The Avengers

I was buzzing to see The Avengers when it was released last year, but I think I had quite a bit of work to do at the time and never got round to seeing it. When it was released on DVD I kept trying to find a price that was cheap enough that I could justify it. When I eventually bought it (for £5 in Sainsbury’s) I decided to keep it for the day after my exams finished, just as a little treat. Now that they have finished I have finally seen it, and I loved it.

I am a massive fan of superhero films, and love most of the Marvel characters. Recently, Iron Man has been a big favourite, and I was very excited to see how some of the other characters turned out. I was however a little bit tentative. Normally when a film has a large number of main characters they start to detract from the film a little bit. If this happens then what could have been a phenomenon turns into a bitter disappointment (remember Spiderman 3?). The Avengers deals with this problem very well. There are 7 characters featured on the majority of the promotional posters, and the film balances them out equally. There are a couple of stories going on with each character, but these are all given an appropriate amount of screen time, and instead of the film being all about one character, there is no character who plays an obviously major role to the detriment of another.

The plot is a fairly straightforward ‘bad guy wants to destroy the world as we know it’ sort of thing, but it is made to be original and so it works. Complete with an extraterrestrial threat to the freedom of humanity and an unusual source of power that the bad guy has obviously stolen to help his plot to subjugate the Earth, The Avengers has a fresh feel to it, despite the plot being a little bit old.

Now there are obviously too many main characters for me to talk about all of them in depth. Suffice to say that they are all excellent. Those actors whose characters have already had a film have not changed their style in the slightest. For example Robert Downey Jr. is every bit the same Tony Stark that previously appeared in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Chris Evans makes Captain America a little bit different in this, but I suppose that he was frozen after the Second World War and so the world he wakes up in will be completely different to him. The Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is different compared to the one in the previous film, but that is only to be expected given that this is a different actor. Chris Hemsworth does very well as Thor as well. This was my first experience of Thor and I thought that his character was very enjoyable to watch. The interesting responsibility that he feels as a result of his adopted brother being the one to wreak the damage is an interesting twist and plays out very well on screen. Jeremy Renner is absolutely wonderful as Hawkeye and given that he has nothing to build on with this character. His is a character whose story plays out during the film, with twists and turns along the way. I wasn’t sure whether he was good or bad for a bit, and Renner does very well when he falls on both sides of this fence. Scarlett Johansson is fantastic as Black Widow and never feels like anything less than one of the group. Her character is one that could be quite easily forgotten about but both she and the writers do very well to make her an equal member of the team. Finally, Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury does a magnificent job of being the glue between all the characters. Before this film he had appeared in a number of the ‘prequels’ without a major role. However, here his part is much bigger and his character becomes one of the few things tying the group together. He is, as ever, magnificent to watch in action.

Another aspect of The Avengers that I really enjoyed was the special effects. With many ‘blockbuster’ films today there is a slight tendency for directors to spend most of the budget on special effects that really don’t add anything to the film. Equally, as Michael Bay shows us, sometimes special effects can actually damage a film more than enhance it. With The Avengers, Joss Whedon does a fantastic job of getting the balance just right. The special effects are not overpowering and completely work in the context of the film, rather than being there to grab the attention of the people finding clips for the trailer. The weird alien ship monster things (if you’ve seen the film you will know what I mean) are fantastically well designed, and the effects around each of the superheroes are fantastic – particularly the way that Bruce Banner changes into The Hulk. The effects for this film are so impressive that it was nominated for an Academy Award, understandably losing out the Life of Pi. It is a very impressive example of how special effects can be used well in modern action films.

If you don’t like superhero films then you should not watch The Avengers. Also, I wouldn’t advise it until you’ve seen at least one of the prequel films because otherwise you might find yourself a bit lost about who all the characters are. However, if you do decide to watch it, then you will find yourself enjoying a fantastic film that keeps you entertained pretty much from the first minute to the last. Also, after the film ends, watch out because there are two post-credit scenes. Definitely one for the action superhero fan to enjoy. 

Shutter Island

When I first saw Shutter Island it absolutely blew me away. It was a film that I knew nothing about and I picked it up relatively cheap on the recommendation of a woman who I did not know. It was a complete unknown. However, skipping forward two and a half years and it is one of my favourite films. It is the film that cemented Leonardo Di Caprio as one of my favourite actors, and to this day whenever I watch it I pick up new things about the story.

Basically it’s about a guy called Teddy Daniels who is sent to investigate an escaped patient at a hospital for the criminally insane. Alongside his partner Chuck, he investigates her disappearance in the eerily creepy hospital. However, things start to get a little bit mysterious and scary. Added to Teddy’s flashbacks to his experiences in the war and his hallucinations of his dead wife, the audience is soon aware that something isn’t right. By the time the twist came around there was no way I saw it coming, and even at the end there is an ambiguity which leaves me pondering the outcome for hours after I see it.

Like Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed before it, Shutter Island is another collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Di Caprio. Of all the Di Caprio-Scorsese films I have seen (three out of five) this one is the one I enjoyed the most. While it is not Scorsese’s best film in terms of direction and impact and what not, I found it so fantastically enjoyable that I rank it up there with some of his best work (much to the dismay of many Scorsese purists I’m sure).

Leonardo Di Caprio is fantastic in the film. He plays a character who starts out angry, and by the end of the film, what with everything that has gone on, is positively fuming. If you haven’t seen the film before then skip over the next couple of sentences because there will be spoilers. Ready? Good. His acting is so convincing that even when Dr Cawley and Chuck were telling him the truth about his identity, I was fairly convinced that it was part of the plot to trap him there. This is a credit both to Di Caprio’s involvement in his character, and to the writers for making the story so absorbing. I have nothing but praise for Di Caprio in this film and, although it is not one of the best acting performances ever, it comes in a film that is so engaging and enjoyable that it is hard not to like his character, and feel for him at the end of the film.

Ben Kingsley is riveting as the enigmatic Dr Cawley. Throughout the film, largely due to the emerging plot around Ashecliffe, the audience is unsure whether he is trustworthy or not. Ben Kingsley, in the nicest possible way of course, has an appearance that breeds a certain ambiguity about his character. At the end of the film though (spoilers) he is revealed as an inherently caring man who always wants what is best for his patients. Although there is evidence of this throughout, it only becomes apparent when the audience is made aware of the twist.

Shutter Island is based on a book by the same name. The film does follow the book relatively closely. However, the ending of the film and the book are relatively different. While there are some parts of the book that the film would be unable to include (for obvious reasons of time) the film adds one line in at the end (“is it better to die as a good man or to live as a monster?”). This is the line which makes the ending so much of a mindblower. However, it isn’t in the book and creates a more pointed sense of ambiguity. The inclusion of this line points much more towards one direction of the sane-insane ending. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, and I fully trust Scorsese’s judgement on this one. Ultimately, he has directed more candidate films for the ‘best of all time’ than I have.

When you watch the film for a second time, with knowledge of how it is going to play out, it becomes much better as you are able to appreciate every little bit of information that points you in the direction of the conclusion. From the initial reactions of the guards when Teddy and Chuck arrive through to the fear that the patients have of the marshalls, the exchange between the Warden (Ted Levine) and Teddy, and the nature of Dr Naehring’s (Max von Sydow) conversations with Teddy. Everything becomes apparent the second time and this is why I enjoy the film so much, even now when I have seen it more times than I can remember. I pick up new bits of information every time I watch it, and it is a film with many different layers to it. That probably sounds weird, but it is a film with every last bit of Scorsese’s subtext as his other masterpieces. There is ambiguity over the positioning of the lighthouse and the angles from which it is viewed, as well as the flashbacks Teddy has.

Ultimately, Shutter Island is one of those films that you have to make your own mind up about. Personally, (spoilers) I think that he is sane but realises that he is too dangerous to risk relapsing again and sacrifices himself. I cannot recommend that you watch Shutter Island strongly enough, just so you can make your own mind up about what is going on. It is a fantastic film, very enjoyable, and captures your attention without difficulty. Unmissable in my opinion. 

Other films starring Leonardo Di Caprio
Django Unchained - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/django-unchained.htmlThe Great Gatsby - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-great-gatsby.html

Other films directed by Martin Scorsese
Casino - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/casino_28.htmlRaging Bull - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/raging-bull.html

Other Scorsese-Di Caprio films
The Departed - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-departed.html
The Aviator - http://mattsthoughtsonmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-aviator.html

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). 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I first came across this film when revising for my second year exams. I had a unit on memory and the textbook I was reading used Eternal Sunshine as an example of memory research in popular culture. I reasoned to myself that if the textbook told me to do so, then watching the film must count as revision. I found myself watching a film that was not only thought-provoking, but mysterious and quite touching at the same time. Sadly (or not as the case may be) it is one of those films that dramatically divides the attention of its viewers, and so my opinions will doubtless be dramatically different from those of others.

Eternal Sunshine tells of a couple who have a procedure which erases each other from their memories after they break up. However, when they start to lose each other they realise that they don’t want to forget. The film is quite difficult to follow because it doesn't go in a linear fashion, however, it’s not an absolute mindbender either. There is a story within the story and this plotline has the ‘twist’ of the film in. This moment is brilliant because up until that point the film has entirely focused on Joel and Clementine, and the audience assumes that the ‘memory staff’ are simply background characters. However, the twist reveals that there is much more going on than you initially think.

Jim Carrey is so delightful to watch in this. Before I watched Eternal Sunshine my only previous experience of Jim Carrey had been of the hilariously silly star of Ace Ventura, Batman Forever and Bruce Almighty. I was very surprised to see him take on a much more serious role, even if there are some scene where his comedic acting shines through. His character is very deep I think, and after he breaks up with his girlfriend and realises that she has erased him from her mind (perfectly plausible) he decides that the memory if her is too painful, and wants it removed himself. However, he soon comes to realise that he doesn't want to lose these memories. This is an interesting idea, as I’m sure we've all been there. After a break up it might be easier to simply erase the person from your memory, but what comes through in the film, and what shone through for me, is that the happy memories you had, while painful, are what has formed you as a person. You cannot let that go because without the memories you wouldn't be the person you are. For me, this is the most important message of the film.

Kate Winslet, as ever, shines alongside Jim Carrey. While the way her character is portrayed has a lot to do with the way the film is put together, Winslet does a great job over conveying how changeable and impulsive Clementine is. At times she comes across as very uncaring toward Joel, but when faced with the prospect of losing the memories, even in Joel’s head, she becomes a completely different person. When Patrick (Elijah Wood) begins to take Joel’s place in her memories the film takes a bit of a dark turn. I found myself thoroughly detesting Patrick, and while I think this is the general idea, the idea that someone can take your place in someone’s life by erasing you and repeating your actions is quite a nasty prospect.

The film turns out to be quite a nice love story though. Throughout the film there is the sense that Joel and Clementine’s relationship was tumultuous to say the least, and their break up was probably for the best. However by the end of the film I found myself finding the unfolding story to be quite touching. Despite the fact that both the characters had their memories of each other erased they find themselves attracted to each other again. Clementine told Joel to meet her somewhere in his memory, and their eventual meeting paints the picture of a couple who, despite having a difficult relationship, really love each other and seem to be meant to be somewhat.

The supporting cast of Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson and Mark Ruffalo are all glittering as well. Kirsten Dunst’s emotion in the final scenes as the twist is revealed is perfectly conveyed. The fact that Elijah Wood comes across as utterly detestable in this film is also a credit to him. In many of the roles he has played he is very likable, and to be able to play character that is widely disliked by the audience is a rare talent.

Overall, Eternal Sunshine is a wonderful film, and many, many paragraphs could be dedicated to me analysing it. All the sub-plots, sub-memories and different levels of looking at this film create a movie which I still find myself discovering every time I watch it. I can strongly advise that you watch it, but be prepared for a bit of a heavy film. The message can be whatever you make it, and personally I think the message is quite simple: whatever happened, it is not best to forget about your partner after a break up because your experience of them has made you who you are today.