[4.25/10] Leap Year (2010)

Leap Year (2010)

Short review: "Leap Year" had all the proper ingredients for a good rom-com, but was fairly clumsy in the execution of the formula pieces. It lumbered along point-by-point, as if making the film from a manual on romantic comedy. Nothing wrong with a formula flick following a formula! But this one just didn't do it very well. As far as predictability goes, you can easily hazard a guess film's ending. Not all the magnificent cinematography, the remote towns dotted with quaint cottages and the warm Irish sense of humour can detract from the weak storyline. The movie has too many elements and underdeveloped characters to hook the audience. A disappointing performance by Amy Adams, who usually brings such comedic substance to a character. This one falls far short of what we have come to expect from her. It may be her cheesy lines or seeing her totter on extraordinary high heels throughout the movie that makes her character mind-gratingly annoying. Adams has shown that she has the chops to carry a picture, and Goode buttresses his part well enough, but somehow the anti-chemistry never dissolves into believable passion, and with the paucity of real humor, "Leap Year" turns out not to be either very romantic, or very much comedy.

• My Rating: 4.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 21% (4.1/10)
• IMDb: 6.1/10

[6.50/10] A Single Man (2009)

A Single Man (2009)

As a fashion designer Tom Ford has imposed his artistic merits in his directional debut of Christopher Isherwood's novel. Although "A Single Man" is a small film, spanning over a minimal time period, Ford has ensured that it still holds a significant level of beauty. The juxtaposition of colour and the contrasting lighting, switching between a black and white and a highly saturated colour scheme, engraves George in a world of uniformity and expectations, but also the beauty that is to be found in the ugliest of things. It is a shame given many of the film's stylish qualities that Ford has shown his inexperience as a filmmaker by lingering on these visual aspects. The first act of the film is leisurely paced because of Ford's insistence for slow-motion montages that shift in and out of colour and focus. It is certainly pretty, but it also remains a distraction from the film's core performances. Colin Firth, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, was in fact pretty great as the lonely and depressed George, but I don't think his performance was necessarily Oscar material. Julianne Moore has far too little screen time as Firth's one-time lover and now best friend. She does much with the little she's given, but her time on screen is more of a tease than anything else, tantalizing but leaving the audience wanting more, just like the rest of the film. "A Single Man" proves fashion designer Tom Ford to be a competent first-time director, but the film feels oddly slight and insubstantial, and is ultimately unsatisfying.

• My Rating: 6.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (7.3/10)
• IMDb: 7.9/10

[5.75/10] Harry Brown (2009)

Harry Brown (2009)

"Harry Brown"'s opening scenes set up the premise: Scumbags on an estate who are a drain on society. After this, prepare to be bored for the next 20 minutes or so, unless long drawn out, dialogue free, scenes of one man walking around, washing dishes, and looking lonely, get your heart racing. Whilst some further insight into the minds of the reckless youths on the estate would have been interesting, and possibly vital, the viewer is denied this, and all focus is on, the often silent, Harry. Although a few key things do happen, the first half of the movie is incredibly slow, and even though you can feel that something big will happen, eventually, you may become frustrated at the pace, and the extended scenes, and may even want to hit fast forward on the remote. The performances are film's saving grace, with Michael Caine impressive in the lead role, giving it the weight it needs for the film to even come close to working. The villains are also all very good, making the most of rather one-dimensional roles to appear menacing or pathetic in turn. Sean Harris in particular stands out as one of the creepiest bad guys ever seen on film. It is perhaps only with the police that things felt a little more forced, with some actors seeming a little awkward at times. Overall, "Harry Brown" is watchable, but do not expect some extreme entertainment or something that will blow your mind. Just watch and try to enjoy the few good things it has to offer.

• My Rating: 5.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 67% (6.0/10)
• IMDb: 7.5/10

[8.75/10] Kick-Ass (2010)

Kick-Ass (2010)

Aptly titled, "Kick-Ass" is an excellent comic book adaptation that proves that there is no stagnation in a superhero genre whatsoever. Based on Mark Millar's violent tale, "Kick-Ass" is directed by Matthew Vaughn, the filmmaker who happens to have a real knack for both, action movies and fantasies. It's more than evident in "Kick-Ass" and although the film has some problems with selecting the proper tone (it verges between campy comedy, dramatic piece and action spectacle), this is a gripping ride from start to finish. What makes this movie totally work and keep you entertained, is the likability of every character on screen. Part of this has to do with the writing, but most of it is the superb acting. Aaron Johnson shines in the lead role, by mixing vulnerability with a delightful down-to-earth personality that's easy to relate to. Nicholas Cage and Chloe Moretz delivered the best performances by portraying a sentimental and deadly father-daughter team that provided some of the best laughs and some of the heavier moments. Moretz is incredible, especially for someone her age; she isn't your typical kid that curses only for laughs - she can kick your arse twelve times before you hit the ground. Its tough to make an audience convicted that a child can perform such maneuvers, but "Kick-Ass" pulls it off without breaking a single sweat. Matthew Vaughn directs this with such glee, such precision and such talent, the entire comic book movie world should start taking notes. The pacing is incredible, the surprises are well-hidden, and the action sequences are edited so tightly, it was inches from perfection. The fights and shootouts were brutal and didn't pull any punches, as you see blood, guts, and absolute mayhem right at your face. "Kick-Ass" is not just a nice homage to all things comics; it's also a wonderful story full of action, suspense, a bit of drama, and all blending in with dark humor. If you like your comic book movies raw, smart, engaging, and downright fun, then "Kick-Ass" should be your cup of tea.

[5.50/10] Chloe (2010)

Chloe (2010)

"Chloe" is an erotic thriller with strong cast and intriguing premise - Julianne Moore is married to Liam Neeson. She is a little worried that he may be cheating on her, so she hires a escort named Chloe to seduce her husband to see if he will take the bait. The movie is fairly interesting to watch at first, but very quickly there are moments that are preposterous and just impossible - chance encounters and text messages, eerie overly-ominous music playing constantly in the background, an out-of-the-blue lesbian scene, an ultra modern house with lots of windows etc. Also, "Chloe" has a predictable climax, before descending into a ridiculous finale. The acting ranges from good to great. While Julianne Moore does what she can with a rather unsympathetic character, Amanda Seyfried is the saving grace of this film. Her performance as Chloe is spellbinding and absorbing. She has a really difficult role to play as the troubled prostitute in search of love and that role could have overwhelmed her, but Seyfried pulled off a great performance with style. Yet the film ultimately does very little with her character. The same is true of Liam Neeson's David Steward who may or may not be the unfaithful husband. Neeson's performance is good as expected, but it exists only on the margins of this movie rather than being an integral part of it. The cinematography is beautiful and there are also great performances in "Chloe", but film's predictable story and mediocre script make it not that enjoyable to watch on the whole and probably goes beyond an acceptable level of credibility in its final part.

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 52% (5.8/10)
• IMDb: 6.7/10

[8.25/10] Iron Man 2 (2010)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

The reason that the original "Iron Man" was so good for me, besides the fact that marvel had finally taken creative control over their own characters, was that Robert Downey Jr. was able to completely personify the character of Tony Stark. In "Iron Man 2" he is back again doing all of the things which made the original so great. Mickey Rourke was also amazing as Vanko. With a combination of excellent script writing and an actor who has really found his form again, Rourke was able to take a Marvel character who isn't particularly strong or developed, and give him an amazing screen presence, every scene he is in you feel uneasy, with his appearance intimidating, and his lines delivered to perfection to give the audience the feeling that this guy knows exactly what he is doing. Sam Rockwell is also typically brilliant as the Tony Stark wannabe, with all of the one liners, but none of the charm, every time he is on screen, you can't wait to see him get his comeuppance. Scarlett Scarlett Johansson's acting was a bit off, but she looked sexier than ever and her fighting sequence was very hot, memorable and well-shot. Gwyneth Paltrow is decent as Tony Stark's assistant, but her character Pepper Potts is often annoying, dry, overly serious, career-obsessed... and not very likeable, in my opinion. Returning in the director's seat is the ever-surprising Jon Favreau, once again helming with confidence, flair and creativity. The special effects and graphics here were one up against the previous film, and it was a definite visual feast especially when suits got up against suits, warranting a second look at the film just to catch everything that's happening at the same time. The finale was a full 30 minutes worth of action end to end and features the Iron Man-War Machine tag team up, which served up a lot more than what we've all glimpsed from clips here and there. "Iron Man 2" is an extremely satisfying sequel on all accounts. While the original film is probably slightly better, the sequel does everything right and doubles up on everything in comparison; characters, action and effects. Despite some of its early negative criticism, "Iron Man 2" delivers a worthwhile sequel with fantastic cast and spectacular action.

[4.00/10] The Back-up Plan (2010)

The Back-up Plan (2010)

Again Jennifer Lopez turn to a cheesy romantic comedy to try to salvage her career. Unfortunately, Lopez's acting skills are always under played within this genre, she fairs far better in drama/suspense such as, "Out of Sight" and "Angel Eyes". But Lopez is either too lazy or cannot find a director who believes she is capable of carrying a more dignified movie. All in all another blemish and failure within her career. "The Back-up Plan" predictable and frivolous saga about single motherhood that relies incredibly enough on delivery-related gross-out gags and scatological humor. Sadly, also the chemistry between Lopez and the male lead, O'Loughlin, registers only minor tremors on the Richter Scale. They are agreeable and pleasant, but they don't look like they were meant for each other. Some familiar faces from the past flesh out this lackluster romantic comedy. Namely, Linda Laven and Tom Bosley lighten up this meandering mess as a couple who haven't been able to commit to marriage for 20 years. Comedian Anthony Anderson seems restrained in his two scenes with O'Loughlin as an anonymous playground dad who contends with a son who brings him a fistful of feces. The crude humor about human feces doesn't make you laugh as grimace because the filmmakers struggle to make these poop scenes funny. The laughs in "The Back-Up Plan" are mellow just as the drama is soft-headed. Overall, except for Alex O'Loughlin's good looks, Jennifer Lopez's decent acting skills, and a few good laughs, this predictable film does not have much to offer.

• My Rating: 4.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 20% (3.6/10)
• IMDb: 4.1/10

[8.50/10] Micmacs (2009)

Micmacs (2009)

The imagination of director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has allowed films such as "Delicatessen" and "Amelie" to resonate with audiences because of the considerable charm and visual flair with which they were skilfully made. "Micmacs" is yet another mad jumble of images and daring camera-work and again it turns out to be a film quite unlike the one you were expecting. It's a story of a lonely misfit named Bazil, who after being accidentally injured in a shoot-out, is adopted by a band of other misfits. Together, they take on a band of arms-manufacturers whose products respectively injured Bazil and killed Bazil's father, by triggering tension between them. Aside from a truly riveting series of sly, witty and purposeful acts by this band of revengers, the film is also striking in its beauty with every scene presenting an intense array of colors fusing with incredibly intricate and detailed backdrops. All actors played their characters very well, with their strange characteristics brought forward in a very believable and endearing manner. Dany Boon shines in a performance reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin. He makes his character funny, touching and sad without the aid of dialogue, relying solely on body language. He does have some dialogue, but it is kept to a minimum. Dominique Pinon is a joy to watch as always. Although we've seen him as strange characters before, he remains fresh and he delivers another great oddball performance as Fracasse. Julie Ferrier plays Caoutchouc, who is in need of love and a great deal of attention and she acts really convincing. During the course of the film she and Bazil fall in love, which is shown very subtle. This makes it a joy to watch and when they finally kiss, it is such a tender moment. "Micmacs" is refreshing, visually stunning, incredibly funny and sometimes very touching, yet still delivers a serious message about weaponry, without it getting lost in the fun and without giving you a guilty feeling about feeling happy afterwards.

• My Rating: 8.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 79% (6.6/10)
• IMDb: 7.3/10

[4.75/10] Extraordinary Measures (2010)

Extraordinary Measures (2010)

Except instead of feeling like a cinematic endeavor, "Extraordinary Measures" comes off feeling like an exhaustingly lengthy TV movie, where events are episodic, happening in sporadic order and in jumpy fashion. The editing style is so amateur, and so simplistic, that it practically screams that it was made for television consumption. Acting wise, Droeger is the only real standout in a cast. She plays Megan so beautifully and authentically that it seems like a bad lie to even attempt to suggest she is not. Her pain is so wonderfully conveyed that it makes the film so much better than it actually is. Fraser is just not right for the role at all. He seems to be able to pull it off in some scenes, but for the majority, just seems off. But then, he was not all that great in his other decidedly adult role in "Crash" either. Ford on the other hand, simply looks like he is phoning his performance in. None of the charisma, the charm or the enthusiasm we have grown to know him for is on display here. This could have been a very exciting and emotional tearjerker with some corporate intrigue mixed in, but instead "Extraordinary Measures completely" lacks passion.

• My Rating: 4.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 28% (4.8/10)
• IMDb: 6.2/10

[4.50/10] Creation (2009)

Creation (2009)

I'm sorry to say Jon Amiel's piece doesn't ignite. "Creation" is boring and uninteresting. It should be good. It has moments that suggest it will be good, but it just isn't. This is not a film about evolution. It's a film about a depressed ill man who's haunted by his past. Whilst this is not necessarily a bad topic for a film, it is just a bad topic for this. "Creation" consists entirely of melodramatic and long family scenes with overloud music at which one is beholden to cry. The portrayal of Darwin's hallucinations and the flash-backs, which taken alone were tedious, and together ranged between silly and infuriating. Bettany and Connelly are both very good, and one can understand that they were attracted to the project by the opportunity to work together while doing some serious acting, and it isn't their fault that the movie concentrates on an area of their lives which, frankly, isn't that interesting. Technically, the film is quite exquisite. Stunning art direction by Laurence Dorman places us in the early 1800's. Darwin's residence is quite the striking eye-candy. Costumes and make-up are excellent and also help to connect the viewer to a particular time in history. With its dull script, tedious pacing and unengaging story, "Creation" is completely forgettable and immeasurably disappointing.

• My Rating: 4.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 46% (5.5/10)
• IMDb: 6.8/10

[5.75/10] Clash of the Titans [3D] (2010)

Clash of the Titans [3D] (2010)

"Clash of the Titans" had good moments, no doubt about it. Its source material also had potential. Its set pieces, visuals, and overall artistic direction were ok. Film's biggest problem truly is the writing. Not that it's bad, it's just lacking. Lacking in focus, lacking in rhythm, and lacking in character development. As for the actors portraying their respective roles, most were forgettable. Mads Mikkelsen is serviceable as Draco, Ralph Fiennes is underused as Hades, and Liam Neeson's Zeus is just unmemorable. And then there's Andromeda. This girl is hardly in the movie! Alexa Davalos can act, and the character had huge amounts of dramatic potential. Gemma Arterton as Io was eye-candy and very pleasent to watch. Truthfully, I don't know if it's Sam Worthington's acting or Leterrier's directing, but Perseus is just a flat, boring character for most of the movie. Perseus doesn't seem very heroic, there doesn't seem to be any emotional investment in Perseus in either the quest or the surrounding characters. Most of the time he has a stoically sullen, put upon attitude, and this keeps the audience at arms length from the character. He doesn't seem to embrace the heroic at all. Yes, he kills the monsters, but the tasks he must accomplish like tricking the Stygian witches and figuring out how to survive the encounter with Medusa, he seems to accomplish almost by accident. It seems that Perseus isn't meant to be heroic. As for the special effects, I thought they were good, not 'mind-blowing' great. The Kraken in particular really should've had a battle with another beast thrown in, and its use seems like a wasted opportunity. The scorpion battle is quite exciting, though is broken up as its really four fights with different scorpions simultaneously. The Medusa sequence is easily the best of the film, as although we know from a plot perspective Perseus can't die, the fate of the group of soldiers is considerably less clear. It all makes for a very tense and rewarding sequence, somewhat hindered by the surprisingly poor CG on the Medusa character model. Shame, as the rest of the monsters are quite good looking. The post-3D was terrible and added nothing to the movie! For those who haven't seen it yet, you might as well save your money and go and see the 2D version, because if you're expecting something as spectacular, visually, as "Avatar", you will be sadly disappointed. Overall, it's a fair popcorn flick which could have been more. It lacks suspense and imagination and the character of the old more popular version of the film which is a hindrance to this. Not a bad film, just nothing special despite the big cinematic treatment.

• My Rating: 5.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 30% (4.4/10)
• IMDb: 6.2/10

[6.50/10] Confucius (2010)

Confucius (2010)

This biopic permeates a feeling of sincerity on the part of the movie makers to tell a story in a simple, old-fashion manner. Indeed there are set pieces that look a little contrived with the purpose to impress, but overall, "Confucius" is a decent piece of movie-making. The film suffers mostly from unfocused narrative and confusing storytelling. It doesn't help that the film is filled with subtitles to explain the where, the when and the who of events. Its not just at the start, where it's helpful to get things going, its all through the film and it makes the film feel as if its a shorter version of some huge epic tale. Chow Yun Fat achieves a command performance as the gentle commoner who uses his wit and wisdom to quickly rise up in political ranks only to be exiled for his outsider ideology. Chow Yun Fat has come a long way since his John Woo days, and his decision to sacrifice another opportunity that would have made him part of a more popular project, in order to participate in this rich cinematic experience, demonstrates his high integrity and his love for his heritage. Technically, this big budged production looks rich and colorful and even spectacular at times. Peter Pau, best known to western audiences as the cinematographer in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", captures the period perfectly and helps to put us in the right mood and atmosphere of the times. Overall, "Confucius" is visually captivating and well-acted, yet slow-moving and often confusing.

• My Rating: 6.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
• IMDb: 5.6/10

[4.75/10] Dear John (2010)

Dear John (2010)

I have to admit I had some optimism before watching "Dear John", because of two reasons - a talented director, Lasse Hallström, who has some good movies in his filmography, and an excellent main actress. Unfortunately, my optimism quickly disappeared when I started watching this film. I did not find the romance from "Dear John to" be credible at all, because it exploits its idealization on its most chimeric and melancholic ways. The establishment of the relationship between the two main characters is full of clichés, and it is not well written. I think the only element I liked in this film was Seyfried's honest performance. As for her co-star, Channing Tatum, he's undoubtly very handsome, but he was simply horrible as John. A lot of the scenes were uneven purely because of his performance, a lot of the emotion in various scenes is lost because he's so stiff and 'wooden'. This story deserved to be cast right, but what it got was a pretty boy who can't act. Tatum should stick to what he's good at - movies that are more about his physical ability! Techically, "Dear John" is not that bad. The cinematography was very good at segueing through love letters, focusing just enough on a key word or phrase in each letter. "Dear John" is a simultaneously tragic and apathetic romance, that is good-looking, but often boring. It has its moments, but, generally these moments are more obtained with technical means, not with artistic ones. Though, there is a Hallstrom feeling, especially in the beginning, when you have absolutely no idea where the script is going to take you. But when it's taking you there, you realize that it is a bit plain, somehow leaves you with a taste of a romance which you have seen a hundred times before.

• My Rating: 4.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 29% (4.4/10)
• IMDb: 5.5/10

[7.00/10] Frozen (2010)

Frozen (2010)

"Frozen" is about as simple a premise as you can devise. Three people trapped atop a swinging perch. That's the whole movie. And writer/director Adam Green makes the best of it. His three characters make decisions that intelligent people would make. Sure, all their efforts are thwarted and some even lead to gruesome death, but at least they think honestly and smartly about their situation and their limited options. And that's what makes "Frozen" so special. The characters are believable and real. At times annoying, but always interesting in their peril. The actors all do an excellent job. Emma Bell isn't the typical blonde chick, but comes off quite sympathetic, constantly adjusting to her new surroundings. Shawn Ashmore has some great geek-moments of dialogue. They aren't the usual cardboard characters you'd find in many teen flicks. Green seems to understand that you have to like the characters before you can make the tension work. For a good half of the movie, this works, but unfortunately, there's only so much you can do with a premise like this. Green's direction brings some good moments of tension and occasional gore. At certain moments I felt my heart sinking if I was there on that rocking sky-lift chair, while some awesome unexpectedly angled shots made me dizzy. I found almost everything very plausible and frightfully realistic. "Frozen" is also a polished feature, with the shots of the mountains and snow and abandoned ski-lift serving as a sign of abandonment, fear and isolation in the characters and the viewer. Overall, with acting that improves as the movie unfolds, a unique and cool idea for a movie, and a solid directing style, Adam Green's latest will keep you frozen to your seats.

• My Rating: 7.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 47% (4.5/10)
• IMDb: 7.1/10

[5.50/10] The Messenger (2009)

The Messenger (2009)

"The Messenger" is about a soldier deployed from the front line to becoming the messenger of bad news, telling families that their loved ones are killed in combat. Тhe screenplay effectively and interestingly mines all possible areas of personal conflict regarding the war situation at home. "The Messenger" also consists of various scenes in which the next of kin are notified of the deaths of their loved one's. Given the variety of the people we meet, it's probably the most interesting aspect of the film. I'm going out on a limb to comment that there was a problem in the direction by newcomer Oren Moverman. The treatment was too turgid and slow. Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster, while very good in internalizing their roles, had that creepy vibe that makes empathizing with them difficult for the audience. While maybe that is what the director aims to achieve, this undignified portrayal of Will and Stone as private individuals detracts from my appreciation of this film as a whole. "The Messenger" promises to give us the real deal on grieving families and soldiers returning home, but in its overwritten, overstylized way, it's really only about one thing: the audience member's susceptibility to shameless emotional manipulation.

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (7.5/10)
• IMDb: 7.5/10