Inside Man (2006)

Director Spike Lee delivers an enthralling bank-job film, starring Denzel Washington and Clive Owen.

Known for his hard-hitting social commentary, Spike Lee’s reputation places him as one of the foremost directors when it comes to modern civil rights, however, Inside Man is less about social inequality, and more about greed and immorality.

Owen plays bank robber Dalton Russell, who seems to have planned the perfect bank job. Negotiating on behalf of the city’s law enforcement, is Washington, whose character Keith Frazier, must attempt to talk Russell out of his mission peacefully. The result is an intense standoff as Russell sets into motion a genius plan to fool the cops, whilst Frazier attempts to get one step ahead of this master criminal.

Alongside this main plot, the owner of the bank sends in a specialist, Jodie Foster, in an attempt to prevent Russell finding a secret within his vault which could ruin him.

A brilliant action/thriller, there is an intelligence about this film which sets it apart from other mindless cops ’n robbers flicks. Clive Owen plays a very good baddie, and Washington is his ever-magnificent self. Foster, unfortunately, is under-used in this film, and her character could have been given a little bit more to play with, but the overall ensemble works well together.

Unlike most of Spike Lee’s other films, Inside Man has a mainstream appeal, which is not always a bad thing, and I would definitely recommend this to any fan of the action/thriller genre.

Super 8 (2011)

J. J. Abrams directs this science-fiction thriller set during the 1970s in small town America, where a group of kids witness a train crash and capture it on their super 8 camera.

With Steven Spielberg attached to this film as a producer, it is hard not to make the comparison’s between Super 8 and a film like E.T. Indeed, there are some obvious similarities, such as: the nostalgic sentiment of suburban America, the revelation of the paranormal to a group of youths, and the innocence of childhood pitted against the jadedness of adulthood.

Where Super 8 becomes a film in its own right, due most likely to the input of Lost director Abrams, is the thriller aspects which make the movie jumpy and creepy. Also, there is a more adult tone in this film (begging the question: how were they allowed to release it with a 12a certificate?) which is shown in the foul language which the kids use, the drug use by one of the exterior characters, and the gore which arises in some scenes.

The film, however, is an excellent piece of cinematic majesty. Immense colour is used to recreate the era, which gives the film a nostalgic tone throughout, making this feel like a childhood memory. Also, Abrams utilizes some fluid camera motion in order to make the story smoother, and the scene where the train crashes (reminiscent of the opening sequence of Lost) is breathtaking.

Child actors, usually a thorn in my side, here are actually very bearable, providing for most of the comedic aspects, they also give the movie some touching sentiment and despair. In particular, the character of Charles (Riley Griffiths) whose larger-than-life persona mixed with an artistic rage makes him extremely engaging.

Overall, a great film for wistful viewers wanting to lose themselves in a rosier past. The story compels throughout, and Abrams’ direction maintains his reputation for being creatively intelligent and brave, who is able to expertly fuse sci-fi, action, adventure, and horror elements into a cohesive and entertaining plot.

Anonymous (2011)

Cast the name William Shakespeare out into any GCSE classroom and the inevitable hisses, curses and foaming-at-the-mouth will be proof enough that his legacy amongst the literary world is everlasting.

However, this movie from director Roland Emmerich takes up the notion that the man known as Will Shakespeare was not responsible for writing any of the plays or poems we study to death, but in fact, were written by a nobleman who had to remain anonymous in order to use the writing for political motives. This is an actual theory taken up by many in the world of Shakespeare.

The film stars Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, and David Thewlis amongst the world of The Bard, and the performances are of good standard, in particular Ifans who plays the inspired nobleman who writes the beautiful words we see in the likes of Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth.

Where the film falls down is its inability to tie together this scandalous theory with a cohesive plot. The characters intertwine and meander so much that the plot becomes thicker than a pint of witches’ brew, and the complicated twists and turns begin to feel less thrilling, and more annoying.

Overall though, it is a well made film in terms of aesthetics (London looking like a grimy Venice) and the tension rises enough to make the film engaging. Not a classic piece of biopic power (see Nixon or JFK), but a mildly entertaining film with enough ‘ye olde English’ to make you feel warm and fuzzy.

The Whistleblower (2010)

Set after the devastating civil war in Bosnia, an American cop working as a UN peacekeeper discovers a secret sex-trafficking operation run by those sent to protect the people ruined by conflict.

Rachel Weisz gives an outstanding performance as Kathryn Bolkovac, whose real-life experience inspires this movie. Kathryn goes to Bosnia in the hope of making some big money for a temporary job working as a peacekeeper for the UN. On arriving in Bosnia, her initially discovery is a place of devastation and lack of interest amongst those charged to rebuild it. However, as Kathryn begins to take her role seriously, attempting to help two young girls who have been forced into prostitution, she discovers an underground world of corruption which starts with the closest people to her, and ends in the highest offices.

An excellent, gritty story with some compelling themes. The film runs two completely opposing ideas, sex trafficking versus a woman’s maternal instinct, and places the story in this baron, cold, brutal landscape, which makes the movie very thought-provoking, and very engaging.

War movies, and post-war movies, will always carry with them the burden of atrocities committed, which show upon the agony of the people. However, this film goes one step further and reveals the cruellest, most evil aspects of humankind in the wake of horrific events, those who take advantage of people’s misery.

The outcome will not cheer you up, but this movie is a brilliant watch, and one that deserves more attention.

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (2011)

A laboratory ape with chemically enhanced abilities is raised by a scientist, and ends up leading a rebellion against the cruelty of humankind.

Following on from Tim Burton’s questionable remake, this separate instalment in the Apes series is directed by Rupert Wyatt, who manages to touch upon the real heart of the story.

James Franco plays Will, a talented scientist who thinks he may have developed the cure to Alzheimer’s disease, an illness that is slowly killing his father. Tested originally on Apes, the cure enhances brain function, and seems to increase intelligence. After an escapee Ape runs riot in the lab though, the programme is shut down, much to Will’s horror, who sneaks one of the Apes, named Caesar, home. Raising him like a son, Will develops human-like qualities, understanding the English language, being able to sign. As the ape continues to develop, Will becomes completely focused upon his discovery. However, after a mishap involving Will’s neighbours, Caesar is thrown into a zoo for apes, where he begins his rebellion against man.

A satisfying film, one that does justice to the originals, and Franco is well-suited for the role - delivering a performance that, whilst not groundbreaking, offers up some much needed human sensitivity and pathos. The film depends on the interaction between man and their nearest relatives, rather than gloomy CGI like Burton’s depiction, and the action is only used in small bursts which adds excitement. The aesthetic of the film is quite smooth, nothing gritty and bold here, but Wyatt has captured what made the Apes films so loveable back in the day - their charm. With this Wyatt puts modern special effects and a decent lead actor, and there you have it, success.

There are moments where the plot goes a little slow, there is a bit too much time spent in the laboratory for me, but overall this is a vast improvement, and one that will usher in another Apes film for certain.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2012)

From acclaimed director David Fincher, comes the American interpretation of one of the biggest selling books in recent years.

Originally a Swedish novel from Steig Larsson, the Millennium series of books (which start with the Dragon Tattoo) have already been made into films in their home language. Fincher’s quick follow up raised more than a few eyebrows from critics, many of whom said it was too soon for an English revisit. However, upon seeing how the Fight Club director has tackled the suspenseful murder mystery, it’s plain to see he was the best man for the job.

Beginning with an opening title sequence similar in artistic expressionism to the one in Fight Club, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo maintains a grimy, bludgeoning atmosphere throughout, one fraught with secrets and peril. Daniel Craig plays the lead character Mikael, a disgraced journalist, recently sued for libel, who takes on a mysterious job in order to hide from the publicity of his own scandal. Hired by a powerful and rich businessman, Mikael is charged with finding the killer of a crime which took place decades ago. As the journalist digs deep into this family’s history, uncovering pieces of evidence leading him to the killer, he discovers truths that will place himself in extreme danger.

Alongside Mikael comes Lisbeth (Rooney Mara), a troubled girl who specialises in private detective work such as hacking computers and surveillance. Lisbeth is under a court-ordered supervision, in which she must report to a handler in all aspects of her life. This relationship becomes extremely volatile under the watch of her newest supervisor Bjurman, whose penchant for sadomasochism puts Lisbeth in her own extreme danger.

A brilliant told story, given an engaging and pure direction by Fincher. The plot skips along a little too fast for fans of the novel, but for those who are unfamiliar with the Millennium trilogy, this film is the perfect introduction, and a bloody good murder mystery. The sequences are rich in grimy obscenity, whilst maintaining a balance of good and evil between most of the characters. The use of beautiful landscape adds depth to the cinematography, whilst the soundtrack makes it feel modern and thrilling.

Craig does a very good job as the Swedish writer (approaching the role without an accent, which was probably for the best), but Mara steals the show with a superb depiction of this vulnerable yet fascinating character. Bring on the next one.

Real Steel (2011)

Starring Hugh Jackman as a robot-boxing promoter, whose underdog story becomes intertwined with an emotional journey after his estranged 11-year-old son comes to stay with him.

Set in the not-so-distant future, a time where boxing fights between mechanical robots has become a hugely popular sport, Real Steel charts the journey of Charlie (Jackman) as he attempts to win big cash promoting fights with his robots, who have, so far, only got him into huge amounts of debt with shady characters.

After the death of his ex-wife, his son Max (Dakota Goyo) comes to stay with him whilst court proceedings occur which will decide the boy’s ultimate fate. Charlie, a self-centred man, struggles with the child, finding him a nuisance rather than kin. However, in typical underdog-sporting film fashion, the two bond over the robot boxing, and find themselves on a path to destiny.

A surprisingly interesting and entertaining film, one which suffers from a poorly chosen title. Many would think this a cheap-trick robot film (think Transformers meets Big Daddy), but in reality, the movie offers up some excellent moments of poignancy and pathos, whilst combining this with some superb special effects. The fighting sequences are well orchestrated, somewhere between pro-wrestling and karate, whilst the modern music tracks add a degree and authenticity.

Performances are nothing special, although Lost’s Evangeline Lilly gives a decent portrayal of Charlie’s dependable girlfriend. The story becomes a little lost towards the end, relying too heavily on the action and less on the heart of the plot between father and son.

If you like boxing films and special effects, and can ignore the puppy-dog sentimentalism, then this will probably satisfy your cravings, but for in-depth emotional viewing this will do nothing for you.

Frenzy (1972)

Suspenseful thriller from Alfred Hitchcock, set in central London, about a man accused of murdering a string of women with a necktie.

In the nostalgic, simple Blighty of the seventies, Frenzy takes place amongst the smoke-laden pubs, bustling street markets, and “What’s-all-this-then?” police stations. Jon Finch plays Blaney, a man down on his luck after being fired from the pub he works in, and missing out on a big win in the races for the want of betting money.

Blaney’s troubles though, are just starting, after being spotted leaving the premises of his ex-wife’s work, where she has been strangled to death. All the evidence points to Blaney, and the half-witted chaps at Scotland Yard seem ready to bang him up. However, our misjudged protagonist eludes the authorities long enough to make some enquiries of his own as to whom the real killer is, pointing to someone close.

A well plotted, exciting film, that manages to create a lot of suspense, even though the details of the murderer are on plain sight from the beginning. The essence of this film is not ‘who dunnit’? and instead it is about whether Blaney can clear his name, before he goes down for life.

Great performances, and the streets of London seem like a different world, adding a pleasurable setting to this pulse-racing thriller.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

A darkened re-imagining of the classic Snow White fable, with some twists in the tale and some superb gruesome visuals.

The fairy tale has played a phenomenal part in the development of cinema. From the classic Disney films in the early half of the 20th Century to the Shrek franchise and beyond, audiences’ appetites for moralistic fantasy has remained big. A recent attempt to breath some fiery life into a classic story fell flat on its face, Red Riding Hood was impressive stylistically, but without any substance or bite.

Newbie director, Rupert Sanders was the promising hopeful for this version of Snow White, and his film ticks most of the boxes.

The plot brings many of the original elements to the Snow White story, but presents them in a completely skewed manner. In this telling, the evil Queen (played vivaciously by Charlize Theron) takes power of the land by marrying the King, and then killing him and imprisoning his beautiful daughter Snow White (Kristen Stewart). After seven years of being locked up, Snow manages to escape, and is pursued by the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) at the Queen’s behest. However, once the Huntsman finds Snow White within an enchanted forest, he quickly realises the peril of his and her situation, and joins with Snow in a rebellion against the evil Queen.

As mentioned, many of the original parts to the classic story are there: there is an apple, there are dwarves, and there is an unmistakably moralistic overtone running throughout, but the transformation has breathed new life into this weary tale.

Performances are of a decent standard, Theron stealing many of the scenes with her deeply intriguing performance/interpretation of the evil Queen, a character which becomes less of a Panto-style villain, and more of a troubled soul.

Stewart, who was always going to come under fire after finishing the Franchise-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named, delivers an impressive portrayal of Snow, giving her a vulnerability that is grounded, yet powerful. A few shaky comparisons with her Bella character are nothing to cry about.

The most impressive performance though comes from Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman. An emotionally tortured character, his soul is bared on screen, and the moments of poignancy captivate through the first section of the movie. Aside from the ill-advised Scottish accent, Hemsworth proves his worth outside of Avengers territory.

Also of worthy mention is the clan of dwarves played by Nick Frost, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone and others, who deserved far more attention than they were given, but delivered some much needed levity and depth.

While the film does a very good job with the task at hand, there are a few nagging criticisms. Such as the lack of development of Snow’s character in the first section of the movie: she is given little emotional depth, and not enough screen time, only to emerge later as a heroic leader. Secondly, the film gives some startlingly disturbing visuals, such as Theron crawling through a black-slime gruel, or Stewart hallucinogenic trip after some funky mushrooms attack her, but these moments are few and far between. In order to placate the 12a audience, Sanders seems reluctant to push the boundaries, which ultimately leave the film impotent.

In conclusion, not as Grimm as many would have liked it, but great performances and a few moments of cinematic brilliance make this a real contender in the A-list line-up of 2012.