Jersey Boys

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Based on the wildly popular stage musical, ‘Jersey Boys’ is the story of 1960s rock ‘n roll band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, from their humble beginnings in New Jersey to their eventual break up and its aftermath.

Jersey Boys is a classic ‘rags to riches’ story that is perfectly suited to both stage and screen, which also incorporates the music of the band into its story fantastically- it is these musical numbers that contrast with the high tensions of much of the plot and make the film as good as it is. It is also refreshing to see a movie musical that attempts to tell a real story in a realistic manner and this is also helped by the darkened look of the shots. It is unclear whether it has been graded or whether it was even intentional, but it looks fantastic and suits the film’s dramatic tone and atmosphere perfectly. Another unusual but effective element is the narration, which features each member of the band breaking the fourth wall to tell their side of the story. In most other movies, this would seem cheesy or outright ridiculous, but here it really works, as it gives the audience a personal insight into the story that could not be gained any other way.

However, if I have to nit-pick , I do wish that more music had been incorporated into the film in terms of score- there are certain scenes with no score at all and whilst this does add to the whole ‘serious drama’ thing that the film tries so hard to maintain, it does make it feel lifeless to a certain extent. In short, many scenes have no background music and as a result it is lacking in major energy.

However, this does not stop it from being a refreshingly serious movie musical with great songs and an excellent cast that it well worth a watch. 

The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part One

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As most readers probably know, The Hunger Games : Mockingjay is the third hotly- anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games books, which this time sees Katniss become the (fairly unwilling) face of the rebellion against the autocratic Capitol.

It is not an exaggeration to say that many fans were extremely disappointed by the third book in the series- however, I am pleased to report that the film improves on the underwhelming final novel massivley. For once, the trend of splitting the grand finale of a big franchise into two parts actually benefits the film significantly, as it allows every previously rushed moment to be shown in just the right amount of detail. This is also helped by fantastic acting from a cast that includes Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence, as well as Donald Sutherland, Josh Hutcherson, the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman and newcomer Julliane Moore. Along with wonderful cinematography, this makes the already powerful moments that allow the Hunger Games series to be as effective as it is even stronger.

Additionally, the powerful and often complex messages of the original series are continually emphasized throughout the film, which allows it to be very moving at times. Like it’s predecessor, Catching Fire, Mockingjay also has great cinematography, with the well chosen shots bringing the book to life fantasically well.

On the other hand, it does inherit the problems of it’s source material in terms of story structure. It doesn’t have much action, or even too much of a structure, with Tordov’s narrative theory barley being used- much of it is Katniss wandering around feeling depressed about Peeta and filming propos, which some viewers might find slightly dull. However, the jump from book to film means that the story can now be told from more than one person’s perspective, meaning that more can be shown and as a result more happens (compared to the book anyway).

Generally, The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part One is a moving, tense and dramatic film that is probably worth a second or even a third viewing. It is rare to say this about a Young Adult Adaptation, but it is better than the book by miles.

How to Train Your Dragon 2

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Hiccup and Toothless are back in the sequel to the 2010 animated hit, How to Train Your Dragon- but how does it measure up to the original and more significantly can it stand up on its own? 

Like the first film, How to Train your Dragon 2 has plenty of heart, humour and great characters, with very sincere relationships. This is especially true of the relationship between the two lead characters, Hiccup and Toothless, as their strong bond is one of the highlights of the film. 

A lot of time is also given to developing the relationships between the new characters being introduced, as well as the character development of Hiccup, as he grows, changes and learns new (and often difficult) lessons.Speaking of difficult lessons, whilst there are a lot of charming and pleasant moments, the film still dares to be dark and is unafraid of confronting hard topics, despite its mostly younger target audience, which is very commendable.  

Another element that makes the movie stand out is the animation. It is absolutely stunning- this is especially true of the flying scenes, but the character animation and background designs are beautiful too. In addition to this, a soaring score adds to the ‘epic’ feel of the film as a whole, which is also helped by a plot that involves numerous action scenes.

On the other hand, the pacing of the film can be very poor at times. Whilst the character’s relationships are allowed to develop at a reasonable pace, moments towards the end of the film that should be key are over within minutes- without spoiling the ending, the conclusion feels especially rushed, which is a shame, as the rest of the film is so good. Generally, the film’s final moments are outstanding, it’s just that certain plot points probably should have had more time devoted to them, and then they would have been more effective. Despite this, the pacing for most of the film is fine, so it does not completely ruin it.

Overall, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an outstanding film, with only a few minor pacing problems stopping it from being one of the best of the year.

Maleficent- *spoilers*

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From it's announcement in May 2011, this film had the potential to be absolutely astounding. The premise of telling a classic story from the perspective of it's iconic villain, in this case Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, seemed to be full-proof, having been done so fantastically well with long running Broadway show Wicked, as well as the fact that it had some truly great actors gracing the screen  and a basic plot all of it's own which had the potential for some fantastic and complex Drama, if it was developed properly. However, when it was finally released, it was generally met with mixed reviews, even being ranked 'rotten' on review website Rotten Tomatoes. But was this really fair?

Generally, it is hard to decide whether this is a bad movie with some good elements, or a good movie that simply has several negative aspects dragging it down. Many elements of the story are done very well, including the heart-warming relationship between the titular character and Princess Aurora. This is also supported by incredible performances from both Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning and on the whole the movie benefits from epic scenes such as Maleficent flying which are filmed spectacularly and with many well chosen shots, making the movie as a whole very enjoyable to watch. The computer animated backgrounds of the Moors where Maleficent dwells are also stunning- to be honest, the film is worth watching just for these elements alone.      

Another part of the film that may cause controversy amongst audience members is the presentation of the three fairies, who have been transformed, from strong independent women who, along with some incredible artwork, essentially made the original film the masterpiece that it was, to pathetic and ditzy morons who cannot even look after a baby for themselves. Whilst this may anger some viewers, it actually makes sense within the context of this story, as it is being told from Maleficent's point of view and this is the way in which she would have seen them.                        

However, the movie does have some glaring flaws. Whilst the story had the potential to be a fascinating character study of arguably Disney's greatest villain, it is instead frustratingly simplistic, with only one real motivation for Maleficent, which is not helped by the fact that her transition into a villain is so instantaneous that it has very little motivation and as a result little to no impact- she is just suddenly evil, after one event, which means that it is not as emotionally effective as the similar storyline of, for example, Wicked. There are also certain plot elements that come in towards the end of the film that seem to have been brought in without any prior thought and as a result, they seem completely ridiculous. A great example of this is the resolution to the film's climax, which seems to come out of nowhere just to get the protagonist out of a situation which would otherwise have been impossible to escape.

In conclusion, although Maleficent has it's problems, overall the more positive elements allow it to be at the very least entertaining, although not a masterpiece and with an almost ludicrous conclusion.
     

The Fault in Our Stars

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It is probably accurate to say that the biggest factor behind this film being so outstanding is the strength of the source material, John Green's brilliant book. It is even more accurate to say that, as a massive fan of the book, a part of the film's success lies in the joy of seeing the beloved characters brought to life and seeing the story that had previously only been seen of paper, shown on screen for the first time- however, this is not the only component in the movie's high quality.

For anyone who hasn't read the book or even heard of The Fault in Our Stars, it focusses on two cancer-struck teenagers who fall in love after meeting at a support group. It can be said that a lot of the elements that allowed the book to resonate with fans are carried over into the film, allowing both to be exceptional, from the sarcastic attitude of the narrator, which makes it seem very fresh as well as being honest and not condescending towards it's audience to the refreshing and at times biting realism and incredibly likeable characters, all of which is held together by an ultimately beautiful love story.

On the other hand, it can also be said that the film has merits as it's own piece, not least the brilliant acting from the entire cast, but especially Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort as the star crossed leads. In addition to this, the brutally emotional climax is made all the more tear-jerking on screen by the sheer fact that it is being shown instead of written.

Both of these make the movie just as good if not better than the book, but that is not to say that the film does not have it's flaws- the love story can be a bit cheesy at times and at certain points the character of Augustus Waters can become more like a fantasy that a real and well developed character, due to his characters habit of being almost a bit too perfect all the time for the majority of the story. However, just at the point where audience members may start to feel this way, both the movie and the book blow these factors completely out of the water deliver a ruthlessly realistic ending to an overall brilliant film that will make even the most hard hearted of viewers sob.

Blue Jasmine

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This film is definitely a mixed bag. There are so many things you could comment on, both good and bad , that it is very hard to make a judgement ,on the whole, about whether it actually works.

What makes the film so effective is it's partial use of a non-linear narrative structure, which holds the audience's interest due to their growing desire to discover what will happen next in both time frames, as small sections of the plot are slowly revealed and elements of the character's pasts are hinted at but not fully revealed until later points, meaning it is very difficult to describe the plot without giving too much away. Essentially, it is about a wealthy woman named Jasmine, played by Cate Blanchett, who goes to live with her sister, played by Sally Hawkins, after a dramatic fall from grace, being brutally forced to experience the real world for the first time. 

Whilst I already mentioned the brilliant way in which the non-linear narrative structure creates tension, this is also helped by the clever way in which the scenes are put together, which links the two time frames and slowly builds the tension up until it is released during an incredibly effective finale. On the other hand ,all throughout the film, a laid back atmosphere is created though the use of music, which helps to make later scenes even more powerful.

However , the storyline can also drag at times, as there is rather a lot of repetition, emphasizing the same points over and over and over again, without really developing the plot beyond a certain point, meaning that whilst the majority of the film feels like it is building up to something huge due to the aforementioned narrative structure, it never really delivers and in the end audience members will be left saying 'was that it then?'

What makes this film so good despite these problems is the absolutely incredible performance of Cate Blanchett, who single handedly holds the film together. She shines in every scene, and every minute detail of her character's behaviour is finely tuned by the actress to express every emotion in incredible depth and making her character's fate seem more dramatic than anyone else could have made it.

Overall, whilst in many ways this film does not really work, it is fairly entertaining and is worth watching for Cate Blanchett's performance alone.

Gravity

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I know I am a little late to the party in terms of reviewing this film. It seems that after months of Oscar wins and glowing reviews, the hype has finally died down, but to anyone considering watching this film I would say this: do it.On the biggest screen you can find. It is absolutely wonderful. From the stunning opening shots to the thrilling and spectacular conclusion, I was absolutely blown away.

For those of you who don't know, Gravity is about two astronauts who end up stranded in space and have to get home before their oxygen runs out... and yeah, that's about it. The film's one weakness is that the story isn't up to much. Nothing really happens for a lot of it, so if you saw the trailer and you were hoping for a thrilling film with a jump scare every minute, then you will be sorely disappointed.

On the other hand, the film's slow pace can be rather enjoyable, as  it matches the film's overall atmosphere and allows the viewer to enjoy the sheer beauty being put in front of them, as the visual effects are stunning. The revolutionary technology used to make the film certainly pays off, as overall it looks incredible, to the point where you will not only believe that the actors are in space, but you will be so immersed in the film that a part of you will think that you are there too.

I'm not saying the film isn't tense- on the contrary, it is absolutely gripping- just not in the way that you would normally expect from an action thriller, as the scares are more based around concern for the character's making it home rather than fear that you will be made to jump. This is also combined with a fantastic use of diagetic sound, which not only reflects the silent setting, but creates tension more than any jump scare ever could.

In conjunction with this, the soaring score punctuates every moment perfectly, adding to the already brilliant atmosphere along with fantastic performances from both George Clooney and Sandra Bullock.

There really is nothing else to say, other than that I hope this will go down in history as one of the greatest films of all time.

My Week With Marilyn

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There is no doubt that, whatever you think of her, Marylin Monroe had an often tragic life, as she grew up in foster homes , eventually had three failed marriages and finally committed suicide in 1962. The extent of her celebrity combined with her apparent unhappiness has led to millions around the world becoming fascinated with her story and in some case films have even been made about the film star- an example of such a film is My Week With Marylin. 

The film is about an assistant director Colin Clark and the time he spent working on 'The Prince and the Showgirl'- more specifically, it is about the alleged affair that Clark had with the film's main star- Marylin Monroe.

I feel like this film is trying to paint a picture of Monroe's life, by depicting a week of it, and to a certain extent it does work well- Michelle Williams does a good job as the iconic movie star and they are able to cleverly work in several aspects of events that could have been very hard to include, an example being Monroe's relationship with her mother. But moments such as this do not really work unless you already know about the context of her life , lessening the overall emotional impact of most of the film. 

Most of the other actors also do a decent job, but the weakest element of the film by far was Eddie Redmayne - I have seen him in two films thus far, Les Miserables and this film, and he seems to play the same character in both - the nice, polite young man, which here provides a good contrast to Marilyn's more outspoken personality, but can quickly become dull. 

Finally, whilst the story is fairly compelling, it still feels like it was too short- it is quite entertaining, but if they had added on an extra half and hour , maybe even more, it could have been so much better, as they could have delved deeper into the fascinating life of Marilyn Monroe. However, they fail to do this, instead focussing on her romance with Colin Clark, and while it is interesting, as a whole the film seems weak, although it is mildly entertaining.



Never Let Me Go

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The first noticeable thing about this film is that it is beautiful. From the high quality camera work, to the incredible beauty of the countryside setting, everything looks spectacular and in certain scenes exactly how the books described. This then comes together perfectly with a stunning score and scenes displayed with just the right amount of emotion to make some of the film's greatest moments. The acting is also brilliant, with an especially good performance from the three leads- so this description makes the film seem perfect, right? Well, there are a lot of major problems with the film that keep it as 'good' instead of 'very good'.

The biggest problem with the film is what they cut out of the book on which it was based. What made Kazuo Ishaguro's original novel so spectacular was the small moments, the little jokes or tiny fall outs between the characters that made it such a true reflection of reality. In the novel, almost all of these moments are lost, and as a result the film becomes a meaningless blur that in many cases will leave viewers confused and not understanding Ishaguro's original meaning. In conjunction with this, the dialogue can get exceedingly cheesy, turning certain moments from emotional triumphs into complete messes.

Overall, this film is a mixed bag- the 'childhood' section is botched due to the aforementioned omissions, and the cottages section is the same, but the film does gradually pick up in quality until it becomes the stunning masterpiece that the entire film should have been. I guess it is worth a watch, but generally I would recommend you read the book, which is far superior to this confused but reasonable attempt at an adaptation.

Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: This blog is not for profit. All images and footage used are property of their respective companies unless stated otherwise. I do not claim ownership of this material.