Movieblaze

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Jessy Schram

Director: Tony Scott

Writer(s): Mark Bomback

Cinematography: Ben Seresin

Original Score: Harry Gregson-Williams

Running Time: 98 mins.

This year we have already seen one freight train hurtle through a blockbuster, and now upon the year’s end you get another although this one certainly isn’t unexpected as its Inception based counterpart and rather than appearing in a dream world the world of Unstoppable is very much a “real world” occurence, especially given we are told from the off that this is “inspired by true events” as unlikely as it may seem. Thankfully Unstoppable is almost as entertaining as Inception though not nearly as cerebral, but it never aims to be, and despite the true story credentials this is pure B-movie plotting by numbers, something which can be a godsend in the right hands. That Unstoppable is directed by the more schizophrenic (in terms of flash bang visuals) of the Scott brothers, Tony, it was unlikely to find hands that are any better or more accomplished in the high concept movie-making arena.

That Scott brought us Man On Fire, Deja Vu and The Taking of Pelham 123 (another train based action/drama/thriller) in recent years you will know what to expect, these are hardly masterpieces of modern cinema but they all possess a certain pizzazz in their direction and editing, Scott seems to have nurtured his own auteur style that consists of fast cuts, dramatic camera zooms and an almost documentary style blur to suggest an erratic and intense tone. Furthermore it actually works a dream especially along-side the bleached visuals that are punctuated with blurs of intense colour, if your a fan of the blurred jump cut Tony Scott is your go-to guy!

The beauty of Unstoppable is how pacey it is, very few films come in at the 90 ish minute mark nowadays, with editors and directors favouring drawn out and often dull characterisation of nasty love stories, or needless side-plots to pad out an otherwise perfunctory tale, not here, here we switch between Washington and Pine’s odd couple conductors/engineers and Dawson’s controller, both out to achieve the same goal, to stop the ”unstoppable” train. how said train started it’s journey is inconsequential and thankfully there is no needless back story or villain who has set the train on it’s course of impending destruction, again this comes as something of a shock given the usual feeling that there should be a conventional villain. All of which places Unstoppable more firmly in disaster movie territory rather than another Taking of Pelham 123 to which this will likely, and unfairly, be compared.

As Washington and Pine chase down the train there is inevitable odd couple rapport, but it never jars or feels forced, blessed with two men who bounce well of each other from the off and even if the stereotypical differences are overcome to reach the end that will inevitably see them win out over the giant behemoth of a train the clichés are never too overt relying on the lead’s easy chemistry that will likely have you wanting a Washington/Pine re-team very soon, it is all the more impressive given how domineering Washington can be when he is in loud/authoritative mode, something which is evident here but nuanced to match the performance, his character is an everyday train conductor not a power-hungry cop or a over-bearing lieutenant. In this sense comparisons to Pelham 123 can more feasibly be drawn.

The action isn’t so much in the set pieces, though there are a handful of great ones, rather the constant ever looming threat of the train, it is made a character in its own right, as powerful as anything you have seen on-screen all year and all the more scary for it, significantly to the point where you wonder if our heroes will be able to stop it. In a film this slight in its concept minor flaws are bound to occur, attempts at fleshing out the back story of Washington and pine are not always successful, adding little to the film or the character and simply there to provide a little more emotional heft in the closing moments but were the emotion not drawn from this scenario we would likely find ourselves labouring over lengthy and hackneyed back story that unstoppable commendably keeps to a minimum, in that sense it’s hardly a film to set you thinking but for pure non-stop thrills you will struggle to find any better.

VERDICT

Washington and Pine are a great odd-couple, but Unstoppable is won on it’s hurtling visuals and break-neck pace that gives little time over to the melodramatic and drawn out side-plotting we have become accustomed to in our blockbusters, perfect friday night fodder.

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, John Hurt, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans

Director: David Yates

Writer: Steve Kloves, J.K. Rowling (novel)

Cinematography: Eduardo Serra

Original Score: Alexandre Desplat

Running Time: 146 mins.

As the franchise thunders towards it’s conclusion the the looming darkness is inevitably becoming a bigger threat with death and destruction at every corner, as Bill Nighy’s newly appointed Ministry for magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, intones during the opening seconds “these are dark time”, he’s not joking as the lighthearted and jovial sense of the first couple of Potter adventures feel like a distant memory, though bear in mind these were the weakest entries by far with director Chris Columbus setting the scene and some fantastic casting in motion if nothing ekse. Fast forward 10 years and many have been murdered (some significantly), some have fallen in love amidst raging teenage hormones while the dark lord himself…Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes as excellently evil as can be) tightens his grip on the wizarding world, seeking a wand that can destroy our titular hero and complete his evil dominance.

Voldemort’s quest takes a back-seat however as Potter and co’s. quandaries prove the more pressing matter for us, loosened of the shackles of Hogwarts and the school structure this is a film that sees the heroic trio on the move, journeying across the UK in search of Horcruxes (parts of Voldemort’s soul) and eventually the Deathly Hallows (a “super” magical weapon). The film makes no concessions for newcomers to the franchise and even those without knowledge of the books will likely fail to understand much of the jargon and wizarding terms. Not necessarily a bad thing not pandering to newcomers and non-fans but it is rather presumptuous and for my money makes this yet another case of (too)  faithful an adaptation rather than something that takes the fundamental elements of an admittedly great story to craft a true film, something on Goblet of Fire and Prisoner of Azkaban have managed to do.

This does not make Deathly Hallows, par 1, a bad film and one not to recommend, indeed fans will likely lap up that very few of the novels beats have been missed but for those less familiar and wanting an actual film that is paced well there is a major failing. Inevitably as the films have split the novel in two there is a room to show a lot but that doesn’t tnecessarily mean it should have all been shown, as with Half Blood Prince there is little in the way of a beginning, middle or, fundamentally here, an end of any substance, there is little doubt in my mind that part 2 will provide enough denouement for the whole series with some excellent set pieces but it has ultimately left a rather dull film in parts in its own right with endless exposition and character development. This will likely prove great in terms of the whole 5 hour Deathly Hallows experience but drawn out without many peaks of excitement and you will find a little clock-watching may slip in.

This is not to discredit the leads, the central triumvirate have never been better, Radcliffe in particular has totally lost his jaw clenching tendencies and Weasley finds the balance between genuinely funny and being a clown to craft the Samwise Gamgee of the group (after a brief sojourn as Gollum!), the Lord of the Rings comparisons don’t end there and unfavourably this reeks of a mini-fellowship in the way that there is a lot of walking across nice-looking vistas in search of things (too many things in this case), but Harry potter is not LOTR. It simply doesn’t have that emotional depth hard as it may try and the time does not afford for such frivolities, as we leap into a handful of brief set-pieces that are all low key compared to what everyone really wants to see (coming in part 2), a snake attack here, a siege on a wedding there, a jail break from a cellar etc. etc. each is well-directed and there is excitement to be found sporadically but it’s just not enough as a bigger scale climax should have been provided to make this feel like a fulfilling experience.

The most entertaining, if not the most touching, are the came filled ones with cameos, all the villains are as creepy and charismatic as you’d hope and Snape does more in mere minutes than most other characters in hours while the other standout proves to be a CGI creation in the return of Dobby, a genuine hero and genius demonstration in technical terms that shows how far the effects have leapt forward, his eyes show none of the dead-eye look that plagues most CGI characters, though sadly like many others his screen-time is limited. Which means it almost always falls back on the “kids” to hold out attention, and bar one or two odd character beats they do it well amidst the over-swamped plotting. This may not seem the most positive take on the film but ultimately it will undoubtedly feel more complete when viewed with part 2…and if there’s one thing this film does exceptionally well it is in building anticipation for the impending wizard war.

VERDICT

It seems daft to criticise Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 for feeling ultimately incomplete and plodding but there are enough high points that prove this is one excellent franchise when i gets it right, sadly the overwhelming tendency by the makers to cram all the exposition in from the novels leaves this bereft of pace or structure…undoubtedly it will prove to be part of a much better over-all product come next July.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx, Danny McBride, Juliette Lewis, RZA

Director: Todd Phillips

Writer(s): Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freeland, Adam Sztykiel, Todd Phillips

Cinematography: Lawrence Sher

Original Score: Christophe Beck

Running Time: 100 mins.

For Todd Phillips it was a no-brainer that he follow “biggest R-Rated comedy of all time” The Hangover with another film starring that film’s break-out star Zach Galifianakis that the film wasn’t an immediate sequel to The Hangover is perhaps the bigger surprise. Thankfully Due Date is a film that allows Galifianakis to take centre stage alongside one of the current greats in Robert Downey Jr. and it allows both actors to stretch themselves, maybe not out of the norm fully but enough to see that in particular Galifianakis is capable of doing much more than the man-child schtick seen in The Hangover and any bit-parts that have followed. Similarly Downey’s role allows for something more than the likeable character actor he has morphed into in the wake of Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, here he is a man full of vitriol with little patience especially given his current situation…

So to the plot, and it is pure Planes, Trains and Automobiles for the noughties and beyond, it doesn;t take a genius to figure out who is taking on which role, but the comedy here is mind a little deeper than it was in that 80′s classic with a lot more edge (read darkness) as is seemingly required of Hollywood films nowadays. Thrown together after a plane based mishap with the words “terrorist” and “bomb” being bandied about and the misuse of a Blackberry, an escapade that is simply the start of many escalating dilemmas that take in all manner of people, vehicles and at one point a gun. That these men aren’t immediately likeable adds to the depth of the film, and much like The Hangover they are men who you learn to love despite their foibles, it’s a hard task to make you like unlikable men but Phillips has a knack for winning us over, with a great deal of help from two of Hollywood’s current most charismatic leads.

Galifianakis is the heart and soul of Due Date, more different to his Hangover counterpart than many would admit too, his is a performance full of heart and child-like hope. Ethan Tremblay is an aspiring actor heading to Hollywood via, a hopeful, visit to scatter his father’s ashes somewhere poignant, there is an obvious level of predictability to some of the turns taken but it surprises and takes enough unexpected diversions to prove more than just a knock off of a better film with a similar concept. The set pieces match performance for both originality and entertainment value, the standout proving to be a crash/pileup to rival anything Michael Bay has provided us with.

It’s the smaller, and usually funnier, moments however that really make Due Date fly and raise it above your average knock-about comedy though when you hire someone as capable and versatile as Downey Jr. what do you expect. Peter (Downey Jr.) is initially a deeply unlikable man who seems to care only for himself, even in respect to getting back to his wife. This level of sheer nastiness means he is a character who can punch a child and spit in the face of a dog without becoming the villain of the piece, and turn the guy around to become something approaching a respectable human being with the help of Ethan. The conclusion isn’t quite as cutesy as you may well expect and thankfully an early red-herring that reeks of cliché (the undiscovered note) doesn’t pan out as expected leading to a great moment of truth that is both heart-warming and real due to an unexpected revelation at the (not man-made) Grand Canyon.

If there is a weakness it is in the effort to “jazz up” proceedings with the support, Monaghan is wasted with their minimal screen-time reduced to holding her bump and talking on the phone, and even Foxx fails to make any impact even if he is on screen during one of the funniest scenes involving someones ashes since The Big Lebowski. On the other end of the scale is McBride who is wasted in the sense of just being truly bad, OTT in a way the rest of the film avoids it is only Phillips himself along with Lewis that provide anything beyond simply showing up or over-acting. These though can be over-looked considering the minimal appearances and the focus never fails to shift back to Ethan and Peter’s oddly touching interplay, Due Date 2…it’s as welcome a prospect as The Hangover 2!

VERDICT

Todd Phillips knows how to direct a funny set piece but much more than that he can coax great comedy performances that are tinged with pathos from actors at the top of their game, this makes Due Date one of the years most entertaining film’s and one with a little more heart than you might expect.

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Mike Pontius, Bam Margera, Dave England, Spike Jonze, Jeff Tremaine, Wee Man

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Writer: Preston Lacy

Cinematography: Lance Bangs, Dimitry Elyashkevich, Rick Kosick

Original Score: Various

Running Time: 94 mins.

Jackass 3D opens with a Beavis and Butthead skit, yes, Beavis and Butthead, two characters long forgotten and condemned to the “things that were funny in the 90′s” bin, ironic really given that Jackass has now well and truly edged itself into that very same bin with its third cinematic outing. After 2 films, numerous TV series, Steve-O serving time in prison and Knoxville’s unsuccessful attempts at a proper film career, the boys are back doing much the same as they always have done except where it used to be hilarious it now is anything but and where there was a wry sense of humour tingeing even the grossest of stunts there is now just a nasty taste left in your mouth.

The structure remains the same, skit follows skit follows skit, not strung together by any semblance of narrative (it’s not meant to be in all fairness) the boys are really beginning to look bored, the effect is contagious save for some cringing there is little here to elicit any emotion from you let alone laughs, the closest you will come is to pitying them as clearly they don’t quite know what else to do with themselves. The jokes range from those involving bodily fluids (and solids!) to the obligatory ones where Knoxville is layered in prosthetics to age him and the general hit-and-miss (quite literally) physical humiliation each of the Jackass’s put themselves through, as usual these include bulls, scorpions and snakes. if this sounds a lot like Jackass 2 or indeed 1 you would be right, just with less of a sense of fun and more desperation.

There are a handful of sketches that raise a titter, but it is a sad fact that even the lesser stunts in Jackass 2 (which now feels like a lifetime ago) raised titters, with the best eliciting belly laughs aplenty. it is an odd thing as physical comedy has always been ripe for exploitation especially in cinema, something that is rooted in the likes of Laurel and Hardy but even then there seemed to be a strong sense of a little more going on beneath the tomfoolery with the comedy found in the slapstick and performance rather than stunts that were cruel or nasty, Jackass has always teetered on the brink of this but up until know just about walked the fine line, not so this time I am afraid to say, and quite frankly what SPike Jonze is doing having anything to do with this is beyond me!

Attempts do seem to have been made at a little pathos, Steve-O as a clean living, t-total-er is played for “laughs” as he drinks a sweat-cocktail and only takes part in a minimum of pranks having lost that craziness he was once famed for, oddly it is he who seems to realise this should all be behind him escaping from pranks early and standing back to simply watch while the others slap backs and seemingly force laughter, I can sympathise with you Mr. O pray there isn’t a Jackass 4D, I couldn’t cope with the smells as well as the sights and sounds, though what 3D adds to Jackass 3D other than the title moniker is questionable!

VERDICT

Jackass 3D succeeds only in one aspect, proving that the concept has long run out of steam, it is now nasty and grim rather than funny and gross with the boys them,selves either detestable or pitiful.

Starring: Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas, Kara Buono

Director: Matt Reeves

Writer(s): Matt Reeves, John Ajvide Lindqvist

Cinematography: Greig Fraser

Original Score: Michael Giacchino

Running Time: 115 mins.

Vampires are in vogue, there is little denying that fact, from Twilight through to True Blood by way of Daybreakers most bases have been covered in terms of the good, the bad and the downright ugly, so Let Me In rather begs the question of why do we need yet another Vampire offering? Well I will answer that question quite simply by saying that Let Me In is by far the best vampire film for quite some time and a whole lot more besides, the biggest of these “besides” being that it presents us with the best entry in the Horror genre for many a year and is that rare thing, genuinely scary, and I don’t just mean scary jump-y but the kind of scary that gets under your skin and stays with you long after the credits roll, yes there are the requisite number of jumps to startle and shock but there is an ever creeping sense of dread and an overall tone that can only be likened to that in the greats such as The Exorcist or The Shining, yes it really is THAT good.

Let The Right One In was one of last years most acclaimed foreign language imports, garnering awards and very good word of mouth, it was both atmospheric and involving, two aspects that this remake holds fast too but in my eyes it just wasn’t all that scary meaning it was less a horror film and more a character study. Unusually Let Me In manages to be both different in approach (whilst still maintaining almost shot for shot sentiment in somescenes) and all the better for it, stream-lining away much of the flabbiness to be found in its original this is a focused and hard-hitting experience, on the brain as well as your heart. It would seem Matt Reeves (of Cloverfield fame) is a director (and writer) who actually knows how to build suspense and character in one fell swoop, a feat that defies most director’s on one front or the other.

Cloverfield itself suggested the man knew how to do this, it was just that he needed a slightly more intimate tale than that of giant Godzilla-style monsters to tell it, apparently vampires provided him with the perfect opportunity! As with Let the Right One In the story concerns two 12 year old children, one is a boy, Owen (Smit-McPhee), being bullied at school, the typical outsider-child living a solitary life in a block of flats with his recently divorced mother, while the other is the more sinister and secretive loner, Abby (Moretz), she walks around with no shoes on, has no body heat to speak of and is as mysterious a girl as can be, that they bond is no surprise but the question is what does Abby actually want from Owen as her secrets unfurl…

It is no shock to learn Abby is a vampire, cared for by a creepy older man (Jenkins) who kills to feed her addiction (blood, of course and makes for some chilling murders) while a dogged cop chases hunts down those responsible for a spate of murders, could this all be linked? Again the answer is unsurprising, this is not a film out to twist and turn the narrative, it is about raw emotion and the age-old battle between good and evil, hell it even opens with  Ronald Reagan on TV saying as much! This also suggests we are in the 80′s, an era which is held closely to its director’s heart and is mined subtly as with the obviously very different, but equally respectable to the era, Adventureland. This is where the atmosphere begins its foundations in the snowy setting of New Mexico, the tension is palpable and provide for some beautifully shot vistas.

All of this though is surface sheen, it is what lay beneath that makes Let Me In something of a masterpiece, the jolts you get from the performances all round are astounding, these is a great deal of superlatives to lay on a film but I assure you they are totally deserved! Moretz and Smit-McPhee have proven their mettle before, in The Road and Kick-Ass respectively, and with Let Me In they build layers onto their repertoire, particularly Moretz who has always been great but was a little too tinged with precociousness and a sense of self-knowing, here that is lost to make way for nuance and a really scary build to the shocking scenes that are used sparingly but pack the most sever of punches.

In the vampire attacks and more (restrained) gory moments that the purveying sense of dread and feeling of being unsettled is punctuated, there are a great many iconic scenes to be found, not least the subway attack that uses restrained effects for vampire movement in the best way possible (Twilight take note!) and, the standout of the whole film in terms of visuals, a car crash that is shot from the viewpoint of the rear seat culminating in a horrific and disturbing act that has emotional repercussions the resonate throughout the film, and beyond, much like the experience of Let Me In overall.

VERDICT

Let Me In is a horror masterpiece, transcending the boundaries of the genre whilst also adhering to them, it has been a very long time since a film stayed with me and scared/disturbed in equal measure while retaining the heft of real emotion … all that and it’s a remake!

Starring: Jom Broadbent, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen, Oliver Maltman, Peter Wight, David Bradley, Imelda Staunton, Stuart McQuarrie

Director: Mike Leigh

Writer: Mike Leigh

Cinematography: Dick Pope

Original Score: Gary Yershon

Running Time: 129 mins.

Another Year, the latest deconstruction of the human condition from Mike Leigh, holds a mild surprise for a Leigh film in that the central characters are actually happy, happily married and living a life of contentment with each other and further to this they show no sign of cracks appearing, the characters of Tom (Broadbent) and Gerri (Sheen) are the kind of couple who have likely been together since their youth and were made for each other sharing a perfect life in their quaint little house spending their free time at the allotment drinking tea come rain or shine and as at ease in long silences with one-another as they are in the company of their friends, if this wasn’t a Mike Leigh film it could have all come across as cringe-worthy and be constructed of two-dimensional characters, as it is they are fully rounded and made to be as likeable people as you will see in a film all year thanks in part to the excellent script but mostly owing to the ample talents of Sheen and Broadbent, ever the jolly presence.

But if this were two hours plus of screen time about an eternally happy couple there wouldn’t be much in the way of development or drama which is where the lesser surprising Leigh element slips in…Tom and Gerri might be as happy as can be, living their story-book life but their friends and family (bar their son Joe, who finds a similar happiness to his parents) are all suffering various afflictions and woes, put simply they are of the usual Mike Leigh world we have become accustomed too. Unsurprisingly though it is in these people the film finds a great deal of emotional heft, particularly in the case of Lesley Manville’s character, Mary, an aging singleton craving something approaching what Tom and Gerri have but would happily settle for someone who at the very least wants her, one scene plays out with Manville caught between Peter Wight’s slobbish Ken and Joe demonstrating two sides of the coin and suggesting Mary has a higher agenda than pure lust, seeing Joe as the key to her friend’s life.

Each season introduces a different, and progressively more depressing, character and scenario, whether it be Ken, an alcoholic to match that of Mary, or in an opening cameo that hooks and reels you in Imelda Staunton who has little to do with Gerri’s life other than as a patient to her but this is the first of many encounters that I sense are supposed to be life-affirming through their sheer harsh nature, everyone has their problems, if you will, is what I think Leigh wants us to recognise and that finding the kind of dream-like happiness of Tom and Gerri is only reserved for a few.

Unfortunately as hard-hitting as all this is, and there is no denying it is affecting to watch and impeccably acted, the central performances feel rather perfunctory and even if they are happy I would much rather have learnt much more about Tom and Gerri than Mark or Ken, in fact the minute any other characters position improves (i.e. Joe) Leigh loses interest. Like I said it is harder to craft a gripping or involving dynamic around happy people but maybe in the case of Another Year there was room for some happiness and light beyond characters acting as vessels for all others to vent their problems and issues. This I feel suggests either Leigh is afraid to tackle something positive and try the harder task of making happy people more interesting characters or he simply finds it more rewarding to delve in misery, either way it neglects the audience of something different from a man who’s work is firmly in the stale category of late.

VERDICT

Having always been of the opinion that film-makers should push themselves Another Year simply demonstrates once again that Mike Leigh is either afraid or unwilling to stretch his talents beyond depression or misery, there is no doubt that this is a film packed with acting talent it’s just that it all becomes a little drab and dull in the end.

Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh hutcherson

Director: Lisa Cholodenko

Writer(s): Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

Cinematography: Igor Jadue-Lillo

Original Score: Carter Burwell, Nathan Larson, Craig Wedren

Running Time: 106 mins.

Every year, amidst the early autumnal melancholy we are presented with a film best described as a “Festival Darling”, that is to say it is adored by critics the world over and what usually follows is the hot-tip towards Oscar success for the under-dog, some live up to this reputation such as Little Miss Sunshine, while others really don’t and are quite simply over-rated, Juno for example. Thankfully I can safely say that this years entry, The Kids Are Alright falls most definitely in the category of the former rather than the latter keeping the quirk to a minimum and veers on the right side of the indie-movie scene.

The plot is typical indie fare, a lesbian couple have two children by the same sperm donor, as said children approach the age allowing them to find out the identity of their donor they meet the guy in question and inevitably bond, to mixed reaction from their “moms”, and what follows is an excellent study of “real” characters we can empathise with as the film both adheres to and breaks expectation is equal (and perfect) measure, this is a film where not a great deal happens yet we could happily spend a life-time observing people this richly written and acted to the point where it is hard to pick out a stand-out amongst the brilliant subtleties and tics.

Special mention has to go to Mark Ruffalo though, he is and always has been a hugely likeable screen presence and if there is any justice this should be the film to get him noticed with his turn as The Hulk in The Avengers really taking his star level into the Hollywood stratosphere beyond simply playing second fiddle to others (albeit the best possible second fiddle anyone could ask for!). He has great range, this we know from this year alone with turns in Shutter Island and The Brothers Bloom, but there is a truthfulness in his role of Paul the titular kid’s sperm donor. It has to be said in the wrong hands his character could have quite easily gone down the generic free-spirit slacker route but the layers of his character pel away like an onion showing emotion beyond mere enigmatic bachelor experiencing a life-changing episode.

On that front though Ruffalo has the easier job, making a likeable guy likeable is not really a stretch which means it is left to Moore and Bening to give us two extremes of personality, personalities that aren’t nearly as likeable on the surface, Bening undoubtedly has the harder job of the two as Nic is controlling, uptight and harsh…on the surface but yet again there is so much going on beneath the surface, and as all the greats can do there is so much conveyed with a single look and a wordless scene than with a thousand words. clichéd maybe but it is this that makes nudges The Kids Are Alright from good to down-right brilliant, with each actor’s performance matching and melding with the others.

Interestingly, and perhaps key to the film’s emotional drive, there is no labouring on the fact that the central couple are gay, they have all the same issues that any other couple would have and I would defy anyone not to be able to empathise with their marital woes whether you’re married or not their issues are universal and touching. It is in this that the film is won, it isn’t often film-makers can cut to the emotional core quite this well transcending the boundaries of entertainment to make a film that is a truly life-affirming 2 hours and will stay with you for a great deal longer whether you be a man, woman, single or married, straight or gay this is a film everyone can enjoy, admire and go away from feeling good despite a truthful and real rather than happy ending wrapped up in a little bow…Hollywood style!

VERDICT

The Kids Are Alright cuts to the core, truthful performances forge some hugely likeable and real characters to craft a moving, hugely enjoyable and (for a change) awards-worthy film.

Starring: Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Isla Fisher, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Curry, Christopher Lee, Ronnie Corbett

Director: John Landis

Writer(s): Piers Ashworth, Nick Moorcroft

Cinematography: John Mathieson

Original Score: Joby Talbot

Running Time: 91 mins.

There are a great number of poor, weak and down-right bad films released year in, year out, very rare that the elements making up said films are as promising as those that are present in Burke & Hare, a director best known for the much-loved American Werewolf in London among many, many other great comedies at the helm, a vintage support cast of Brit actors surrounding the central pairing of Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis who are both currently highly regarded actors both in comedy and drama. Add to this a subject matter ripe for a number of approaches whether it be serious or comic and this should really be a no brainer given it concerns the exploits of Williams’ Burke and Hare, two grave robbers turned murderers whom supplied Edinburgh’s  teaching doctors with a steady flow of corpses in order that they can make a mint and the doctor can put himself on the medical map, alas what we have is a film that fails on so many levels…and that is putting it mildly, down-right awful is probably more apt!

It is a little hard to know where to place the blame for this travesty, Landis, despite having made some great films in the 80′s, has sunk recently with his last efforts being Beverly Hills Cop 3 and Blues Brothers 2000, hardly films to fill you with inspiration! Something which rings true and Burke & Hare seems to be totally unaware of what it wants to be, genre-wise! There are lame efforts at comedy that sit purely in the gros-out area with buckets of shit and squirting blood substituted for anything that could actually qualify for a laugh, simply because the script doesn’t allow for anything witty, clever or, simply put, humourous, this type of grim effort at comedy would  have seemed dated in the 60′s!

Ironically it is Ealing that precurses the film, acting as production company we hope from the Ealing banner and a inspired opening salvo with Bill Bailey we may just be in territory ripe for the enigmatic production company, dark and twisted whilst being very, very funny much like The Ladykillers, what transpires is something much more akin to Sex Lives of the Potato Men, a put-down that quite frankly is the pinnacle of put-downs! It is easy to see why this material would be the perfect fit for Landis, there is a great story to be told but the focus of the film’s plot drifts around and tries to take in too many plot developments and characters, if nothing else I suppose there is a level of enjoyment to be taken from spotting each cameo but some only serve to highlight what Burke & Hare wants to be rather than what it actually is. Case in point being Christopher Lee, appearing for a matter of seconds and leaving next to no impact, not the fault of Lee but rather the plotting which is dull and lifeless, much like the corpses the titular characters collect.

The biggest let-down here are the central pairing, both Serkis and Pegg are capable actors and very funny comedians (given the right material) but here they are left floundering with a lack of chemistry that further hinders any enjoyment to be found in the characters, characters who are so two-dimensional one can only imagine the stars hadn’t read the script prior to signing their contracts! Serkis comes out of the whole debacle the better off of the two, at least displaying a little of the grubbiness and nastiness the characters needed much more of, on the flip side is Pegg who is just far to nice to convince as a murderer on any level which leads me onto the biggest misgiving of all, the love story shoe-horned in to try and add a little emotion…needless to say it doesn’t work. Isla Fisher is a fine comic actress but is lumbered with quite possibly the worst and most feebly written part in a script that is overflowing with them.

VERDICT

Quite frankly awful, Burke & Hare squanders a promising premise in favour of a lame sub-plot that neglects the much more interesting overall picture, though that is just the start of this film’s woes!