Film Review: Contagion

DVD: Contagion   9/10
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne

Plot: a medical thriller surrounding a deadly outbreak of a killer disease and how a team of worldwide doctors try to stop it.

2012 and The Day After Tomorrow all did well at the box office, they proved to worry audiences by presenting large set pieces of major cities blowing up with sky scrapers falling to the ground and couples crying as they spend their last few moments together… BOO HOOO! Contagion, finally, is a disaster that is both believable and terrifying… the deserted streets are extremely disturbing as well as the lack of body bags for those who have died from the disease. Soderbergh, at last, has captured the human side to a worldwide disaster. There’s no world leaders running around shouting ‘there’s no hope’, there’s no stereotypes of divorced parents reuniting as the world ends (2012) and there is certainly not much action in the film.

The scenes located in small rooms; filled with health officials discussing the spreading of disease, becomes extremely claustrophobic and frightening and shows how real scientists, humane ones, would react to a worldwide disaster. You can tell that the writers spent time heavily researching how scientists deal with the control of disease, which they did, and it has been praised by audiences and critics alike for its realness.

The film, also, is extremely disjointed, strangely though, whilst this would usually be annoying, it gives way for plenty of stories to coincide with one another, allowing each situation to unravel before our eyes. It’s a shame, however, that many loose ends remain when the film ends, which it does abruptly, yet the writing is done to top notch effect and the trailers, honestly, do not show the best bits. Whilst disease ridden people and the virus attacking the human body is thrilling, the moments of speech and political dealings are far more rewarding, and this film is truly a thriller and shouldn’t be classed as it was marked, which was a zombie-like horror.

In conclusion: Contagion stands against previous disaster films with pride, with fantastic performances from Jude Law (though a dodgy accent), Kate Winslet and Matt Damon. For once, action isn’t what’s needed to make a great disaster film, a bunch of scientists and close-ups of germs do it perfectly instead.

Film Review: Hugo

DVD: Hugo  6/10
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley
Plot: an orphan hiding in the walls of a 1930s Paris train station uncovers a mystery concerning his late father.

Martin Scorsese couldn’t have had a different career change after helming Shutter Island, The Aviator, The Departed and Taxi Driver. Hugo, as you can tell, is his first children’s film – the famous director has decided to move away from mental asylums, gangs and airplanes that usually inhibit his films and instead go child-friendly in his new venture, a move which transitions surprisingly well, with an effective edge to it. Hugo is a new turn for the children’s market, its one of the most dazzling pictures in recent years for sure, with numerous shots zooming through the busy streets of Paris, with Scorsese making the most of his 3D budget. The intricate detail in the clockwork of Hugo’s ‘automaton’ (a robot left behind by his father) is marvellous – which, on demand, after the correct key is found, begins to draw a hidden message for which Hugo decides to decode as the film unravels.

Modern audiences however may not warm to the message of Hugo which is the history of film, as the second half of the film focuses on the first moving picture ever made, its effect on the audience and how film has transformed over time. It comes across as more of a documentary on numerous occasions and may be a little too heavy for little ones, with long passages of dialogue and a hefty 126-minute running time, perhaps too much for an Alvin and the Chipmunks generation. It’s true though, the middle section of the film does drag a little and the lack of movement in parts can be slightly dull, but set pieces including a gliding train and Hugo hanging off of a giant clock (as seen in the poster) are all worth the wait.

The film’s star, Asa Butterfield (known for starring in The Boy With The Striped Pyjamas and Nanny Mcphee and the Big Bang), plays Hugo, and does fairly well in carrying the film. Hugo as a character however isn’t particurly interesting compared to his on-screen friend, Isabella, played by Chloe Grace Moretz. Moretz does well in changing from an American to a British accent and plays her part very well. The film also features an array of A-list actors and actresses including Ben Kingsley, Jude Law, Helen McCrory, Christopher Lee and Richard Griffiths, with most only taking to the screen for a moment or two. Finally, Sacho Baron Cohen (Ali G, Borat and Bruno) plays his part of the Station Inspector to perfection, he’s never too over the top unlike some of his previous films and plays the role to a comedic nature.

The Blu-Ray, if you so happen to have it, gives a brilliant insight into how the train sequence was done and how the numerous zoom-through and close-up shots were done of Paris and the intricate clockwork in the ‘automaton’.

In conclusion: Hugo is purely a visual masterpiece. It deserved its five Oscars in visual effects and art direction amongst others, and would surprisingly be enjoyed by adults more than children, which is perhaps its biggest downfall. The middle section of the film is slow and it doesn’t seem to reach a particular climax, the ending however is sweet and forms some sort of closure to the story of Ben Kingsley’s character, Georges Melies.

Film Review: The Avengers

Cinema: The Avengers/Avengers Assemble   7/10
Director: Josh Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemworth, Scarlett Johansson
Plot: a team of superheroes unite to form ‘The Avengers’ to protect the Earth from Loki and his deadly followers.

The build-up to the Avengers started four years ago back in 2008 with the release of Iron Man. The film received critical acclaim and became a box office sensation, launching Robert Downey Jr. into the spotlight. The success of the film obviously shook Marvel and gave them a good old wake up call as they begun to plan an additional three superhero films including; Thor, Captain America and of course, Iron Man 2. The initial idea of an Avengers film was announced back in April 2005, however the plans were dismissed as the characters weren’t familiar with mainstream audiences. All films proved to be a hit with audiences across the globe, leaving Marvel to eye-up the Avengers, a group which had originally been initiated in comic form. The move from page to screen has done phenomenally well; you could say the previous films were all cashing up to milk this final ‘cow’, and it’s most probably true, however you need to see this film before you begin to criticise it because it was truly phenomenal.

Josh Whedon, the writer of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Toy Story, Serenity and 2012s Cabin In The Woods, has said in interviews that this project has been what he’s “always dreamed of” as a child and you can definitely see why. The first third of the scene brings the characters together one by one; we return to our known favourites Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans) whilst establishing the new on-screen heroes consisting of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). We instantly grow to love the new additions to the superhero clan whilst admiring the old. Black Widow proves to be one of the main characters of the whole film, brilliantly portrayed by Scarlett Johannson (who had a small part in Iron Man 2). Johannson deals with the action brilliantly as Black Widow, she relies on one-on-one combat and fast-moving punches to amuse the audience while others rely on their superpowers. We also come across the newly-placed Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who fits into the new role fantastically, blowing all previous versions of the green monster out of the water. It’s interesting how Ruffalo is the first actor to portray the Hulk as both ‘before and after’ as it were, while relying on motion capture to play the Hulk. The advantage of this is that you can definitely see that it’s Ruffalo playing the monster, especially as you see him change from man to beast. Both Thor and Captain America seem to be pushed to the back as the film progresses, which seems natural as they’re still fresh in the world’s minds from their recent feature length films; both Hemsworth and Evans play their parts well (and yes, Thor still has his hammer).

The unexpected part of the film is that it’s quite funny! The superhero ‘banter’, as it were, feels edgy and fresh, something that hasn’t been done before but translates onto the screen perfectly. There are the general back-stabbing jokes but also a lot of slapstick, something that Whedon plays around with in between the thrills. The action is definitely where this film stands tall; I saw the film in 2D and felt it to be incredibly intense (no Hulk joke intended). From the viewpoint of a 2D viewer, it seemed like a film that needed its full visibility to be fully appreciated (something that 3D distorts). The running time of the film, 142 minutes, zooms by in a flash and the film does pretty well on its own at establishing the characters for those unfamiliar with the previous Marvel instalments.

The only slightly strange part of the film was the villain, Loki, Thor’s brother, whose costumes are incredibly tedious and laughable during the darker, more intense scenes (a particular helmet with rhino-like horns is the one to look out for). Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, never seems to come across as scary or at all threatening, instead he seems to rely on his staff to scare (which is no doubt cool however a little far fetched). It must also be said that the film feels a little like a pantomime; some of the jokes are tedious and the storyline is, once broken down, very basic and not at all creative. It's only the characters and the action which keeps this bubble-gum blockbuster entertaining.

The large set pieces of Iron Man flying through the city and of the aliens invading are incredibly enjoyable and satisfying; you see literally everything blow up before your eyes. The film, however, doesn’t just show the action from far above, it also has a lot of close-up fighting with characters such as Hawkeye shooting arrows from the skyscrapers, Black Widow gunning from the ground, Thor launching his hammer mid-flight and Captain America just killing anything he sees, the same for Iron Man. The Hulk also has a number of memorable moments as he launches himself through the sky, catapulting the enemy up into infinity and crushing anything in his path. The film is intensely fast in its action and barely stops to breathe, a reason why it should be seen in cinemas first time around (in 2D!)

In conclusion: Avengers Assemble is the biggest and one of the best superhero action films to ever helm the silver screen. It’s funny, intense, clever, edgy and fast-paced, it gives each character the time they deserve whilst assembling them at the best of times. Appearances from Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) all add to the films A-list cast. Coming from someone who generally dislikes superhero films, there’s something here for everyone and it deserves every bit of success it receives – however it cannot be denied its humour becomes tedious, its storyline dry and predictable with a petty villian.

Film Review: Titanic 3D

Cinema: Titanic 3D    8/10
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
Plot: a fictional love story set on the Titanic.

Titanic’s original theatrical release back in 1997 was expected to be a box office disaster; the budget was the largest a film company had ever seen ($200 million), numerous water sequences had gone wrong and the film continued to waste its money due to many mistakes.  The film, labelled one of the “worst filming experiences” by cast and crew, ended up being the highest grossing film of all time – taking almost $2 billion at the box office (it has since exceeded this since its 3D re-release).  The film as a whole is a true cinematic experience. The monumental scale of the production still wows 15 years on and has benefited hugely from being remastered to a 4K resolution (the becoming-traditional digital shooting rate).

The film’s stars, DiCaprio and Winslet fit their roles perfectly; Winslet playing Rose Bukater and DiCaprio playing Jack Dawson were and still are iconic roles. The films running time of 194 minutes zooms by and considering I had seen it once already many years ago, it seemed bigger, better and far more emotionally heavy the second time around. The way the film focuses on the love triangle consisting of Jack, Rose, and Rose’s fiancé Caledon Hockley, successfully makes the sinking of the Titanic far more dramatic. The films focus on the love triangle is perhaps why it’s the most famous of all the Titanic adaptations, as others have had too many sub-stories which have significantly reduced the emotional climax. The effects, thankfully, haven’t been touched by James Cameron since its original release (only one scene was altered of the night sky after an astrophysicist disagreed with the positions of the planets). The effects didn’t need to be touched either; otherwise it would’ve made the experience feel like it’d been rehashed, whilst it’s timeless in its own right.

The film’s finale, the final third of the film, is a non-stop rollercoaster ride of sad, happy, funny and brave moments (a particular scene stands out in which Rose stands up to her over bearing mother and spits in her fiancé’s face). The costumes are fabulous as well; the hats, shoes, dresses and suits make the film that little bit more special whilst the sets, specifically the eating hall, has wonderfully large Nordic tables, occupied by rich, bigoted first class members, surrounded by the shiniest cutlery and dinner plates that you later see crashing to the ground as the ship begins to sink. The time spent viewing the beauty of all the main parts of the ship makes the sinking increasingly memorable, as the audience’s favourite sets begin to flood and flatten around them.

The 3D begins well; the first few underwater sequences have benefited hugely from the post-conversion process and reels the audience into the film rather than having things fly in their faces. The first shot of Rose exiting her car with a gigantic hat was the first moment where the 3D was in-your-face, and apart from that, it didn’t do it again, it instead gave the story an additional dimension instead of the film itself. As the film progressed however, it seemed as if the 3D was slowly disappearing, which was crucially needed in particular parts (such as the cascading water down the hallways). It seemed as if Cameron had lost the energy to add 3D towards the end, with some shots consisting of no additional layers at all, (after taking off my glasses, some shots were purely 2D), which made the film change from 3D to 2D between conversations and action sequences, which became slightly tedious towards the end.

In conclusion: Titanic is a must-see on the big screen, it doesn’t matter whether you see it in 2D or 3D, the story has, if anything, become bolder the second time round, and is far more of an experience than just a film. The costumes, sets, action sequences and general drama add up to Titanic being one of the best and biggest blockbusters of all time – you just can’t miss it.

Film Review: The Hunger Games

Cinema: The Hunger Games  8/10
Director: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Plot: in a futuristic land called Panem, one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts must fight to the death in a televised reality show.

Suzanne Collins’ novel "The Hunger Games" has taken the world by storm since its release in 2008; it opened to critical acclaim, sold over three million copies and has now been turned into a film adaptation. Gary Ross is one of the last directors you’d imagine to take on a task such as this. His previous works include the script for the film Big, starring Tom Hanks back in 1988. Also, he’s only directed three other projects before helming, “The Hunger Games”, none of which had any relation to Collins’ novel and none of them sat in the action, adventure genre. Ross however does a brilliant job in bringing the world of Panem to life.

District 12 has a gritty, grey and tired look which Ross spends just enough time exploring effectively, using hand-held cameras to make the world seem that little bit more real. Jennifer Lawrence, despite being a little older than her character, plays Katniss brilliantly. Her facial expressions throughout the film rarely change, but somehow she’s so easily readable during times of danger, happiness and loss. The Capitol is another spectacle that the film does so brilliantly. The costumes, makeup, tall skyscrapers and futuristic, tribute-carrying train are all seen for only seconds; a real reason why this film succeeds, because the film consistently focuses on the characters and sidetracks the action and set pieces to fill in the gaps.

Josh Hutcherson fills his role as Peeta Mellark well also. He wouldn’t be my personal choice for the role as he doesn’t come across as entirely convincing during the more emotional scenes, but he does do the action and play-up to the Capitol scenes well. Another highlight of the film for me was Stanley Tucci (who’s known for his roles in The Devil Wears Prada, Captain America and Burlesque), playing the interviewer and game narrator, Caesar Flickerman. He plays the role chillingly as he gains pleasure from children killing each other year after year yet still keeps a smile for the camera.

The action in the film is mostly very good. A particular scene with Katniss running from large waves of fire, darting through the arena like a real onscreen heroine is one of the most iconic scenes in the film as well as one of the scenes during the training process, where Katniss shoots arrows wherever she damn wishes. The action is cut just at the right moments to maintain its “12” certificate, it doesn’t dwell on gore or suffering but just shows the first blow of attack which keeps these particular scenes extremely fast paced.

In conclusion: The Hunger Games is a hauntingly fantastic debut for a series which will become more and more of a phenomenon as time goes on. Ross captures the strictly-controlled world of Panem perfectly, and adds in extra scenes such as the Game’s Control Room and Presidents’ rose garden adding to the climax of the film. The Hunger Games is a blockbuster that’s gritty and widely open for a sequel.