" I never expected to get this sort of reaction so early "

The Watch

Concerned local citizen Evan (Ben Stiller) leads four men in a local neighbourhood watch. Evan's less than impressive team consists of his over enthusiastic neighbour Bob (Vince Vaughn), wannabe cop Franklin (Jonah Hill) and new resident to the town Jamarcus (Richard Ayoade). The watch is established when Evan's Costco employee and friend is murdered, although the team do little more than scare teenage vandals. Miraculously the team of misfits soon find themselves protecting their neighbourhood form an alien invasion.

In recent years there have been many notable films that blend science fiction and comedy from classics such as Ghostbusters to modern hits such as Men in Black. Perhaps no duo have done it better than Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in their much loved films Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. The Watch tries to go down a similar path but unfortunately misses the mark in terms of comedy and science fiction. The aliens offer nothing original to the genre as they are nothing more than a hybrid of Predator and the Alien. However the lack of originality with the aliens is not the underlying issue with this film.

Director Akiva Schaffer who is a writer and director on Saturday Night Live is still trying to make his mark on Hollywood having only directed the small budget film Hot Rod. Schaffer tries to create a bromance film where the four leads bounce off one another but unfortunately there is very little chemistry. It seems that Schaffer was almost distracted by the science fiction elements and as a result the humour between the four suffer.

I believe this film could have been more successful if there were no aliens at all, with the film instead focusing on the four main characters as they protect their town from a real life threat. The aliens appear almost as a lazy inclusion as if the writers couldn't come up with a realistic or original scenario for the four men to investigate. One of the major letdowns in the film is the script. Writers Jared Stern, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg choose to focus on predictable penis jokes instead of witty humour. As a result there are very few likeable characters and virtually no character development with each character as creepy and weird as the next.

The casting choice of the four leads seemed like comic gold but there is so little chemistry between them that most of the humour seems forced. Stiller and Vaughn are both looking a bit older but their characters haven't changed a bit. Stiller plays the familiar energetic control freak and Vaughn is as hyper as usual as he tries to squeeze as much dialogue into each scene as possible. Hill is probably the best character as the borderline psychotic oddball (although not the only one) who is really starting to become a sought-after actor. Ayoade is made out to equally as strange as Hill but is tragically given very few lines. However Ayoade makes the most of what he is given and provides the majority of the laughs. If you haven't seen his show The IT Crowd then do yourself a favour and seek it out, as it is one of the funniest shows to come out of Britain.

The Watch is a little disappointing as there are countless plot holes and an overemphasis on cheap toilet humour. The Watch does offer some genuine laughs but the comedic talent of the four main actors are underutilised and overshadowed by the supernatural aspect of the film, with the end result a film that is hesitant to commit to either genre.

Top Five Pixar Films

 Pixar has come a long way in its 25 year history, from bugs to bears the company continues to deliver original ideas and set new benchmarks for quality of animation and storytelling. One of the most enjoyable parts of a Pixar film is the memorable short films that appear prior to the feature, which are worth the ticket price themselves. Pixar also had the foresight to include trademarks known as easter eggs into their films. These 'blink or you miss them' moments offer hints to their next films or act as part of a long running joke such as the inclusion the pizza planet truck or Pixar's lucky charm John Ratzenberger. It is remarkable that Pixar has been able to produce so many high standard films with the only let down (in terms of critical opinion not box office success) coming from Car/Cars 2.

Although Pixar has returned to an original concept with their latest release, Brave, it seems that Pixar has succumb to the trends of modern cinema as they are revisiting many of their original films in the form of sequels and prequels. With Finding Nemo 2 in the works, Monster's University set to come out next year and probably another Toy Story given the box office and critical success of the third I only hope that Pixar doesn't stop releasing unique and original films such as the ones that have helped establish its reputation.

5. Toy Story

Toy Story demonstrated the potential of Pixar's animation as well as provided audiences with a truly emotional story that everyone could relate to. The basic premise is that all toys are actually alive and get up to all sorts of mischief when we are gone and honestly what kid hasn't entertained that idea at one time in their life. Toy Story revolves around Buzz and Woody in a buddy comedy that made viewers of all ages become nostalgic and sympathetic for the way they had treated their toys in the past. Part of the emotion in the film comes from Randy Newman's famous song "You've Got a Friend in Me" as well as the recurring theme of becoming unloved or forgotten that was all too relatable for many.  

4. Ratatouille

Pixar's hidden gem comes in the form of a rat whose love for food leads him to become a chef in Paris. Ratatouille is a highly underrated film that is often forgotten but there is no mistaking the films originality and beauty. You have to admire Pixar's bravery for supporting such an idea as the concept of a rat cooking food in a high class French restaurant is certainly risky. Luckily Pixar had Brad Bird as writer/director who was able to create a film that appealed to all audiences. Ratatouille has many memorable moments but the end narration by the imperious food critic, Anton Ego is one of the best scenes from any Pixar film.

3. Toy Story 3

There is no doubt all three Toy Story films are excellent as they masterfully explore themes of friendship, jealousy and loyalty. Toy Story 3 however is definitely a cut above the rest. In the first two films the tense friendship between Buzz and Woody made the characters somewhat unlikeable and annoying. Whereas in the third film with the introduction of a common enemy in Sunnyside and Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear the characters became more likeable and as a result created a more enjoyable film. Toy Story 3 became the highest grossing animated film worldwide and for a good reason. The film attracted viewers who had grown up with the first two films as well appealing to the new generation. It is not often that the third film in a series is the best but in this case it's true. Toy Story 3 wasn't simply another sequel quickly put together, it was a cleverly thought out idea that brought something new to the series. The quality of the film can be summed up by the opening sequence where the beautiful animation and ingenious concept takes you inside the mind of a child playing with his toys.

2. The Incredibles

The Incredibles follows retired superheroes Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl and their super children, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack. One of the most appealing aspects of a Pixar film is that unlike other animated films there is a conscious effort to ensure the film is aimed at adults as much as it is children. Much of the humour and themes in The Incredibles such as loss of identity and depression in are in fact directly aimed for an older audience. The Incredibles really showcases the potential of animation as consideration and detail was put into every character and scene. The film introduced some of Pixar's most beloved characters from Frozone to fashion designer Edna Mode, voiced excellently by director Brad Bird who taught us why we should never wear capes. The Incredibles remains one of my favourite superhero films of all time as it is able to balance witty humour, action and drama all at once.

1. Finding Nemo 

The best Pixar film in my opinion is Finding Nemo, but not only is it the best Pixar film I believe it is the best animated film of all time. Finding Nemo has so many great qualities from the genius casting of Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, to its moving score and of course for its spectacular portrayal of Australia's pristine underwater life. Water in the animation world has long been regarded as a frustration as it never seems to look authentic. From the very first shot you know that the team at Pixar have got it right. No matter how beautiful the animation is, the visuals never take precedence  over the quality of the story and the character development. The Journey of Nemo's father Marlin as he searches for his son is so enjoyable and relatable that you cant help but go along for the ride. When I first heard about Finding Nemo 2 I was really disappointed as there didn't seem a need for a sequel, but as always when it comes to Pixar you just have to have faith in their plan. For the full review of Finding Nemo see my review earlier this year.