Review Round-Up | May 2011: Haiku Special Edition

Simply because none of last month's films neither require nor deserve more than fourteen syllables to be reviewed. Next month: sonnets.*

Godzilla (1998)

Mutant iguana

foiled by Leon and Bueller.

Mindless disaster.

4/10

Head Of State (2003)

Rock's one-note satire:

One joke told ad nauseum.

Last nail? Obama.

3/10

The Pacifier (2005)

Vapid Disney dross.

Diesel's Schwarzenegger-style

half-arsed comedy.

3/10

How To Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Neither good nor bad:

considering the talent,

this should have been great.

5/10

Big Momma's House (2000)

Neither brain nor heart

are found in this "comedy";

Watching's just a drag.

2/10

*I reserve the right not to write next month's reviews in sonnet form.

Review Round-Up | April 2011

Wanted (2008)

A film that puts style firmly over substance all the way through. Bekmambetov's envisioning style of action that worked so brilliantly in both Night Watch and Day Watch again works well here, although at times it feels as though he's been pushed to emulate the style of others (particularly the Wachowskis) rather than truly put his own stamp upon this. That said, the style is more or less all there is to enjoy here. McAvoy fails to cut it as either whining office worker or superhuman assassin with a patchy performance throughout; Jolie is on action autopilot; and Freeman is clearly fully aware that the script he's spouting is lifeless drivel with a phoned in and forgettable turn. A couple of action disaster sequences of which Roland Emmerich would be proud are somewhat impressive, but the plot and concept riddled with inconsistencies coupled with a flat script leave this as a wholly unsatisfying film.

4/10

The Elephant Man (1980)

In this, his second feature film, Lynch as director again brings his unique cinematic style seen in Eraserhead to this film, and with much more success. The director's invasive use of sound is captivating, and the urban gothic version of Victorian London he creates is the perfect setting for the story Lynch is telling. Hurt gives an unforgettable performance as John Merrick, bringing both class and sensitivity to his portrayal of the infamous disfigured man. Taking into consideration how little of Hurt's actual face is available to him throughout the film under the heavy make up and prosthetics, the range and emotion that he is able to put across is quite astounding. The technical side of transforming Hurt into Merrick is also captivatingly real, leaving it no surprise that the film led to the creation and inaugural presentation of the Oscar for best Hopkins opposite him is just as superb as Frederick Treves, giving an understated and quietly emotional turn; the scenes between Merrick and Treves are touching and genuine, whilst at the same time managing to stay away from becoming overly sentimental. Occasionally a little slow, but overall an excellent piece of cinema.

8/10

U.S. Marshals (1997)

Inferior to its precursor The Fugitive, but still enjoyable nonetheless. Jones never misses a beat, stepping back into the character of Marshal Sam Gerard as easily as you would a comfortable pair of shoes, playing him superbly with the same cocky gruffness as in the first film. Snipes, however, never comes close to Harrison Ford's wrongly accused runaway; he struggles with scenes in which his character has to show any emotion other than anger, although he comes across a lot better during the film's action sequences. Downey Jr. does well playing against Jones, and provides enough ambiguity in his allegiances to keep his character interesting; he does lose some momentum in the final act however. The story has several ideas rehashed from the first film, but there's enough new material here to make it a worthwhile exercise. That said, the film is about twenty minutes too long, with some sections dragging and an ending that feels somewhat rushed. Overall, a fairly decent actioner which gains an extra half star because Tommy Lee Jones is in it.

7/10

American: The Bill Hicks Story (2011)

Hicks is one of the finest comedy minds of all time. As a performer he was never anything less than consummate, and this is clear through the presentation of the recordings of his stand up throughout. Unfortunately, the film as a documentary is much less successful than its subject. The photographic animation used for the vast majority of the film is effective in places, but becomes pedestrian, repetitive and even somewhat patronising in parts (do we really need to see a photo-animated Hicks sitting in the back of a black cab to illustrate him travelling to London?). The film moves very quickly between speakers over the animation without showing the speakers' faces or a caption introducing them, and this becomes increasingly confusing especially as many of the people Hicks grew up with all have a very similar Houston accent. Whilst I am a huge fan of Hicks, I found the film to be too biased towards worshipping the man rather than taking a critical eye at certain points (Hicks' alcoholism is given a balanced view, but his drug-taking seems almost entirely to be presented as a positive thing). Ultimately, Harlock as director never makes his aim clear, his film coming across as technically pedestrian and unremarkable. Hicks' performances deserve top marks; Harlock's documentary as a film deserves less than half, so things ultimately even out somewhere in the middle. Ultimately, American is worth watching as an introduction to Hicks' work and to see footage of his performances from the very start of his career to the very end, but if it's Hicks as a comedian you're after, you'd be better off buying a full recording of one of his live shows.

6/10

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

One of the most stylish and finely crafted films of recent years. The plot is incredibly simple, which works perfectly as the film moves from one beautifully extravagant fight sequence to the next, but can make things seem to lack focus during the more story-driven sections of the film. Wright's direction is some of the most confident I can remember seeing, bringing many of his brilliant touches seen in Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz to this film. He grabs hold of the fantasy video game style with both hands and commits to it fully, which leads to an incredibly pleasing feel to the film overall as well as some gloriously detailed touches that hit their mark every time. The performances from all involved are very strong, with several of the evil exes in particular feeling satisfyingly fleshed out after only a short amount of screen time. Ultimately a very enjoyable and well made film that will almost certainly only get better with age.

8/10

Brassed Off (1996)

A modern classic of British cinema, this is packed with strong performances from all involved - Pete Postlethwaite is predictably flawless, Stephen Tompkinson gives the performance of his career, and Ewan McGregor shows how much substance he could bring to roles before transferring to Hollywood. The script is charming and tight, giving the film a gritty yet comfortable authenticity throughout. The story is poignant, compelling and funny in the right measure. And whether you're a fan of brass bands or not, the way in which the music is showcased throughout the film is fantastic. Ultimately a thoroughly enjoyable and well-made piece of cinema.

8/10

The Game (1997)

A moody thriller which at times becomes pleasingly dark. Douglas does well in the lead role, and the supporting cast is generally strong. Fincher's direction is tight with a polished and atmospheric feel throughout. The story is ambitious, and at times is pleasingly cerebral; Fincher clearly enjoys leading the audience down one path, only to then reveal things to be in a differently place altogether. Ultimately, however, the film strains under its own complexities, and occasionally feels sluggish in its execution; the opening act particularly feels unfortunately clunky at times. This is undoubtedly an enjoyable film overall with some pleasingly tense scenes throughout but, when all is said and done, this never shows Fincher at his best.

7/10

Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

Simply put, this is enjoyable zombie fare all the way through. The performances are as good as they need to be, and the simplistic plot, whilst feeling somewhat thin in several places, allows for a satisfying amount of horror scenes. The action gets going pretty much straight away, showing an understanding of what the audience want and getting straight to it. Scenes dotted here and there have tongue pleasingly at least partway in cheek, ensuring the film doesn't merely stay on the same well-worn note. If you're looking for innovative cinema that challenges both its audience and the boundaries of its genre, look elsewhere; if you want a pleasing and entertaining addition to the zombie genre, this is for you.

7/10

Mary Poppins (1964)

A true family classic that has aged very well. Julie Andrews is superb as the eponymous magical nanny, and Dick Van Dyke is endlessly enjoyable even with his infamous questionable cockney accent. However, it is David Tomlinson, often overlooked, who provides the perfect counterbalance to Andrews; he never misses a beat as the self-important George Banks, providing a wonderful blend of caricature and authenticity to create a character of both simplicity and depth. The music throughout is superb, with many tunes and lyrics that have since embedded themselves in Western social consciousness. The film itself showcases a huge variety of cinematography from glorious multicoloured scenes mixing live action and top notch Disney animation, to darker, more menacing scenes of early 20th Century London. It could be argued that the film is a little too long, but engross yourself in the wonderful world created and it's unlikely you'll even notice the time passing. A cinematic triumph, and a film that will no doubt remain a cinematic treasure for decades to come.

9/10

Mulholland Drive (2001)

This is one of the trickiest reviews I've ever had to write: how do you rate a film that, whilst watching, you enjoyed in part but in all honesty had difficulty understanding large portions of? A film which you then did some post-viewing research on, understood a lot more (but certainly not entirely), and retrospectively enjoyed it more as a result? Well, I'm going to try. Lynch's cinematography is as top notch as ever, with his trademark uncomfortable and dreamlike quality present throughout, although here I felt it was more subtle and refined than in his earlier work to the film's benefit. The whole cast are solid, with Naomi Watts in particular giving a fantastic performance ranging from darkly comic to devastatingly emotional. Lynch's unconventional narrative structure, surrealist outlook and refusal to hold the audience's hand through the story at any point is undoubtedly brave, bold and striking film-making. It does however lead to several points within the film where I had almost entirely no idea what I was watching or how it related to the story, so much so that I became frustrated with the film at two or three points throughout. As stated previously, after reading around the film after I had watched it, I have a clearer idea of how many previously confusing elements fit into the film's overall story and themes, and I'm fairly certain I will appreciate the film as a whole much more on a second viewing. I have a strong feeling that when I watch Mulholland Drive for a second time I will want to review it again giving it a higher score. For now, I feel that the score I have awarded it reflects my view of the film after seeing it just once.

7/10

Review | Source Code (2011)

Watching Source Code is a bit like tucking into a juicy sirloin steak with a tough, fibrous line of fat running through it. There's a lot to like there, with a great many mouthfuls to enjoy without issue. But there's also niggling in the back of your mind that unappetising gristly bit that you try as hard as you can to avoid, even ignore. You have one spoiled bite. Then another. You try and eat round it. But when the meal's over, despite all those unsullied morsels you enjoyed throughout, you keep coming back to that unfortunate thread of adipose material that left you feeling not entirely satisfied with what had the potential to be a really great dish.

Let us first, then, look at the meat. Source Code's story, and the concept behind it, is generally pretty good. Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) awakens on a train unaware of how he got there sitting opposite a woman who knows him as Sean Fentress. Colter soon discovers that his reflection is that of someone else, but before he is able to find out anything further, the train explodes. Colter then wakes up strapped into a dark capsule, where he discovers from Captain Colleen Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) that the crash he just experienced happened earlier that day, and that he is part of an experimental military operation known as "Source Code". Colter's consciousness was transported into that of a passenger's - Sean's - for the final eight minutes of his life, with the aim of Colter discovering who is responsible for blowing up the train in order to avert further attacks in the future.

So far, so complex. But Duncan Jones' direction from the outset keeps things moving at a pleasing and steady pace whilst at the same time making the whole thing believable. You feel that Jones really hits his stride when depicting Colter's experiences outside of his transportation to the same eight minutes on the train. The design and nature of the bleak capsule Colter inhabits, with its harsh structural features and intrusive video and computer screens, has strong echoes of Gilliam's post-apocalyptic world Bruce Willis experiences in 1995's Twelve Monkeys. In fact, Jones' influence from a wide range of science fiction and beyond - from Inception to Groundhog Day - is apparent throughout Source Code, and the film is all the stronger for it. The director takes inspiration from respected sources, whilst at the same time crafting a fantastical concept that is original and fresh. Jones' first feature, the highly acclaimed Moon, is one that has so far (shamefully) passed me by, but on the strength of his handling of many elements on show here I feel all the more compelled to seek it out sooner rather than later.

Gyllenhaal too must not be undersold. His performance as the former army helicopter pilot thrown into a disorienting and perplexing scenario of which he has no recollection of choosing to be a part, shows diversity that perhaps has only been hinted at before. His previous roles, from romantic drama in Brokeback Mountain to action hero in Prince Of Persia, come together in his portrayal of Colter to provide a satisfying and genuine mix of humour, tension and pugnacity.

The supporting cast also do well, with both Farmiga as Captain Goodwin and Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Rutledge, the creator of the Source Code program, giving strong and memorable turns. Farmiga and Wright are key to the success of the darker and more mysterious aspects of the film; Wright's continuous use of a single crutch providing a unnerving quirk to his character. It is Goodwin's appearances on Colter's video screens that provide some of the film's most enduring sequences, however; the extreme close ups on Farmiga's face make her presence intrusive on both Colter and the audience, and the methods she uses to help bring the disoriented soldier back from his trips to the exploding train - asking him to recall series of cards from a story, playing bird calls into his capsule - have an unsettlingly sinister psychological edge to them.

Unfortunately, whilst there's a lot to like about Source Code, this is largely where the good stuff comes to an end. Michelle Monaghan is fine enough, if somewhat forgettable, in her role as Christina, Colter's perpetual travelling partner on the train. But the fact that her character, other than sharing some wonderfully shot slow-mo explosion scenes with Gyllenhaal, never feels anything much more than peripheral in the film as a whole means that the romantic thread between Christina and Colter largely falls flat.

The biggest failing, however, is the film's handling of the human side of its story. Whilst it's hard to address this without giving away large chunks of the story it's fair to say that, whilst Gyllenhaal makes his character sympathetic, many of the more emotional elements of his story regularly slip too far into melodrama and become swamped in pathos. As more and more about Colter's circumstances in reality (as opposed to on the train) is revealed, this becomes more and more of a problem. The second half of the film also has an ill-fitting anti-war undertone with more than a hint of schmaltzy Americana, which simply feels stale and tacked onto the science-fiction premise at the core of the film.

Ultimately, as stated previously, there really is a lot to enjoy within Source Code. Its sci-fi credentials are solid, and whilst it never reaches the heights of Nolan's Inception, it sits pleasingly a few steps below in the ranks of the cerebral blockbuster. In the end, however, Source Code leaves you feeling as though it never quite fully realises the potential that its concept holds. A little less preoccupation with pushing a message onto the audience, and a little more focus on both the darker mystery-thriller aspects that work so well throughout the film and the ingenious science-fiction concept at its nucleus, and this could have been an excellent film. As it is, the flaws are there, and noticeable enough to make it just very good.

7/10

Review Round-Up | March 2011

Amadeus (1984)

F. Murray Abraham is never less than excellent in his performance as (prior to this film) all-but-forgotten composer Antonio Salieri, consumed by a paradoxical cocktail of hatred and guilt over his role in the tragic fate of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His aging Salieri bookends the film with panache, whilst his performance as the composer in his prime is a compelling and enigmatic tapestry woven simultaneously of idolatry and envy, awe and hate. Tom Hulce as Mozart begins the film as an unsavoury caricature, gaining layer upon layer as the film progresses as Hulce constructs a sympathetic and enthralling presentation of the tragic genius. Mozart's music is wonderfully showcased throughout, especially his operas, with fantastic staging and highly polished performance at every opportunity. The Director's Cut version of the film, to me, felt somewhat slow during the middle acts, with little driving the story forwards here and there; this is a minor niggle in what is a captivating, entertaining and very well made piece of cinema from start to finish.

8/10

Eraserhead (1977)

Often described as a nightmare on film, or the ultimate manifestation of male paranoia, Eraserhead is far from a comfortable watch. This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, as director David Lynch clearly never intended to make an easy film to sit and relax to. That said, I at times found parts of the film had been made weird simply for weirdness' sake, rather than to enhance either the telling of the story or the quality of the film. The pacing of the film is perpetually slow, which allows Lynch's brooding imagery and style to fully hit home only slightly more often than it makes the film drag. Ultimately a film that I definitely appreciated more than I enjoyed, being as it is a unique and fascinating piece of art within the historical context of cinema. As my first experience of Lynch as a director, however, this was in hindsight almost certainly throwing myself in at the deep end; I would very much like to revisit this film once I've experienced more of his work.

6/10

Seven (1995)

The film which allowed director David Fincher to spread his wings, take off and begin to soar after having them cruelly clipped during his tenure at the helm of the famously problematic Alien 3. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are both superb - over fifteen years later and both men's performances are regularly cited as amongst the best of their career. The detective pairing created by Pitt and Morgan - the former as pigheaded Mills, the latter as stoic Somerset - is a relationship that is unwaveringly compelling and believable. Solid support comes from Gwyneth Paltrow and R. Lee Ermey, and whilst Kevin Spacey's final act turn as John Doe takes nothing away from the film, I don't think I'll ever become a fan of his. It is the film's final act that somewhat lets things down all round, relatively speaking, as its more conventional feel doesn't match up to the moody, grimy, noir-esque cinema preceding it that Fincher allows us to gorge upon. Overall, however, this is finely crafted and thoroughly enjoyable.

8/10

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (2010)

If it's a standard action adventure blockbuster you're after, it really doesn't get much more standard than this. All involved have fun with the sword-and-sorcery style swashbuckler, and the story, whilst tangling itself in a couple of knots here and there, isn't totally mindless and firmly takes a backseat to the action and set pieces. Jake Gyllenhaal earns his action chops with a generally satisfying performance as hero Dastan. Gemma Arterton is satisfactory in support as damsel-in-distress-cum-strong-and-independent-female Tamina, and Ben Kingsley is enjoyable hamming it up immensely as Nizam. Ultimately this never excels, but never really does anything wrong either, from the enjoyable yet somewhat reserved action and fight sequences to Alfred Molina's amusing yet largely forgettable ostrich race organiser (yes, really). This feels like a live action version of Disney's Aladdin on several occasions (which, again, is not necessarily a bad thing) and if you enter into the spirit of it wanting unchallenging and enjoyable 12A-certificate action that's light on depth then you'll most probably enjoy this.

6/10

Review Round-Up | February 2011

Hard Candy (2006)

A simple story told chillingly and stylishly through two great performances. Patrick Wilson is excellent throughout; it is a pre-Juno Ellen Page who steals the film with a calculated, mature and genuinely frightening performance that sends shivers down your spine. The direction from David Slade is high quality throughout, bringing a claustrophobic edge to the film which intensifies both the horror and psychological thriller elements. The film's refusal to paint the characters and events it shows you as definitely good or bad but frequently an uneasy mixture somewhere in the middle is key to its success, drawing you into a violent, extreme and uncompromising world. Brave and powerful cinema.

8/10

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger are outstanding throughout, with Gyllenhaal's raw emotion providing many of the film's most powerful scenes. The understated turn by Ledger, smouldering with intensity and suppressed passion, is the film's highlight and now tragically an indicator of a brilliant acting career cut short before it could truly take off. Support from Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams is solid, although the film is at its best when Gyllenhaal and Ledger share the screen. At times the story feels a little too slow and loses momentum, and parts which don't focus on the relationship between Ledger and Gyllenhaal's characters feel a little underdeveloped at times. Ultimately a powerful film which, without agenda or prejudice tells, a fascinating story of two ordinary people.

7/10

The Prestige (2006)

Christopher Nolan's unmistakeable moody, unsettling and highly polished feel gives the film a luscious authenticity whilst at the same time remaining undeniably modern. Christian Bale puts in a strong and convincing performance throughout; it is Hugh Jackman however who makes the part of Robert Angiers his own, delivering a magnificent mix of obsession, passion and showmanship to make the magician a truly engrossing character. Michael Caine is reliably excellent in support, counterbalancing the increasingly extravagant and emotionally charged of Bale and, in particular, Jackman with a grounded and humble turn. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Scarlett Johannson who appears out of her depth in a role that never really comes into its own. The story is regularly and pleasingly dark told through a grippingly mysterious plot which unfolds with energy, never losing momentum and keeping you guessing right until the final moments.

8/10

Intolerable Cruelty (2003)

An underrated Coen Brothers gem. Whilst this might not be the brothers' best, their unique take on the romantic comedy that also pays tribute to the screwball comedies of Hollywood's Golden Age is finely crafted and immensely enjoyable. Clooney never misses a beat as Miles Massey, and whilst I usually find Zeta-Jones decidedly average, here her performance is a great counterbalance to Clooney. The supporting cast are also top notch, with Adelstein as a perfect comic foil to Clooney and Thornton giving a wonderfully caricatured performance as oil tycoon Howard D. Doyle. Whilst the Coens' unmistakable style is not quite as apparent as in previous films, it is most certainly present throughout the film with some gloriously dark moments (a magazine called "Living Without Intestines" has to be one of the brothers' finest creations). The film also presents some wonderfully intelligent cinematography with an ingenious choice of colour used throughout. Often too easily dismissed as the Coens' "sell-out" or "mainstream" picture, upon closer inspection this is a comic masterpiece that stands proudly next to the brothers' other work.

9/10

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

Surely one of the quirkiest and most ludicrous ideas for a film ever conceived. A B-movie-style delight full of charm and held together by a unforgettable performance from Bruce Campbell as Elvis Presley. Ossie Davis also does well in support. The first half is slow, albeit entertaining, but this is remedied nicely with a final act that pulls out all the stops. The script is strong with some pleasingly philosophical sections that never feel out of place, as well as some fantastic comic lines scattered generously throughout. Go into this with the right frame of mind and expectations and you can't help but have fun and enjoy it.

7/10

The Fountain (2006)

Jackman shows depth and diversity in a challenging and demanding role - his excellent turn in three separate yet intertwined roles is a key part to what makes the film great. Beautiful cinematography and effects bring to life the three stories (although some are closer to motifs or visual concepts than definite narratives) with artistry and lustre; Aronofsky's deliberate ambiguity as to how, if at all, the three are connected adds to the enigma making the film constantly captivating. This is brave film making which demands your attention to grasp its themes, ideas and structure. An excellent piece of cinema provided you are prepared to give it the commitment necessary.

8/10

Memento (2000)

Now over a decade old, Nolan's first big budget outing is still striking and bold, delivering stylish and intelligent cinema that never dips in quality. Pearce is strong throughout, bringing an authentic yet outlandish quality to Leonard, and making the anterograde amnesia from which he suffers both believable and not gimmicky. Pearce is supported ably by Moss and Pantoliano who ably ensure you are kept guessing about their characters roles and motivations in Leonard's story until the end. Occasionally the film gets too wound up in its own premise, although Nolan makes sure things never become self-indulgent; this is a minor niggle in what is a brilliantly original and constantly gripping film that may still be Nolan's best execution of a non-linear narrative structure.

The Fugitive (1993)

The first hour outshines the second, where the pace slows a little too much, but this is a gripping thriller from start to finish with a handful of great action spots scattered throughout for good measure. It is Jones and Ford who elevate this from very good to excellent however, with fantastic performances from two Hollywood stalwarts both arguably at the top of their game. Ford's emotional and adrenaline-fuelled turn is complemented perfectly by Jones' US marshal entirely lacking in sympathy and hell bent on recapturing his man. Thoroughly enjoyable if somewhat imbalanced.

8/10

Following (1998)

Genuinely intriguing not just as a film, but as an early document of Nolan as a writer and filmmaker. It is clear from start to finish that this was made on a minuscule budget with an unavoidable "film student" feel throughout. Whilst in itself not a bad thing, this does however hand the film some shortcomings. The acting from the non-professional cast, whilst never terrible, often comes across as flat and amateurish, which in turn affects the flow and clarity of the film at times. However, Nolan's skills as a storyteller are as apparent here as in his later work, and whilst his skills in direction and cinematography are limited financially and by the cast at his disposal, this is still a stylish and very intelligent film which concisely tells a fascinating story.

7/10

Review | True Grit (2011)

The news that the Coen brothers were remaking True Grit, the film that won John Wayne his one and only Oscar, received a lukewarm reception from many moviegoers most of whom are probably a bit older than myself. Why remake a classic that features one of the most revered performances of a Hollywood legend like Wayne? Undoubtedly still resonating for some fans of the brothers' work is their decidedly hit-and-miss 2004 remake of The Ladykillers, to date both their their worst film and only other remake. Still, the Coens' resoundingly successful venture into the Western genre with 2007's No Country For Old Men gave more than a glimmer of hope. This coupled with the fact that they would again be teaming up with Jeff Bridges twelve years after his now iconic performance as The Dude in The Big Lebowski, one of their most beloved films, made calling the success or failure of True Grit a tricky task indeed.

The film tells the story of fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who sets out to capture criminal Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) who murdered her father and has since taken in with a band of outlaws led by "Lucky" Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper). She hires the services of US Marshal Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn (Bridges), who has encountered Pepper before, in order to do this. Also on Chaney's trail is LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), a Texas Ranger after the bounty on Chaney's head for the murder of a senator. LaBoeuf teams up with Cogburn, and despite both men's protestations, Mattie insists on joining them on the hunt as they head into the Colorado wilderness.

Any fears of the film being either an unnecessary or unsatisfactory remake are soon quashed. I almost put the word "luckily" at the start of the previous sentence, which would have been untrue - luck has nothing to do with it. This is purely great filmmaking from every angle. To call this a reboot is also untrue, as the Coens have apparently gone back to the original novel by Charles Portis in telling the story. Having never seen the 1969 version I can't draw comparison between that version and this; nor have I read the novel upon which both films are based, so faithfulness to the source material is also not something I can analyse. But the film should be judged on its own merits, and to do that is to find a genuinely excellent film.

The film doesn't contain a bad performance; a wealth of fantastic turns are on offer here. From her first moment on screen, Steinfeld has a presence, maturity and gravity that makes it quite mindboggling that this is her first big screen outing. She makes the character of Mattie her own immediately, providing a unique yet believable balance between the innocence and youth of her fourteen years and the quick wit and indomitable spirit of an adolescent who has already experienced the harshness that the world can present.

Damon, too, continues to show why he is one of the most reliably talented actors of today, bringing a stripped down authenticity to LaBoeuf that it's hard to imagine many other actors of Damon's generation being capable of. LaBoeuf's arrogance and enigma make him simultaneously repellant and intriguing and Damon's performance expertly provides the balance between these two facets of the character. Damon clearly relishes the classic Western heritage his character is swathed in, whilst never falling into parody or cliché. It's also worth noting that Damon handles to perfection the change that occurs in the way Laboeuf speaks midway through the film. It would be easy to turn the character into a mockery of his established self, but Damon incorporates this change seamlessly into what he's already created without missing a beat.

Deserving of mention too are Brolin as Tom Chaney and Pepper as Lucky Ned. Whilst both characters receive relatively small amounts of screen time, what they do with the scenes they have adds to the all-round excellence of the film. The calculated control of Lucky Ned contrasts wonderfully with the recalcitrance of Chaney.

However, it is undoubtedly Bridges as Rooster Cogburn who provides the film's most memorable character. The veteran actor never misses a beat, taking the character of Cogburn away from the one-dimensional grizzled lawman and imbuing him with a complex and enigmatic blend of mystery and candour. We get the impression that Cogburn is a man who has seen and done a great deal throughout his life, and what we see is just a snapshot of an immense character. It is the fantastic performance of Bridges that puts across a character of such enormity, whilst at the same time keeping him firmly rooted as an ordinary man. Cogburn is by turns intimidating, admirable, pathetic and amusing - it's therefore no surprise that elements of Bridges' previous Coen incarnation as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski welcomely seep through here and there. It's hard to keep a grin from your face as you watch Cogburn barely stay in the saddle as he rides through the Colorado woodland drunk and not to let yourself see The Dude, just stranded in a different century.

True Grit doesn't simply get by on the performances of its cast, however. The story is genuinely gripping and, after a slow burning first act to establish Mattie and Cogburn, the tense and gritty scenes just keep coming until the inevitable showdown that both stays in keeping with the film's authentic approach and doesn't disappoint. This is also arguably the Coens most beautiful film with marvelous cinematography taking advantage of the landscape the story is set against and camerawork wonderfully reminiscent of the Western genre heritage. The quirky Coens-style moments are not as prevalent as in most of their previous films, but that's not to say it's not there. Early scenes between Mattie and a horse trader are vintage Coens; another where Cogburn and Mattie encounter a man wearing an entire bear skin (complete with head) will surely raise a smile for its sheer absurdity.

True Grit is one of those films that is simply a joy to experience. There is no part of it that is not of very high quality; nothing lets it down. The story may burn ever so slightly too slowly at the start, but this is soon forgiven for its deep, rich characters portrayed with universal excellence and the masterful control and artistry of the sibling directors at its helm.

9/10

Review | Love And Other Drugs (2010)

Love them or hate them, one thing that is certainly true of romantic comedies is that you know exactly where you are with them in terms of characterisation and plot development. Of all the contemporary popular film genres, the rom-com is the most reliably safe. Directors and actors remain firmly on the rails to produce middle-of-the-road cinema that they know has a definite audience who paid to see a film that will offer unchallenging viewing and nothing coming out of left field. True, straying from this tried and tested formula can sometimes produce surprisingly pleasing results - just watch (500) Days Of Summer - but it can also hatch cinematic turkeys that can't even provide the vanilla comedy of their unreservedly formulaic cousins. And whilst Love And Other Drugs isn't a complete and utter disaster, it ultimately veers firmly into the latter scenario.

Set in the mid '90s, the film tells the story of Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal), a salesman for drugs company Pfizer whose success comes from being one of the first people to sell viagra to medical practitioners. After talking his way into shadowing an influential doctor (Hank Azaria) Jamie meets Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway), a patient suffering from early onset Parkinson's. The two quickly form an almost entirely physical relationship, but this soon begins to develop into something more complex.

Technically, I suppose, Love And Other Drugs is a romantic comedy-drama (or "dramedy" for those whose time is too precious to say two words where one can be portmanteaued into existence) as it is clear some sections are there to make you laugh, and others are definitely not. One of the key problems in the film is that of balance; when providing comedy the scenes are simply not funny enough, or awkardly juxtaposed with pathos that makes you unsure of whether you should be laughing or not. Equally, when tackling more serious scenes, the emotion can seem limp - and at times almost completely absent - and the film quickly becomes tedious.

The reason behind this imbalance is that neither Gyllenhaal nor Hathaway's characters are very nice people, which makes it hard to care much about the things that happen to them. Soon after we are first introduced to Gyllenhaal's Jamie he is promptly fired from his job in a top-of-the-range electrical shop for unashamedly shagging his boss's girfriend in the stockroom. Receiving a punch in the face for his troubles, Jamie promptly reminds his irate former employer that he's owed a significant amount in commission and runs out of the store, flirting with a female customer all the while. Jamie comes across as shallow and arrogant from the start, which makes it very hard to care about - or indeed believe in - his emotional journey with Maggie later on. Gyllenhaal has proven in the past that he can deliver when it comes to challenging roles, but here his performance simply doesn't provide the emotional depth or connection with the audience needed to make his character either credible or appealing.

Anne Hathaway too struggles to lift Maggie off the screen, leaving her a collection of rom-com and tearjerker clichés that largely come across as irritating. The fact that Maggie is suffering from a disease rarely associated with the younger generation would seem a fairly easy way of generating sympathy for her; instead, Maggie comes across for most of the film as something of a self-obsessed bitch. Granted, suffering from Parkinson's at such a young age can't be easy, but there are so few moments in the film where Maggie shows even a modicum of care for anyone other than herself that it's hard not to consciously detach yourself from the character entirely. As a result of this, the handful of scenes where Hathaway does begin to bring some depth to her character's condition are rendered entirely useless.

With the two main characters so undesirable, it's not difficult to see why the story becomes tedious fairly quickly. After initially seeming like an extended fling, Jamie and Maggie's relationship soon moves into more involved territory (after much preening and self-obsession from both characters), but this shift is both hard to believe and hard to care about. By the film's halfway point I'd lost virtually all interest in their relationship: when Maggie begins to self-destruct, struggling to cope with the hopelessness of her incurable condition, I genuinely wasn't bothered whether Hathaway and Gyllenhaal's characters stayed together or broke off their relationship. The incredibly clichéd rom-com climax to the film, which seems somewhat out of place following the relatively less conventional format of that which has preceded it, might have felt a bit more disappointing had my attention still been held at that point. As it is, I wasn't all that surprised - it just felt like the filmmakers had given up hope on the film a bit later than I had.

Supporting characters are either achingly out of place (Josh Gad as Jamie's brother Josh feels like he's wandered out of a Judd Apatow film) or painfully underutilised - Jamie's sales partner Bruce (Oliver Platt) appears to be a character with a story potentially much more interesting and affecting than that of Jamie and Maggie, but sadly is relegated to the position of underdeveloped side character.

Considering Love And Other Drugs is based upon a non-fiction book, it's a shame that so many elements in the film are lacking in either dimension or authenticity. Love And Other Drugs has all the ingredients to potentially make it a refreshing and original take on the rom-com genre. But with misfire after misfire in terms of plot and script coupled with lacklustre performances by the leads, this doesn't even have the quick and easy bubblegum cinema charm of safer offerings in the genre. If there was a cinematic equivalent of viagra, Love And Other Drugs would require a lengthy prescription, delivering as it does a consistently disappointing performance.

3/10

Review Round-Up | January 2011

Caddyshack (1980)

A film that left me feeling decidedly nonplussed at various points throughout. Chevy Chase puts in the most successful and funny performance as the privileged and unsettlingly wacky Ty Webb. Bill Murray is also funny as the dimwitted Carl Spackler, although this is far from Murray's best work. Rodney Dangerfield's nouveau-riche Al Czervik is amusing, although over thirty years on both the character and Dangerfield's performance come across as decidedly dated. The film generally suffers from a lack of direction, with the story seemingly dropped without warning and then picked up again all the way through, allowing for some amusing stand-alone sequences but also some more tedious sections. Entertaining, and worth seeing to get some of those Simpsons and Family Guy references you've never quite recognised, but ultimately less than the sum of its parts.

6/10

Uncle Buck (1989)

A John Candy vehicle plain and simple, but undoubtedly a highly successful one. The plot's nothing to write home about - family crisis forces parents Bob and Cindy Russell (Garrett M. Brown and Elaine Bromka) to call Bob's brash brother Buck (Candy) to take care of their three children whilst they're away - and in the hands of anyone but Candy and director John Hughes this would be a very ignorable film. Candy entirely inhabits Buck, creating one of his most memorable characters, and owns every scene he's in, which adds up to the vast majority of the film. A pre-Home Alone Macauley Culkin shows why he became such a huge child star in the early '90s, giving a charming, cute and genuinely funny performance as Buck's nephew Miles. Jean Louisa Kelly as older sibling Tia also provides a pleasingly acerbic turn in an entertaining battle of the wills with her uncle. This is Candy's show though, and he truly delivers with a genuinely very funny performance punctuated with a handful of well-handled more emotional scenes. This might not be the most lauded of Hughes' films, but his innate ability to understand and bring out pure entertainment from everyday people makes this film a great pleasure.

8/10

Hot Shots! (1991)

Hot Shots! very much wants to join the heights of success and popularity that both Airplane! and The Naked Gun films enjoyed, and at times the humour comes close to the sharpness of those films. Charlie Sheen as Topper Harley plays things pleasingly deadpan, recalling (although never coming close to the heights of) Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin, and giving the film a sound foundation on which to build its ridiculousness. Lloyd Bridges as Admiral Tug Benson is also a surreal delight throughout. But although the jokes largely hit their mark, too often it feels as though you're waiting for the next laugh to come, and the story and performances are ultimately nowhere near strong enough to prop things up when the humour is absent. That said, Hot Shots! is enjoyable and entertaining with enough examples of sharply observed comedy to make it worthwhile viewing.

6/10

Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)

Pretty similar in many ways to Hot Shots! with the main focus of parody moved from Top Gun to the Rambo franchise. All the things the first film did right are done right here too, and thankfully several of the problems seen previously have been remedied. There are fewer gaps between laughs, and the gaps that are there are shorter and more bearable. The humour is better crafted with well-placed parodies and references that draw from a pleasingly broad range of films - look out for nods to everything from Terminator 2 to Lady And The Tramp - and the vast majority of these are successful. There are also a handful of great moments where the film touches on postmodernist humour. A conversation between Topper (Charlie Sheen) and his love interest Romada (Valeria Golino) on the nature of film sequels is particularly well done, and followed quickly by a brilliant reference to another Sheen movie. Not a quite classic, but consistently enjoyable and very funny.

7/10

Dumb & Dumber (1994)

The film that, for better or worse, spawned a thousand "gross-out" imitators and successors. Few have reached the idiotic heights of Harry (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) however. Daniels and Carrey have genuine chemistry and give it their moronic all throughout, both as a duo and individually. Daniels takes to the role brilliantly, and Carrey gives arguably his best "rubberface" performance. The Farrelly Brothers get the comedy spot on, with gag after gag hitting the mark. Seventeen years on and this is still a complete hoot from start to finish.

8/10

Click (2006)

Incredibly patchy and seemingly unsure of what type of film it wants to be. Sandler swings wildly in the message of using his "universal" remote control, from crude humour (pausing his life to fart into his boss's face or kick a love rival in the crotch) to much more sinister, heartless reasons (skipping having to "endure" spending an evening with his aging parents). The sudden switches between these two extremes is sometimes so sudden as to be uncomfortable. The key problem I had with Click is the same problem I've had I've had with other Sandler films, in that I found it very difficult to either like or care about Sandler's character. The ending also comes across as lazy, clichéd and ultimately unsatisfying. David Hasselhoff as Sandler's boss is somewhat amusing, but becomes a bit tiresome before thankfully bowing out around halfway through. Christopher Walken's kooky performance as Morty (essentially Walken parodying himself) is Click's main saving grace, along with a James Earl Jones cameo in the film's most inspired moment. Not funny enough to be a comedy, not enough substance to be a drama, and ultimately far too preachy for its own good.

4/10

Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Fantastic performances from Willis and Pitt give the film the substance and depth needed to carry off the phantasmagorical story and cinematography. Gilliam's direction suits the themes and plot, and whilst the film occasionally becomes too entangled in its own concept, it never seriously takes away from the film's success. Both Gilliam's stylised presentation of the future and the present marry together well with a satisfying grittiness and authenticity that again helps to ground some of the film's more far-flung elements. Intelligent and bold film-making place Twelve Monkeys amongst the finest sci-fi films of the 1990s.

8/10

To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)

"It's like living in a Tex Avery cartoon" Vida (Patrick Swayze) comments to Noxeema (Wesley Snipes) at one point during the film, and this is exactly the way in which To Wong Foo... should be viewed - an over-exaggerated camp-fest that should be enjoyed way before anything else. And viewed this way the film is a great success. The trio of Swayze, Snipes and John Leguizamo make the film incredibly fun and all three give very impressive performances. The film's more serious elements, such as a spousal abuse subplot involving Arliss Howard and a predictably excellent Stockard Channing, are generally handled satisfactorily, but thankfully take a backseat to the humour. The cartoonish elements of the film are its biggest successes however - Snipes' Noxeema teaching the local men to treat women with respect in a very painful manner is a highlight. Almost certainly not a film for everyone, but if you can enter into the spirit of To Wong Foo... with an open mind and a light heart, there's a great deal here to enjoy and appreciate.

7/10

Did You Hear About The Morgans? (2009)

Sarah Jessica Parker struggles to make her character light enough, and Hugh Grant's befuddled Englishman in America comes across as noticeably tired. Together they aren't any better with a severe lack of chemistry throughout. It feels as though director Marc Lawrence has gone for a style harking back to the classic romantic caper films of yesteryear, but this for the most part backfires as the feel of both the film's plot and execution is cheap and clunky. Sam Elliot and Mary Steenburgen provide a welcome remedy to Parker and Grant, although they can only do so much with the lacklustre material they are given. The film's presentation of rural America is occasionally amusing, but much more often comes across as clichéd stereotype. A mediocre rom-com which aims low and achieves lower.

4/10

2011 Oscar predictions

The nominations for the 2011 Academy Awards were announced last week, bringing few surprises for many it would seem. The nominees in most categories seem to have followed what many predicted, and the general consensus appears to be that those who are nominated deserve to be there. With twelve nominations, The King's Speech is the front runner, with the Coens' True Grit pleasingly receiving ten, followed by Inception and The Social Network with eight each. Whether this will be an Oscar year of forgone conclusions or big surprises remains to be seen, but I thought I'd join the foray of predictions with my thoughts on how things might go in the main categories. You can find out all the nominees on the official Oscar website.

Of the ten nominees for Best Picture, I've only managed to see Inception, The Social Network and Toy Story 3 and I'm pleased that they've all been nominated. There's been a great deal of praise for all the nominees over the past year, but The King's Speech seems to be the film on everyone's lips. Black Swan might get a look in, and I'd be happy to see the Coen Brothers get another best picture win after No Country For Old Men in 2007. But with all the accolades it's already received, I'm going to go with the general consensus and predict The King's Speech will be victorious here.

Best Director is a tricky one to predict, as I've only seen The Social Network. But where is Nolan for Inception? Not to take anything away from the nominees, but it's a great shame to see him missed off. I'm guessing looking at the directors nominated that Inception was too much of a summer blockbuster to get a nod. Anyway, all the directors have been lauded for their work on the films here, so I'm going to plump for Fincher winning here because I've seen the film and the direction was ace.

I've not seen any of the Best Actress films (whoops), but I'm expecting Natalie Portman to claim it. As for Best Actor, again I've only seen The Social Network, but the buzz around Firth's performance in The King's Speech has been impossible to miss. I'm glad to see Jesse Eisenberg and James Franco in here, as both are great young talents who deserve to go far, but again I'm going to go with the consensus and predict Firth as the winner as it would seem foolish not to.

As I haven't seen any of the films for either Best Supporting Actress or Best Supporting Actor, I'm not going to give any predictions for them.

Great to see Mike Leigh nominated for Best Original Screenplay for Another Year (a film I very much want to see). Another category where I've only seen one of the films - Inception this time - and as Nolan seems to have been largely overlooked in other categories, I'm going to go with him winning this one.

Best Adapted Screenplay is a tricky one to call. I've seen two of the five nominated (The Social Network and Toy Story 3), and whilst it would be great to see the Coens win this with True Grit, I'm going to go with The Social Network to win this one as it's script was razor sharp.

From the rest of the categories:

• Best Animated Film has to be Toy Story 3.
• A shame to see Daft Punk's score for Tron: Legacy miss out on a nomination. I'd love Reznor and Ross' score for The Social Network to win this one.
• Inception for Best Cinematography, please.
• Good to see Banksy's Exit Through The Gift Shop nominated for Best Documentary Feature.

If I manage to see any more of the nominees between now and 27th February I'll be sure to update my predictions.

Review | Leap Year (2010)

Since her break-out performance in 2007's Enchanted, Amy Adams' career has been both varied and increasingly impressive. She brings a comprehensive authenticity to roles, from a feisty and energetic Amelia Earheart in Night At The Museum 2 to the understated and discomfortingly innocent Sister James in Doubt, in which Adams held her own supporting cinematic heavyweights Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Adams has proven herself as a talent to watch, which makes it all the more disappointing to see her talents completely wasted in forgettable dross such as Leap Year.

Adams plays Anna Brady, a successful career woman who mistakenly believes her boyfriend of four years Jeremy (Adam Scott) is going to propose to her. When she realises her mistake, she follows the advice of her father (John Lithgow, sadly only in a cameo) to follow Jeremy to Dublin, Ireland when he travels there on business to propose on 29th February as, according to Irish tradition, a woman is allowed to propose to a man only on this day. After her flight is diverted from Ireland to Wales, she finally makes it to the small Irish town of Dingle where she manages to convince innkeeper and taxi driver (yes, really) Declan O'Callaghan (Matthew Goode) to accept the fare of transporting her across the country to Dublin. Their relationship begins at odds with each other, but naturally things change along the way.

Essentially, Leap Year follows the premise of countless other romantic comedies before it. Anna and Declan start off as polar opposites - her a preened and fastidious city girl, him a good old Irish country boy - but over the course of the film they grow much closer. Not that I wish to spoil the film, but if you've ever seen a rom-com you can work this one out for yourself. In terms of genre conventions the film plays things absolutely safe and down the line. This doesn't necessarily make Leap Year awful from the get go, but it does set things off on a decidedly average mark.

Things soon go downhill however. Leap Year contains some incredibly "Hollywood" geography, as Anna lands at Cardiff airport when her flight to Dublin is diverted due to stormy weather. Welsh ferries also out of action because of the storm, she then proceeds to sail from Cardiff to Ireland. In a tiny fishing boat. Manned by one fisherman. Through a raging storm. Yes, really. To cap it all, Dingle - where Anna ends up - is on the far side of Ireland to Wales. Whilst I appreciate the film is supposed to be lighthearted entertainment, with an opening act as ludicrous as Leap Year's it's hard not to become cynical.

The "Hollywood" geography is soon joined by painful Irish stereotypes, as pretty much everyone Anna meets in Ireland apart from Goode's character appears to be a grizzled old bumpkin who spouts superstitious nonsense. Research into Ireland done for the film appears to have consisted of little more than sitting in an Irish theme pub.

Unfortunately it's not just the minor characters who lack depth. Both Anna and Declan have hurried backstories tacked onto them at separate points to explain why they are the way they are (Anna obsessed with keeping to plans, Declan just a bit of an arse) as if the makers of the film suddenly realised their main characters were a bit flimsy and decided on the quickest and laziest way to remedy this. Suffice to say, it doesn't work. It also doesn't help that Adams and Goode have almost no chemistry whatsoever on screen. It's never believable that the two truly hate each other, even less so that they could suddenly fall head over heels in love.

There are worse films in the rom-com genre than Leap Year, but there are also plenty that are much more enjoyable. Adams does the best she can with the trite and predictable script, but she has proven herself to be much better than this and hopefully will steer clear of this kind of tosh in the future. Adams' performance and the views of the beautiful Irish countryside jointly earn Leap Year an extra mark, but this is ultimately a film with ridiculous plot points, cultural ignorance and nothing new to say. If it's lighthearted entertainment you want, watch Enchanted again instead.

4/10

Review | The Aristocrats (2005)

Making a documentary film about one of the filthiest jokes ever told might seem to many to be inviting controversy for controversy's sake. Upon its release, The Aristocrats did stir things up a little with one chain of cinemas in the US refusing to screen it. But the style and delivery of the film quickly demonstrate that the intention of filmmakers Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza here is not to directly shock or cause offence (although many watching The Aristocrats will no doubt be shocked or offended) but to look into the nature of comedy, of joke-telling and of the people who make their living in those fields.

The premise of the film is simple: to explore the origins and enduring appeal behind a joke known as "The Aristocrats" which has existed for decades since the vaudeville era. The structure of the joke, as explained within the first ten minutes of the film, is simple: there is little variation in the opening of the joke or the punchline, whereas the middle part of the joke is the exact opposite; it is the chance for the teller of the joke to make it his or her own through ad libbed and improvised description. And here's where the shock and offence come in: the intention of the teller is to make the middle section as boundary-crossing, taboo-breaking and downright filthy as they can.

Essentially, if you don't have a sense of humour, a strong stomach and are easily offended then it's likely that you'll get very little out of The Aristocrats. Jillette and Provenza's documentary consists almost entirely of interview footage of comedians, performers and members of the entertainment industry either talking about the joke or giving their own rendition of it. There are plenty of big names here (Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Chris Rock to name just three) but also many who aren't so well known, especially as all but a few of the comedians featured are American. The three Brits who feature are Eddie Izzard, Billy Connolly and Eric Idle (all of whom, incidentally, have very successfully broken the US market).

With around one hundred people interviewed throughout the film, and with humour being such a subjective and personal thing, there's bound to be a handful who don't quite hit the mark - Drew Carey comes across as smug and grating, and a ventriloquist act credited as "Otto & George" is neither funny nor successful at ventriloquism. But there's also going to be plenty of contributors who you will enjoy. With such a large amount of speakers in the film, in lesser hands the film could have become incredibly unfocused, but Jillette and Provenza keep things vibrant whilst at the same time drawing from the rich array of comedic talent and experience they have at their disposal.

That said, there are points when it's hard to judge what the purpose behind the film is. The opening ten minutes or so feel a little like a false start as we go straight in to the middle of George Carlin (undoubtedly one of the most captivating minds on comedy in the entire film) speaking about the origins of the joke without any form of introduction from the makers of the film. There are also sections throughout the documentary where people are talking about aspects of the joke or the ways it can be told where it is unclear why they are saying what they are saying at that particular point in the film. These sections make the film feel unfocused at times, and occasionally left me waiting for the film to find itself again and continue on a more meaningful track.

However, the good in The Aristocrats far outweighs the bad. The line between a comedy film and a documentary is expertly toed. The film never becomes dull, with many laugh-out-loud moments including regular fantastic renditions of the joke itself - Sarah Silverman's unique and unsettling version immediately springs to mind as a particular highlight. Jillette and Provenza never forget that they are documenters either, resisting the urge to turn the film into a lightweight series of sketches or clips from comedy shows. The film also succeeds in deconstructing what makes the joke successful as well as how each comedian's slant on the joke reflects their personality and brand of humour. Close analysis of comedy in this way can often destroy the entertainment within it, but once again the craftsmanship within the film makes sure this is never the case.

In The Aristocrats, Jillette and Provenza have produced both an entertaining and insightful look into the world of comedy, as well as a keen observation on the nature of comedy itself. Whilst it's not always completely clear what direction the film is going in, the ride is always thoroughly enjoyable. And although this is clearly a documentary about comedy, rather than a comedy film per sé, you'll find the laughs are consistent and the presentation pleasingly high in quality. Probably file this one in the "films not to watch with your mum" pile, though.

8/10

Hathaway, Hardy announced as Catwoman, Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises"

So the announcement arrived the other week that the villains in the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy The Dark Knight Rises will be Catwoman and Bane, played by Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy respectively. The reaction so far across the internet and elsewhere has been mixed, mainly towards Catwoman and Hathaway playing her. Many seem disappointed that Nolan has chosen to go with a well-known nemesis of Batman who has been portrayed more than once on screen already.

My initial reaction is one of positivity, and is in fact similar to when I first found out Heath Ledger would be playing The Joker in The Dark Knight. The choice of The Joker was criticised before that film was released with many questioning how Jack Nicholson's portrayal in the 1989 Burton film could be bettered. Then the casting of Ledger was equally scrutinised as doubts were cast on his ability to do the character justice. And then The Dark Knight was released and, at the risk of sounding cliché, the rest is history. Essentially, I trusted Nolan then and I trust him even more now.

Whilst Hathaway is more known for "lighter" roles in films such as Bride Wars and The Princess Diaries, she has also ventured into more challenging and quirky roles (her turn as The White Queen in Burton's Alice In Wonderland springs to mind in relation to those two adjectives in particular). Whilst she may still be proving herself to me and others, I believe Hathaway has the presence of screen and the versatility for the role. And not to hammer home the point too firmly, but similar things were said of Ledger when he was first announced as Nolan's Joker. Ledger was still proving himself; his most well-known performances prior to The Dark Knight, in films such as Brokeback Mountain and A Knight's Tale, hardly point towards his cerebral and dark turn.

In terms of Nolan's choice of villain being too mainstream, obvious or overdone, simply look at the critical acclaim that was heaped upon Nolan and Ledger for their reconstruction of Batman's most infamous foe following The Dark Knight's release and any fears should be quelled.

Anyway, I'm more excited about the other side of this story which currently seems to be being overshadowed by Hathaway's casting. I haven't seen Bronson, the film which gained Hardy notoriety, but he impressed me greatly in Inception and he must have caught the director's eye for Nolan to cast him in two films in succession. The only other actor who currently holds that honour is Batman himself, Christian Bale, in The Prestige and Batman Begins. The character of Bane also sounds like a fascinating choice allowing Nolan a great deal of scope and interpretation within his version of Gotham, as well as bringing some juicy potential character arcs for both himself and Batman to the closing installment. One thing I think can be seen as a certainty is that Nolan's Bane will be an innumerable amount of times more palatable than Joel Schumacher's abomination in 1997's Batman & Robin.

If the last two Batman films have shown us anything, it's that the Dark Knight and the world he inhabits are in some of the most capable hands in cinema in Nolan. He has my confidence in his decisions and will find me eagerly awaiting the next tidbits of information on The Dark Knight Rises whenever they should appear.