30 Minutes or Less (15) **
Dir: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari
Synopsis: Dwayne (McBride) is a 'big-dream' guy who, annoyed at his father (Fred Ward), decides to get him whacked. For this, he needs $100,000 to pay the hitman, and recruits stoner pizza delivery boy Nick (Eisenberg) to rob a bank for him by strapping a bomb to his chest.
Verdict: I thought with both the star and the director of Zombieland, a brilliant comic reimagining of the whole zombie genre, that 30 Minutes or Less would be just as funny. Yes, it had its moments, but on the whole it didn't live up to the expectations I had for it.
The better things about the film: Jesse Eisenberg and Aziz Ansari play Nick and Chet, two long time friends who have taken opposite paths in life. Nick is a dope smoking pizza delivery boy and Chet is a teacher. The two of them are convincing in their roles, with Eisenberg doing the panicky, almost kid, performance that develops into a man, much like in Zombieland.
These two deliver all the best comedy in the film, from the bank robbery, to threatening police officers with the line "You just brought a gun to a bomb fight!"
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Dwayne (McBride) and Travis (Nick Swardson). The characters are truly frustrating for their idiocy. This isn't the fault of the actors, but the writers, who seem to have been using the rule book which states that swearing and sex humour is the way to make a comedy film.
This said, McBride and Swardson do a good job of displaying the characters for what they are. Dwayne, the bully-ish leader of the two, whose hatred of his dad and disregard for others just go to highlight his stupidity and Travis, who while being thick, does atleast have an some modicum of technical intelligence (making a coded bomb vest for example)
All in all, a bit of a let down from the Zombieland duo, which left a lot to be desired.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Friends With Benefits (15) ****
Friends With Benefits (15) ****
Dir: Will Gluck
Starring: Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, Woody Harrelson
Synopsis: A young up-and-coming graphics designer (Timerlake) moves to New York to work for GQ magazine and befriends the headhunter (Kunis) who found him the job. Both tired of relationships, they decide add no-strings sex to their relationship which, inevitably, leads to more.
Verdict: The film opens with Jamie (Kunis) and Dylan (Timberlake) on their phones, Jamie at the cinema wanting to see go in and see a film, and Dylan running late and trying to get there. Instant reaction: they're the couple and it's a flashback scenario. Then you realise that they're in seperate relationships, on seperate sides of Ameica (LA and NY). An over-used series of edits, maybe, but there's no denying that it works in making the audience think something contrary to what they're doing.
After showing this hand the film becomes very predictable, from pointing out the flaws in rom-com movies just to copy them, to the plot itself. This predictability isn't helped in any way by the fact that earlier in the year we had No Strings Attached, exactly the same premis but released earlier in the year. This said, there are no end of films that are the same, such as body swap comedies (The Change Up is just about to be released) and Bridesmaids being almost a female version of The Hangover.
There is the slight deviation from the predictable, with Woody Harrelsons sports editor Tommy, the outrageously gay character who one would assume to be the gay best friend of Jamie, but is instead Dylans friend (who asks him, and pretty much every male he meets if they are gay). Tommy's in your face homosexuality (somewhat reminiscent of Jack in Will and Grace) provides some comic relief during some of the deeper moments of the film which is both welcome, but at the same time inappropriate - do the deep moments in film really need comic relief to detract from the anger/pain?
Speaking of The Hangover and Bridesmaids, I personally found Friends With Benefits to be a damn sight funnier than either of the previously mentioned films, with a mix of cringe worthy comedy and the plain daft (when they compare their 'rebellious' tattoos).
It also struck me whilst watching the film that alzheimers has become a disease of choice in Hollywood. We have gone from the truly brilliant and touching performance of the condition, to an equally touching depiction with Dylan's dad (played by Richard Jenkins), which is laced with humour (being a rom-com, there's only so much seriousness that can be put in isnt there?).
This is definitely a great date-night movie, with eye-candy for guys and girls alike, and some of the funniest moments to hit the silver screen so far this year.
Dir: Will Gluck
Starring: Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, Woody Harrelson
Synopsis: A young up-and-coming graphics designer (Timerlake) moves to New York to work for GQ magazine and befriends the headhunter (Kunis) who found him the job. Both tired of relationships, they decide add no-strings sex to their relationship which, inevitably, leads to more.
Verdict: The film opens with Jamie (Kunis) and Dylan (Timberlake) on their phones, Jamie at the cinema wanting to see go in and see a film, and Dylan running late and trying to get there. Instant reaction: they're the couple and it's a flashback scenario. Then you realise that they're in seperate relationships, on seperate sides of Ameica (LA and NY). An over-used series of edits, maybe, but there's no denying that it works in making the audience think something contrary to what they're doing.
After showing this hand the film becomes very predictable, from pointing out the flaws in rom-com movies just to copy them, to the plot itself. This predictability isn't helped in any way by the fact that earlier in the year we had No Strings Attached, exactly the same premis but released earlier in the year. This said, there are no end of films that are the same, such as body swap comedies (The Change Up is just about to be released) and Bridesmaids being almost a female version of The Hangover.
There is the slight deviation from the predictable, with Woody Harrelsons sports editor Tommy, the outrageously gay character who one would assume to be the gay best friend of Jamie, but is instead Dylans friend (who asks him, and pretty much every male he meets if they are gay). Tommy's in your face homosexuality (somewhat reminiscent of Jack in Will and Grace) provides some comic relief during some of the deeper moments of the film which is both welcome, but at the same time inappropriate - do the deep moments in film really need comic relief to detract from the anger/pain?
Speaking of The Hangover and Bridesmaids, I personally found Friends With Benefits to be a damn sight funnier than either of the previously mentioned films, with a mix of cringe worthy comedy and the plain daft (when they compare their 'rebellious' tattoos).
It also struck me whilst watching the film that alzheimers has become a disease of choice in Hollywood. We have gone from the truly brilliant and touching performance of the condition, to an equally touching depiction with Dylan's dad (played by Richard Jenkins), which is laced with humour (being a rom-com, there's only so much seriousness that can be put in isnt there?).
This is definitely a great date-night movie, with eye-candy for guys and girls alike, and some of the funniest moments to hit the silver screen so far this year.
Friday, 9 September 2011
Colombiana (15) ***
Colombiana (15) ***
Dir: Olivier Megaton
Starring: Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Callum Blue
Synopsis: Cataleya (Saldana) is on a vendetta after witnessing the deaths of her parents at age nine in her home country of Colombia. Relocating to Chicago, she becomes a top assassin in a bid to get revenge on the man who killed her family.
Verdict: This is another example of a film aimed at blokes, with scantily clad girls, lots of guns and a sprinkling of action. Zoe Saldana shows that she is a talented actress, but her portrayal of Catelya seems to bear similarities to Neytiri in Avatar. She does have more range, as we've seen in Death at a Funeral and Stark Trek but, unfortunately, it doesn't come through that much in this film.
It also seems that the film has been written to show off the strength, dexterity and flexibility of Saldana as she snakes her way through vents all in a very sexual way, all while wearing very tight clothes (or not many clothes at all) that are apparently ideal for the assassin business.
This plot also seems a bit over-worked of late; the revenge story spanning over many years. This said, the fact that Megaton and writer Luc Besson have written a story around a female character gives the film some weight (highlighted when FBI officer Ross (Lennie James) says 'We're not looking for a woman: it's not possible'. Who'd have thought a woman could be an assassin right?).
Gratuitous action sequences kick off the film, with a gun battle swiftly followed by a free-running chase sequence through a favella in Colombia (Fast Five or Incredible Hulk anyone?) which see's a not-too-conivincing young Cateleya escape to America to begin her life of assassin training. The theme runs throughout the film, with plenty of gun firing and explosions towards the end of the movie.
Of course, there is the statutory love story running parallel to the main bang-bang plot, with the unknowing Danny (Vartan) being both the man who brings her out of her shell, as well as bringing a whole heap of problems to her just because he loves her.
If you're looking for a good couple of hours of sit back, and chill out after a hard day or week, this is definitely a good film to see with the lads, but probably not the best for date night.
Dir: Olivier Megaton
Starring: Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Callum Blue
Synopsis: Cataleya (Saldana) is on a vendetta after witnessing the deaths of her parents at age nine in her home country of Colombia. Relocating to Chicago, she becomes a top assassin in a bid to get revenge on the man who killed her family.
Verdict: This is another example of a film aimed at blokes, with scantily clad girls, lots of guns and a sprinkling of action. Zoe Saldana shows that she is a talented actress, but her portrayal of Catelya seems to bear similarities to Neytiri in Avatar. She does have more range, as we've seen in Death at a Funeral and Stark Trek but, unfortunately, it doesn't come through that much in this film.
It also seems that the film has been written to show off the strength, dexterity and flexibility of Saldana as she snakes her way through vents all in a very sexual way, all while wearing very tight clothes (or not many clothes at all) that are apparently ideal for the assassin business.
This plot also seems a bit over-worked of late; the revenge story spanning over many years. This said, the fact that Megaton and writer Luc Besson have written a story around a female character gives the film some weight (highlighted when FBI officer Ross (Lennie James) says 'We're not looking for a woman: it's not possible'. Who'd have thought a woman could be an assassin right?).
Gratuitous action sequences kick off the film, with a gun battle swiftly followed by a free-running chase sequence through a favella in Colombia (Fast Five or Incredible Hulk anyone?) which see's a not-too-conivincing young Cateleya escape to America to begin her life of assassin training. The theme runs throughout the film, with plenty of gun firing and explosions towards the end of the movie.
Of course, there is the statutory love story running parallel to the main bang-bang plot, with the unknowing Danny (Vartan) being both the man who brings her out of her shell, as well as bringing a whole heap of problems to her just because he loves her.
If you're looking for a good couple of hours of sit back, and chill out after a hard day or week, this is definitely a good film to see with the lads, but probably not the best for date night.
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