Cinderella

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The original fairy tale of Cinderella is undeniably one of the most beloved (and hated) fairy-tales of all time. Much to the relief of all who have continuously defended both Disney’s 1950 film and the story on which it is based, this version attempts to redeem the more controversial aspects of both, although it does wield mixed results. But it does stick to the script enough to retain that magical feeling that always comes with a Disney classic, thanks to its fantastic costume and set design.

Visually, this is a beautiful film. As I said before, every costume looks amazing down to the last thread of each dress and the sets are equally as fantastic. That aforementioned ‘magical’ feeling created by the production design is also added to by a sweeping score and plenty of wide shots to show off the visual wonder that they have created. In addition to this, whilst Lily James’ Cinderella is hardly Katniss Everdeen (in fact, she’s marginally worse than the original animated Cinderella), some aspects of the original story are redeemed. For example, the Prince is actually given a personality (and a name) and even Lady Tremaine is given more depth, in a fresh interpretation not really done before. I also love the way that they really build up the darker aspects of the original story through the inclusion of Cinderella’s full backstory. You see the happiness of her childhood and then you watch as her life slowly turns darker and darker under the influence of Cate Blanchett’s Evil Stepmother. This then creates strong emotional ties with the film’s protagonist that were simply not there in the original version- you really feel Cinderella’s pain and as a result you root for her even more through all her struggles, which is a nice touch to a story that has been done to death.

On the other hand, I do wish that some of these elements had been developed more- it feels like they are trying to add new parts to the story to make it fresh, but in the end this is actually very detrimental to the film as a whole. They try to build on the life of the prince, they try to flesh out the stepmother, they try to add in Cinderella’s childhood, they emphasize the whole ‘kindness’ moral, whilst keeping the original story 100% intact. By trying to cram in all of this story at once, everything feels very underdone, which is a shame considering how interesting and creative some of the ideas within the film are.

Bridge of Spies

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Given the true story that this film is based on, in which an American lawyer is recruited to negotiate a ‘spy trade’ between the USSR and the Soviet Union, it could have turned out extraordinarily dull. In spite of the films Cold War setting, the third (and much of the second act) is taken up with endless negotiations and not much action, which some viewers may find a bit boring. Admittedly, it does drag for a bit, but the way in which the story is set up (mostly) solves this problem very effectively.

At its heart, this is a story showing that all life is worth something, especially the first half, in which Tom Hanks’ character, James Donovan, defends a man accused of being a Soviet Spy. For the most part, Tom Hanks gives an exceptionally good performance, and the aforementioned trial ties in cleverly with the film’s historical context, as many people within the film see the legal battle that takes up the first act as being a metaphorical war between the USSR and American values. The story is then put onto a ‘big stage’ and the human being accused is ignored, seen as purely ‘evil’ by many if not most. But details such as the paintings that Mark Rylances’ Rudolf Abel does, for example, allows the audience, to see a human side to him, just as people often forget that major historical events such as the Cold War involved and affected millions of real people, in addition to being major conflicts.

This ‘human interest’ aspect permeates the film as a whole, in a very good way. We see the impact that the initial trial has on Donovan’s family, as he ‘defends a traitor’. We see the arrest of economics student Fredric Pryor, from a very personal perspective. Some extra heart is also added through some very witty humour. This is a very clever way to make the second half of the film interesting to the audience, as emotional bonds are created with these characters and as a result when the ‘negotiation’ part of the film begins, we actually care about what will happen to the characters discussed. Another, less warm aspect that gives the audience emotional investment is a rather brilliant interrogation scene, which makes clever use of editing to express the intensity of emotions that the American spy being investigated going through.

It is let down slightly by both its third act (which I have already admitted does drag a bit) and some cheesy elements, such as the heavy presence of snow, especially in East Berlin (because it’s the cold war- get it?) and the almost jump-scare inducing inclusion of Tom Hank’s shocked face during what was otherwise a very effective scene focussing on the Berlin Wall. However, these are such minor nit-picks that they scarcely matter. On the whole, it is a very effective and well-acted film, which is well worth seeing. 

The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2

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The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 is like its predecessor in many ways. Clearly, it is the second half of the story that premiered a year ago, and like Mockingjay Part 1, it inherits the problems of its source material, but overall it manages to improve on many issues. The final film in the blockbuster series sees Katniss and co.’s final face off against the villainous Capitol- a common plot for the final film in a major franchise, but an exciting one nonetheless.

A core problem with the book was simply that the plot dragged, with battles against various foes across the Capitol growing tiring after a while. It lacked focus and the lack of structure then led to the series ending on a low note. This is felt slightly in the screen adaptation, but on the whole there is something about seeing the action on screen as opposed to on the page that just makes it miles more thrilling, meaning the 2 hour 17 minute runtime is not really felt. Something about this story just snaps into place when it is shown in cinematic form- it feels more focussed, more organized and most significantly more meaningful than the book on which it is based. Speaking of meaning, the books anti-War themes are also carried over brilliantly through well-written dialogue.

The action is also helped by some fantastic cinematography, as the film is a masterclass in how to invoke both emotion and tension through use of shots. The shaky cam that plagued the first film does start to rear its ugly head, but the majority of the shots remain steady enough that it does not become a major problem.

But the entire film is carried by the wonderful performances of its main cast. Practically everyone on screen does an exceptional job, with special mention to Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Donald Sutherland.  

On the other hand, the previously mentioned increased focus within the plot does not mean that the adaptation is perfect- indeed, it is rather frustrating that such a good film falls flat a little at the end- only a little, but still enough to be annoying. The emotional scars felt by the protagonists at the end of the books are glossed over, meaning that (without spoiling too much) the ending feels quite jarring.

Overall, whilst it still has the plot and pacing problems of the book and the ending does feel tacked on, it is filmed and acted so effectively that these problems are (mostly) patched up.

The Martian

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The Martian

The key to any successful movie truly lies with its protagonist. If you win the heart of your audience with a likable main character, then the audience will naturally fall in love with the rest of the film as they grow to love and support the protagonist on their journey.

The first point to make about this thrilling sci-fi epic is Matt Damon’s outstanding performance as protagonist Mark Watney, who is left stranded on Mars after a manned mission goes horribly wrong. He is not only able to portray every emotion that a man in this position would experience with wonderful accuracy, but he is also able to make the character incredibly likable, as he plays up to every aspect of the character’s often funny and charming personality. This also benefits the film as a whole, due to the aforementioned ‘winning the heart of the audience’ thing. The only problem with this is that many of the other performances in the film are simply average by comparison- they just cannot measure up to the film’s leading man (although to be fair, they have substantially less material to work with).

The likability of the main character is also helped massively by the humour of the film as a whole, which also helps to balance out the darker aspects of the plot. In fact, the entire film is refreshingly funny and even upbeat in some places, considering how stereotypically dark the plot could have become. Much of the focus goes towards the protagonist actually succeeding in his attempts to survive, which balances out the tone of the film in addition to increasing the tension when things do go wrong. Scientific accuracy seems to also be a major focus during these scenes, which makes the film both more interesting and more realistic.

Speaking of realism, the set of the Martian looks incredible and is shown through some amazing cinematography, although this is slightly underused at some points. They build up an amazing set and it is shown in some amazing shots, but then there are many opportunities for establishing shots that are frustratingly missed.

However, overall this film has all the thrilling tension action and sci-fi, whilst adding in some refreshing elements and centring itself on an incredibly likable protagonist, all of which is a recipe for success.         

Paper Towns

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Although ‘Paper Towns’ is obviously not a direct sequel to 2014’s John Green-based hit ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, the two are so closely bound together by their starting points that it is almost impossible to review one without comparing it to the other. In many cases, an outstanding predecessor could be detrimental to a film due to the obvious comparisons between the two. But the brilliance of The Fault in Our Stars does not affect the equal quality of Paper Towns in the slightest, which goes to show just how good it is.  

Like ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, on a basic level Paper Towns benefits massively from its source material, about a young boy following clues left by his enigmatic next door neighbour in order to find out where she has disappeared to. The plot itself translates brilliantly onto the silver screen, with the characters also being brought to life effectively by talented actors, with a surprisingly good performance from Cara Delevigne, and some not so surprisingly outstanding performances from Natt Wolf, Justice Smith and Austin Abrams amongst others.

What I loved most about the book were the themes and ideas that were presented, especially the deconstruction of the ‘manic pixie dream girl’ trope that has become so prevalent, especially in media aimed at teens. I just love the idea that in a genre that is so frequently filled with stereotypes, there is at least one book and film dedicated to not only delving beyond the character types we normally see, but showing how damaging these archetypes can be when applied to real people who in reality are more than just a ‘popular girl’ or a ‘nerd’. The film version of Paper Towns portrays these ideas brilliantly and as a result it feels very fresh and unique. It is also filmed very well for the most part- having said this, sometimes the transitions between more epic moments and smaller ones can be jarring, which becomes especially apparent during Q and Margo’s late night revenge mission.

On the other hand, the well-done moments of the film’s cinematography are also helped by a fantastic soundtrack, with a mixture of pop songs and more serious score being applied almost perfectly to suit each individual moment. Having said this, one of the film’s downfalls is what they add in for the big screen. I already talked about how original the film is and how it breaks down stereotypes, but the addition of, for example, the arguments that always seem to happen in film’s third act, where the character realizes they have messed up and then all their friends confront them about it/abandon them brings the film back down from outstanding to simply average. This is not the only example of an addition that is detrimental to the plot as a whole, but it is the most prominent one.

As a whole, Paper Towns is a well-made and well-acted film that often brilliantly portrays the themes and ideas of its source material, in spite of a few jarring moments and slightly clichéd additions to the plot.

Inside Out

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Inside Out

One of the best movies of 2014 was ‘The Lego Movie’ – a part of it's brilliance was that it contained all of the key ingredients in the recipe for a great animated film. It had heart, humour, brilliant animation and most of all creativity. As a medium, animation allows filmmakers to show more creativity than any other genre, due to its limitless nature. As a result, some of the greatest films of all time have been animated, with this film especially being an almost perfect example of what animation studios such as Pixar can do with a great idea.      

Inside Out has all of the aspects listed above in spades, making it not only the best animated film of the year, but possibly the best film of the year overall. Admittedly, the concept of being able to see inside someone’s head and see their emotions has been done several times before, but here it is shown in such a new and creative way that it feels almost completely original. They use that one concept to great effect, but then they keep on developing so many different aspects of their interpretation of the human mind that there is something new to surprise you in practically every scene.

The film is also very clever and witty in its humour, with several funny moments in spite of the film’s deep emotional core. It goes without saying that a movie about exploring deep and complex emotions will have several tear-jerking (TV Tropes’ wording, not mine) moments, but the happy and sad moments are so perfectly balanced that it is never depressing. This also ties in nicely with the film’s moral, which is an important message for people to learn and accept: that sadness is just as important as happiness and that bottling up or trying to block certain emotions will only lead to you becoming increasingly unhappy in the long run. It would have been so easy to make Sadness the villain, but instead they avoid this and show that it is important to have a balance of emotions, which is a far more healthy perspective.

Inside Out is also essentially about growing up and moving on and the way that it shows that it is ok to move on and replace old aspects of your personality with new ones is also a refreshing and much needed for many of the film’s young viewers.

Overall, Inside Out is a wonderfully creative and clever film that is up there with Pixar’s greatest classics.       

Boyhood

Boyhood

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It is almost hard to review this film, as it is so unique – but its unique nature is ultimately what makes it work. At its core, it is simply about young boy growing up, from the ages of 6 to 18, with no major running conflict throughout, which is an unusual narrative for a mainstream film. Whilst this may sound dull at first, the lack of an ongoing battle allows the film to focus purely on the development of its characters and this works especially well considering that is was filmed over a 12 year period, with the young actors growing up on camera. This then means that the viewers form a strong emotional attachment to the film’s protagonists and this connection is then further increased by various references to popular culture, which further add to the sense of realism that permeates the film as a whole. The actors cast also help with this, as they all seem very natural in their respective roles.

At the same time, and in spite of its simple nature, the film also encourages the audience to think about deeper ideas such as the ways in which time and nature can change people, as well as further messages about living in the moment. However, this is effectively balanced out with the aforementioned simplicity of the plot, which moves on in a smooth fashion and creates a relaxed atmosphere.

                                                                                                                                                        Overall, Boyhood is a wonderful film that is well worthy of the praise it got when it was first released. 

Top 5 favourite films

Top 5 favourite films

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Generally, if people asked me what my favourite film was, it would change every week/day/hour/minute- but, having said that, there are about five movies that I would consider if asked this question..

5. Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

It is always great when a movie you watched casually and with low expectations turns out to be an absolute gem. I wasn’t really sure about this movie when I first saw the trailer-but I caught it on TV one night and immediately loved it!

First of all, the visual look of the film is wonderful, with a brilliant contrast between the two worlds that provide the film with its backdrop. In addition to this, the animation is brilliant and it is surprisingly emotional for a film which could technically be classed as a ‘zombie’ movie. These elements added to brilliant songs and score provided by Danny Elfman and John August make one brilliant film.

4. Wreck it Ralph

Although I never posted it on here, one of the first films I ever reviewed and I still love it today. I think it just comes down to the story. It mixes up an old fashioned ‘be yourself’ message in an emotional way and somehow makes it seem fresh and new. I love it when films are creative and original in their ideas and although on paper this film may seem derivative of films such as ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’, it uses the best parts of that idea whilst still coming up with its own original narrative. In addition to this, it is really funny and the characters are all brilliant, both individually and as a group.

3. Chicago

I have already reviewed this movie, so I won’t go into too much detail here. What I will say is that this film has some of the sharpest editing I have seen on any film, in combination with some of the best music and choreography in the history of movie musicals. Everything is so tight and the concepts that it satirises, such as celebrity culture, are actually rarely spoken about in film and as a result it always seems very original and fresh, despite having come out 13 years ago.

2. My Neighbour Totoro   

I think the beauty of this film lies in its simplicity. On the one hand, it is a beautiful but simple story which is essentially about the magic of childhood. It doesn’t have a ‘villain’, or even much plot until the third act- it simply shows two little girls having fun and discovering the magical world that surrounds them. On the other hand, this world, which is full of forest spirits and mysterious creatures, allows the film to showcase the best of animation as both a technique and a genre, with wonderful set pieces which showcase the spectacular animation of Studio Ghibli. 

1.    

111.   Beauty and the Beast

     Even if the other movies on this list have changed with time, this film has always been at the top – it is simply perfect. The animation is beautiful and the characters, along with the development they experience throughout the film, could not be better. The villain and the Beast also contrast wonderfully and the music is some of the best in the Disney canon – in addition to this, the backgrounds are also some of the best in any animated film, especially the Beast’s castle, which is in equal parts darkly frightening and magical.   

Austenland

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Genre is a funny thing. On the one hand, it is convenient and as a result beneficial to both creators and audiences, as films can be easily slotted into one category or another. As a result filmmakers know what they are doing and audiences can define what they like- everybody wins right?

On the other hand, there can be certain cases where genre is used as an excuse for simply lazy writing- or, in an even worse situation, a well-made and fairly original film can be held back by the clichés of previous works- ‘Austenland’ (a part of the genre known as the ‘chick flick’) is one such example.

There are some great chick flicks out there but they do have a tendency to be ‘by the numbers’ and as a result predictable, especially considering that films that fit in to obvious genres such as chick flicks are so easy to mass produce. In most of these films, you have an awkward single girl, who winds up in a situation where she meets two types of characters- the ‘funny’ and as a result memorable woman and the love interest. Many chick flicks also employ a ‘red herring’ – the protagonist is set up with her ‘perfect man’, but eventually falls for the ‘rebel’ who goes against the system. Such films are obviously designed to appeal to women, as they can essentially play out romantic fantasies through such elements, as most films allow viewers to have such an experience with varying plots and characters. The storyline of Austenland sets up some interesting ideas relating to the above elements, as it revolves around a Jane-Austen obsessed woman who spends her life savings on an fantasy experience that recreates the typical plots of her favourite author- including being set up with her perfect ‘Mr Darcy’.       

From the outset, this film looks very clichéd, but in this early part, it is at least entertaining. It is well acted and much of the comedy is brilliant, with the ‘comic relief’ character played by Jennifer Coolidge being the highlight of the film and with Kerry Russell’s protagonist playing off her brilliantly. Despite these positive signs for the film, this doesn’t stop the dark shadows of genre clichés coming in to haunt a film that was turning out so well. The aforementioned plot where the protagonist falls for the ‘rebel’ is set up amongst the brilliance of the first act- however, as annoying as this is, the films comedy overrides this, at least initially.      

In spite of the previous clichés (and without spoiling the plot too much) there is a rather dramatic twist within the film’s climax which is both unexpected and brilliant, subverting expectations of a chick flick and promoting new ideas of what it’s genre should consist of, in a way that is still very entertaining. If this had been carried off effectively, it could have become one of the most creative and subversive chick flicks in recent years- however, there is another twist on the horizon…

In spite of the plot that has come before, an awkward and misplaced ‘typical chick flick’ ending is hacked into the end of the film, destroying the previous subversions of the genre and outweighing even the comedy that came before. Simply because ‘that is what happens in a chick flick’. Even if it does not fit the plot and had no previous set up.

Overall, Austenland is worth watching if you want a bit of a laugh, but if you are looking for any sort of creativity, you will be left extremely disappointed.

Big Hero 6- *slight spoilers*

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With Big Hero 6, it really is a case of weighing up the great elements with the not-so-great elements -whilst Disney’s superhero themed hit is far from perfect, on the whole the film’s weaknesses are overridden by its many strengths. 

For example, it has been argued that Gogo, Honey Lemon, Wasabi and Fred, four of the five members of the superhero team ‘Big Hero 6’ are all severely lacking in development and to a certain extent this is true. They are all pretty one note, with one defining character trait and they do not really develop or change much over the course of the film, as there really isn’t enough screen time given to them, compared to the film’s true protagonists, Hiro and Baymax. Really and truly, a good film should give development to all of its characters, especially if the focus of the plot is the team that they form and this does mean that the ‘superhero’ parts of the film are its least entertaining segments, which could be seen by some as a major problem.

On the other hand, this does mean that a lot of time can be spent fleshing out the character of Hiro, (who is a fantastic lead, wonderfully played by Ryan Potter), as well as building up his heart-warming relationship with Baymax, which, along with the lovable healthcare companion himself,  is the film’s greatest strength. The friendship between these two characters is so well-done and it is also helped by how lovable Baymax is- from his cuddly design to his best comedic moments, he is one of the greatest Disney characters of recent years. Another one of the films major strengths is one that is unfortunately rare in animation due to its traditionally younger audience and that is its ability to effectively show mature themes without talking down to or patronizing its audience, showing that when making an animated film you don’t have to treat the audience like it is entirely made up of children. A final overriding factor that allows ‘Big Hero 6’ shine is the animation, which looks spectacular, especially on the big screen.

The only other negative that I would add is the reveal of the villain. Whilst a Frozen-style twist is attempted (for the third Disney film in a row!), this time they attempt to throw a massive, awkwardly-placed red herring in the audience’s face, which just ends up feeling incredibly clumsy. Having said this, I do like that there are interesting parallels between the protagonist and the character who is eventually revealed to be the villain- in fact, they explore the idea of the hero almost becoming a villain effectively but subtly, which does work really well.

Overall, in spite of some issues with characterization, Big Hero 6 is well animated and entertaining film, which deserves all of the praise it is currently getting. 

Saving Mr Banks

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If this film were to be summarized in one word, it would be this: charming. It is as sweet as the above trailer would suggest, partially due to the storyline, which initially revolves around the tense interactions between P.L Travers and Walt Disney during the initial development stages of Mary Poppins.

The clashing characters are played fantastically by Tom Hanks, who plays a slightly creepy but generally likable Walt Disney and Emma Thompson, who does a fantastic job as a stern P.L Travers. The supporting cast, including B.J Novak and Jason Schwartzman as the Sherman Brothers and Colin Farrell as P.L Traver’s father, also do a pretty good job.

In addition to this, the bright pastel colours of L.A contrast brilliantly with the dull, drab and grey world of P.L Travers and this is helped by the use of setting and costume to really help the audience understand the differences between the two clashing personalities.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The aforementioned sweetness of the film’s present is then balanced out by the heart-breaking story of P.L Traver’s past, which is cleverly interwoven through brilliantly edited flashbacks and is again quite well-acted. Another great thing about the film is the way in which both the songs and actual footage of the original film are used. There is a particular scene involving the song ‘Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’ which exemplifies both these elements, as essentially two scenes are shown and they reflect on each other brilliantly. Other than these elements, everything else about the film is generally average- there isn’t much else to say, other than that it is a sweet and clever film with good performances and some very well done editing, as well as lots of clever storytelling.  

The Book Thief

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It is an obvious fact that historical dramas relating to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany will always leave a high emotional impact on the audience- but this movie takes it to a whole new level. It takes a few minutes to even process what you have witnessed, mostly due to the shocking swerve of an ending, which I frustratingly cannot write too much about.

The primary element that truly makes The Book Thief, at least in the first half, is the way in which it is able to show the horrors of Nazism, whilst still having an air of hope about it. This is also helped by beautiful cinematography, which really emphasizes the strength of the story being told, combined with the realism added by both the actor’s performances and the addition of German accents, which have irritatingly been left out of several other films on the same subject. The emotional impact of the film is also helped by the ominous narrator, Roger Allem as Death itself, who sounds inappropriately cheesy at first- however, this works to its advantage later on, as he is saying the most horrific lines, all with a voice you would normally expect to hear in something aimed at younger audiences, creating an often eerie contrast between the lines being said and the voice saying them.

In the last 20 minutes, the film becomes decidedly less hopeful, to the extent that the key theme of hope it tries to portray is lost slightly, but this is outweighed by the overall impact that the ending leaves on the audience, which is once again upon the strength of the story.

Although the film is set within the midst of the Nazi Regime, the subtle portrayal of the way in which they took hold of Germany is also very clever, especially in earlier scenes, as you can see Nazi influences, for example swastikas, in slowly creeping into the background- you almost don’t notice that these influences increase, until they have almost taken over the film itself.

Overall, The Book Thief is a well-made and emotive film, with wonderful cinematography and an even more wonderful story, which is well worth a watch- just make sure you bring some tissues…

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

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This beautiful and intense drama generally slipped under the radar in 2013, but it is still a fantastic film. Ain’t Them Bodies Saints focuses on an outlaw from Texas who breaks out of jail and attempts to find his wife and their child, whom he has never met- this strong and emotional story is just part of what holds the overall piece together.

In addition to this the way in which it is told, through a dual narrative structure, continually keeps the audience’s interest. The story is also skilfully told through imaginative editing and great acting from all of the cast. The only problem with the film’s acting is that some of the actors, especially lead actress Rooney Mara, mumble quite a bit, which can make certain scenes are confusing- however, the plot and editing are still strong enough to generally override this problem.

Another element that stands out about this film is the stunning cinematography, which adds brilliantly to the film’s overall atmosphere and reflects perfectly on the beauty of the story being told, which is as well as being emotionally powerful is generally exciting, with lots of twists and turns.

Although the film sometimes can be predictable, the way in which certain scenes are built up to still cause enough emotional impact to be effective and the end is certainly still a surprise. Although it could be argued that the film’s final scenes occur too quickly, resulting in an all-too abrupt conclusion, the way in which it is edited still makes for a satisfying conclusion to a tragically underrated film.  

The Muppets Most Wanted

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The problem with sequels is that, no matter what merits a follow up has on its own, if it does not measure up to its predecessor, it will always feel like a failure. This is exemplified in the Muppet’s Most Wanted, which came out just three years after the far superior ‘The Muppets’. It’s is fairly funny, but not as sharp or fast as ‘the Muppets’. The storyline is alright, but not as entertaining as ‘the Muppets’. The songs vary in quality, unlike the stellar soundtrack of ‘The Muppets’. The list could go on and on, with the only exception being the villain, who is admittedly brilliant. However, even this works to its detriment, as he is so funny he actually outshines the protagonists, which is probably not a good sign. Ricky Gervias also plays well off the villainous Constantine, as they plot to steal the Crown Jewels by tricking the Muppets into going on a World Tour.

The rest of the side characters and celebrity cameos are fine as well and there is entertaining sub-plot involving Kermit in prison, but it is largely disconnected from the main plot and as a result it generally feels like pointless padding. In addition to this, as I previously said, the humour is not as frequent or fresh as ‘The Muppets’ – in fact, the Muppets themselves are probably the least entertaining characters in the film. This then means that the film’s good elements make for an entertaining film, but not a good Muppet film.

That essentially sums up 'The Muppet's Most Wanted'- it is alright as a movie on its own, but as a follow up to The Muppets and as a Muppet movie in general, it does not do quite so well.

The Lego Movie

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Any animation fan will know that the cornerstones of the challenging, often varied and always entertaining genre are innovation and charm- and on the whole this cartoon hit has both in bucket loads. Critics have lauded it, especially praising its creativity- but what does it really offer in that field, or in any other?

If you look at the Lego Movie on the surface, you will realize that the storyline is actually rather clichéd. In a universe of Lego, an ordinary construction worker is suddenly told by an ‘pretty but tough action girl/love interest’ that he is the special and is therefore prophesized to save the Lego Universe from being glued down by the evil ‘Lord Business’- sound familiar?

Unlike other recent animated films, ‘Disney’s Frozen’ being a prime example, nothing is really done to subvert these overdone ideas- however, it does make up for this in the fact that it uses certain clichés to its advantage- mostly a humorous advantage instead being plot related, but still it is an advantage. Another surprising element that actually works in the film’s favour are the pop culture references, which are genuinely funny instead of feeling hacked in like many other films.

Furthermore, there are also many elements of the film that are very clever and in some cases have never really been done before, at least not in mainstream animation. The animation of the Lego Movie is a unique blend of CGI and stop motion which is very innovative and looks beautiful- the aforementioned humour is also quick and sharp and both of these elements add to the infectious charm that hooks the audience and keeps them watching until the end credits roll.

Aside from innovation, charm and humour, the final element that an animated film needs to work is heart- whilst it seems that this is one of the few elements that the majority of the film lacks, an emotional twist in the third act adds an inventive and emotional layer to this overall brilliant film.

All these elements seem to come together perfectly within the last 10 minutes, meaning that on the whole it is well worth a watch.       

Into the Woods

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The clever way in which four classic fairy tales are blended together in new musical film ‘Into the Woods’ makes for an overall magical experience. Beautiful cinematography reminiscent of many an animated Disney classic combines with wonderful music and outstanding performances from many members of the film’s all-star cast, including James Corden, Emily Blunt and Anna Kendrick – on the  whole, it is splendid, with the first half being especially well-done. One of the only problems with the performances occurs due to the fast nature of the songs, meaning that some of the younger actors are hard to understand at certain points.

As similar as it is to various classic fairy tale films, it takes a darker turn in the third act and it is hard to decide whether this section works for or against the film as a whole. On the one hand, it poses many interesting moral questions not seen in most musicals. Whilst its predecessors simply finished on ‘happily ever after’, Into the Woods goes beyond the final page of the fairy-tale books, which is an interesting and refreshing twist. On the other hand, the fact that essentially two stories are being told means it drags on for far too long, with the third act especially lacking in real structure.

                                                                                                                                                    Generally, the complexity and messages of the third act make up slightly for the length and structural problems - but if just a few songs or scenes had been cut, it would have fixed the problem easily.

On the whole, Into the Woods is a joy to watch, even if it does go on for just a bit too long.