owenmul Reviews

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

A great end

[8/10 · 27 March 2015]

The return of the Jedi is a mixed bag for quite a lot of people, people are quite divided as to ether this entry in the franchise is actually any good. I'm on the side that that thinks that this film is very good, while it may not be as dark or gritty as The Empire Strikes Back or the fact that it does not possess the novelty that A New Hope had it does not fail to disappoint. I'm not saying that some parts are not weak, but it is not by any stretch a bad film.

This time around the focus of the story is very much on a few specific characters, rather than all of them. One character that I really felt that should have had more screen time was Han Solo, who is missed for quite a few scenes throughout the film. Another reason that this film is slightly lacking is that has repeated many elements form the first two films, rather than a new story focus. (Another death star assault and another visit to Dagobah) Although this does sound like a slight turn off after the first two entries of the franchise, it is still a great film which capture all the fun and magic from the first two films. It may not be as deep, emotional or dark as the last film, but it's still tremendous amounts of fun to watch and brings an incredibly satisfying end to one of the greatest film series of all time.

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The Boondock Saints (1999)

Style over Substance

[7/10 · 27 March 2015]

This film has quite frequently been accused of being a Tarantino rip-off, while the film does quite obviously take quite a bit of inspiration from his films, it does it in a fresh way that acts more of an homage than a rip off.

All of the characters this film are incredibly diverse but typical of a film this styled all of the characters a very over-the-top and manic. The craziest of this ensemble of characters is Paul Smecker (Played by Willem Dafoe), who's incredibly crime scene explorations and general antics make for an insane and quite brilliant character. The non linear crime scenes are made by his character, adding to this already incredibly interesting story mechanic.

The script plays about with a non-linear story telling which works very well in this format, the crime scene investigations are done in a way which shows you the aftermath,the crime-scene, the police investigating, counting bodies, etc. After/as the police come up with theories to the crime, we see the actual scene, of the brothers going through with the crime. While some plot elements from the script are quite undeveloped and some parts feel forced and unrealistic (for example the Il Duce plot) causing the film to get a little lost at times.

The cinematography is nothing too new but is quite interesting and highly stylised, which adds a new depth to the film which makes it much more interesting and so entertaining to watch.

While the film is very stylised and sometimes may lose itself in this, but does provide a thoroughly entertaining experience and makes for quite an engaging film.

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Equilibrium (2002)

Underrated

[7/10 · 27 March 2015]

I think the critics were unjustified in the incredible criticism of this film, it definitively deserved more than a 33 meta score, so my first point on this film is that is sorely underrated.

While the some of the characters are obviously quite bland due to the nature of the story and premise, but John Preston's transformation throughout the film is incredibly interesting to watch. I felt that this and American Psycho have been Christian bales most interesting performances. I will not go into detail but the most heart wrenching and pivotal moments of the film (The Dog scene) allowed Bale to show the full range of character.

The cinematography is also quite astounding at times, while a lot of the time the scenery and backdrop is incredibly bland due its dystopian nature, but some of the action set pieces are incredible to watch. One that stood out to me is right at the beginning when Preston bounds into a dark room and the room is lit up with gunfire.

This is one of the more interesting dystopain premises, it takes place in a Fascist future where all forms of feeling are illegal. While this does run the risk of the film being boring or dis-interesting due to lack of character development but it is pulled off in such a way that ever moment is just as gripping as the last. The finale of the film however feels a little rushed but all ties together rather nicely in the end, which would be one of the only issues I have with eh script of the film.

I throughout recommend this film to anyone who is interested in quite a fresh action film with an incredibly interesting new premise. While some may dismiss it as a Matrix clone, it's much much more than that and this is one of the reasons I feel that this film was dismissed so readily.

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Chicago (2002)

The best musical I have seen

[10/10 · 27 March 2015]

This film is amazing, it deserved all the Awards it was given and more (Especially Richard Gere and Renée Zellweger who were stumped at the Oscars).

The characters are all so vibrant, sleazy and fascinating; making every single scene as memorable as the last. There are too many to choose from but the two stand out performances were Richard Gere' sleazy lawyer Billie Flynn and Renée Zellweger's ditsy murderess Roxie Hart. The props have to go out to all of the actors though; who flawlessly performed the musical numbers with flawless passion which never got boring and never ceased to entertain.

The cinematography and editing in this film is without a doubt some of the best I have seen in a while, the quick switches between real world encounter and Broadway-esque performances are amazing and really help to bring the musical numbers to life. The contrast between scenes helps to highlight this, for example the transition from bleak courtroom to the vibrant colours of Richard Gere's dance number on stage. For once this is a film that's vibrant colours and effects do not deteriorate the scene itself, which is what films such as 2013′s Great Gatsby failed to do. (I still love that film regardless) The script is amazing as well, it managed to weave together sleaze, comedy, drama and satire into one overwhelming spectacle, the tightly woven musical numbers escalate the story and take the film to new heights. The satire about America's obsession with the cult of celebrity and the media circus that is stirred by opportunistic lawyers and the press is razor-sharp and very relevant (It is quite reminiscent of films such as Natural Born Killers and Gone Girl) In conclusion, this film is a spectacle and even better yet one that is not drowned down by the glitz and glamour and carefully weaves it into the ever so interesting storyline.

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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

One of the best films ever

[10/10 · 27 March 2015]

The Empire Strikes back is the best of the original trilogy, as well as being the best of the entire series. Its so good that it is on my top ten films of all time. It manages to switch between the cheery space opera tone of the original film with added darkness and despair.

The characters this time around are given much more screen time to grow and develop, being ever more three-dimensional. This depth of character is what adds to the first film and makes it so much better than the rest of the series. It shows the good and the evil, the greed and corruption and the tyranny that grows within the corners of the of the Star Wars universe.

The cinematography, score and special effects remain quite consistent, moving on from those that were present in the first film. The only exception of this is the special effects, which have been slightly spruced up since the first film.

The story itself has become a lot more brutal and unforgiving, without moving into spoilers, it fully embraces the dark side of the force and fully explores the darkest corners of its plot.

It is because of the emotions stirred in Empire that the entire series takes on a mythic quality that resonates back to the first and ahead to the third.This is the heart of the franchise, this is the peak. Everything that has been added and built upon from the first film is fantastic, there are no conceivable downsides to this space epic.

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Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Cinema Classic

[9/10 · 27 March 2015]

Star Wars is simply a fantastic film, on every level this film is amazing.

Each of the characters in this film are so well developed and so interesting that you just cannot wait for the next scene with them in it, the interactions between the characters us at times tense and at times downright hilarious, leaving no room for boring or lacking dialogue. The particular stand outs in this respect I feel are: Han Solo, the wise cracking bounty hunter with a tendency for arrogance that makes every scene as entertaining as possible. Secondly there is Darth Vader, who is the optometry of cool, scathing evil who poses as the ultimate villain.

Surprising to me, the cinematography and special effects have held up all this time. Although there are some minor issues, one particularly notable one is during the scene where Luke is training with the training droid aboard the Millennium Falcon there are a few frame skips where Luke extends and contracts his lightsaber. Other than this though, the cinematography and special effects are amazing to have held up, particularly the shots of the Empire's space fleet moving through space which are absolutely stunning.

One of the things that absolutely makes this film for me is the magnificent score, composed by John Williams. This score, while being one of the most iconic scores of all time, manages to make every single scene, fitting the mood of the scene perfectly.

The story as well is fantastic, there is never a dull moment; every second of it an absolute thrill ride. Whether its the attack on the Death Star or the Cantina of Mos Eisley the story takes you through the twists and turns of this classic space opera.

If I could recommend one sci-fi adventure film to someone, it would be this, it's an absolute must see.

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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Not as good as the originals, but is close

[8/10 · 27 March 2015]

Wow, George Lucas managed to redeem himself and this prequel series here didn't he? This film is fantastic, almost every complaint I had about the previous two films has been fixed, even Hayden Christensen's acting was okay at some parts! From the moment you start this film it feels more like a Star Wars film, that sense of adventure and daring has returned as you are plunged right into Obi-Wan and Anakin's new mission. The script has traded in the light-footed, mediocre script that was quite obvious in the previous two films, for a darker, more mature story line that works. In parallel with this is the improved acting with consistent performances all around, maybe not Hayden Christensen but at least it was better this time, elevated this story full of treachery and deceit and made it much more gripping. My other major problem with the previous film has also been fixed; the CGI is mostly believable making for some very interesting battle sequences.

Overall 'The Revenge of the Sith is still not perfect, but its damn close, the tight script, visuals and story made this one a pleasure to watch and gave me a chance to become engrossed in the story of one of the best film franchises to date once again.

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What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Hilarious

[9/10 · 27 March 2015]

This film is actually hilarious, while it has sort of slipped past the main spotlight due to its indie-nature and lack of advertising (As most mockumentaries tend to do). Regardless this film is hilariously funny and is a fresh comedy, which is quite nice after all the drivel people like Adam Sandler produce.

The three lead vampires in this film were absolutely fantastic, I loved all three of the main characters and their interactions with Stu. I felt myself giggling at almost every scene, while there is one point in the middle of the film it feels like the jokes are getting a bit old and repetitive but it quickly bounces back with more fresh humour.

Some people say that the mockumentary format does not work I believe that the mockumentary cinematography style of this film adds to the originality and flare of this film, which makes it even more interesting.

I thoroughly recommend this film as it is one of the most original and funny comedy films I have seen since the Grand Budapest Hotel.

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Shame (2011)

Art

[10/10 · 27 March 2015]

This film is art.

That is a quite simple statement which sums it up pretty well, every aspect of this film is absolutely phenomenal; the acting, the cinematography, the score, the script. Every meticulous detail is planned to a fault. Standout performances from both Carey Mulligan and Michael Fassbeneder, the latter of which embodies the character heart and soul. If this film was accepted by the Academy there is no doubt this film would have reaped in the awards it deserved.

The story of Brandon's life of addiction is equal parts bleak and depressing as it is harrowing and uncomfortable to watch, and that's what makes it brilliant. This accurate, human portrayal of a man suffering from an addiction so great he cannot live without fulfilling it, ruining his life in the process, is so masterful there is only one word that can be used to describe it: Art.

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Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

Mediocre

[6/10 · 27 March 2015]

The next few posts will all be Star Wars related as I am currently doing a Star Wars marathon, the prequels through to the originals. Also to save any confusion I have skipped 'The Phantom Menace' because I watched the first half an hour of it and to be frank, apart from Liam Neeson, it was unbearable. Especially the Gungans. Anyway, back to the review.

Attack of the Clones is quite a mediocre film, regardless of whether or not it is compared to the rest of the Star Wars franchise. Let's start with the bad things: Right off the bat, some of the acting is atrocious (Specifically Hayden Christensen). Most scenes with Anakin and Padmè are cringe worthy and laughable at best, which is a shame considering that Natalie Portman is such a fantastic actress. Secondly the CGI in some scenes is horrendous, one scene I always think back to is one where Anakin makes a piece of fruit float by using the force, what makes this awful is that you can see how fake it is and that even the fruit on the table is CGI-ed. Lastly, the script. It had so much potential but a lot of the subplots were undeveloped, cheap dialogue and lacking and lack of exploration into each of the characters, mainly Anakin and Obi-Wan.

There are some good moments in this film, which are contrived mainly from: Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan, Christopher Lee as Count Dooku, Sam Jackson as Mace Windu and the final battle scene. These characters and the final 45 minutes of the film made it at least bearable to watch, for every great scene with Obi-Wan there was half an hour of Anakin which really slowed the film down a lot.

Overall I believe that these first two films could have been amazing, but a mediocre script, mediocre acting and mediocre CGI made this a mediocre film.

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The Departed (2006)

Brilliant, a rightful masterpiece

[10/10 · 22 May 2014]

Lots of people bash The Departed for being a complete rip off of the Hong Kong film 'Internal Affairs' with no credit to its source material but, if you manage to see past that, you will discover a masterpiece which has rightfully earned its place in cinema history. Just as a start, the environment and the characters feel so authentic and real, and each actor delivers a awe inspiring performance, some of their best. Even the actors who had limited screen time (Mark Walberg, Alec Baldwin) completely won over me when they were on screen. Jack Nickolson plays the suspicious, evil and cunning Frank Costello with such authenticity and flare, he and Matt Damon steal the show in this crime epic. Martin Scorsese strikes again with his top notch film making, each scene, each element has meaning and it is his finest work since 'Goodfellas' , as you can see gangster films, is where he in his element, its tense, exhilarating, character driven and every second of this two and a half hour film is worth watching and you will absolutely not regret it. It is one of the most spectacular films ever created and deserves every bit of praise it gets.

10/10