Film Preview: The East

After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, The East was picked up for distribution as expected. The trailer looks genuinely intriguing and I can put my dislike for Ellen Page to one side, I think the tone of the movie reminds me of Martha, Marcy, May Marlene which is why I have such high hopes for this film. Director Zal Batmanglij is reasonably knew to the scene having only directed Sound of my Voice in 2011 so it will be interesting to see what style he brings to this sort of movie, he also co-wrote the script with lead actress Brit Marling (Arbitrage).

Sarah Moss (Marling) is a an FBI agent who is asked to infiltrate a group of anarchists calling themselves The East. They carryout covert attacks on major corporations who are seen to be profiteering and acting irresponsibly, Moss meets the group but has her conscience questioned as she starts to agree with the groups philosophy whilst falling in love with the groups leader Benji (Alexander Skarsgård).

The East is released in the UK on the 28th June 2013 and the trailer is embedded below:

This week's releases

Star Trek Into Darkness: The latest installment in the Star Trek franchise sees Captain Kirk leading a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.

Full Preview here

Mud: In drama 'Mud', a charismatic fugitive (McConaughey) is discovered living on a remote island on the Mississippi by two young Arkansas teenagers. An unlikely friendship forms as the boys struggle to help him escape from bounty hunters and his dark past; at the same time attempting to reunite him with his long-lost love, Juniper (Witherspoon)

Deadfall: A crime thriller about a brother (Eric Bana) and sister (Olivia ''Thirteen'' Wilde) who perform a heist but find themselves separated during the getaway and must survive alone from the authorities trying to catch them.

A Hijacking: A Danish thriller about a boat hijacked by pirates by the Somalians and the tense negotiations that ensue to gain their release.

Full Preview here

Film Review: Gone Baby Gone

Director: Ben Affleck

A 2007 American mystery film was Ben Affleck's first film as director and the only one to date which he hasn't also starred in. In Gone Baby Gone its his brother Casey who takes the lead role and to great effect, many attribute this as Ben Affleck's best film. The screenplay was co-written by Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard but was based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed author Dennis Lehane who also wrote Mystic River and Shutter Island.

Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan)

A missing child called Amanda comes to the attention of Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) as they hired by the childs aunt Beatrice (Amy Madigan) to find her. They interview the mother Helene (Amy Ryan) whilst two police detectives are there, Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton), and Helene comes across as brash and uncaring towards her child. There hunt for the child sees them tangle with a local criminal boss called Cheese (Edi Gathegi) who was ripped off by Helene and tracking a known paedophile but nothing can prepare them for the truth behind the disappearance.

What is produced is a thrilling and slightly complex narrative that leaves you with an uneasy ending, the conclusion to the story itself is a bit of a letdown given the intrigue that occurs in getting there but the moral dilemma that you take away from it really resonates with you. The story takes you down a number of blind alleys leaving you with little chance of predicting the ending. As a film it really makes you think about a number of issues and that is something that is sadly lacking from the world of film at the moment.

Helene McCready (Amy Ryan) with Detective Sergeant Remy Bressant (Ed Harris)

The acting in the film is excellent especially from Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan, the former being a conscientious yet street-wise Boston man and latter being a drug-addicted mom with a foul mouth and little regard for anyone but herself. Both performances are equally impressive and you can feel Ben Affleck's roots in Boston shine through both these characters. Ed Harris is on good form as intimidating and angry detective whilst Michelle Monaghan is largely forgettable as Patrick's girlfriend Angie. Gone Baby Gone isn't perfect but it comes very close.

3.5/4 Enthralling drama with a clever moral dilemma to finish

Film Preview: The Wolverine

The film series has taken a small hiatus since its last film in 2011 after previous director Darren Aronofsky left the project as well as the tsunami that hitting Japan where they were filming lead to big delays. The film is to be released this year and this is quickly followed by Days of Future Past which is due to be released in 2014.

Hugh Jackman returns as Logan/Wolverine, a bit of a change from his role in Les Miserables as Jean Valjean, in the latest film in the X-Men franchise. Jackman's role as Wolverine in the X-men series launched his film career after a stellar career as a Broadway actor in the late 90's and coming to prominence outside of Australia by starring in Oklahoma! at the West End in London.

Set sometime after X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan travels to Japan, where he engages a mysterious figure from his past in a fight that has lasting consequences. Vulnerable for the first time, and pushed to his limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel, but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than ever before.

The Wolverine is released in the UK on the 26th July and the trailer is embedded below:

Film Review: Sicko

Director: Michael Moore

A documentary released in 2007 by the controversial film maker Michael Moore, after dealing with the issue of the American government's involvement and subsequent cover up of 9/11 and the spiralling violence from the lack of gun conrol, Moore looks at the healthcare system in America that leaves 50 million people without any sort of medical care.

The film looks at the American healthcare system where everyone has to have insurance to be able to receive treatment for any range of medical ailments, he speaks to a man who had to decide which finger to re-attach after he cut two off in a buzz saw accident. He also speaks with people who lost family members simply because they couldn't afford treatment and had no insurance, later on in the film he learns of healthcare options in Canada, France and the UK where it is free to all citizens. The film was criticized for not stating the long waiting times in Canada, France and the UK but the general principle of healthcare being free for all still applies.

Michael Moore talks to a British Doctor

The shocking facts and failings of America's corporate healthcare system are plain to see here. Politicians receiving thousands from healthcare lobbyists, companies targeting employees on the number of claims they reject and ludicrous medical fees being charged to patients are all exposed here. The film caused such a shock that the healthcare companies started a smear campaign towards Moore and referred to him as a ''Hollywood film maker" to try and discredit his documentary work but clearly failed.

Aside from the one sided view of free healthcare elsewhere in the world this is an incredibly touching and informative documentary. Moore genuinely tries to help American people by visiting Guantanamo Bay with them to try and use the free healthcare there before visiting Cuba to have these people treated. His shock is plain to see when he learns of all the benefits received in France for not just healthcare but holidays from work, childcare etc. The systems outside of America aren't perfect but they are certainly much fairer than what is laid before us by Moore here.

3/4 Greatest country on Earth takes another pasting

This week's releases

21 and Over: From the writers of The Hangover, another teen comedy about a group of students who embark on their quest for an epic party to beat all others in this retrodden plot. hard working medical student Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) has his 21st birthday the day before his crucial final exam but is convinced to go out drinking on a night out that gets out of hand.

Dead Man Down: Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star in this action thriller about a New York hitman whose criminal boss has the whole city in his grips. He is then seduced by one of the bosses intended victims so begins a fight back against the evil crimelord.

Flying Blind: Frankie (Helen McCrory) is a successful aerospace engineer who meets Kahil (Najib Oudghiri) who is a student 20 years younger than she is. They develop a steamy romance before she is arrested by the security services as Kahil is a 'person of interest' to them, what develops is a web of accusations and deception.

I'm so Excited: A Spanish language comedy about a stricken airline that is struggling in the clouds on its flight to Mexico City. The crew decide that the passengers should be entertained and given the best flight of their lives despite the fact their fate lies in peril. A colourfully camp comedy.

Film Review: Much ado about nothing

Director: Kenneth Branagh

A 1993 romantic comedy based on the play by the famous Williams Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh is renowned for his adaptions of Shakespeare's work into plays and films with other such as Henry V, Othello and Hamlet. He also stars as Benedick who is a noblemen in this film. The film features an ensemble cast including Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Richard Briers, Emma Thompson and Keanu Reeves to name just a few.

The prince Don Pedro (Denzel Washington) and his noblemen are visiting their good friend Leonato (Richard Briers) in Messina after having quashed the uprising led by Don John (Keanu Reeves), the prince's bastard half-brother. The noblemen include Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) who both find themselves smitten with Beatrice (Emma Thompson) and Hero (Kate Beckinsale) respectively. The devious plan of Don John and his men to ensure the marriage between Claudio and Benedick doesn't happen throws everything into chaos.

The galliant men return

Fair to point out at this stage I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare, probably the years of having it rammed down my throat at school in my youth. The story here is slightly frustrating as you just want to scream at the characters to actually talk to each other to solve the problems they are facing with the wedding, but this aside its a light enjoyable film. Branagh does a good job of making this film reasonably accessible beyond some of the Shakespearean language that is used by the cast.

The cast itself is extremely impressive in parts with Branagh himself being the stand out performer which is not surprising but there were a few odd choices with Keanu Reeves being the obvious one. Reeves acting is not strong at the best of times and here against a strong film cast backed up by Shakespearean actors he just looks out of his depth and out of place, it was a strange choice to say the least. There was some criticism for casting Michael Keaton as Dogberry but I think he is the funniest character in the film alongside his partner Verges (Ben Elton).

3/4 Much fun and impressive cast but slightly simplistic plot