Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - 1991 - Kevin Costner, Alan Rickman.

Action-packed but poor.

Kevin Reynolds' Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) has come back to England from the Crusades with Moorish protector Azeem (Morgan Freeman), only to find his father and estate destroyed by the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). Forced into Sherwood Forest, Robin comes across a band of warriors (merry men), including Little John (Nick Brimble) and Will Scarlet (Christian Slater), who need a leader to go up against the Sheriff’s devilish reign of power. 

It must be said although  Prince of Thieves is at times completely entertaining and compelling, Kevin Costner's only positive surround the lead role is that he looks fairly athletic. I understand that it's been noted before but how an actor of any worth can go into a role such as Robin Hood and not even attempt the English accent. Russell Crowe managed to keep a fairly consistent (although quite poor) English accent throughout the 2010 version, and the lack of any attempt just cuts down any believability in the role.

However, not all acting was poor throughout this film as Alan Rickman and Morgan Freeman carry this film. Alan Rickman's over-the-top performance allows him to steal every scene with a performance that at times brings a certain amount of humour to a film that has the ability to be excellent but never gets any better than average.

Even with being littered with poor performances and with such slow, pedestrian direction from Kevin Reynolds; there are good action sequences to keep the audiences entertained. When Robin's band of merry men launch their attack on the Sheriff of Nottingham, yet some of the action is just farcically unrealistic (EG being propelled over a wall), it is hugely entertaining and a marvellous spectacle.

Rickman and a few good action sequences make this film entertaining, without them, the film would be un-watchable.

J.Henderson.

5.5/10.

Inglourious Basterds - 2009 - Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz.

Quality Tarantino.

Inglourious Basterds follows Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his group of 'basterds' as they invade Nazi-occupied France with the mission to claim Nazi scalps. The basterds team up with German actress Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) when they learn that the Nazis will be attending the French premiere of "The Nation's Pride," a German propaganda film based on the heroic tale of Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Brühl). The Basterds hatch an explosive plan to use the premiere to wipe out as many Nazis as they possibly can; yet with diabolical Col. Hans ‘Jew Hunter’ Landa (Christoph Waltz) on their case, would the plan go off as expected. (no pun intended).

Tarantino yet again does a film the way he wants to, and with Inglourious Basterds he writes his own history. As expected, the script and dialogue is phenomenal, heavy, but extraordinarily good. The characters he writes are incredible to watch on screen, and he yet again casts beautifully. However, what stops Basterds from being up their will Pulp Fiction is that the segments that the film is split into, doesn't quite fit together as sweetly as Pulp Fiction did. This film feels more like a bunch of sequences just placed together rather than one individual film, whereas with Pulp, although split into different stories, the sequences fit together so nicely that it worked brilliantly.

As with all Quentin Tarantino, the actors chosen are sublime with the stand-out performance going to Christoph Waltz. Waltz's Hans Landa takes evil to a new level as he interrogates his victim with such confidence, such calmness, that he provokes fear from his reputation and ruthlessness. Landa's personality oozes charm with a straight shooting malice (in four language) that is just outstanding to watch. Hugely deserving of the Oscar for best supporting actor and the making of this film.

For any die-hard QT fan this film will not disappoint. Will it polarize the audience? Possibly.

J.Henderson.

8/10.

The Town - 2010 - Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner.

A very slick crime thriller.

Set in Boston, The Town follows the life of bank robber Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck). After a bank robbery Doug keeps an eye on the manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), the only person who could identify his gang. Doug begins the fall for Claire,  which allows the FBI become closer to capturing his gang, including loose cannon and long time best friend James 'Jem' Coughlin (Jeremy Renner). As the gang plan their biggest robbery yet, will they be able to complete the job or will the FBI intervene?

The Town is slick from start to end with great writing, great pace and a great cast. At the helm of all three is director, writer and lead actor Ben Affleck who proved that Gone Baby Gone was no fluke with this crime thriller that will definitely keep you entertained. The actors do well to deal with the inadequacies in the script, with the chemistry between Hall and Affleck allowing the love story to not be farcical.

Plaudits must go the Jeremy Renner whose performance as the hot-headed Coughlin is simply sublime. Renner's quick-fire temper and rash actions add another and much needed dimension to Affleck's gang of robbers.

Affleck may not give a phenomenal script or brilliant personal acting display, but his work behind the camera is top notch.

J.Henderson.

7/10.

Se7en - 1995 - Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt.

A hugely powerful Hollywood thriller.

David Fincher gives us Se7en, a true Hollywood thriller centred around Det. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a homicide specialist only one week away from his retirement. However, his retirement must be put on hold for one last case as he teams up with up and coming detective David Mills (Brad Pitt); a fiery newcomer who is only in the big city after persuading his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) to make the move. Mills' first case and Somerset's last turns out to be the case of their lives, a case that would change the lives of both men. A devilish serial killer is on the loose, committing his vile acts in accordance with the seven deadly sins. Can the new police pairing catch the psychotic killer before he takes more lives?

Se7en is a vast improvement on David Fincher's Alien 3 as unlike the dull sci-fi Se7en is a chase movie that has real purpose and confidence. The film has a fast pace that continuously builds as the brutality grows, with the shock value peaking at the films climax. The secrecy surrounding the villain is a tool that creates great intrigue and suspense, an aspect that helps make the film the success that it is.

The main cast (including villain who cannot be named) is on top form. Morgan Freeman successfully portrays a man who has learnt much from his years as a homicide specialist, a man who knows the harsh cruelties of life. He gives off the vibe of someone weathered due to his job, yet someone who just can't let it go. Contrary to this, Brad Pitt's eagerness and naivety that he gives the David Mills creates a pairing that just compliment each other. The arrival of the villain changes the whole dynamic of the film, showing a darker and more urgent side to Somerset and Mills. Furthermore, the killers arrival adds a much needed boost at the perfect time.

A powerful and extremely suspenseful thriller that will not disappoint.

J.Henderson.

7/10.

A Clockwork Orange - 1971 - Malcolm McDowell.

Disturbing and dark look on a near future society.

A Clockwork Orange follows the life of young man Alex (Malcolm McDowell) and his 'Droogs' who spend their nights drinking at the Korova Milkbar and then going out into the night to cause mayhem, embarking in 'a little of the old ultra-violence'. After a run in with the law, Alex is sentenced to prison, once inside he is offered a way of getting out early in the shape of a behaviour modification treatment. The treatment uses Alex's beloved 'Ludwig-van' against him, causing great psychological pain whenever subjected to violence. On being released back into the real world, and confronting all those he had done wrong to in the past, would he be able to stay out of trouble?

This film oozes Kubrick, from the camera work to the distinct use of sound. Any Kubrick fan would definitely not want to miss this picture. Malcolm McDowell (If... , O Lucky Man!) gives a defining performance, portraying Alex as the almost psychotic, sex crazed animal that consumes the opening half of the film, only for him to effortlessly transform into the innocent, helpless young man that develops during the behaviour modification treatment. On reflection, it's hard to believe it is the same man.

A Clockwork Orange is not however for the faint hearted. It's opening 15 minutes is littered with multiple rapes and beatings, shown in vivid detail. Kubrick gives a hugely stylish film filled with immense strong and powerful content. This doesn't let up throughout the film, as even with Alex's treatment comes horrific violence. Some could argue his treatment is a form of torture, and although the film is set slightly in the future, there is no way this form of treatment would ever be used. I don't want to give away any spoilers but in the main treatment scene, where tools are used to keep Alex's eyes open, Malcolm McDowell actually cut one of his corneas causing temporary blindness. Furthermore, in one of the more violent scenes, McDowell actually cracks a few ribs.

A powerful and quite disturbing film, not to be missed by any Kubrick followers.

J.Henderson.

7/10.

The Last King of Scotland - 2006 - Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy.

Enthralling and horrific.

Director Kevin MacDonald gives us The Last King of Scotland, which is the story of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) as seen through the eyes of his private physician Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy). After taking the job as the personal doctor to Idi Amin, Nicholas soon realises that he is trapped in this position after witnessing the horrors that take place at the hands of the evil dictator.

The Last King of Scotland gives us an immensely violent and vivid portrayal of Uganda under the rule of Idi Amin. The film uses fictional protagonist Nicholas Garrigan and places him into the history books to tell the story of one of the most vicious tyrants of all time. James McAvoy's portrayal of a young Scottish doctor, looking to help with African poverty is a tragic one. Nicholas' transformation from naivety to fear is one that is extremely well performed by McAvoy. However, the stand out performance is that of Forest Whitaker. He delivers a flamboyancy that manipulates not only Nicholas but also the audience, as at no point can you detract your eyes from Whitaker's Amin. As the film progresses, and especially throughout the last quarter, Whitaker's showman-like personality solidifies into complete terror and rage. It is this seemingly effortless transformation that gave Forest Whitaker the Oscar. An electric performance.

The Last King of Scotland impresses throughout, definitely one of the top films of 2006, successfully crafting a mixture between a biopic and thriller.

J.Henderson.

7.5/10.

Layer Cake - 2004 - Daniel Craig, Michael Gambon.

Slick and stunning Craig.

Layer Cake follows the life of  XXXX (Daniel Craig), a nameless drug dealer who keeps the system flowing whilst managing to make his fortune. XXXX wants out, but it was never going to be that easy as his boss, Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham), has a couple of jobs that need to be done. First of all, the daughter of mob boss Eddie Temple (Michael Gambon) has managed to get hooked on drugs and is nowhere to be seen; Jimmy tells XXXX to find the girl and bring her back before Eddie's men get involved. The second job centres around ecstasy dealer Dragan (Dragan Micanovic) who has had a large shipment robbed by Duke (Jamie Foreman); Jimmy needs XXXX to get the ecstasy back to Dragan, however Duke isn't  going to easily sell and Dragan's patience is wearing thin. In attempting to complete these final jobs, XXXX is unsure whether he'll be able to get out of this business alive.

Layer Cake opens, much like crime sensations Casino and Goodfellas, to narration, and in this case, narration from Daniel Craig. What allows this film the be the success it is, is Craig. He portrays a man intelligent in his surroundings, knowing that he is running a business, aware of the job that needs to be done and that although he is breaking the law, if he does his job properly and efficiently, there will be no problems. Craig perfectly conveys these feelings throughout the film, oozing the determination that will hopefully lead to the retirement he always wanted. This film was the perfect audition for Bond, and through watching Layer Cake you can see why he was given the role. 

First time director Matthew Vaughn (producer on Lock, Stock and Snatch) takes the reigns on this project due to Guy Ritchie's busy schedule, and proves that he belongs in the directors chair. Although the film doesn't have the same spark as Snatch or Lock, Stock, I feel that that is partially down to the script which at times becomes too long-winded and tries to over complicate itself. Nonetheless, it makes up for any frailties with a top draw ending.

Stylish and slick from a killer Daniel Craig. 

J.Henderson.

7/10.

Trance - 2013 - James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel.

Too much going on.

Trance centres around art auctioneer Simon (James McAvoy) who, along with Frank (Vincent Cassel) and his gang, plan to rob a Goya painting worth in the region of £25 million. However, after suffering a serious blow to the head during the robbery, Simon cannot remember where he hid the painting, or even why he hid it. In an attempt to gain back the lost memories, the group seek the help of hypnotherapist Dr. Elizabeth Lamb (Rosario Dawson) who delves into the deepest parts of Simon's mind. The deeper she delves into Simon's subconscious, the more we start to find out that suggestion can be a powerful tool.

I would like to start with the positives of this film as they are quick and simple. What stops this film from being a travesty is the solid acting of the main cast and the stunning direction that has become standard of Danny Boyle. James McAvoy delivers a character quite puzzled with his life, confused throughout a large portion of the film with his true colours being revealed as the film progresses. While Cassel, putting a lot into the role, begins as the macho leader of the heist, yet through time his vulnerabilities are displayed for everyone to see. As mentioned Boyle shows his stunning innovation once again, providing camera angles that most directors would not even think of. For one particular shot he has the camera facing out of McAvoy's trouser pocket, something that surprisingly works.

What let Trance down so heavily was the story itself. The amount of information jammed into the 101 minutes of film is extraordinary. This is hard to explain without spoilers, but Trance just doesn't make up its mind regarding genre. The film has large elements of heist, romance, thriller, comedy, everything. It is not that the film is confusing or overly complicated, but at times it feels that it is almost trying to over complicate itself.

I find that instead of the big twist revealing itself at the end, resulting in a timely explanation of what had been seen throughout the film, the twist appears within the first 30 minutes and then engulfs the film from then on rather unsuccessfully. Furthermore, due to the films confusion regarding which avenue it wants to go down, some of the turning points and important moments in the film pass by too quickly. I must stress, it is extremely hard to give away anything about this film without spoilers, which turns out to be another problem of putting far too much information into this relatively short film by modern standards.

Trance would definitely benefit from adding on at least another 45 minutes of film. Maybe Boyle's Olympic preparations took up a bit too much of his time.

J.Henderson.

5.5/10.

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Trainspotting - 1996 - Ewan McGregor.

Shocking, stylish and simply superb.

Danny Boyle's Trainspotting follows the life of Edinburgh lad Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), a young man addicted to heroin with not much else going on in his life; yet that's how he likes it. Mark hangs round with his 'so called mates' Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) and Spud (Ewen Bremner), who are also heroin addicts, and Begbie (Robert Carlyle), a psychotic, near alcoholic who will jump at the first hint of a fight. After kicking the heroin after a few close shaves with the law Mark moves to London, only for his mates to come straight down after him and persuade Mark back into the world of drugs.

Trainspotting stylishly highlights the isolated effect of heroin addiction with Mark Renton orchestrating us through the troubles of his life, pointing out that once hooked everything else in the world becomes mundane. Ewan McGregor delivers a performance I still believe is his best. He portrays a man who knowingly leads a pathetic and useless life, yet uses the highs of heroin to pick him up from the darkest corners of his existence. Boyle uses these severe changes in emotion to deliver some of the deepest moments of the film, not to mention some of the funniest.

Danny Boyle displays a full range of innovative direction throughout this film with sequences touching on the surreal. A perfect example of this is 'the worst toilet in Scotland' scene where Mark Renton seems to swim into the toilet so that he doesn't loose his gear. This stylish and darkly amusing scene shows the trouble that an addict would go to in order to secure their next score.

I feel a major part of the films success is down to its cast, with the supporting roles all performing well. Jonny Lee Miller gives Sick Boy a subtle sense of intelligence via his extreme knowledge of James Bond, whilst Robert Carlyle's Begbie steals every scene due to his unpredictability. Ewen Bremner perfectly shows Spud for what he really is, a simple chap who just follows his friends.

A shocking yet stylish Danny Boyle film that for me is one of the most influential films of the 90s. One of the best British films of all time. 

J.Henderson.

9/10.

The Imposter - 2012 - Frederic Bourdin.

Terrifying.

The Imposter is the devastating true story of Nicholas Barclay, a thirteen year old boy who went missing on June 13th 1994. Three years later it is reported that he has been found in Spain. Understandably overwhelmed with joy, his family come to get him and bring him home, however, all is not as it seems. The boy found in Spain speaks with a strange accent and has a different eye colour, yet the family fail to notice these glaring differences. It's only with further investigation that things begin to be seen for what they really are. How is it that Frederic Bourdin, a twenty three year old Frenchman, convinced this Texan family that he was their sixteen year old son? Or did he?

This documentary shows Frederic Bourdin and the family in question telling their sides of the story. This is a man who has taken on many identities in a very short time, but how deep do his crimes go? Bart Layton delivers a powerful documentary that highlights how easy it can be to get what you want, providing you are convincing. Furthermore, Layton does well to show how Bourdin's talent of deception can not only be destructive, but also self-destructive, in that his addiction to lying is, more than anything, an illness.

When watching The Imposter you are constantly asking yourself questions about the family, bewildered at how they cannot see the obvious inconsistencies between Nicholas and Frederic. Yet, the overall issue from this film is whether or not the family simply wanted Frederic to be their Nicholas so much that they couldn't believe that he was anybody else, or whether something more sinister was going on.

Layton creates a documentary that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The terrifying events that occur during this film flow so brilliantly that the thrill created is just as gripping as any Hollywood thriller ever created. My favourite documentary of 2012.

J.Henderson

9/10.

The Negotiator - 1998 - Kevin Spacey, Samuel L Jackson

Great suspense in this flowing thriller.

The Negotiator opens to hostage negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L Jackson) successfully retrieving a young girl from the hands of her gun-crazed father resulting in him receiving great praise from both the media and the police. However, things go horribly wrong when his long-term partner, who has evidence of embezzlement throughout the police department, is murdered. Due to Danny being on the scene only moments later, he becomes the prime suspect in the murder. In order to prove his innocence, Danny turns from hostage saver to hostage taker, requesting the impartial hostage negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) to look over his case. Will Danny be able to prove he has been falsely accused?

The Negotiator is captivating from the outset. It's a film centred around the subtleties of language, what to say and what not to say in a certain situation, with Kevin Spacey and Samuel L Jackson having a solid war of words. Both Spacey and Jackson play good, family men, who are experts in the art of persuasion, not surprising when you consider how well they deliver dialogue. The film uses a lot of close ups of the two fighting it out to be in control, yet this does not make the film overly heavy in dialogue due to quick pace and emphasis put into each line from the two leading men. Spacey and Jackson definitely allow this thriller to stand out from others that have come before it.

Adding to the great acting is the screenplay by James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox which is intelligent and fascinating, with clear research going into the skill of negotiation. My favourite example of this is in a scene when Jackson gives one of his classic speeches in reference to eye language. Director F. Gary Gray creates a film that simply flows, establishing tension during the first scene and then never letting it go, and due to this, you can forgive the use of some obvious clichés.

A strong thriller that won't disappoint.

J.Henderson

7.5/10.

Tomorrows review, Welcome to the Punch (2013).

Jack the Giant Slayer - 2013 - Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor

It is what it is.

Jack the Giant Slayer is the story of a legendary war between humans and a race of deadly giants from up in the sky, that has accidentally been reignited by a young farmer named Jack (Nicholas Hoult). As in the fairytale, a beanstalk connects earth and the land of the giants, only this time, there are an army of giants instead of just one, and they want to claim earth for themselves and have brought the fight to King Brahmwell (Ian McShane) and his military guardian Elmont (Ewan McGregor). Jack becomes apart of the fight through love for adventure, and new-found love for the Princess (Eleanor Tomlinson). Can Jack defeat those he believed only existed in legend?

Director Bryan Singer gives us his adaptation of the Jack and the Beanstalk tale, trying to match the efforts of those that have come before him; Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Huntsman etc. If you went only on box office figures you would think that this film is only living in the shadow of the fore-mentioned smash-hits, however, I feel that Jack the Giant Slayer is with out a doubt one of the better fairytale films of recent times. Not only is the film extremely fun, not trying too hard to be over sophisticated and play to the adults in the audience, but it also delivers a villain much different to that of the fairytale. There is no blubbering idiot stumbling around due to the sheer size of it, instead, the giant warriors are lead by the wonderful Bill Nighy, with the story also giving the giants a purpose and an interesting back-story.

Although the dialogue is very, very dull, and the 3D quite pointless, the general effects used are phenomenal and do a great job at covering up the frailties of the script. The story itself is also well put together, just as any Bryan Singer film (The Usual Suspects (1995) and X-Men (2000&2003)), with fun side-sequences cleverly complementing the overall storyline.

Jack the Giant Slayer is what it is, a fairytale. The film is essentially a fun cast having fun, and with the huge amount of action involved, any adult wanting to take their children won't be too bored. Oh, and if at any moment you manage to see Ewan McGregor not looking immaculate, please let me know. No amount of getting beat-up or soaking wet manges to stop him looking top-notch.

J.Henderson.

6.5/10

Tomorrows review, Jack the Giant Slayer (2013).

The Prestige - 2006 - Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman.

Completely gripping and mysterious.

The Prestige is set in Victorian London, a place where magic was insisted by many to be true. The film starts by showing Alfred Borden (Bale)  and Robert Angier (Jackman) acting as fake volunteers for a magic show, where Angier's wife, Julia (Piper Perabo) was the lovely assistant for the Water Torture box trick; as done by the great Houdini. However, in this one show, Borden happened to tie the knots too tightly around Julia's wrist and she couldn't escape from the box. This event sparked an everlasting feud between Angier and Borden, with Christopher Nolan's The Prestige telling the story of such a hatred of one another, and how it became that Borden was standing accused for the murder of Angier.

In this movie, Christopher Nolan is doing what he does best, making an audience think. I see this as a great thing, Nolan is clearly a director that needs a beginning, middle and an end, but he very rarely uses them in that order. From the word go, The Prestige is bringing the audience in, making them ask questions of what they are viewing on the screen. Nolan himself is creating his own illusion, with the film never actually being all that it seems, waiting for as long as he possibly can until revealing the answers behind all the questions.

Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale's roles in this film complement each other extremely well. Even though they share a small amount of screen time, the interactions you get with one following the other or slyly looking from the wings give out such an array of emotion that the audience doesn't miss the too and fro of quick dialogue. The supporting cast is also on top form with Michael Caine playing Alfred the butler, sorry, no, Cutter, the mechanic behind the magical machines. Caine's performance gives off the same dignity that we know so well from Nolan's Batman Trilogy.

The Prestige is truly gripping and mysterious, but what else do you expect from a Christopher Nolan film?

J.Henderson.

8/10

Red Dawn - 2012 - Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck

Simply awful.

Red Dawn stars Chris Hemsworth, and is centred around a city in Washington that awakens to the sight of North Korean troops dropping from the sky. Before they knew it, the citizens of the city were taken prisoners and their town was under new rule. A group of young patriots find a hideout in the surrounding woods and manage to train themselves into a capable group of fighters, using their high school mascot to call themselves the Wolverines, and attempt to win back their freedom and stop the invasion.

Nice to see that Hollywood are now remaking average films as well! Red Dawn offers nothing new and definitely does not improve on the 1984 film which starred Patrick Swayze. You can't help but feel sorry for Chris Hemsworth, who signed on for this film before he had made it into the star he is today with Thor and Avengers. His performance is okay, no damage done to himself, but not enough to save the film from its simply awful acting and story.

My main issue with this film is the lack of identity for the enemy. With only one, Captain Cho (Will Yun Lee), actually getting a name! Furthermore, it seems to me as though it is just a bunch of North Koreans running around doing very little, not even being able to stop a bunch of kids with guns. There is no political reasoning behind the attack from the North Koreans that I can see, and all this does is disengage the audience from the story. There is no way the audience can invest in a true villain if you know nothing of them or their motives.

First time Director Dan Bradley has previously worked as a top stunt coordinator, and you can tell. Red Dawn gets into the action way too quickly, not allowing for any story to development or introduce any significant details and relationships between the characters.

The lack of overall character development completely stops this film from being anything other than woeful.

J.Henderson.

2/10.

Tomorrows review, Red Dawn (2012).

Compliance - 2012 - Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker.

A horrifying, believable thriller.

Compliance is the dramatisation of true events, over 70 cases in the last decade in fact, whereby supermarkets or fast-food chains across America would receive a phone call from somebody claiming to be the police. The officer would state that a member of staff stolen and requests that a strip search be carried out. In certain cases this was taken much further than a strip search.

Becky (Dreama Walker), is a young till-worker at a fast-food franchise called 'Chickwich'. Becky is called into the back by boss Sandra (Ann Dowd), and complies with the demands of Officer Daniels (Pat Healy), who is actually just a quiet family man living miles away. The events that follow are horrifying and, for the most part, believable, something which just adds to the terror on screen.

Craig Zobel (director and writer), delivers a film that is deeply shocking, highlighting the disgusting actions of a person so sick, so troubled, that they would sink to such petty pleasures. The mood of the film stays at such a low for a large portion of the film, yet, towards the end, looses its way as Zobel tries to keep the audience in a shocking grip.

Overall the casting and acting is very strong, with Dowd and Healy giving compelling performances. Dowd's portrayal of a manger just following the will of authority is at times heartbreaking. Her facial expressions scream uncomfortable, yet she always acts through her duty. Walker's performance is the only slight disappointment, as she gives the abused Becky too much strength.

A deeply shocking independent film, one that should not be missed.

J.Henderson.

7/10.

Tomorrows review, Compliance (2012).

Stolen - 2012 - Nicolas Cage, Josh Lucas.

Just watch Taken (2008) instead.

A bank job worth $10 million goes wrong for Will Montgomery (Cage) and Vincent (Lucas). In the wake of the failed robbery, Vincent was presumed dead and Will had burnt the cash they had stolen in order to get a  lesser sentence. On being released from prison after 8 years, Will finds that Vincent is still alive and has 'stolen' his daughter (Sami Gayle), demanding Will get him his $10 million.

If you have seen Taken, then you know what's going to happen. This rip off of the 2008 success starring Liam Neeson is so woefully dumb, with shots of Nicolas Cage running like he has got pins and needles in his legs taking up a large portion of the film. It seems that the film doesn't even mind displaying that it is a complete rip off of Taken, although there are some differences. Firstly, the film is not set in Europe, but in New Orleans, and Mardi Gras. Secondly, Will's daughter isn't taken by a terrifying sex trafficking ring, instead, she is taken by a one-legged taxi driver who is also missing a few fingers. Not exactly a villain you can get on board with.

The film is ridiculous, with acting so over the top its farcical. For me, the worst piece of film acting throughout the film (and it's a long list) is right at the end of the film. Nicolas Cage has a block of gold, worth roughly $300,000. He knows the FBI are listening and watching him, so he decides he's going to fool them and pretend to throw the gold into a lake. His acting at this point, especially when acting out the throwing movement, is disgusting. I would expect more in a pantomime, in fact, that is what the scene becomes with FBI agents repeating "throw it," "don't throw it," "throw it," "don't throw it."

There is not much else I can say other than if you're planning on watching a Nicolas Cage film, stick to ones like Con Air and The Rock.

J.Henderson.

2/10.

Tomorrows review, Stolen (2012) - Nicholas Cage

Identity Thief - 2013 - Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy.

Ridiculous but funny.

Identity Thief is a story centred around Sandy Patterson (Bateman) whose identity is stolen by con artist Diana (McCarthy). Diana (if that's her real name) uses up Sandy's credit cards, resulting in the police getting involved and Sandy almost losing his job when his wife, Trish (Amanda Peet) is expecting their third child. Due to a lack of police help, Sandy must travel down to Florida to get Diana and bring her back Denver to prove to the authorities and his boss (John Cho) that they have the wrong person.

The running joke throughout the film is surrounding the name Sandy, highlighting that it is a female name, with Bateman insisting that it is unisex. Funny at first, the joke becomes predictable and boring, lazy from screenwriter Craig Mazin in my opinion. I find that great jokes were hard to come by throughout the film.

McCarthy delivers a solid performance, doing as she has done before, using her physique for comedic effect. Diana is constantly getting beat around throughout the film, yet always manages to get up, seemingly without a scratch. During the film Diana gets run-over, been inside a flipping car and beat over the head with a guitar. Talk about tough. McCarthy's comedic talents are on full display during the scene when Diana first meets Trish Patterson once Sandy has managed to get Diana to Denver. Diana has a woman-to-woman chat with Trish ensuring her that whilst on their way back home her and Sandy didn't get up to any funny business, not forgetting to go into as much vivid detail as she can. Hilarious as always.

Bateman and McCarthy make the film what is it, without them, the films only bright moment would be the scene with Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), watch out for him. I wouldn't buy the DVD.

J.Henderson.

5.5/10.

Tomorrows review, Identity Thief (2013).

Broken - 2012 - Tim Roth, Cillian Murphy.

Accomplished debut, even with a poor script.

Making the move from theatre to feature, Rufus Norris gives us Broken, a drama film centred around a young diabetic girl named Skunk (Eloise Laurence) and her father, Archie (Tim Roth). On starting a new school year, everything seems to be going wrong for Skunk as she gets bullied, looses her boyfriend and favourite teacher and struggles to cope with her dad's new relationship.

Amazingly, this film does very well to place moments of happiness and joy in with the truly disturbing issues depicted throughout the film. Damon Albarn's soothing, indie music goes hand-in-hand with the joy of Skunk when she is hiding out in her 'lair', yet adds meaning to the moments of despair. With the dark content that has been explored, there are stand out performances from 13 year-old Eloise Laurence and the phenomenal Tim Roth. Cillian Murphy is also on good form, steering away from the villain to play Skunk's favourite teacher who is in the middle of a break-up and is also being accused of having sex with a minor. Norris does well to highlight these disturbing subjects whilst not offending the audience. 

The main issue with this film is the script by Mark O'Rowe. Adapted from a 2008 book by Daniel Clay, the film, only 90 minutes long, concentrates on too many characters, with too many separate stories. The characters involved seem to be fighting for attention, each trying to top one another with whose life is the worst. Unsure of whether this is completely down to the script, or a combination of script and first time director.

A solid directorial debut. Great cast, great ending.

J.Henderson.

7/10. 

Tomorrows review, Broken - 2012 - Tim Roth

Zero Dark Thirty - 2012 - Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke.

A true thriller.

After the 9/11 terror attack in 2001, Osama Bin Laden had been named Most Wanted by the CIA. In the course of the next decade, intelligence analyst Maya (Jessica Chastain) attempts to track down a courier who she believes to be Bin Laden's right-hand man, a man who could possibly lead the CIA to their goal. In 2011, Maya believes she has not only found the courier, but also Bin Laden. 

Bigelow and Boal have again team up, after the brilliant modern day war epic The Hurt Locker, and have presented us with "the story of history's greatest manhunt for the world's most dangerous man" - as it has been dubbed. However, in parts, I feel the film is over dramatized, in particular Jessica Chastain's character, Maya. Although Chastain, yet again, gives a tremendous performance, at times the character is just overly dramatic and unbelievable. Before the death of Bin Laden in May 2011, Bigelow and Boal were working on a film which would highlight the struggle that the US have faced in their attempt to capture the founder of al-Qaeda. Once his death was announced, they soon realised they needed to start again, and, as such, have a central figure. Maya is presented, at the start of the film, fairly tame and quiet, yet as the film progresses she quickly develops into the grand heroine who hounds her superiors in order to keep the hunt for Bin Laden alive when nobody else seems to care. The tipping point of complete farcical dramatization was during Maya's face-to-face meeting with White House aide (James Gandolfini), who she needs on her side in order to be able to act on her intel of Bin Laden's whereabouts. When asked who she was by Gandolfini, she replies, "I'm the mother f***er who found this place, sir". Get real. 

Believe it or not, these horribly cring-worthy parts of the script didn't too badly effect the performance given by Chastain. At times, her ruthlessness in the face of her superiors maintained the pace in the story, making a two and a half hour film fly by. I further respect Bigelow for her depiction of torture following the 9/11 attacks. Instead of covering up any immoral act from US officials, Bigelow confronted them head on, something which has since caused some controversy in the US, especially with those (namely Naomi Wolf) who feel that torture should always be depicted as ineffective and immoral. 

For me, Zero Dark Thirty is only worthy of its Oscar nominations due to the final third of the film. The operation put in place on the 'fortress' (as Mark Duplass' character calls it) where Bin Laden is hiding out is a superb and thrilling piece of film-making. Tensions are visibly high, in one shot, the heavy breathing of one of the Navy SEALs is highlighted. Although a small touch by the director, it all adds to the gripping nature of the final scenes in the film.

Zero Dark Thirty definitely simplifies the operation that was put in place to capture and kill Osama Bin Laden, but, for the most part, it works. 

J.Henderson.

7/10.

Tomorrows review, Zero Dark Thirty (2012).

Amour - 2012 - Emmanuelle Riva, Jean-Louis Trintignant.

A devastating, powerful film.

Amour is a love story centred around the lives of Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva), a couple forced to deal with degenerative illness. The pair are first seen together as part of an audience to a music concert, and from then, they dominate the film. Other than a few appearances from daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert), and few others, the film is set as a two-person drama. 

When Anne suffers a stroke, Georges ensures that he does everything he can in order to keep her safe and  comfortable while her degeneration progresses. As time goes on, Anne's condition worsens, how can she carry on this way? What sort of life is this? Anne's mental state changes along with her physical one, becoming less compliant with Georges as he tries to feed and water her. Will love carry this couple forward?

The acting from Trintignant and Riva is simply superb. Trintignant plays a man unconditionally devoted to his wife, quietly doing his duty, telling stories from his past, constantly comforting and never giving up. Riva somehow manages to get across the pain and suffering of a woman who is plagued by loss of memory and emotion with extremely limited means of doing so. Her performance is thrilling, and truly heartbreaking. I feel the Academy Award for Best Actress should have been hers. 

Director Michael Haneke creates a tremendously personal atmosphere throughout this film. Once Anne's illness forces her to use a wheelchair, the camera doesn't leave the apartment. Haneke does not shy away from the use of motionless camera during this film, whilst cinematographer Darius Khondji does a fantastic job of keeping the audience involved in the heartbreaking story. Haneke has created a film so intimate, so relaxed and pure in its approach, that Amour will not be forgotten any time soon.

An upsetting but pure film. A must-see. Would of been my choice for Best Picture at the Oscars.

J.Henderson.

9/10. 

Tomorrows review, Amour (2012).