The Great Gatsby

Having read The Great Gatsby in anticipation of the release of the film I found it to be quite a difficult read. I put this down to the time it was written it, yet it didn't spoil how much I enjoyed the story. Having watched the film now I realise how excellent the book is. The Great Gatsby adapts the book in a way that makes it much more engaging for a modern audience.

As the title suggests, the plot is about a man named Gatsby (Leonardo di Caprio). He is a bit of an enigma though as he throws massive parties at his house every week but no-one seems to know who he is or what he does. Many different stories exist about him but it turns out that he once loved a girl called Daisy (Carey Mulligan). She lives across the lake from him and his whole display of grandeur is an attempt to find her again. She is married to Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton) though and so Gatsby enlists the help of his good friend and the narrator Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire).

The cast is fantastic, and Leonardo di Caprio, once again, shines in the leading role. His portrayal of Gatsby is so spot on to how I imagined him in the book. He exudes an air of confidence and power throughout the film, and yet maintains a sense of mystery throughout. I would be quite surprised if he isn't nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. He makes the character of Gatsby every bit as engaging as it should be and has firmly cemented him as one of my favourite actors at the moment. Equally impressive is Tobey Maguire. Having not seen anything he has been in since Spiderman 3 (and the less said about that the better) I was interested to see how he did in such a well promoted and highly anticipated film. I was pleasantly surprised and Maguire pulls off a portrayal of Nick Carraway that seems to be every bit the portrayal that the book describes. He starts of as a reserved and conscientious chap but evolves throughout the film to be a very interesting character. The onscreen chemistry between di Caprio and Maguire is wonderful, and is obviously a result of them being childhood friends.

Both di Caprio and Maguire are a pleasure to watch, as is Carey Mulligan, who plays the lovelorn Daisy Buchanan. I hadn't really seen Mulligan in anything before (except for one episode of Doctor Who in 2007) and so was quite sceptical about her casting. She did nothing but entertain me for the whole film. She engaged with both Maguire and di Caprio perfectly and delights in the role. She does a wonderful job of appearing head over heels in love with Gatsby and yet reflects the difficulty she has with leaving Tom perfectly. Additionally, the amount of impressive work from hair and make up means that she really looks the part as well.

There were a number of things about the direction that I particularly enjoyed. In the book, the green light at the end of the harbour is a particularly prominent theme, and I wasn't quite sure how Luhrmann would be able to pull this off. To my surprise though he did it absolutely fantastically. Even in the scenes where the house is slightly in the background, the flashing green light was ever present, and I love the message that this wove throughout the film. Every Baz Luhrmann film is very engaging, but there is something quite different about The Great Gatsby. Instead of holding your attention, there were some scenes where I felt that I wanted to be involved. For example, the party scenes were particularly engaging and enjoyable, to the point that I found myself wanting them to go on for a bit longer. This level of engagement is very rare in modern cinema and is exceptionally well managed by Luhrmann.

However, there were a couple of things that I took issue with, most prominently the soundtrack. Don’t get me wrong, it is a fantastic soundtrack and I really enjoyed it, but I felt that it collided too much with the 1922 theme of the film. Party scenes set to a modern Jay-Z tune didn't sit perfectly comfortably with me. However, I enjoyed them nonetheless. Also, I thought the soundtrack was a bit Jay-Z heavy. For the first half of the film I am fairly confident that it was only Jay-Z songs. I know he was the executive producer for the film, but a touch of variety would have been nice early on. The only other thing I took issue with was that in some of the scenes it was painfully obvious that the words spoken by the characters were not what was coming out of the actor’s mouths. There is nothing worse than a mismatch between vocals and mouth movements, and given the budget and publicity surrounding this film I was disappointed to see it.

Overall though I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Gatsby. I think it is very entertaining and engaging, and fantastically adapts the book. The acting is exceptional (particularly Leonardo di Caprio), and the direction is wonderful. Most of all it captivates the audience, first with the mystery of Gatsby and then with the unfolding love story. I would recommend that you read the book before you see it, just to get an idea of the story and stuff and if you enjoy that, then watch the film. Be careful though old sport, because it’s not for everyone.

Other films starring Leonardo di Caprio:

Django Unchained - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/django-unchained.html

The Departed - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-departed.html

Seven Pounds

I didn't really intend to watch Seven Pounds. I was trying to decide on a film to watch with my girlfriend one night and she saw this film with Will Smith in and decided that was what we were going to watch. I started off a bit sceptical about the film, but by the end of it I was so glad I had watched it. It is a incredibly emotional film about the lengths that some people will go to just to make up for what they've done.

It’s about this guy, Ben, who works for an insurance firm, and throughout the film he goes and visits clients, checking on the state of their health and lives, just to make sure that they are not swindling the company. He seems to be fairly close with several of these clients, and develops a very close bond with a young heart patient called Emily. The two begin to see more and more of each other and one night she invites him over to dinner. This is where the whole scale of the story is revealed, when Ben’s brother turns up and reveals the truth about him. We then see the full scope of Ben’s plan in a finale that left me emotionally drained and slightly inspired. It’s difficult to know how to classify it, because it is not a feel-good film (quite the opposite in fact), but it is a film that I am so glad that I watched, just for the sense of emotion afterwards.

Will Smith is fantastic as Ben, whose life history is slowly revealed throughout the film. Smith is a wonderful actor, and I love watching his films. In this one his supreme acting skills are once again displayed. The emotion that he puts into his relationship with Emily, and the complexities of his character are portrayed absolutely perfectly. The best thing about this film is that you don’t see the twist coming until it is in your headlights, and this is largely due to Smith’s character. The highlight of the film is how changeable Ben is. In one of the earliest scenes we witness him talking on the phone to a blind man, and he gives him such a hard time. I was sitting and watching this feeling genuinely uncomfortable and upset for the man on the other end of the phone, Ezra Turner (Woody Harrelson). Will Smith’s ability to make you feel this way is incredible, and I experienced it again towards the end of the film when him and Emily grow closer. However, unlike certain other Will Smith films, the film isn't completely defined by his acting ability, and this is why it is so enjoyable.

The other members of the cast combined wonderfully to create a film that feels complete. Woody Harrelson plays Ezra (the blind man) and is incredibly convincing in this role. When he is walking around, he doesn't look like a man acting blind, he looks like a genuinely blind man. Aside from Ben, I enjoyed Ezra’s character the most. After the first scene I felt genuinely sorry for him, and Woody Harrelson is to take as much credit for this emotion as Will Smith is. Rosario Dawson also appears as Emily, the heart patient that Ben falls in love with. I haven’t seen any other films that she has been in, so I don’t really know what she is like as an actress, but in Seven Pounds I thought she was excellent. Her engagement with her character is brilliant, and once again, it makes you feel.

However, despite the impressive skills of the cast, I feel that the most credit should go to both the director and the writer. Grant Nieporte does an excellent job in producing such an engaging script, and Gabriele Muccino directs this film absolutely brilliantly, and most of the reason why it is so good is because it all fits together in the end. The lingering message is the ultimate act of love and devotion, which was born out of an attempt to be a better person. I found this an incredibly powerful sentiment to take away from a film that I hadn't heard much about (aside from a largely negative review from my brother).

It was one of those films that you really don’t expect much from, but which really comes through and delivers. I was thinking about it for a good couple of days after I watched it, which can only pay testament to just how powerful it is. It’s the kind of film that doesn't get as much appreciation as it deserves in my eyes. It received very negative reviews after its release with many attacking it just for pulling at the heartstrings and being too intricate. I don’t mind this though. I feel that if I had been excited to see it and had much more expectation about it then it probably wouldn't have been so enjoyable, but because I wasn't expecting much I was very pleasantly surprised.

Saving Private Ryan

First of all, this post is coming a day later than normal. I was moving house yesterday and there was a bit too much going on for me to post. I hope no-one minds this coming on Sunday. This one is about Saving Private Ryan.

In my opinion, Saving Private Ryan is the definitive modern war film. It is an absolutely classic film, and one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest. It follows a group of soldiers who are on a mission to save Private Ryan. All of his brothers have been killed in action and the American high command feel that sending Private Ryan home is the best thing to do for his mother. The soldiers, led by Tom Hanks, track down Private Ryan and attempt to take him away from the war.

Tom Hanks plays Captain Miller, who is in command of the group of soldiers. There is a certain air of mystery about him for the majority of the film because while we find out little bits about the other soldiers we know very little about him. Tom Hanks is absolutely marvellous in this role though. As with most of his roles, the emotion he puts into his character is phenomenal and his command of the screen is incredibly engaging. His role as Captain Miller just adds to the long list of phenomenal roles Tom Hanks has starred in. His dedication is amazing, and the hand tremor that his character shows for much of the film is so perfectly portrayed by Hanks that it is slightly present even when it is not in focus. There’s not really much else to say about him in this role though. There’s not much more to it. He’s fantastic.

Despite being the title character, Private Ryan (Matt Damon) isn't in the film for very long at all. The band of soldiers finds him very late on, and from there the film is building up to the final battle. Matt Damon does very well in this role, but it is quite difficult to critique him too much because he just isn't in it for very long.

It is the other soldiers that I want to talk about. The band of actors who play the soldiers in Captain Miller’s command are a joy to watch. Between them they manage to perfectly convey the little family that each troop comes to represent, and the collective grief, anger and shock when one is killed is portrayed fantastically. Each actor brings a fantastic sense of camaraderie to the film. They are all very likeable in their own individual way, and there are a lot of familiar faces in there. Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi (from Friends), Adam Goldberg (Friends and A Beautiful Mind), Barry Pepper (The Green Mile, Enemy of the State, True Grit) and Tom Sizemore (Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor) jumped out at me. Jeremy Davies particularly excelled for me though, as the nervous and obviously out of place Upham. He is taken from his ‘desk job’ and planted into full combat, and does very well conveying this struggle. I found myself liking Upham increasingly right up until the final battle where his lack of hardened soldier-ness shines through. In many ways it is this team of soldiers that completes the film, rather than one actor.

Saving Private Ryan is a horribly honest film. Its depiction of the war is horrendously graphic. The scene at the beginning where the soldiers are taking the beach is one of the most graphic and gory scenes I have ever watched. The effects were absolutely phenomenal and the wounds that they convey are 100% believable. The whole thing is very gritty and is the most accurate depiction of a war that I have ever seen (though I have never been in a war so I don’t have anything to compare it to). This can only be a good thing. No film should ever try to depict a war if it is not whole-heartedly conveying just how horrendous and graphic it is. The first half and hour left me a bit shocked, so you can only imagine what it must have been like to have witnesses it first hand.

The direction of the film is breathtaking as well. Spielberg continues his interest with the Second World War and makes the film as nail-biting and realistic as is possible. Some of his off-screen direction is what really credits his abilities as a director though. The actors playing the soldiers were trained for military portrayals, and Matt Damon was deliberately left out of this so that he would be resented by the group. This comes across beautifully in the film, and the sincerity with which the soldiers question the loss of a fellow officer for one Private pays testament to this. Also, Spielberg did not storyboard the first battle scene because he wanted it to be spontaneous. It certainly is that, and the action that plays out in front of you is very impressive.

Saving Private Ryan is the ultimate war film, and is a wonderful piece of cinema. I can’t say much beyond impressing the importance of the film. Simply for the reality it portrays and for the engaging atmosphere of the whole thing this is not a film to miss. It should be a must-see on everybody’s list.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

As the title of the film suggests, this is the second part of the Kill Bill series, and sees The Bride pursue the last two members of the Deadly Vipers before turning her attention to Bill. After the success and enjoyment that the first installment received, the second volume was always going to have a lot to live up to, and in my opinion it just falls short of the mark. It’s very good, but not as good as the first in terms of the engagement in the plot and the intricacies of the way it was presented.

Unlike the first film, Volume 2 takes place pretty much in chronological order. The Bride goes to visit Bill’s brother Buck, who tries to kill her and then calls Elle Driver to sell the Hanzo sword he obtained from The Bride. However, she escapes and confronts Elle, and then moves on to try and find Bill. Apart from a couple of flashbacks to explain the story a bit more, the plot is perfectly linear. However, this isn't necessarily a criticism because it is difficult to see how this film could have been jumbled up. There are a few twists and turns along the way, naturally, and the film is still fairly tongue in cheek. There is one scene where Bill’s daughter (no spoilers) asks to watch Shogun Assassin, which made me laugh. In this respect it is no different from the first volume, but for me it is missing something.

Naturally, things get a little bit more difficult for The Bride during this film as she is buried alive and shot at different points. Her quest for Bill seemed a bit too easy in the first film, and it was good to see that she actually had to struggle to get there in this film. However, when she does get there you are expecting an epic and climactic conclusion. Two films have led up to her facing off against her former lover and the amount of blood that has been spilt just to get to him leaves you expecting something sensational. As it goes, the final ‘battle’ is rather disappointing. I don’t think it was ever going to be as immense as the ending of the first film, and it’s a lot more sentimental. Regardless of her quest for revenge, there is obviously something between The Bride and Bill. There is a chemistry there which comes out perfectly in the interaction between Uma Thurman and the late David Carradine (who was the star of a number of martial arts films).

In terms of the blood and guts element of Kill Bill Vol. 2, there is much more and much less. While the murders that The Bride commits are both much fewer and much less violent, there is a pretty spectacular scene where she pulls out an eye and stamps on it. As with the ‘horrific’ scenes in the first film though, this is much more comical than gruesome. Another (sad) similarity between this and the first installment is the dialogue. During the scene where The Bride and Elle are fighting the conversation between them was so forced it became annoying. There are a few scenes where the dialogue isn't too bad (the scene with Esteban, and the final scene with Bill for example), but when it actually gets down to the fighting I think the delivery could have been a lot better.

David Carradine performs very well in Kill Bill Vol. 2. He makes a couple of appearances in the first film, but really has a major role in the second. He does very well to convey the air of a very powerful man, and despite never coming across as particularly ‘bad’, there is a sense of danger around nearly everything he does. For example, I found myself quite tense when he was making a sandwich in front of The Bride and his daughter and is waving the knife around. He is, in many ways, a very complex character, because although he shot The Bride in the head, he was obviously ‘very sad’, and realises that this is probably worth him being punished for. He could easily have stopped The Bride and had plenty of opportunities to kill her, but holds off. Either out of love or guilt, he realises that she deserves her revenge. This is fantastically put by his brother, played by Michael Madsen. Madsen plays Bill’s brother Budd, who is the bouncer in a strip club. He is a fairly non-descript character, but has a much darker side to him, as we see when he buries her alive. Anyone who has seen Reservoir Dogs will know that Michael Madsen plays ‘insane’ very well, and he does very well in bringing an element of this to Budd in Kill Bill.

Overall, Kill Bill Vol. 2 is a good film, but I didn't think that it was as good as the first film. However, if you have seen the first film then you simply cannot avoid watching it. It is as funny and entertaining as the first film, and brings everything together very nicely. I think that a third instalment has been announced, or at least Tarantino has been reported to be working on it, so it will be interesting to see where they take it from here. Watch the first one before this one, but after watching the first one you should not miss the next part. 

Other Tarantino films:
Reservoir Dogs - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/reservoir-dogs.htmlInglorious Basterds - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/inglorious-basterds.htmlDjango Unchained - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/django-unchained.html
Kill Bill Vol. 1 - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/kill-bill-vol-1.html

Kill Bill Vol. 1

They say that ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. Kill Bill is the absolute epitome of this saying. It tells of ‘The Bride’ who is out to get revenge on the people who shot her in the head at her wedding rehearsal. It is directed by Quentin Tarantino and so has many of the hallmarks of a Tarantino film. The first part of Kill Bill sees The Bride wake up from the coma that she was in, track down and kill the first two Deadly Vipers. It is a very good film to watch, and any fan of Tarantino will enjoy it in much the same way that they (hopefully) enjoyed his other films.

The plot of the film is incredibly engaging, and despite the high level of blood and violence, you are always rooting for The Bride (whose name is blanked out whenever it is spoken) to get her revenge. Now Tarantino’s tendency to break the plot up into chapters and jumble the story around a bit makes the first part a bit difficult to follow. We see her pregnant at her wedding where Bill (hence the title of the film) shoots her in the head. Then she wakes up in the hospital as one of the nurses is telling a man the rules for his rather horrifying way of making money on the side. She leaves the hospital (leaving two dead men behind her) and makes off in ‘the pussy wagon’. From here she goes to Japan, gets a samurai sword from the legendary Hattori Hanzo and takes on the Crazy 88s. In the film this is the big climax at the end (and it is an incredible scene), and so it is quite strange to think that this happens before the little knife fight between her and Vernita Green. Naturally, the heroine prevails and then leaves to seek her next victim.

Uma Thurman plays The Bride, and also wrote some of the script in what is her second collaboration with Tarantino. She is very good in this film and comes across (shockingly, given the nature of her mission) very convincingly as a woman out for revenge. She is very sinister and very cold, but if I have one criticism of her in Kill Bill then it will be that her delivery of her lines is quite poor. It never seems natural when she says that she has ‘unfinished business’, and some of the script writing isn't astounding. However, as ever with Tarantino I feel that this is intended and meticulously planned. Uma Thurman is incredibly believable in the role. The image of her in the yellow motorbike suit has become iconic and represents one of the best (and most incredulous) fight scenes I have seen.

As with every Tarantino film, the blood flows in plentiful supply. A woman on a murderous revenge-fuelled rampage directed by Tarantino is bound to be over the top, but Tarantino makes it very amusing in Kill Bill. For example, in the scene where O-Ren Ishii cuts the head off Boss Tanaka, the blood spurts up in a fountain-like manner, about two seconds after it should. However, this helps to make Kill Bill less dark and lightens the tone of the film quite a lot. I remember watching it for the first time with my flatmate, and we were laughing our heads off. Throughout Kill Bill the violence is very comical, and the gore is more amusing than disgusting.

The best part about Tarantino’s non-linear plot is that he re-arranges it in a manner that works perfectly in terms of suspense. The scene where Vernita and The Bride are having a cup of coffee and reminiscing is particularly tense, because all the time there is the lingering worry that something could spark off any moment. By leaving the big fight in Japan until the end of the film there is much more of a desire for Volume 2. For me, Kill Bill Vol. 1 marks the start of Tarantino’s move towards more comical films. The films before Kill Bill (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown) all seem much more realistic and gritty, whereas Kill Bill is a very tongue-in-cheek film, which comes across as Tarantino’s idea of ‘a bit of fun’. It says a lot that his idea of a fun film is equally enjoyable as his earlier films.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 is a classic Tarantino film, and is a thoroughly enjoyable film. It is very different to his other films, but in many ways, very similar. I found that it was very watchable, and I enjoyed the light atmosphere around it. The best thing about it though is that it makes you want to find out what happens in the second part. Usually I am quite skeptical about films split into two parts, but Kill Bill pulls it off perfectly. Definitely one to watch if you get the opportunity.

Other Tarantino films:

Reservoir Dogs - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/reservoir-dogs.html

Inglorious Basterds - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/inglorious-basterds.html

Django Unchained - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/django-unchained.html

Requiem for a Dream

Requiem for a Dream is a film about addiction and drugs which really attacks at the heart of the person watching it. We are presented with four characters, each with an addiction to something, and watch as this addiction eats away at their lives, tearing them apart and ultimately ruining them. It is an incredibly powerful, very disturbing film which will leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches it.

We are presented with Sara Goldfarb who lives alone and watches television all day. She gets a phone call one day telling her that she is going to be on television and immediately decides to prepare for this. She tries to lose weight and eventually starts taking diet pills. These pills have a horrifying effect on her and over the course of the film we slowly see her wasting away. Her aim is to fit into the red dress that her late husband loved so much, but by the end of the film the woman in the red dress is a long way away from the woman she fantasises she could be. Ellen Burstyn is absolutely brilliant, and manages the idiosyncrasies of a person who craves food perfectly. The story around her is perhaps the most disturbing of them all because it is the most relatable in many ways, and the changes that she undergoes are so dramatic that it makes you think about how easy it is to lose control. The pivotal scene where she is debating about taking more than her dose of diet pills had me willing her not to do it, just so that the horror she experiences wouldn’t get any worse.

Jared Leto (singer from 30 Seconds to Mars) plays Sara’s son Harry, who she believes to be a happy and successful businessman, but who is actually deeply involved with drugs. Together with his friend Tyrone and his girlfriend Marion they begin to spiral down into the cycle of addiction. This has horrifying consequences for all of them. They become more and more involved in their drug habits and start going to greater extremes in order to feed their addiction. Their respective fates are as bad as the fate which befalls Sara, and in one particular case, far worse, but I won’t spoil it for you. Both Jennifer Connelly and Jared Leto do very well in this film, and it is sad to watch them spiral from the young couple in love to two people wondering where their next hit is going to come from.

At the end of the film, the last scene is horrendous. Shortly before, we are presented with each characters outcomes (including one of the most disturbing scenes I have ever watched) and despite being a very minimalist ending, the weight of the last hour and a half of their actions makes this scene very poignant. The characters curl into the foetal position, and you find yourself looking back to the start of the film and realising how dramatically wrong their lives have gone in such a short space of time. The film is very difficult to write about because it is quite hard to convey just how much of an impact it leaves on you. It is not a pleasant film at all, and in many places it is very disturbing, but what is worse is that the audience can see it happening. Obviously you can’t predict what will happen to the characters, but the audience is sitting there knowing that it is not going to end well. It has a very powerful message about addictions in this sense. It is also very difficult to watch, and not only because of the outcomes for each of the characters. The way it is filmed doesn't make for easy watching, and every instance of drug taking is marked by a montage of the effects it has on the body.

The director, Darren Aronofsky (who also did Black Swan), has done a fantastic job with this film. In no sense of the word is Requiem for a Dream entertaining, and you will find yourself genuinely disgusted at times throughout the film, but it is the message that is most important. It highlights the devastating effects that drugs and addiction can have on your life, and by making you engage with the characters, it makes you ‘feel’ when it all goes wrong. It is very rare that a film has such a significant impact on you after you watch it, but Requiem for a Dream does. It is one of those films that I immediately recommended to a friend, just because of the impact it had on me.

A little tip of the hat to the soundtrack, which includes the song ‘Requiem’ which you will know when you hear. The use of this song in the film adds to the impact it has, making a very imposing and scary situation much worse.

I cannot recommend Requiem for a Dream strongly enough, but not because of its entertainment value. It will leave you thinking for quite a while after, and you will likely not enjoy some of the scenes, but it is one of those films that you cannot afford to miss. It is an incredibly powerful film about addiction and is so real that it makes you feel like you have been dragged in as well.

Iron Man 3

Having seen the first two Iron Man films and really enjoying them I was quite excited to see the third one when it was released. Sadly I had exams when it was first released and so I had to wait until last Tuesday to go and see it. I was looking forward to it, and once again, it didn't disappoint. Too much. There were good things and bad things about Iron Man 3 and all-in-all I think it balanced out to be a fairly good film.

On the positive side, Robert Downey Jr. is still the same eclectic and charismatic Tony Stark that made both Iron Man and Iron Man 2, as well as The Avengers, so very enjoyable. His unique character makes him immensely likable, when really he shouldn't be. However, his attitude in this film was a bit too controversial for me. There was one moment when he told the kid in the film not to be a ‘pussy’ because his dad left home. I thought that this was too far. Apart from that though he was still at his funny and quirky best. I thought it was fantastic to see some worries and vulnerabilities creeping in as well. After what he saw and did in New York, anyone would struggle and so it was good that he was visibly affected by his experiences in a way that doesn't normally get shown in such films.

It was also good to see some level of continuity with The Avengers. There were obvious references back to the 2012 film and this made the whole Marvel series feel a lot more inclusive. Before The Avengers the five prequels were completely stand-alone around four characters, and there was a risk that afterwards they would return to being stand-alone films. I was quite pleased that they did incorporate some aspects of the last film into this one. I also really liked the post-credit scene with Mark Ruffalo (I wonder how many of you will have stayed behind to watch that one).

The final positive point that I want to raise was how original most of the story felt. I am led to believe that it was based on one of the Iron Man comic books, but it was presented in a very refreshing way. The story also didn't seem to follow the same pattern as the first two Iron Man films where there was a bad guy who wrecks havoc and then the superhero swoops in and stops him. Here it unfolded and was slowly revealed, and this made for a much more enjoyable experience compared to Iron Man 2 at least. The visual effects were excellent as well, as a small side note. The scale of this Iron Man was much greater than the first two and the budget obviously reflects the success of the other three films involving this character. The climax scene of the film was immense and absolutely gripped me, largely due to the scale of the special effects.

However, there were in my eyes a couple of drawbacks with Iron Man 3. Firstly, despite being relatively fresh and original, there were a couple of clichéd moments too. Tony Stark giving his home address to a known terrorist was beyond stupid, and so everything that followed from there slightly reduced my sympathy for him. I found the scenario that he found himself in for the majority of the middle of the film a bit clichéd too. I mean how many times before have we seen the superhero abandoned on his own in the middle of nowhere having lost everything? However, I did that making this part of the storyline softened the cliché. Another problem I had (spoilers) was that when Pepper fell from the crane thingy we were obviously meant to be rocked by her death. I mean no-one could survive that could they? However the guys I saw this with were all in complete agreement that they were certain she was fine. While I didn’t want them to kill off Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, I did think that this bit was weak.

The only other bad thing I have to say about the film relates to Ben Kingsley’s character. Ben Kingsley was absolutely brilliant as the terrorist The Mandarin (or Trevor), and was not only ferociously intimidating and genuinely sinister at times, but also brilliantly zany and quite funny when his character was revealed. He has a certain manner about him that makes each role completely different from any other Ben Kingsley role. However I did think that his character could have been so much more. He played the terrorist threat throughout the film but (spoilers) this was revealed to be a false ruse set up by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) in order to provide a target for the backlash against his schemes. Yet I always felt that his character never really fulfilled the potential that he had. I guess it is quite difficult to see how, but maybe the threat his character posed could have been greater. In the comic books I think The Mandarin is the archenemy of Iron Man, whereas here he is presented as a bit of a joke. This is a shame, and presumably has annoyed a large number of Iron Man fans, and this is the main thing that I felt could have been better about Iron Man 3.

Before I end this review I just want to mention quickly how good Guy Pearce was. His character seemed to pose a genuinely unstoppable force to Tony Stark and was much better than the previous two villains Iron Man has defeated. His character seemed permanently angry, and this was something that Guy Pearce managed very well. I can’t for the life of me work out what it is about Tony Stark that seems to really annoy some people to the extent that they try to destroy and dominate the world (sarcasm of course).

Iron Man 3 is not the film to watch if you want to be introduced to the franchise, but if you have seen the last two Iron Man films then it is worth a watch. Having seen The Avengers is not a prerequisite either, as much of the continuity isn’t critical for the plot. I did really enjoy Iron Man 3 – it kept me gripped and entertained for a while, and I didn’t fall asleep in the comfy chair I watched it in (which after the long day I had on Tuesday was quite a surprise). 

Knocked Up

Knocked Up is a classic example of a comedy film. Seth Rogen plays a man (Ben) who doesn't have a job, hangs out with his friends and leads a generally very childish life. Katherine Heigl plays a successful career driven woman (Alison) who has just been promoted to an on-screen role at the television station she works for. One night the two meet in a club and he gets her pregnant, and the rest of the film follows the impact this has on both their lives, with undoubtedly comedic consequences.

Before dealing with the comedy side of it, I’d like to say that I think Knocked Up has a lovely story as well as being amusing. The change that Seth Rogen’s character undergoes during the pregnancy is very nice to watch. He goes from cruising through life to taking some serious responsibilities and changes from being a potentially terrible father to a man who will make a fantastic dad. However, his character is absolutely hilarious as well. Regardless of whether he is hanging out with his mates or if he is in the presence of Alison’s sister and her family there is always something funny happening. Seth Rogen doesn't exactly excel in this role, but then again, it is a difficult role to excel in. As in nearly every other film he is in, he plays his role with immense comedy, and there is no doubt that he is a very funny man.

Katherine Heigl also does very well, and I particularly enjoyed the scene where she flips out at Seth Rogen and orders him to get out of the car. The argument that follows is very funny and she manages to portray the different aspects of pregnancy very well. I don’t know if she has had children (a quick bit of research tells me that she has two, but gave birth to neither of them), but she is very believable in the role that she plays. The best thing about this film, aside from the comedy, is that Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl have fantastic on screen chemistry. Even when they are completely at the throats of each other, they are fantastic to watch together. Katherine Heigl is the one ‘sore thumb’ in the cast, by which I mean that she hasn't appeared in a number of other films featuring the cast and hasn't been in other Judd Apatow films. This isn't a criticism though, because she is very amusing throughout, and stands as the polar opposite to Seth Rogen, which works very well.

Many Judd Apatow films see a fair few actors and actresses who pop up in various roles, and Knocked Up is no exception. The notable appearances are Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, and Jonah Hill. Leslie Mann (Judd Apatow’s real life wife) plays Alison’s older sister, and is absolutely brilliant. Her delivery is perfect and the character she plays is fantastically written. She is changeable and works wonderfully with Paul Rudd, who plays her husband. Their marriage and its difficulties are a continual source of (slightly dark) humour. Whoever thought up the idea of the scene where she thinks he is having an affair, follows him and discovers that he is really in a fantasy baseball draft deserves a medal because this scene had me in stitches.

In addition to these two are Jason Segel and Jonah Hill who play two of Ben’s friends. Together the guys are building a website called ‘Flesh of the Stars’ which provides much amusement throughout the film. However, it is how natural the relationship between the guys seems that is most satisfying to watch. I think Jason Segel is one of the best comedic actors of today (and that may just be a personal preference) but he is absolutely wonderful in Knocked Up. His knowledge of a number of areas is particularly amusing, especially at the end when he says that ‘gynaecology is just a hobby of mine’ and proceeds to explain what is happening in the delivery room. Jonah Hill has a very ‘bland’ character in this film, but he makes it work so very well. He is socially awkward around anyone except the other guys he lives with and this provides some very funny moments when other people turn up, such as when Alison is round and he is left alone with her.

The main redeeming feature of Knocked Up is that it has a number of other storylines which make the film continually funny rather than just following the pregnancy story. There is the long-running issue of Martin’s hair, the issue of Seth Rogen’s marijuana habit, the pranks that the guys play on each other, and the involvement of Ben’s dad. All of these scenes add up to produce a very funny film, and Judd Apatow’s ability to write a funny film which keeps you laughing almost to the end is second to none.

Knocked Up will never be considered as one of the greatest films, but it is easily one of the best comedy films I have seen. There are many laugh out loud moments, and several occasions where you find yourself engaged with the characters and concerned about what will happen in the story. It is a film best to watch with friends, but unless you have no sense of humour, you will definitely laugh at some point during the film. Not one to miss in my opinion.

Paul

I think that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are two fantastic comedy actors, and I absolutely loved Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. There was a lot of anticipation around Paul regarding whether it would live up to the previous two films, despite not being part of the ‘Ice Cream and Blood’ series. While it is nowhere near as good as the other two films, it is still a very enjoyable, and very funny film in its own right.

We are introduced to Graham and Clive, two men who are on holiday to America in order to go to Comic-Con and visit some of the famous ‘alien mystery’ sights. However during their journey they encounter a real-life alien who is unlike anything that they’d expect. The whole film is peppers with popular science fiction references and is sure to provide you with a fair few laughs. After they encounter the alien, Paul, they become caught up in an attempt to escape from ‘The Big Guy’ and return Paul home before he is re-captured.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have such an engaging on screen chemistry that when they are together they are superb. Their off-screen friendship transfers easily on screen and as a result (and as with many of the films they both star in), the two characters are easily believable as best friends. When you add a rude, humanised alien into the mix you have a scenario which is laugh-out-loud funny. Seth Rogen voices Paul very well, but the real credit has to go to whoever thought up the character. People assume that beings from another world will be all X-Files or Doctor Who, just because of the influence of the television and cinema industry, and so to create a character who himself influenced the depiction of aliens (in the film, obviously) and is opinionated, smokes and makes friends with humans makes this film feel rather fresh.

Now it would be quite easy to get offended at Paul I think. There are some strong opinions expressed about religion and evolution, and there is one character who is strongly religious until Paul shows her all his knowledge and heals her eye. Obviously, someone wrote in the anti-religious aspects to Paul’s character, but rather than the attitudes expressed intending to offend or represent a strong stance, I think they were more likely to be an aspect of Paul’s character which allowed the writers to play off against the pro-religion stance of Kirsten Wiig’s character. Rather than getting offended by these scenes, it is a lot more entertaining if you laugh at the conflict of attitudes.

As with most comedy films, there are a few familiar faces to identify, and Paul is mp exception. Jason Bateman appears as Agent Zoil, who is chasing Paul for most of the film, and does really well with the complexities of his character. I especially liked the scene where he shoots the radio and says ‘Boring conversation anyway’ in a direct reference to Han Solo in Star Wars Episode IV. Signourney Weaver puts in an appearance as ‘The Big Guy’ and is the main character chasing Paul throughout the film. Jane Lynch (from Glee) appears as the waitress at the sci-fi cafe, and is an amusing supporting character. David Koechner (from Anchorman, amongst other things) appears as an aggressive southerner who takes an amusing dislike to Graham and Clive. Finally, Blythe Danner appears as the grown up version of the little girl whose dog Paul landed on when he first arrived on earth. I especially like her character because she appears to have been driven slightly mad by the mystery of Paul, but she is rewarded at the end of the film and this is fairly touching for a comedy film.

Paul is a very funny film and has a few moments that will make you laugh aloud. There is no real ‘down point’ to the film, and there is always something going on. Even the parts that aren’t explicitly funny are very entertaining and this makes it a very enjoyable film. I find that it’s a good one to put on with a couple of friends and have a good time with.