paddington
The bar has been raised when it comes to kids movies. It used to be that to make a decent kids movie studio execs filled them with ear bleeding noise and techno sick colours and, if they had time, chuck in a half baked story and there you have it. Some still do this and should be avoided however, these days, to make a great kid's flick it has to work on several different levels. Think Incredibles (something for the kids to relate to - check and something for the adults - check). Think The Lego Movie (kids, check, adults - check) and now let's look at Paddington.
Paddington is a fabulous movie, not a fabulous kid's movie, it is a fabulous movie. This was on Amazon Prime video as part of their "exclusive to" line. It was Saturday afternoon and good things had been heard about Paddington when it popped up at the cinema so I thought I would dip my toe. As always when watching these types of films I had my trusty target audience, family member as my wing man.
Most things about Paddington ooze class. From the beautiful cinematography/set design to the highly enthused cast. The story is a gentle one and eases you into caring for the little Peruvian bear with credit going to Ben Wishaw for voicing Paddington in an intelligent style. No silly voices, just perfect casting and high quality acting. The other cast members play the whole story straight which lets the comedy flow from the performances rather than being manipulated to the audience. Big shout outs to Hugh Bonneville who is the wonderfully straight laced Mr Brown, the head of the family who take Paddington in and Nicole Kidman who plays the villain (trust me, no spoilers, all that is missing from her outfit is a SWAG bag). The others actors make the film work so well also and include Julie Walters, Sally Hawkins and Peter Capaldi (aside the accent, Peter) to name a few. The cast is a roll call of British talent and it lends a richness to the film.
There are clever little adult nods in the movie but it is not over crowded with them. At times I have felt movies have tried that wee bit too hard at engaging the adults and filled them with double meanings and references that distract rather than entertain. Paddington has found the correct balance. The special effect work, like the story, is never overstated and always hits the mark.
Paddington also stays away from movie clichés. When you expect something to happen in the story because you have seen it in other kids movies, Paddington takes you in a different direction which brings a freshness to the story and makes you concentrate that bit harder making sure you enjoy it that bit more.
What was the view of my wingman? Well he enjoyed it and when asked what he enjoyed, he explained that he enjoyed the whole movie. Now normally, you would get a very specific thing when asking this which makes me think that other elements where weaker. With Paddington, it seems the whole movie was enjoyable to him and he felt entertained from beginning to end. Praise indeed.
There is a warm feel to Paddington and ideal to sit down to whether you have children or don't. It is a slice of what the British film industry can do at its best and I am very much looking forward to a sequel to see what they do next. Looks like the bar (Bear)has been raised yet again.
Rating - 9.5/10, 0.5 off, sorry Peter, what accent are you doing?
Paddington is a fabulous movie, not a fabulous kid's movie, it is a fabulous movie. This was on Amazon Prime video as part of their "exclusive to" line. It was Saturday afternoon and good things had been heard about Paddington when it popped up at the cinema so I thought I would dip my toe. As always when watching these types of films I had my trusty target audience, family member as my wing man.
Most things about Paddington ooze class. From the beautiful cinematography/set design to the highly enthused cast. The story is a gentle one and eases you into caring for the little Peruvian bear with credit going to Ben Wishaw for voicing Paddington in an intelligent style. No silly voices, just perfect casting and high quality acting. The other cast members play the whole story straight which lets the comedy flow from the performances rather than being manipulated to the audience. Big shout outs to Hugh Bonneville who is the wonderfully straight laced Mr Brown, the head of the family who take Paddington in and Nicole Kidman who plays the villain (trust me, no spoilers, all that is missing from her outfit is a SWAG bag). The others actors make the film work so well also and include Julie Walters, Sally Hawkins and Peter Capaldi (aside the accent, Peter) to name a few. The cast is a roll call of British talent and it lends a richness to the film.
There are clever little adult nods in the movie but it is not over crowded with them. At times I have felt movies have tried that wee bit too hard at engaging the adults and filled them with double meanings and references that distract rather than entertain. Paddington has found the correct balance. The special effect work, like the story, is never overstated and always hits the mark.
Paddington also stays away from movie clichés. When you expect something to happen in the story because you have seen it in other kids movies, Paddington takes you in a different direction which brings a freshness to the story and makes you concentrate that bit harder making sure you enjoy it that bit more.
What was the view of my wingman? Well he enjoyed it and when asked what he enjoyed, he explained that he enjoyed the whole movie. Now normally, you would get a very specific thing when asking this which makes me think that other elements where weaker. With Paddington, it seems the whole movie was enjoyable to him and he felt entertained from beginning to end. Praise indeed.
There is a warm feel to Paddington and ideal to sit down to whether you have children or don't. It is a slice of what the British film industry can do at its best and I am very much looking forward to a sequel to see what they do next. Looks like the bar (Bear)has been raised yet again.
Rating - 9.5/10, 0.5 off, sorry Peter, what accent are you doing?
twin town
Twin Town is not glamorous. It doesn't have big stars and it doesn't have high gloss locations (sorry, Swansea). What Twin Town does have is heart and a tongue firmly in its own cheek.
I discovered TT around the time of Trainspotting (no comparison intended however it does share some parallels, more on this later) and rented the video from the ice cream van(yep, that's how it used to be done where I lived, boys and girls). It has a collection of colourful characters running through a few interconnecting stories. The Swansea location lends itself to a dry sense of realism and humour that only could be generated from working class roots. In many ways the location is the star performer in this film. It delves deep into Welsh stereotypes and pokes occasional fun at them without being disrespectful, mirrored in one of the start up scenes with a Welshmen, a Scotsman and an Englishman, no joke.
As part of the ensemble cast we have Dougray Scott and Rhys Ifans. Both seem a bit bigger than the movie, which is evident in hindsight. Scott forms a love/hate relationship with the audience. He is uncomfortable to watch. He doesn't play a dirty cop, he plays a positively filthy one and on reflection is the lynch pin of the movie. Ifans, well, is Ifans. He has not exactly had to stretch his acting wings since this but to fair to him, TT was one of his first Ifans type roles. He's entertaining, but no one expected him to take this role forward and still be doing it 20 years later. There are a couple of nice cameos and a rare film outing from the late Brian Hibbard of Flying Pickets fame (Only You, Christmas number 1, 1983). The other actors are well cast and play to type, some for humour and some for story transition purposes.
The soundtrack is eclectic, picking out some classics and placing them against the grain of the story so that you are aware that they are there. TT mixes the musical styles majestically as it ranges from Petula Clark to a Welsh male voice choir.
TT is a low budget, British movie that propelled two actors onto bigger, better things but it is disappointedly it didn't reach more people at the time. It also suffers from time unfortunately in that we have all seen this type of film made with a lot more care and precision since. It is written and directed by Kevin Allen and there are Executive Producer credits for Danny Boyle and Andrew McDonald (Trainspotting and 28 Days Later). This is a strictly 18 certificate movie. For a comedy/drama it uses its full quota of colourful dialogue, sex scenes, drug references and general debauchery. It is a graphic movie but it has to be to give colour to the story and add to the gritty realism of some very likeable and unlikeable characters.
I did see this back in the day of videos and at the time had a great fondness for it hence buying it on DVD. The fondness is still there but on viewing it recently the film seemed boxed in and parochial. It has less ambition than similar films of the time. It tells a story, has a few laughs and then gets out of Dodge. A movie worth watching if it is on TV of an evening. Be warned this is Swansea, warts and all so keep the kids away.
Rating - 7.0/10, 1.0 off for poor marketing, 1.0 off for time capsule moments, 1.0 off for Rhys Ifans, in hindsight.
I discovered TT around the time of Trainspotting (no comparison intended however it does share some parallels, more on this later) and rented the video from the ice cream van(yep, that's how it used to be done where I lived, boys and girls). It has a collection of colourful characters running through a few interconnecting stories. The Swansea location lends itself to a dry sense of realism and humour that only could be generated from working class roots. In many ways the location is the star performer in this film. It delves deep into Welsh stereotypes and pokes occasional fun at them without being disrespectful, mirrored in one of the start up scenes with a Welshmen, a Scotsman and an Englishman, no joke.
As part of the ensemble cast we have Dougray Scott and Rhys Ifans. Both seem a bit bigger than the movie, which is evident in hindsight. Scott forms a love/hate relationship with the audience. He is uncomfortable to watch. He doesn't play a dirty cop, he plays a positively filthy one and on reflection is the lynch pin of the movie. Ifans, well, is Ifans. He has not exactly had to stretch his acting wings since this but to fair to him, TT was one of his first Ifans type roles. He's entertaining, but no one expected him to take this role forward and still be doing it 20 years later. There are a couple of nice cameos and a rare film outing from the late Brian Hibbard of Flying Pickets fame (Only You, Christmas number 1, 1983). The other actors are well cast and play to type, some for humour and some for story transition purposes.
The soundtrack is eclectic, picking out some classics and placing them against the grain of the story so that you are aware that they are there. TT mixes the musical styles majestically as it ranges from Petula Clark to a Welsh male voice choir.
TT is a low budget, British movie that propelled two actors onto bigger, better things but it is disappointedly it didn't reach more people at the time. It also suffers from time unfortunately in that we have all seen this type of film made with a lot more care and precision since. It is written and directed by Kevin Allen and there are Executive Producer credits for Danny Boyle and Andrew McDonald (Trainspotting and 28 Days Later). This is a strictly 18 certificate movie. For a comedy/drama it uses its full quota of colourful dialogue, sex scenes, drug references and general debauchery. It is a graphic movie but it has to be to give colour to the story and add to the gritty realism of some very likeable and unlikeable characters.
I did see this back in the day of videos and at the time had a great fondness for it hence buying it on DVD. The fondness is still there but on viewing it recently the film seemed boxed in and parochial. It has less ambition than similar films of the time. It tells a story, has a few laughs and then gets out of Dodge. A movie worth watching if it is on TV of an evening. Be warned this is Swansea, warts and all so keep the kids away.
Rating - 7.0/10, 1.0 off for poor marketing, 1.0 off for time capsule moments, 1.0 off for Rhys Ifans, in hindsight.
WHO DARES WINS
I vaguely recall my family owning this on Betamax video back in the day (trendsetters that we were). It was one of the original titles that we bought and the actual video tape of Who Dares Wins probably cost, at the time, the equivalent of a yearly subscription to Amazon Prime which is where this was found for this review. There is no mistake, this is a period piece. Who Dares Wins is firmly stuck in early 1980's Britain. If you were to name a movie from this era, Who Dares Wins or The Final Option (as IMDB calls it) would not be the first one that comes to mind. It wouldn't even rank in the top fifty for most. WDW is low budget, reasonably well acted and takes itself very seriously.
The late Lewis Collins (The Professionals) plays SAS Captain Peter Skellen. He is sent undercover to infiltrate the People's Lobby, a anti-nuclear peace party who may have (no spoilers - plot is burst in the first 10 minutes) terrorist leanings. Collins is an interesting choice of leading man. You don't get a lot of depth of character from him but you don't really need it either. He grunts and growls his lines like a retro action hero should. There is a Bondesque feel to him and I believe at the time he fancied his chances for that role. Strangely, I think it would have worked. There are a couple of wobbles from Collins such as the scene where he "seduces" the main antagonist Frankie Leith, played by Judy Davis. It could have done with a retake or two as it is straight out of the Austin Powers "How to chat up birds" handbook. On reflection, was Roger Moore's Bond any different?
The film is desperately dated. Collins's fellow Special Air Services crew look old and saggy. They are more like the Home Guard (Dad's Army, anyone?) than Bear Grills. If this film was made today the cast would have been put in months of intensive training instead we have overweight, middle aged SAS personnel running around like kids with make believe machine guns. You do expect them to make the machine gun noise when shooting (people of a certain age reading this, you know the noise..).
There is a sprinkling of star quality in the supporting cast with Edward Woodward, Tony Doyle and Maurice Röeves who lend a certain authenticity to it all and play it very straight. There is also a clever little technique used in old horror movies where the film makers enlist a big movie star or two to be in the movie in minor roles which is what they do with Robert Webber and Richard Widmark. By putting them in the cast, the movie marketers could advertise both their names and image on the video cover. A bit sneaky, I agree, but great at drawing the attention of the video rental customer.
The whole thing feels like a SAS recruitment drive with a social commentary. The fact that the film is saying that war is bad but yet the SAS are sent in to sort out the mess gives off a slightly mixed message. Perhaps they are saying war is bad in the wrong hands? When it comes to the overarching message it's less Who Dares Wins and more Who Really Cares? The players do well although slightly panto villain from some and the musical score reminded me of 1970's wallpaper, the more exposure you get to it, the more you start feeling sick. There is a nostalgic, kitsch quality that makes this move weirdly watchable and fun. Like me, if you fancy a wee dip into the early 1980's British film industry, take a peep folks.
Rating - 6.5/10, 1.0 off for Austin Collins, 1.0 off for the score, 1.0 off for the saggy SAS, 0.5 for the movie growing old disgracefully.
The late Lewis Collins (The Professionals) plays SAS Captain Peter Skellen. He is sent undercover to infiltrate the People's Lobby, a anti-nuclear peace party who may have (no spoilers - plot is burst in the first 10 minutes) terrorist leanings. Collins is an interesting choice of leading man. You don't get a lot of depth of character from him but you don't really need it either. He grunts and growls his lines like a retro action hero should. There is a Bondesque feel to him and I believe at the time he fancied his chances for that role. Strangely, I think it would have worked. There are a couple of wobbles from Collins such as the scene where he "seduces" the main antagonist Frankie Leith, played by Judy Davis. It could have done with a retake or two as it is straight out of the Austin Powers "How to chat up birds" handbook. On reflection, was Roger Moore's Bond any different?
The film is desperately dated. Collins's fellow Special Air Services crew look old and saggy. They are more like the Home Guard (Dad's Army, anyone?) than Bear Grills. If this film was made today the cast would have been put in months of intensive training instead we have overweight, middle aged SAS personnel running around like kids with make believe machine guns. You do expect them to make the machine gun noise when shooting (people of a certain age reading this, you know the noise..).
There is a sprinkling of star quality in the supporting cast with Edward Woodward, Tony Doyle and Maurice Röeves who lend a certain authenticity to it all and play it very straight. There is also a clever little technique used in old horror movies where the film makers enlist a big movie star or two to be in the movie in minor roles which is what they do with Robert Webber and Richard Widmark. By putting them in the cast, the movie marketers could advertise both their names and image on the video cover. A bit sneaky, I agree, but great at drawing the attention of the video rental customer.
The whole thing feels like a SAS recruitment drive with a social commentary. The fact that the film is saying that war is bad but yet the SAS are sent in to sort out the mess gives off a slightly mixed message. Perhaps they are saying war is bad in the wrong hands? When it comes to the overarching message it's less Who Dares Wins and more Who Really Cares? The players do well although slightly panto villain from some and the musical score reminded me of 1970's wallpaper, the more exposure you get to it, the more you start feeling sick. There is a nostalgic, kitsch quality that makes this move weirdly watchable and fun. Like me, if you fancy a wee dip into the early 1980's British film industry, take a peep folks.
Rating - 6.5/10, 1.0 off for Austin Collins, 1.0 off for the score, 1.0 off for the saggy SAS, 0.5 for the movie growing old disgracefully.
WATCHMEN
I came to Watchmen the comic very late in geek life, it was not one of my seminal rite of passage moments. It was only when the film was being made did my interest stir. Watchmen the movie was kicking around development hell for a long time with the likes of Kevin Costner and fellow (at the time) A listers being attached to play the group of superheroes that make up the group known as The Watchmen. Be warned, this is not your standard, family, wholesome, "good for all ages" movie. This is strictly an 18 certificate film. So if you prefer - Avengers after dark.
Suspend your belief for a second (I ask a lot of you in this review site, I know) and think what psychological problems would real superheroes have? What damage has been done in their youth that made them become who they are? And who could stop them if they went bad and took justice in their own hands (Batman gone very bad)? There you have it, dear reader, in a nutshell, The Watchmen. Watchmen is set in the 80's (always a good thing) but it's not the neon pop sock 80's, this is grimy, sleazy, pre apocalyptic 80's. The Cold War is boiling over and superpowers are brandishing arms.
Zack Snyder took a gamble developing such a much loved comic into a film that is filled with capes but yet not for kids. Does it work? The simple answer is largely, yes. There are segments of Watchmen that the pacing dips although there are a whole lot more positives in the 162 minutes running time than negatives.
The cast are well selected, going for the lesser knowns but trading star quality for people who can actually give you gritty and real. Patrick Wilson as Night Owl, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the sadistic Comedian and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach are the standouts and each sell the twisted nature of the superhero. Matthew Goode and Billy Cudrup come a close second and although slightly less interesting characters, they still retain my attention. The female characters are a tad underdeveloped which is disappointing as there is a deep psychosis bubbling under the surface waiting to be exploited but they don't really come to anything, instead placing them in the "pretty to look at" category. Perhaps a reflection on 80's culture?
The story is strong. There is a whodunnit plot running in the background while exploring the origin story of the main players, very difficult to achieve both in the same movie but it works well giving balance to each element. The violence is well placed and appropriate. There are no POW's and KABAMs in Watchmen. When a bone breaks, you see it in graphic detail. The soundtrack is superb and grabs poignant songs from the eras and places them expertly in the story. Watch out for Simon and Garfunkel's Sound of Silence folks, I can't think of better selected and placed song in a movie.
I enjoyed Watchmen thoroughly and would recommend this to everyone. This is what a Martin Scorsese cape film would look like. In fact, scratch that, this is what a Zack Snyder cape film looks like. It is the forerunner to Man of Steel (see previous reviews) and you can see Snyder practicing techniques and styles. To reiterate, this is not for kids, but it's not just for fan boys either. It gives a whole different take on the "supers" and opens up the genre to the masses. If you missed this in the movies, try to grab a view of this as you may be surprised how intelligent and adult a cape film can be if taken seriously.
Rating - 8.5/10, 0.5 off for partial underdevelopment of the wonder women, 1.0 off for pacing issues.
Suspend your belief for a second (I ask a lot of you in this review site, I know) and think what psychological problems would real superheroes have? What damage has been done in their youth that made them become who they are? And who could stop them if they went bad and took justice in their own hands (Batman gone very bad)? There you have it, dear reader, in a nutshell, The Watchmen. Watchmen is set in the 80's (always a good thing) but it's not the neon pop sock 80's, this is grimy, sleazy, pre apocalyptic 80's. The Cold War is boiling over and superpowers are brandishing arms.
Zack Snyder took a gamble developing such a much loved comic into a film that is filled with capes but yet not for kids. Does it work? The simple answer is largely, yes. There are segments of Watchmen that the pacing dips although there are a whole lot more positives in the 162 minutes running time than negatives.
The cast are well selected, going for the lesser knowns but trading star quality for people who can actually give you gritty and real. Patrick Wilson as Night Owl, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the sadistic Comedian and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach are the standouts and each sell the twisted nature of the superhero. Matthew Goode and Billy Cudrup come a close second and although slightly less interesting characters, they still retain my attention. The female characters are a tad underdeveloped which is disappointing as there is a deep psychosis bubbling under the surface waiting to be exploited but they don't really come to anything, instead placing them in the "pretty to look at" category. Perhaps a reflection on 80's culture?
The story is strong. There is a whodunnit plot running in the background while exploring the origin story of the main players, very difficult to achieve both in the same movie but it works well giving balance to each element. The violence is well placed and appropriate. There are no POW's and KABAMs in Watchmen. When a bone breaks, you see it in graphic detail. The soundtrack is superb and grabs poignant songs from the eras and places them expertly in the story. Watch out for Simon and Garfunkel's Sound of Silence folks, I can't think of better selected and placed song in a movie.
I enjoyed Watchmen thoroughly and would recommend this to everyone. This is what a Martin Scorsese cape film would look like. In fact, scratch that, this is what a Zack Snyder cape film looks like. It is the forerunner to Man of Steel (see previous reviews) and you can see Snyder practicing techniques and styles. To reiterate, this is not for kids, but it's not just for fan boys either. It gives a whole different take on the "supers" and opens up the genre to the masses. If you missed this in the movies, try to grab a view of this as you may be surprised how intelligent and adult a cape film can be if taken seriously.
Rating - 8.5/10, 0.5 off for partial underdevelopment of the wonder women, 1.0 off for pacing issues.
