Mini review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Year: 2015

Certificate: 12A

Director: Francis Lawrence

Screenwriters: Peter Craig, Danny Strong, Suzanne Collins

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Mahershala Ali, Sam Clafin

After surviving the Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell and becoming the figurehead of a nascent rebellion in the districts, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and the other rebels must face one final push into the Capitol if they are to overthrow the despotic President Snow and bring peace to Panem.

Director Francis Lawrence valiantly wrestles a well-paced action thriller from what is arguably one of the weaker books in the series, ably wrangling improbable setpieces as Katniss and co. make their way through the booby-trapped streets of the Capitol. The emotional beats work well, with Jennifer Lawrence doing most of the heavy lifting to inject credible human drama into the fantasy scenarios. However, it all feels a little paint-by-numbers at this point, and the demands of the plot leave little time for the sharp political allegory that was an attractive element in the second and third instalment, although the discussions around precisely how much violence is a justifiable price for peace are certainly topical. The impressive supporting cast (including a gloriously scene-stealing and all too brief reprisal from a shaven-headed Jena Malone as former tribute Johanna) get their moments to shine, and Josh Hutcherson gives his best performance of the series charting Peeta’s erratic recovery from torture and indoctrination at the hands of Snow.

While not the best of the franchise, Mockingjay part 2 rounds off the story well and provides an entertaining few hours of action with just enough political intrigue to bring some depth.

Verdict: 3/5

Image credit: lionsgate.com

The Hobbit : The Battle Of The Five Armies Review

One Last Time

Released : December 12th 2014

Certificate : 12A

Director : Peter Jackson

Cast : Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch

Plot : Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) and the band of dwafs led by Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage) have driven Smaug (Cumberbacth) from the Lonely Mountain, now the dragon seeks to destroy Laketown All of Middle-earth’s eyes fall on the mountain, as armies from all across the land come to fight for the promise of the enddless gold of Erebor.

This was a emotional film for both cast, fan, and movie goer alike, as the Middle-earth saga comes to a close, and Jackson wasn’t going to leave quietly. Due to the pleasing high quality of The Hobbit series so far, with ‘The Desolation’ proving to be a better instalment that the ‘Unexpected Journey’, many were confident that Jackson would be able to complete his legacy with great strength. The Hobbit series as been by far the best prequel series to date, not that there are many to choose from, but its certainly hasn’t followed the same story as the Star Wars franchise. There will always be a special place in our hearts for Frodo and Sam’s journey across Middle-earth, but we have been overjoyed to be taken on another adventure across J. R. R. Tolkien mythical land with Peter leading the way.

In true blockbuster movie series style, the finale instalment has to be big, it has to be dramatic, and it has to be violent. Well the story certain had the stage set beautifully for such a climax. Smaug (the Cumber) is loose in Middle-earth once more, and only Bard (Evans) stand between him and Laketown. As Bilbo and the dwarfs are helpless to stop Smaug descend upon the innocent villagers, Thorin starts his search for the Arkenstone, to crown himself King under the Mountain. Meanwhile as armies from all corners of Middle-earth approach the Mountain, Gandalf (the still grey for the moment) has discovered a terrible evil, a Necromancer (the Batch).

Differently to the climax of The Lord of the Rings, the journey of The Hobbit is finished as the film starts, Bilbo and the band of dwarfs have no where left to go, all that’s left to do is stand there ground, in true 300 style, with just one hobbit and thirteen dwarfs standing between all of Middle-earth and Erebor. Bur following in the same style of The Lord of the Rings, the final chapter is the most blood thirsty, with 45 minutes of this film solidly being taken up by a battle sequences, many fans going into the theatre knowing this, if they had there homework. Certainly for the younger followers of the franchise this was no issue, but did this mean that the character drama and emotional value of the film would suffer. Well it was clear from the outset that Jackson wanted to make this last instalment to be as dramatically impressive as possible, as nothing would be worse than a wimpish finale bow. Well no one can say that this film ends the saga quietly, as seeing Smaug descend on Laketown, and the battle for the Mountain between the five armies commence, did make for blistering entertainment. If anyone thought that The Hobbit sequel had been missing the large scale battles that The Lord of the Rings was so famous for will be very happy, a truly thrilling motion picture event. Unfortunately the battle for the five armies did lack in the emotion that made the return of the king such a brilliant ending to that trilogy. The chemistry between Frodo and Sam, and Pippin singing as the rider go to there immanent death, to list a few of the moving scenes from the return of the king that made it such a rich film to watch. This presence of story was not as poignant.

Despite this, to conduct not just such a large scale dramatic film, but to guide a motion picture legacy to a close is not a easy task by any stretch of the imagination, and Peter Jackson performed beautifully. If nothing else this film can be remember as Jacksons finale bow to the saga, and such an achievement will secure him in the history for cinema forever (regardless of the fact that Middle-earth saga has picked up a total of seventeen Oscars and been nominated for a further thirteen other Academy Awards). And Jackson did not falter in this chapter at all, the battle sequences where beautifully orchestrated, and yet again displayed the characters and world of Middle-earth flawlessly.

Most of the character development of this film focused on Thorin Oakenshield and Bilbo Baggins, giving less attention to the other characters disappointingly, making for some of the non-battle sides of the film to be slightly rushed. But Freeman and Armitage performed very well with the large amount of screen time that they had. Bilbos character maturing with the journey much the same as Frodo was given great life from Freeman’s performance, changing from the innocent quiet hobbit from the shire into the slightly corrupt barer of the ring has been a joy to behold for a second time due to Freeman’s performance. Thorin being the other main character the story focuses on as a key point develops as the power and pressure of being (self appointed) King under the Mountain. Armitage performance has proved to be entertainingly charismatic making him stand tall next to original cast members such as McKellen and Bloom. The amoutn of time devoted to these characters meant that we missed out on many other of the characters stories, something which was not a issue in The Return of the King.

So the emotional drama from the characters which made The Return of the King so impressive as a fantasy flick, does not have quiet the same presence in this finale. But its almost impossible to compete with a film which won a record breaking eleven Oscars. So maybe comparing the two trilogy’s, the original wins, as originals almost always do. But the discarding the originals existence, The Hobbit Trilogy is an masterful creation, and this ending chapter does the series justice.  The Hobbit Trilogy has been good enough to ignore the fact that three films have been squeezed out of just one book. And The Battle of the Five Armies is as thrilling an poetic ending to a saga as anyone could hope for.

Verdict : A sensationally spectacular show down, which scale enough for an entire trilogy. Not the best instalment from the saga, but The Hobbit story has been another beautiful journey through middle-earth. The Middle-earth saga shall be missed.

Verdict : 4/5

Quote : “Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books, your fireplace. Plant your trees, watch them grow. If more of us valued home above gold, it would be a merrier world.”

Review: Into the Woods

Released: 9^th January 2015

Certificate: PG

Director: Rob Marshall

Screenwriter: James Lapine & Stephen Sondheim

Cast: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Huttlestone, Lilla Crawford

In a storybook kingdom, some familiar tales are brewing. There’s a girl with a red hooded cape, a boy with a cow, a young woman cleaning up after her stepsisters and a young couple wishing for a child. Their respective desires will lead them into a dark and forbidding wood where their paths will intertwine, and singing will ensue.

Adapting theatre to the big screen is always a tricky prospect. On the plus side, the director can direct the audience’s attention precisely where they want, and the myriad of camera angles, special effects, and often (increased) star power can add up to a truly unique experience. However, it also brings challenges: how to make a film of a play truly cinematic, and what to do without the peculiar alchemy that comes courtesy of having something enfold, live, before the eyes of the audience. Adapting musicals is doubly difficult as there’s the need to make the audience believe that a collection of people would spontaneously decide to sing their feelings. The canon of Hollywood adaptations of stage musicals seems to be firing blanks at least as often as it scores direct hits. Weirdly enough, Into the Woods falls somewhere in between.

Part of the problem is that Into the Woods is more of a light opera than a musical, and struggles to overcome the challenges of a less toe-tapping libretto. Some of the longer songs drag a little despite the cast being generally more than equal to the demands of the score. Although the film proves that an all-star line-up doesn’t necessarily equal a five-star movie, there are some fantastic performances here. Emily Blunt is perfectly cast as the resourceful baker’s wife, and is able to play up the comedic and melodramatic elements while still delivering a subtle and cinematic performance. James Corden is also charming and the scenes with both of them are some of the film’s best. Meryl Streep valiantly shoulders plenty of heavy lifting narrative- and music-wise, and the younger cast (Daniel Huttlestone as Jack and Lilla Crawford as Red) both seem perfectly at home amongst the Hollywood heavy-hitters. The only real non-sequitur is Jonny Depp as the Wolf, which smacks of stunt casting and is rather overplayed.

Rob Marshall, who proved his musical mettle with 2002’s slick Chicago, delivers inconsistently here. The faster-paced songs like Act 1 Prologue and Your Fault are skilfully done, with winding camera angles injecting pace and showcasing the actors’ talents. However, the Princes’ duet Agony feels stodgy and stagey, and the sequence involving Red’s rescue from the Wolf just bizarre. Although the fairytale elements benefit from cinematic VFX (the Witch’s entrances and exits are suitably spectacular), the giants- surely a major selling point as they’re so hard to render onstage-are weirdly brushed over.

Although perhaps this is fitting as, in true fairytale style, it’s not about the giants. It’s about rules (and breaking them), longings, misconceptions, the shadow of the past and the shimmering mirage of the future, and being careful what you wish for. The scariest things in the woods aren’t the monsters, they’re the choices we’ve made and the choices that are still ahead of us. Despite the missteps, Marshall and co. understand this and the overarching theme of the piece is able to shine through, buoyed by solid (at times exceptional) performances and enough directorial verve to keep everything moving.

Verdict: 3/5

Image credit: movies.disney.com

Review: Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Released: 1^st January

Certificate: 15

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Screenwriters: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo

Cast: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifanakis.

As the old saying goes, if you bring a gun onstage in act one it sure as hell better go off in act three. In director Iñárritu’s frenetic exploration of the psyche of an ageing blockbuster star a prop gun is not only brought onstage but is waved around and accused of looking too fake. Misinterpreted Chekhovian proverbs aside, this motif encapsulates the tone of Birdman: irreverent, postmodern, with the adrenaline-fuelled pulse of a thriller pumping steadily at its periphery.

Riggan Thomson (imbued with quivering exasperation by Keaton), former star of the Birdman popcorn franchise, has now burnt through his money and is seeking to stake a claim to credibility by writing, directing and starring in a Broadway play. However, standing in his way are a jumble of obstacles, not least his own guttering grip on reality. He is haunted by the voice of his former character, who seems to have nothing more complementary to say about him than the journalists and critics (amongst them Lindsay Duncan delivering a stunningly scabrous performance) who seem affronted at Thomson’s attempts to gatecrash the supposedly serious and noble tradition of theatre.

The irony, gleefully explored by Birdman, is that the theatre, not least Riggan’s narcissistic and demanding co-star Michael Shiner (Edward Norton), is just as fraught with pitfalls and nonsensical non sequiturs as tinseltown. As the camera follows Riggan through the green rooms, corridors and lighting rigging of the theatre (few sequences take place outside of it), panning to catch a conversation or take in action happening in a wider frame, the audience becomes part of Riggan’s perceptual state. Time shifts unevenly- a pre-rehearsal conversation gives way suddenly to the first preview night- and fantastical elements appear and dissolve, creating an enjoyable puzzle surrounding what might be real and what might be imagined. The imagery gleefully oscillates between ethereal and earthy, with one conversation between Riggan and his ex-wife (Amy Ryan) taking place while he lies prone on the countertop in his grungy dressing room in an eerie facsimile of a wake. That is not to say the film ever becomes languorous or dreamlike in an obvious sense. On the contrary, Antonio Sanchez’ corybantic drum score drives the action forward as Riggan and co. hurtle towards opening night, and the disaster or salvation it may bring.

The ensemble of strong performers and equally strong characters elevate Birdman, allowing the script to have its intended impact. Zach Galifanakis excels in a rare straight-man role as Thomson’s frazzled producer, Jake. Emma Stone makes everything looks easy beyond daughter Sam’s intimidating fortress of eyeliner, and makes an impact beyond the modest amount of screentime the story allows her. Supporting thesps Lesley (Naomi Watts) and Laura (Andrea Riseborough) nurse motivations and insecurities of their own while the collaboration-cum-rivalry between Riggan and Shiner (creatures composed entirely of motivations and insecurities), which threatens to bubble over both on and offstage, is a joy to watch.

All of this adds up to a spectacle of skilfully deployed chaos which waxes philosophical without taking itself too seriously, offering a satirical commentary on the business of theatrical entertainment. Admittedly, it sometimes gets a little caught up in its own excesses (a kiss between Lesley and Laura is hard to interpret as anything but pure voyeurism), and the lack of racial diversity in the cast is concerning. However, overall it is a very enjoyable piece. Cinéastes will relish tying themselves in knots attempting to unpick the clues to interpreting the cheekily ambiguous ending, while everyone else can just enjoy being along for the ride.

Verdict: 5/5

Image credit: youtube.com/user/FoxSearchlight

Mini Review: The Boxtrolls (2014)

Released: Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and on demand 26^th January 2015

Certificate: PG

Directors: Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi

Screenwriters: Irena Brignull, Adam Pava

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Jared Harris, Dee Bradley Parker, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Ellie Fanning

In a pseudo-Victorian city perched precariously on a mountaintop, the residents are plagued by night-time invasions of marauding trolls out to steal their possessions and their children- or are they? The latest stop-motion animation from Laika studios (Coraline, Paranorman) rattles along gleefully, bringing a cast of plucky youngsters, dastardly villains, and preoccupied, cheese-obsessed aristocrats along for the ride. The worlds above and below ground are well thought out and eye-poppingly detailed, and the gags are good. Any kids with a predilection for the macabre will be thrilled with the grottier-than-average rendering of the world of the titular beasties. Unfortunately, the film’s message of tolerance is marred somewhat by a failure to challenge the stereotypical association of male-to-female cross-dressing with deception and villainy. This is a great disappointment in a picture which is otherwise warm-hearted, funny and visually arresting.

Verdict: 3/5

Quote: “The unspeakable has happened. We must speak of it at once!”

Image credit: theboxtrolls.co.uk/gallery