Batman Fights His Final Battle

The Dark Knight Rises

Release: 
16 July, 2012

Directed by 

Christopher Nolan

Produced by:
Emma Thomas 

Christopher Nolan

Charles Roven

Written by: 
Christopher Nolan

Jonathan Nolan

Starring: 
Christian Bale

Michael Caine

Gary Oldman

Anne Hathaway

Tom Hardy

Marion Cotillard

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Morgan Freeman

Summary: Gotham is being over-run by a group calling themselves the ‘League of Shadows’, headed by criminal Bane. Bruce Wayne goes against the advice of those around him and decides he must return as Batman to once again protect his city. With the help of Catwoman, he fights the terrorist group. However, his task is a far more difficult one this time. 

My Favourite Scene: I found one scene hilarious because it was just so ridiculous. Bane orders a scientist to turn an object which ensures sustainable-energy into a nuclear bomb. The guy walks up to it and after about two minutes of fiddling around with some equipment says something like ‘okay you now have a nuclear bomb’. I loved this scene but not because it was good, because it was so stupid. It highlights just how unrealistic this film was.

My Favourite Quotes: 
Selina Kyle:“There’s a storm coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you’re all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.” 

Alfred (to Batman/ Bruce Wayne): “I always knew there was nothing here for you, expect pain and tragedy. And I wanted something more for you than that. I still do.”

My Thoughts: Something I didn’t like about this film was Catwoman’s character. It’s probably to be expected with a film like Batman that the female character, Selina Kyle (Catwoman) is going to be over-sexualised. It seems we haven’t come that far in terms of feminism in these sorts of films... It reminded me of a 1960s James Bond film. In some ways it’s good to have a strong, powerful female, in the same league as Batman, but I don’t understand why it’s necessary for Anne Hathaway to be walking and posing seductively in almost every scene she’s in. It may sound over-the-top but I feel like it sends out the message that in order to have any chance of success, women have to be overly-sexual.

Another issue with the film was Bane. His just seemed a ridiculous, almost stupid character. The mask made his voice sound hilarious. Unfortunately when following a brilliant character like Heath Ledger’s Joker, requires being really impressive and Bane just didn’t hit the mark.

Another problem for The Dark Knight Rises was their attempt to incorporate political issues. The ideas of corruption and revolution were apparent throughout, which did help to make the film interesting to an extent. However, when a city is threatened with a nuclear attack it’s surprising that no other countries attempt to intervene and prevent it. If a film is trying to say something about revolution, the rest of the world would need to be involved in the film - rather than a simple video from the US President (which seemed like a bit of a cop-out)!

Overall, while The Dark Knight Rises was interesting and exciting in parts, I found it rather tedious to watch. It was over-long, over-complicated and actually quite ridiculous. When a film becomes completely separate from anything that could happen in reality, it just seems silly. This film just couldn’t compete with its predecessor, The Dark Knight, and for me, failed to stand up to its expectations. 

C-

War through words.

The Help

Released: 

August 10, 2011 

Directed by: 

Tate Taylor

Produced by:

Chris Columbus

Michael Barnathan

Brunson Green

Written by: 

Tate Taylor

(Based on the book ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett)

Starring: 

Emma Stone

Viola Davis

Octavia Spencer

Bryce Dallas Howard

Allison Janney

Jessica Chastain

Summary: Set during the time of the African-American Civil Rights movement in the deep South, ‘The Help’ tells the story of an aspiring journalist (Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan’) who becomes isolated from the group of superficial women in her community. Skeeter is affected by the injustices she sees within lives of black people, especially in terms of maids raising white children. With the help of two maids, she starts to compile stories of their experiences in a hope to expose the racism in society. 

  

My Favourite Scene: I really liked the scene in which Minny visits Celia Foot regarding a position as a maid. Celia is clearly out of her depth in the kitchen, saying ‘I guess I got some learning to do’, to which Minny replies ‘you sure do’.   Their introduction shows the beginning of a friendship between the fiery Minny and ditzy Celia. 

Although I’m not sure Minny would have been quite so forward and impolite to her future employer... I still think this scene is very good. The character of Celia is an isolated and fragile one. We already know that the white, female community do not accept her and she is hiring a maid without her husband’s knowing, to make him think she can ‘do it on [her] own’. Celia is excluded from her community, in the same way that black people were excluded from white society. Their friendship conveys that even with society’s boundaries, unions can form and people rely on each other regardless of race. 

My Favourite Quotes: 

Aibileen Clark: 18 people were killed in Jackson that night. 10 white and 8 black. I don’t think God has colour in mind when he sets a tornado loose.

Aibileen Clark: (to Elizabeth’s daughter Mae Mobley Leefolt) You is kind. You is smart. You is important. 

Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan: (referring to her mother’s earlier comments) You know, last time I had an almond, I stopped likin' men.

Rebecca: Oh, my lord!

Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan: Oh no! Rebecca, it's fine. There's a special root tea for that now.

My Thoughts: A theme which I found particularly powerful in ‘The Help’, was the meaning of family. The film illustrates that family, rather than being connected to blood ties, is whoever loves, understands and raises you. The white children see their maids as their true mothers, rather than their mothers by blood. Mae Mobley Leefolt tells Aibileen Clark ‘you my real mama, Aibi’. Although I do not think such a young child would be able to understand what a ‘real mama’ means, this shows that children recognise who truly care for them.

I also felt that ‘The Help’ was a good film because it used comedy in a clever way. Considering the subject matter, comedy was avoided when it would have been inappropriate. However there were some serious moments which used comedy, and still managed to be hard-hitting. Such as when Minny Jackson (believing Celia’s Foot’s husband was going to attack her) threw her shopping everywhere and grabbed a long branch to defend herself.

The only criticism I would have of this film is that it all seemed a little polished and unrealistic. It would probably have been more of a struggle and with perhaps more violent consequences for some. ‘The Help’ is a feel-good film, which slightly undermined the profundity. However it is still a very entertaining and thought-provoking film.

I really enjoyed ‘The Help’ because it intertwined so many important issues. Of course there is the theme of race, but also friendship, loyalty and courage in the face of opposition. It proves that the smallest idea can form something extremely important, and that the power of words should never be underestimated. The maids in this film could not physically rebel, but through telling their stories in a book, managed to change their community’s thinking and break down the control of those employing them. 

A

Three lives, changed by one woman.

The Hours

Released: 

25 December, 2002

Directed by: 

Stephen Daldry 

Produced by: 

Robert Fox

Scott Rudin

Written by: 

David Hare 

(Based on ‘The Hours’ by Michael Cunningham)

Starring: 

Meryl Streep

Julianne Moore

Nicole Kidman

Summary: ‘The Hours’ focuses around the lives of three women and the significance of Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs Dalloway’. The first woman is Woolf herself, who is attempting to write a first draft of the novel, while battling her feelings of depression. The second is a housewife, Laura Brown, living in 1940s Los Angeles – who believes she is far from adequate. ‘Mrs Dalloway’ drives Brown to reconsider the life she is leading. Finally, Clarissa Vaughan is living in modern-day New York, caring for her former lover who is dying of Aids – Richard Brown. Vaughan is throwing a party for Brown in recognition of his recent poetry prize, echoing the character of Clarissa Dalloway. All three women must confront their inner demons and deal with a form of suicide in their lives.

My Favourite Scene: A particularly memorable scene for me, was when Virginia’s sister’s children find a dead bird and decide to make it a grave for fun. Angelica is left behind and stays talking with Virginia. She questions her on death and what follows it. Virginia seems to recognise a similarity between her niece and herself - with Angelica saying ‘I don’t remember where I came from’ and Virginia replying ‘Nor do I’. After Angelica leaves with the others, Virginia remains a little while longer, laying down on the earth next to the bird.

The pair, although many years apart, seem to share a similar outlook on life in the moments they spend together with the dead bird. Angelica concludes that it looks very peaceful, and this portrays a side to the child, absent from her siblings. Although it would just be curiosity to ask the innocent questions Angelica does about death, she seems to reflect upon the event differently to the others. The connection between the two is rather touching and is clarified when Virginia’s sister says ‘Are we finished? Is the bird funeral complete?’. She simply does not reflect on issues in the same way her sister and daughter do. Although it isolates the pair, their world also appears a calm and interesting one - in comparison to those around them.

My Favourite Quotes: 

Clarissa Vaughan: You don’t have to go to the party, you don’t have to go to the ceremony, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You can do as you like.

Richard Brown: but I still have to face the hours, don’t I? I mean, the hours after the party, and the hours after that…

Virginia Woolf (to her sister who has arrived early): Leonard thinks it’s the end of civilization: People who are invited at 4 and arrive at 2:30.

Virginia Woolf: You cannot find peace by avoiding life, Leonard.

My Thoughts: I liked the way Daldry interweaved the three lives, showing the connections between them. The film reflected, not only the importance of Woolf’s work, but that the feelings of isolation are apparent in every time period and generation.

A criticism I would have of the film was of the relationship between Laura Brown and her young son. There were a couple of moments in their scenes when he seemed to be understanding of her suicidal state of mind – violently screaming when she leaves him to drive away alone, and proving her with comfort when she seems upset. While this made for a seemingly strong relationship in the film, I do not think that a boy of his age would have been able to notice the subtleties of her behaviour. I thought this element to the film was quite unrealistic.

I felt that overall ‘The Hours’ was a moving and interesting film. I was especially impressed with the script, which offered some very memorable thoughts and provided a powerful insight into the mind of Virginia Woolf. The film has been criticised for its being dark and depressing. However depression and suicide are the important, recurring themes in the film - and it is difficult to see how it could be changed. In some ways, there is a comforting message in the similarities in the three separate lives because it illustrates a connection between them - although they are alone in their own lives, they are together in their emotional state. 

B 

Gil discovers himself, with a little help from Ernest Hemingway...

Midnight in Paris

Released:                           

10 June, 2011

Directed by: 

Woody Allen

Produced by:

Letty Aronson

Stephen Lenenbaun

Jaume Roures

Written by: 

Woody Allen

Starring: 

Owen Wilson

Rachel McAdams

Marion Cotillard

Kathy Bates

Adrien Brody

Carla Bruni

Michael Sheen

Summary: Gil and his fiancée, Inez, are in Paris with Inez’s parents. Gil, a successful Hollywood scriptwriter, is attempting to write his first novel – where his passion lies – and is completely taken up with the city. Inez on the other hand, cannot understand what is so beautiful or amazing about it. The couple bump into her old friends Paul, who happens to be pretentious and his partner Carole. While Inez is taken up with Paul’s ideas, Gil begins to discover just how amazing Paris is - when, at midnight, he finds himself going on adventure after adventure with the writers and artists from the past whom he most admires. Things begin to make sense for Gil, as his novel develops with help from the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.

My Favourite Scene: I think a particularly good scene was the one in which the two couples visited an art gallery and a painting by Pablo Picasso, which turns out to be the same one him and Gertrude Stein were discussing the night before – with Gil present at the conservation. So, when Paul beings to expound his knowledge of the painting and artist, Gil jumps in with an incredible understanding of it – causing Inez to ask: “what have you been smoking?”

This scene was entertaining because for the first time in the film the pompous, irritating Paul has been silenced by an impossible knowledge of the background of the painting from Gil. Of course, what is so amusing is that it is only the audience who know why Gil knows so much. It almost seems as if he must have spoken to those who painted and influenced it, which he obviously had. His final line: “She was an absolute volcano in the sack”, before causally walking off, leaves the others looking clearly perplexed. It was nice to see the annoying Paul and Inez, who is extremely impressed with him, silenced for once!

My Favourite Quotes: 

Inez: You always take the side of the help. That’s why Daddy says you’re a communist.

Gil: Can you picture how drop dead gorgeous this city is in the rain? Imagine this town in the ‘20s. Paris in the ‘20s, in the rain. The artists and writers!

Inez: Why does every city have to be in the rain? What’s wonderful about getting wet?

Gil: It’s understated but elegant. That’s what you always say.

Helen: Cheap is cheap. That’s what I always say.

My Thoughts:  As a bit of a Woody Allen fan, I was looking forward to what he would do with ‘Midnight in Paris’ and it has to be said that it was a little disappointing. Firstly, the characters all appeared to be cameos – and so were predictable in their behaviour. Overall, it seemed the film itself was not so original. The idea of a couple, not fit for each other, visiting a romantic city and one of them finding themselves, rings every much of ‘Vicky Christina Barcelona’. I very much enjoyed that film, but was expecting Woody Allen to do something different with his next.

As ever, he delivered a very intelligently witty script. If there was something not so predictable about the film, it was the script. I also think that there were so profound-(ish!) moments. Gil’s realisation that we will always be thinking another time period is better than the one we are currently in, was quite interesting and I liked the overall idea of the film, that by the end Gil had found what he needed – in Paris and the writers who inspired him.

However, the almost Cinderella-style idea of escaping in a carriage to a past time seemed a bit… well, naff. There were parts which seemed quite shallow and for a director like Woody Allen, I would have expected something deeper. It appears that he is moving closer and closer to the mainstream rom-com style of film that he managed to brilliantly miss with ‘Annie Hall’. The neat dénouement ending was something I like ‘Vicky Christian Barcelona’ not having!

Overall, there were some humourous moment and the film was well-scripted. However it seemed a little shallow with one-dimensional characters. I enjoyed it, but felt that it lacked the depth Woody Allen is so good at producing. The film was pretty much a copy of ‘Vicky Christina Barcelona’ and has only helped in convincing me that I preferred his older work.

B

It will get you.

Contagion

Released: 

September 9^th, 2011

Directed by: 

Stephen Soderbergh

Produced by:

Michael Shamberg

Stacey Sher

Gregory Jacobs

Written by: 

Scott Z. Burns

Starring: 

Marion Cotillard

Matt Damon

Laurence Fishburne

Jude Laq

Gwyneth Paltrow

Kate Winslet

Summary: When Beth Emhoff feels ill at the airport, she puts it down to jet-lag. However within hours of returning home from her trip, she’s dead. But the highly-infectious disease she was carrying has already passed onto others. Before the infection can be controlled, it has turned into an epidemic. No-one knows if they have it until it’s too late, and medical experts have no clue how to start finding a cure or vaccine. Soon millions are infected with the deadly disease and, as panic sets in, society starts to break down – with people prepared to do anything for some sort of cure.  Contagion follows the desperate attempt to save humanity.

My Favourite Scene:  A scene which I found particularly interesting was when an Epidemic Intelligence Officer, Dr. Erin Mears (Winslet) gathered with a group of government experts debating what action to take. Mears was attempting to show the danger of not doing enough to stop the disease, while others were cautious of the risk of over-exaggerating the issue. The scene demonstrated the problem of whether to frighten people (ensuring they would attempt to protect themselves) or to deal with the issue calmly, but risk it spreading by keeping it quiet.

This scene highlights the theme of conspiracy in the film and poses the ethical question of whether it is ever right for governments to keep information from the people. Throughout the film, blogger Alan Krumwiede fights for the truth to be known – swearing that there is a cure that the government are keeping a secret. However in the end, Krumwiede’s claimed cure ‘Forsythia’ does more harm than good.

My Favourite Quotes: 

Mindy Macready: Blogging is not writing. It’s just graffiti with punctuation.

Dr. Ally: Hextall It’s figuring us out faster than we’re figuring it out.

Erin Mears: Don’t talk to anyone! Don’t touch anyone!

My Thoughts:  This film really captures the power of fear and panic in a society. Medical experts, including those from the Epidemic Intelligence Service and World Health Organisation, are alarmed at the rate of which the infection is spreading. However the government is afraid of unnecessarily worrying the public. This conflict is interesting, especially as it relates to the real-life situation of Swine Flu.  It is a difficulty which would inevitably result if we found ourselves having to deal with a similar infection – is it worth severely panicking people? And might that have disastrous consequences? The film was praised among the scientific community for its accurate portrayal of medical practices, which I think is important as it adds to the realism of the circumstances – making the film more interesting. 

  

I thought that the film, as a whole, lacked the emotional repercussions that such a wide-spread disease would cause. ‘Contagion’ was focused on the medical experts and the issues of vaccines, food distribution, civil unrest, coping with large numbers of dead bodies and where to keep the sick. While of course being important matters to consider, this meant that no spotlight was cast on the millions of people affected, in terms of death. In this sort of film I think that it is necessary to consider the impact of an epidemic such as this on ordinary people. Another criticism I would have of the film is, that it was very much a copy of other disease - leading to the end of humanity – films. The ‘edge of the seat’ effect is lost when it’s clear what is going to happen – people becoming crazed and destroying shop windows, for example. It’s difficult to be really affected by a film which seems to be similar to many other films of this type. 

Despite these criticisms, the film is still interesting and quite frightening at points. It demonstrates the power of an idea which terrifies people and I think presents an accurate picture of the action a government might take in this sort of situation. Overall, I enjoyed the film and the situation definitely grabbed me. However, I felt disappointed that it did not really offer anything different and lacked an emotions depth. 

B

Not Your Ordinary Superhero.

Kickass

Released: 

16 April, 2010

Directed by: 

Matthew Vaughn

Produced by:

Matthew Vaughn

Brad Pitt

Kris Thykier

Adam Bohling

Tarquin Pack

David Reid

Written by: 

Matthew Vaughn

Jane Goldman

Starring: 

Aaron Johnson

Chloe Moretz

Lyndsy Fonseca

Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Mark Strong

Nicolas Cage

Summary: Dave Lizewski is a slightly geeky student, with few friends and a crush on his English teacher. Dave does not understand why, with all the ‘evil’ in the world, no-one has attempted to be a super-hero. As he sees it, there is nothing too difficult about putting on a costume and fighting crime. So he decides to become ‘Kickass’. Dave then meets fellow super-heroes, ‘Hit Girl’ and ‘Big Daddy’ – a former police officer with a grudge (after he was framed as a drug dealer) and his 11-year-old daughter, who he is training using rather extreme methods. Things start to spiral out of control, when crime boss Frank D’Amico sees Kickass as a real threat. Before he knows it, Dave is out of his depth in the crime world…

My Favourite Scene: Near to the beginning of the film a scene takes place, which for the first minute or so seems to be a father about to shoot his daughter, Mindy. As it develops, it is revealed that the girl is wearing a bullet-proof jacket and in fact they are simply practicing so Mindy will not be afraid when ‘some junkie asshole pulls a glock’. Mindy begins to get bored, so they make a compromise, two more rounds and they will go bowling and get some ice cream afterwards.

I thought this scene was hilarious because of how casually the event of a father shooting his daughter was taking place. What made it so brilliant was the fact that it appeared to just be a normal everyday occurrence for Mindy! They were discussing a treat for her afterwards, like it was similar to a chore. This scene represents what makes ‘Kickass’ such a good film: it takes a situation which would normally horrify people and turns it on its head. The idea of a father shooting his 11-year-old daughter seems appalling, but somehow this scene makes it incredibly entertaining.

My Favourite Quotes: 

Mindy Macready: (after telling her horrified dad she would like a puppy for her birthday) I’m just f***ing with you Daddy! Look, I’d love a Benchmade model 42 butterfly knife.

Hit Girl: Okay you c***s… now let’s see what you can do now!

Dave Lizewski: In the world I lived in, heroes only existed in comic books. And I guess that’d be okay, if bad guys were make-believe, but they’re not.

My Thoughts:  For me, the main reason this film is so good is that it turns the idea of a superhero on its head. It shows realistically (to a certain extent!) what would actually happen if a normal teenager decided they wanted to be one. And while Dave attempts to adjust to being Kickass, he is also battling with teenage problems – such as the girl he worships believing he is gay. This adds to the realistic feel of the film.

The character of Mindy Macready, who plays Hit Girl, was another aspect of the film I loved. Finally a young girl is doing something in an action film, other than needing to be rescued. Mindy was just so ridiculously and outrageously over the top – every scene with her was brilliant. I thought the script generally was great, but her dialogue was particularly good. Such a large amount of swearing is just not expected from a young girl (with the exception of ‘The Exorcist’)!

Another interesting element of the film was that it conveyed the power of the internet. Kickass’ fame is built around him becoming a YouTube phenomenon and popular on MySpace. Instead of appearing in traditional forms of media, like newspapers, Kickass becomes well-known through the internet – again adding to the realism of the film because that is actually how a modern, teenage superhero would rise to fame.

Of course there are many, many unrealistic scenes in Kickass - from an 11-year-old girl being able to defeat a mob of criminals using mainly karate, to Kickass using a jetpack. However the ridiculousness of some parts, is what makes the film so hilarious. So if you’ve read the Daily Mail review*, just ignore the idea that the film is ‘evil’ and watch it. Kickass is a combination of a realistic situation and absolute absurdity – making it a great watch.

A

*and if you haven’t, please do - just to make yourself laugh.

Four Deadly Terrorists, Half a Brain each.

Four Lions

Released: 

7 May, 2010

Directed by: 

Chris Morris

Produced by:

Mark Herbert

Derrin Schlesigner

Written by: 

Chris Morris

Jesse Armstrong

Sam Bain

Simon Blackwell

Starring: 

Riz Ahmed

Kayvan Novak

Nigel Lindsay

Adeel Akhtar

Arsher Ali

Summary: Four Lions is a comedy which follows the lives of five jihadists as they attempt to prove themselves - in the name of their religion - by plotting to commit an act of terrorism. The film focuses on their clueless ideas as they struggle to agree on even what building to target (with one recommending the mosque and another, a Boots store). The would-be terrorists attempt to plan an attack, while dealing with family issues and the police trying to track them down – after some badly-executed trials-runs.

My Favourite Scene: I found it very difficult to pick a favourite scene in ‘Four Lions’ because so many were brilliant. However I particularly liked a scene towards the end of the film, in which Waj has a hostage in a kebab shop – while on the phone to Omar, asking what he should do. Eventually the police storm the shop and Waj is sat with his hands up. He says: “Sorry lads. I don’t really know what I’m doing!”

I found this scene extremely humorous but also hard-hitting because it makes the point that Waj is in a situation, of which he does not understand the implications. While playing the fool, Waj also portrays how a person can become sucked into a way of life – believing that they are doing something for the right reason. Omar’s explanation of why they are doing it is along the lines of: it’s like being in the lines for the rides at Alton Towers. He poses the question to Waj, do you want to be in line or on the rides? I find this scene poignant because it highlights how easy it is to manipulate people in the name of religion.

My Favourite Quotes: 

Omar: I'm taking my team up to the top floor now. I'll see you up there.

Barry: It's the parts... they're Jewish.
Omar: What parts in a car are Jewish?

Malcolm Storge MP: The report makes crystal clear that the police shot the right man, but as far as I'm aware, the wrong man exploded. Is that clear?

My Thoughts:  Apart from the hilarious script, I reason I really enjoyed this film and thought it was actually quite profound was because it gave a humanising affect to the idea of a ‘terrorist’. We currently have a view of suicide bombers being ‘evil’ and I’m definitely not justifying their actions, but this film conveys that terrorists are just people. They have jobs, partners and children, just like everybody else. I think when it comes to a subject, such as terrorism, we cannot just dismiss the people as ‘evil’ or whatever. To stop anything, it has to be prevented and that requires understanding. Four Lions displays the emotions of men who are prepared to sacrifice their lives in the name of their religion. There are comical scenes in the film, which are moving as well - such as Omar explaining to his son how his and Waj’s experience at a training camp went wrong, through a bedtime story based on The Lion King.  

Another element in the film which I found interesting was that not only were the terrorists incompetent, but so were the police officers and politicians. From shooting down the wrong person in fancy-dress and claiming that actually the wrong person exploded, to a politician hiding underneath his desk when thinking a member of the public was a suicide bomber. It portrays a stupidity surrounding the issue, which was another refreshing angle to the film.

I think that Four Lions, like some of the funniest films, is comical because it takes a completely serious situation and twists it around. One would expect a film directed by Chris Morris (a satirist) to be just like this. Even the death of Faisal (who accidentally blows himself up while running with explosives) is rather hilarious – seeing the five ‘lions’ going down to four.

The only thing I’d have against the film is that it lacked the necessary one or two serious scenes, in which the ‘lions’ justified their actions. There was no proper explanation of why their religion asked them to do this, no mention of the Iraq war and no real questioning from their families – Omar’s wife smiled proudly when Omar told her he would ‘see you up there’. Despite this, overall I think that Four Lions is an excellent film. It is entertaining, original and thought-provoking.

A