Iron Man 3 Review

'Iron Man 3' is the latest addition to Marvel's movie universe. An admirable undertaking which up until now has produced a mixed bag of movies culminating in 'The Avengers'. Robert Downey, Jr. was perfectly cast as the heroic millionaire Tony Stark. But even with all his charm, he couldn't save the first two 'Iron Man' films from being decidedly lackluster. 

For the third film Jon Favreau handed over his directorial duties to Shane Black. This veteran screenwriter turned director provides a fresh take on the characters, injecting the humanity and urgency that was absent from Favreau's attempts. The majority of the film feels not only like the best 'Iron Man' but also like the best of the Marvel movies. Were it not for one fatal mistake.   

'Iron Man 3' starts off strong. After the events of 'The Avengers' Tony Stark suffers from anxiety attacks. In his troubled state he turns to his talents for relief. To protect himself and his love Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) he constructs countless new Iron Man suits. Tony's gradual descend into madness is interrupted when his friend Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is wounded in an explosion. 

The explosion turns out to be an attack perpetrated by The Manderin, a media savvy terrorist played to perfection by Ben Kingsley. Shaken by the near loss of his friend, Stark vows to have his revenge. Words that by the end of the movie he'll be sorry for. At the same time a fellow businessman named Killian (Guy Pearce) is found to have shady connections to the mad terrorist.  

So far, so good. The film has great energy and Downey, Jr. has some great moments as he is pummeled into submission. There's a lot of humanity in his performance and for the first time he spends more time outside his suit. But just when you're sure this movie is going to pull it all off there's an amazingly regrettable twist. A choice that undermines the entire movie. I'd suggest all those who have yet to see the film to skip the next paragraph.

In a mind-boggling, but no less funny, scene The Mandarin is revealed to be a hoax. The terrorist is really a Shakespearian actor hired to strike fear in the hearts of the West. Shane Black throws away a wonderful antagonist and replaces him with the boring secondary villain Killian. Who's now a genetically enhanced superman. There's intelligence behind this reveal, but it's just so dissapointing. If Kingsley's character had been  handled differently his Mandarin would have been iconic. 

The rest of the film suffers from this turn of events. After the fateful reveal it never truly attains the level of entertainment present in the film's first half. I guess Shane Black thought his bad guy switcheroo was inspired but instead the audience is cheated out of a better film. It's especially painful since the rest of 'Iron Man 3' is so incredibly good. It reminds me of Roger Ebert's famous statement: ''Each film is only as good as its villain.''

Oblivion Review

Young director Joseph Kosinski based his latest film on a graphic novel he co-wrote with Arvid Nelson. He didn't expect the story to be adapted to the silver screen until Tom Cruise showed his interest. Typically, the production proved to be a lot easier to get off the ground with a major star attached. 

'Oblivion' is stuffed with ideas. Many of which would've made great movies on their own. It's characteristic of many storytellers making their start. The apparent inability to restrain themselves. They try to cram as much of their ideas into a single story as they can. This isn't always a bad thing but in the case of 'Oblivion' it does pose a challenge to the viewer. For every scene in the latter half of the film features at least one plot twist.

'Oblivion' starts off slow. It's 2077 and Cruise's character reveals the specifics of Earth's fate. Sixty years earlier Earth was attacked by an alien race known as the Scavengers, Scavs for short. Humanity fought back with its nuclear arsenal. It won the war but the world was left uninhabitable. The remaining humans decided to colonize Titan and harvest their home planet's natural resources. 

A team of technicians, Jack Harper and Victoria Olsen, are stationed on Earth to protect these operations from the remaining Scavs. Aiding them are a group of drones, overgrown flying iPhone's with guns. Anyone who's seen '2001: A Space Oddysey' will know that these red-eyed robots are up to no good. Everything appears to be going smoothly for Jack and Victoria until a spaceship crashes to the surface. The female survivor is of significant importance to Jack, who remembers her from his recurring dreams. 

To say more would spoil one of film's most enjoyable traits. For 'Oblivion' is a most unpredictable movie. Some twists are downright ridiculous and far fetched but curse me if they aren't entertaining. Another highlight is the look of the future technology. The vehicles and robots are fantastic in their design. The surface of our planet, once green and alive, is turned into a barren wasteland. Here and there we catch a glimpse of the past in the ruins of skyscrapers, football stadiums and libraries. 

Tom Cruise is credible as the level-headed technician Jack Harper. He's confident in his role as mankind's protector but at the same time he sees that not all is as it seems on planet Earth. Andrea Riseborough does a good job as Harper's partner and lover, willfully ignorant of the truth. The character of Olga Kurylenko isn't as well-developed. She drops into the second act of the film and doesn't seem to be much more than a plot device to get the story going. The ever enjoyable Morgan Freeman brings nobility to the leader of a bunch of cave-dwelling rebels. 

Your enjoyment of 'Oblivion' will depend on your tolerance for far fetched sci-fi ideas. Every few minutes a new idea is thrown at the audience without leaving much time for them to digest the implications. However if you don't mind the twists and like to see some top notch special-effects you'll have a good time with 'Oblivion'. It won't be remembered as a great science-fiction film but it's still a good one. 

Oz the Great and Powerful Review

Before entering the theater to see 'Oz the Great and Powerful' I came upon a note stuck to the doors of the place. The note informed the audience of a curious fact. The first twenty minutes of 'Oz' are presented without colour and in a different screen format. To film fans the allusion is obvious, and quite charming, but apparently cinemas feel the need warn casual filmgoers of this dramatic deviation.

''Only black-and-white in the first act of the movie? That's unheard of!'' The theater owners might have thought. Well actually, there was a little film which employed this trick way back in 1939, it was called 'The Wizard of Oz'. 'Oz the Great and Powerful' serves as a prequel to that film. It chronicles the arrival of the charming con artist Oscar Diggs to the magical Land of Oz. Upon his arrival Theodora the Witch of the West mistakes him for the Wizard whose coming was foretold in a prophecy.

Like Neo, Anakin, Aragorn and Harry before him, Oscar goes forth to fulfill his destiny. There's just one problem, Oscar's a fake. He's a cheap magician who delights in fooling those gullible enough to believe him. During his quest he falls in with a comical flying monkey, a girl made of china and two more witches. He joyfully poses as The Wizard until he hears what is expected of him. According to the prophecy he's destined to kill the Wicked Witch. By now Oscar realizes he's in over his head. His first instinct is to escape Oz, but thanks to his interactions with its inhabitants he finds he might just have it in him to be The Wizard.

'Oz the Great and Powerful' is directed by Sam Raimi. Who's better known for his nasty horror films and the first trilogy of 'Spider-Man' movies. His franticly comedic style is a nice fit for the Land of Oz. One of the most interesting things is the colourful way the world is created for this film. Some of it is deliciously old-fashioned. I believe I even spotted a matte painting of the Emerald City in there! The visuals aren't as messy as in Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland'. The film itself is also far more involving and fun than Burton's efforts.

The story itself is promising but half way through it becomes deriative. Why does every fantasy movie require a great final battle? It might have something to do with 'The Lord of the Rings'? Those movies built up to a spectular confrontation with an ultimate evil. However, such a conflict feels awkward in a good-natured world like Oz. I had the same problem with 'Alice in Wonderland', which also jammed a war into its final act. It's a shame they took this well-worn path yet again for 'Oz the Great and Powerful'.

Fortunately the film features a good protagonist. James Franco shines brightly as Oscar, an endearing schmuck of a man. Here, the actor displays a previously undiscovered sense of wit and slimy charm. Mila Kunis is less convincing as Theodora, a good witch with a broken heart. Kunis looks like she belongs on a catwalk instead of in Oz. Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams are fine as the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch, respectively.  

'Oz the Great and Powerful' is perfect for those looking for a fun bit of fantasy entertainment. It's better than recent re-imaginings like 'Snow White and the Huntsman', 'Hansel & Gretel' and 'Alice in Wonderland'. It also makes good use of the otherwise loathsome 3D format. Sam Raimi has delivered an adequate fantasy adventure with some nice nods to the classic 'Wizard of Oz'.  

Lincoln Review

Steven Spielberg has been busy on his Abraham Lincoln project for quite a few years. Initially he had Liam Neeson in mind for the role of the 16th President of the United States of America. But when Neeson claimed to be too old for the part, the role went to Daniel Day-Lewis. After seeing 'Lincoln' it's hard to imagine any other actor portraying this historical figure.

'Lincoln' is an important film. It's not just a history lesson, it's also an impressive dramatical achievement. A movie about the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment could've been boring as a rock. Fortunately, Spielberg and his screenwriter Tony Kushner find real suspense in the final months of Lincoln's life. It's not just the immense importance of abolishing slavery that captures our interest, nor is it the conclusion of the American Civil War, it's the story of a steadfast group of individuals. People who used, and sometimes abused, the political system to do the right thing. 

At the center of this group is Abraham Lincoln, who, by now, is regarded as an icon of democracy. In 'Lincoln' we see him with his family and we see him struggle with the death of his second son, Willie. These scenes, accompanied by John Williams' solemn score, are at the heart of the film. It's as if, for the first time, we are able to see past his historical  importance, and experience that Abraham Lincoln was very much a man like any other. There's a gentleness to this film that seems to be directly inspired by Lincoln's character. 

'Lincoln' will be remembered as one of the finest collections of performances in film history. Daniel Day-Lewis transforms into Abe Lincoln. From the moment he appears on screen his presence dominates the picture. He captures an intellectual, who is no stranger to suffering, nevertheless he has a fine sense of wit, demonstrated by the handful of shaggy dog stories he tells during the film. Sally Field is remarkable as Lincoln's grieving wife Mary Todd. Her confrontation with Tommy Lee Jones is one of the movie's highpoints.

All performances in 'Lincoln' are rock solid. Some of Hollywood's most prominent actors bring their best, and the dialogues, of which there are many, are impressive and suspenseful. But of all supporting actors Tommy Lee Jones stands out as the Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens, a lifelong abolitionist. Surprisingly, the most  heartwarming moment in 'Lincoln' belongs to this tireless grouch. 

Spielberg's film will not appeal every viewer. Many scenes consist entirely out of political debates and conversations. The issues are no less important, but if you're not interested in history you won't find much to enjoy in 'Lincoln'. Aside from that, the film runs a bit too long. There's a moment, about ten minutes before the actual ending, which would've been a perfect conclusion. Instead, Spielberg choses to include the night of Lincoln's assassination. It doesn't ruin the film per se, but I do feel it's a missed opportunity to end the film  in a most touching manner. 

Django Unchained Review

Sergio Leone's famous spaghetti western 'For A Few Dollars More' begins with the words: ''Where life had no value, death, sometimes, had its price. That is why the bounty killers appeared.'' These words do not feature in 'Django Unchained' but they would've fit in quite nicely in Quentin Tarantino's latest. Jamie Foxx stars as a freed slave who sets out to rescue his wife with the help of a German bounty hunter.

Like all of Tarantino's movies 'Django Unchained' is heavily influenced by the cheap exploitation films of the 60s and 70s. There's a lot of off-beat music and old fashioned camera movements and editing. The result is a eclectic film with many fantasticly executed scenes. However, 'Django' suffers from the same flaws as Tarantino's previous film 'Inglourious Basterds', more on that later. 

The acting is amazing, Tarantino knows how to the get the best out of his actors. Christoph Waltz excells as Dr. King Schultz, a man who switched jobs from dentist to bounty hunter. The German actor has a flair for eccentric but dangerous individuals. Foxx, on the other hand, is a more coolheaded. This might be due to fact that Django himself is the least interesting character in the movie. 

The main villains are Leonardo DiCaprio's devious plantation owner Calvin Candie and his most loyal slave Stephen, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Surprisingly, Stephen shares his master's convictions about the inferiority of African-Americans, even though he is a black man himself. Django and Schultz might not be the most honourable heroes ever to grace the silver screen, but Candie and Stephen are so twisted it's hard not to root for them. 

The duo devise an elaborate plan to free Django's wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from Candyland and live happily ever after. Of course, much like in 'Inglourious Basterds', things don't go as planned, resulting in a graphic, but terrific, shootout. I haven't seen gun battles as bloody as these since Paul Verhoeven stopped making movies in the US of A. 

Tarantino's filmmaking prowess allows for some great moments but he's hampered by an inability to rein himself in. Much like in 'Basterds' his dialogues, smart as they are, go on for far too long. It's too bad because, had 'Django Unchained' been shorter and more focused, it would've been a great film. On the other hand, the problems are less prominent than in 'Inglourious Basterds'.    

One thing must be said, Quentin Tarantino has balls. Once again he has dared to make a subject as potentially offensive as slavery into a revisionist take on history. Much like in 'Basterds' the bad guys get what is coming to them. We get to see what punishment the Calvin Candies of the world deserve. 

Still, the severity of their punishment will make most viewers feel uncomfortable and, in a way, it lessens the heroisms of our protagonists. That's the funny thing about stories of revenge, they might be enjoyable, but in reality they are not quite moral. Tarantino appears to say that creating a fictional payback might be one of the best and most harmless ways to settle the score with all of history's wrongs.    

Exclusive first look at 'The Wind is Watching'!

Conrad Faraj is the young director behind last year's 'The Shadow People', which I saw about a year ago. I ended that review with the words: 

I'd like for Faraj to continue his work and show us what more he can do. Because this film, even though it's a little rough around the edges, shows a lot of promise. 

Now it seems like I got my wish. Today Faraj released a poster for his latest film 'The Wind is Watching' just in time for the end of the world. The look is familiar and it reminds me very much of the images we saw in the campaign for 'The Dark Knight'. It's not a bad image to start from and it gives 'The Wind is Watching' a nice apocalyptic vibe.

Aside from the poster I also got to look at the trailer for 'The Wind is Watching'. It promises a dystopian thriller and much like 'The Shadow People' the film features a strong female protagonist. A young woman caught up in the midst of a Second Civil War in the United States of America. It's an interesting concept and the trailer certainly feels like a cross between 'The Hunger Games' and 'Children of Men'. I'm curious as to how our heroine factors into this world and what her story is. You can expect to be able to see the trailer for yourself pretty soon.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

We've been waiting a long time for 'The Hobbit' to reach the silver screen. Ever since the release of 'The Return of the King' people have been dying to see more of Middle-Earth. From all of J.R.R. Tolkien's writings 'The Hobbit' was the most likely to be adapted. It chronicles the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and shows how the Ring of Power came into the hands of a Halfling. 

Written well before 'The Lord of the Rings' this story is a lot more lighthearted. While the former book details a struggle against an immense evil in the form of Sauron, 'The Hobbit' features a less urgent conflict: A quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor which was taken by a dragon with a love for gold. A band of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) believe they are destined to free their land from Smaug the dragon. 

Bilbo Baggins enters the tale when the wise wizard Gandalf comes to him with a frightful proposition. He wishes for the hobbit to accompany him and thirteen dwarves on an adventure. For those who don't know, hobbits aren't adventuresome creatures. They prefer to live quiet and comfortable lives. However, after some convincing, curiosity gets the better of Bilbo and he's off on a dangerous journey. Their goal is to reach the Lonely Mountain and slay the dragon that hides there. 

Tolkien managed to tell this story quickly and economically. Director Peter Jackson, on the other hand, thought he needed three movies. With 'The Lord of the Rings' this was understandable, such a dense story needed room to breathe. With 'The Hobbit' this decision might lead to Jackson's undoing. The plot isn't suited for such a luxurious treatment and would've been more resonant had it been told in one (or two relatively short) films. 

The first chapter, 'An Unexpected Journey', feels like an extended cut. The entire first act is riddled with scenes that should have been removed. Many of these cover the same ground over and over and the film's pace suffers as a result. Some additions work wonderfully, like the prologue featuring the fall of Erebor at the claws of Smaug. Others, however, are so out of sync with the world Peter Jackson established in 'The Lord of the Rings' that you can't help but wonder what kind of mushrooms he was eating.   

That's my main gripe with the entire film. The film lacks focus because of the addition of material which doesn't have a direct influence on the central story. I understand why Jackson wanted to include the rise of Sauron into these pictures, but it should've been more subtle. Now the film constantly cuts way from our heroes to bother us with plot points that don't come into play until 'The Lord of the Rings'. It takes the urgency away from Bilbo's quest. 

As for poor Bilbo, his casting is a stroke of genius. Martin Freeman uses his comic sensibilities to great effect, bringing the ever so conservative hobbit to life. Ian McKellen must have been looking forward to these films as well. For his character, Gandalf the Grey, has a lot to do in 'The Unexpected Journey'. During this quest he's faced with the troubling appearance of a Necromancer in Middle-Earth. This mysterious figure proves to be an ancient evil seeking the power he once lost.

Then there's the company consisting out of an unwieldly number of dwarves. In this first story only a few of them get a real chance to shine. Thorin takes on a role not dissimilar from Aragorn in 'The Lord of the Rings', Balin (Ken Stott) is the kindly mentor and Bofur (James Nesbitt) the comic relief. The rest stumble along the sides of the frame without making an individual impression. But considering the crazy amount of characters this was very much expected. Luckily, the dwarves are easy to tell apart because of their distinctive looks. 

'An Unexpected Journey' features a beautiful presentation of Middle-Earth. Taking place before the shadow of Sauron falls falls over this world, it has never looked this colourful or fantastic. The design of the characters is also wonderful. The dwarves look great and the numerous other creatures are designed with a tremendous eye for detail. Gollum (Andy Serkis), especially, has never looked this good. The performance capture technology has taken great strides since the earlier films. 

Aside from some missteps 'An Unexpected Journey' is a welcome  return to the world of Tolkien. And I'm very much looking forward to 'The Desolation of Smaug' and 'There and Back Again'. There's less doom and gloom than in 'The Lord of the Rings', instead 'The Hobbit' has fun with the fantastic elements of Middle-Earth. The tone of the entire film could best be described as playful. For instance, there's a wizard named Radagast (Sylvester McCoy) who speeds through this movie on a sled pulled by bunnies. I can't say it works but it's the one image I took away from this movie. A vagrant Santa Claus outrunning orcs on a sled pulled by Easter Bunnies.