). Unable to fit in with his family, he finds solace working with the oddball employees of a local water park, including the extroverted park manager Owen (Sam Rockwell).

The Kings of Summer: A coming of age comedy about three boys who spend their summer holiday building their own home out in the woods. As their patience is tested by each others behaviour, they realise just how much they value their families at home. From the director of Successful Alcoholics.

Looking for Hortense: Kristin Scott-Thomas plays Iva, a theatre director, who in unhappily married to Damien whose a lecturer. There strained relationship is made worse when Iva wants Damien to ask his father to help a woman who is going to be deported after her divorce but Damiens lack of interest in helping her exacerbates their problems.