" This is the best bad idea we have "

Argo

Based on the real events in 1979 when the American embassy in Iran was stormed by militants, leaving 52 Americans to be taken hostage. Six Americans in the embassy were able to escape before being captured and subsequently found refuge at the Canadian ambassador's home. With no means to escape and no telling how long it would take for the Iranians to realise they had escaped capture, the six were left to stay in Iran. The CIA desperate for a solution brought in exfiltration expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) who proposes an idea so farfetched that it might just work. Mendez suggests that he flies to Iran as part of a Canadian science fiction film crew planning to film in Iran. Once there he plans to meet up with his production crew (the six Americans) and fly them home. In order to pull off the operation the fake movie known as Argo had to appear authentic, leading to Mendez acquiring the help of certain Hollywood personalities.

Ben Affleck was once the poster boy for Hollywood blockbusters and although he had some notable roles he gained a reputation as a mediocre actor. It wasn't until Affleck decided to take up the camera and direct his first movie: Gone Baby Gone that he really came into his own. Affleck then went on to star in his second film: The Town proving not only that he has a natural talent for direction but also that he can in fact act. There is now no doubt that Affleck is a talented director as Argo is one of the more sophisticated and impressive films of the year.

Affleck also delivers what I believe is his best acting performance in the film as CIA agent Tony Mendez. Mendez is a dedicated and brilliant agent who puts his own life at risk to extract the six American officials. Affleck comes across as a very likeable person who has tragically devoted his life to his job and his country, leaving behind his personal life and family. Affleck is the driving force behind the film and it shows that he can direct himself better than most other directors.

Affleck delivers a really strong performance but it's his supporting cast that steals the show. Bryan Cranston plays fellow agent Jack O'Donnell who supports Mendez' elaborate operation and puts everything on the line to assist him when things don't go as planned. For anyone that has seen Breaking Bad they will know how talented an actor Cranston is and Hollywood is slowly starting to realise as well. Cranston has popped up in countless supporting roles over the past few years mostly for just a few minutes but thankfully his roles are starting to gain more substance such as in this film. Now that Breaking Bad has finished filming its final season it will be good to see Cranston take on some larger roles in the future.

The best performances in the film come from Alan Arkin who plays Hollywood producer Lester Siegel and John Goodman who plays Oscar winning make up artist John Chambers. Chambers is a real life person who helped the CIA with operation Argo however Arkin's character Siegel is a composite of four different characters. Despite that fact both characters are excellent and add some humour to the tense film. The pair set up a fake company in Hollywood as well as find a script, design storyboards, a movie poster, take out a two page magazine advertisement and even hold a launch party to promote the fake movie. It's amazing the lengths they went to in order to make Argo appear authentic and it has been revealed now just how successful their efforts were. It's believed that famous directors such as Steven Spielberg were sucked into the ruse and even sent in scripts to the fake company.

The entire film is excellent but the beginning and ending scenes are without doubt the most compelling. The introduction to film where the 52 Americans are taken hostage and the six escape is a scary and desperate situation that few could relate to. As the Iranians threaten to break down the gates and storm the embassy the officials inside realise they have no where to hide, no where to flee to and no one to come and help them. Affleck manages to capture the perspective from both outside the gates and inside the embassy emphasising the desperation from both sides.

The conclusion is equally as memorable as Mendez' plan is put into action. The captivating montage through the city that lasts for about twenty minutes is thrilling and suspenseful. Although the ending may be dramatised slightly it's clear that Affleck has taken every measure to ensure the film is authentic and accurate.

This is a very intriguing and thrilling movie, with it's events so unbelievable you sometimes forget that they really happened. The real story wasn't declassified until 1997 by President Clinton, prior to that America and the rest of the world were oblivious to the efforts of the CIA and agent Mendez. Argo may shed some light on a well known event, but it makes you wonder what other secrets are classified that will hopefully one day be revealed.

 

" That was a regretable turn of events. "

Dark Shadows

Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is a well liked family man who has the unfortunate luck of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). Angelique turns out to be a very powerful and vengeful witch who punishes Barnabas by turning him into a vampire, killing his parents and true love and imprisoning him in a coffin for 200 years. Barnabas is released in the year 1972 where he finds his beloved family home and the world he once knew changed dramatically. Barnabas takes it upon himself to protect and unite his quirky descendants who now occupy his home.

Dark Shadows once again sees the collaboration of Director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, which has become one of most familiar pairings of modern cinema. On paper Dark Shadows seems to fit the mould of Burton and Depp as it is a quirky, dark comedy, yet the film never really takes off. There is no doubt Burton is a popular filmmaker who has made some genuine classics such as Edward Scissorhands and box office hits such as Alice in Wonderland, but a lot of his films are very disappointing. I respect the vision and style of Burton's film making as they are always very unique and visually beautiful but often Burton just doesn't get it right. Unfortunately Dark Shadows is one such film that leaves you asking the question, what was he thinking.

 Dark Shadows is based on the Gothic soap opera of the same name that ran in the 60s and 70s. It's no secret that Burton was a fan of the show and he seems to be fulfilling his own fantasy by bringing the story back to life. The only problem is Burton hasn't been able to break away from that soap opera style. The film is promoted as a dark comedy but it seems like Burton has restrained himself from going too dark and scary and has only halfheartedly added in comic elements. The result is a film that is not funny, dark or even mysterious, it's just a dull melodrama centred around a 200 year old vampire. I wish Burton had gone all out to make it a comedy or even a musical comedy that he has proven he can do successfully such as with Sweeney Todd.

It's not all grim as Depp is still his charismatic self as he embraces the character of Barnabas Collins completely. The best scene comes when Barnabas hires Alice Cooper to play at a party, whom he believes is a woman. This leads to one of the more memorable lines "Ugliest woman I've ever seen!". Joining Depp is Burton's wife and long time collaborator, Helena Bonham Carter who plays Dr. Hoffman who seems to suffer from a perpetual hangover. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Elizabeth Collins who is struggling to keep her family together, consisting of her useless brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller), nephew David (Gulliver McGrath) who believes he can see the ghost of his mother and daughter Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz) who is continually moody and ultimately fed up with her family. 

Joining the strange family is Victoria Winters (Bella Heathcote), a friendly governess who is employed to teach David. Winters is perhaps too likeable and friendly who may be hiding a few secrets of her own. However the only notable performance comes from Eva Green who relishes the opportunity to play the seductress witch Angelique. Despite almost two centuries Angelique looks as youthful and remains as passionate and vindictive as she was 200 years before, as she struggles once again to win the love of Barnabas.  

Most of the characters and their storylines are unnecessary and no character is even attempted to be developed out of fear that Depp would lose a valuable second of screen time. Yet Burton insists on including many different characters that should be quirky and funny but are in fact simply props that are left unexplored. Most of the actors seem uninspired and uninterested in the film which subsequently is how you are left feeling.

The story and cast would appear like a winning combo and with Burton in his element what could go wrong. Unfortunately the film just doesn't work, from the very beginning as you listen to the boring narration you become unengaged in the story and as the film continues you find your interest in the characters and the story declining rapidly. Burton is a hit and miss filmmaker and there is no doubt this is miss, but look forward to seeing more of his unique brand of films in the future, I only hope his next film isn't Dark Shadows 2.

" We were so wrong! "

Prometheus

Scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover cave drawings that predate anything previously uncovered on Earth. Believing that the drawings are a clue as to the origins of mankind Shaw and Holloway join a crew of other scientists to search for answers. The crew travel to a distant planet aboard the ship 'Prometheus' only to discover an unsettling secret that may threaten the very existence of mankind.

Prometheus is director Ridley Scott's long awaited return to the genre of science fiction. The genre which he helped redefine with films such as Alien and Blade Runner. Prometheus was originally meant to be a prequel to Alien but instead the film is merely set in the same universe, adopting an original storyline with a new set of characters. Although the film may not be a direct prequel to Alien there is no denying Prometheus has many connections and references to Scott's original masterpiece. The film itself has an almost identical story arc as Alien: a crew embarks on a mission to explore a distant planet only to discover the inhabitants were not what they expected. Although the two crews have different motives for traveling to their destinations you can't help but notice similarities once they begin to explore the planets.

This film is pretty ambitious film, let's face it a film centred around the origins of mankind was always going to be hard to pull off. Scott has ensured there is a very interesting mythology involved with the film and ultimately created a very intruiging story. Sure there are plot holes but the main issue with this film isn't the daunting task of searching for our beginning, it's the screenplay. Almost all of the characters are underdeveloped and the story itself is very frustrating. There are times where the films flows smoothly and you find yourself getting sucked into the story but for the most part the timing in the film doesn't flow. I wanted to see more suspense in the film and more drama, despite the film running for 2 hours it felt as though there wasn't enough time to tell the story properly. The conclusion itself came very suddenly feeling like an anticlimax to such a promising idea and concept.

The cast for this film is very strong with Charlize Theron playing the bitchy and determined  Meredith Vickers who is the representative from Weyland Corporation of which the mission has been funded. Idris Elba playing Janek the layback pilot and Guy Pearce who plays the elderly Peter Weyland. The actors are given strange roles to work with and although Theron and Elba give good performances there is barely enough provided to build a character on. I have no idea why Pearce was even cast as he is completely unrecognisable under make up and special effects and is only in the film for about 5 minutes. The character was completely unnecessary and just left you feeling disappointed that you never got so really see Pearce on screen. Rapace was fine as the main lead and features in perhaps the most memorable scene involving a surgical operation but overall her performance was pretty disappointing.

The only real stand out performance came form Michael Fassbender who plays android, David. Fassbender seems to be getting all the good roles in Hollywood at the moment and David is no exception as he is definitely the most interesting an most developed character which is ironic as he is a robot. Fassbender's character continues in the alphabetic tradition of androids in the Alien franchise from Ash in Alien, Bishop in Aliens and Alien³, Call in Alien: Resurrection and David in Prometheus. David is a very inquisitive and of course intelligent android who likes to model his behaviour and speech from Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia. David is a very intriguing and at times creepy character who seems to have an agenda of his own.

The one aspect of the film that is fairly undisputed is the quality of the special effects. Scott is famous for using very minimal special effects in his films, instead choosing to use real life approaches and utilising the fear of the unknown. Scott embraces special effects here with many scenes showcasing his impressive vision. Whilst Scott has embraced new technology there are still plenty of memorable moments where fear is brought on from the unknown, highlighting as always that the imagination is the most powerful way to induce fear. 

It was always going to be hard for Prometheus to live up to it's high expectations given that Scott was returning to the genre of science fiction and that the film was a sort of prequel to Alien. Add to the mix a very effective marketing campaign and it was hard not to get swept up in the excitement. Unfortunately like many others I was left disappointed. Despite the disappointment Prometheus still manages to intrigue and thrill and offers some very impressive visuals. Although you can't help but compare it to Alien there is still plenty to admire. Despite the lack of character development and frustrating story fans of the genre and of Scott's work will not doubt still find the film entertaining. In the end Prometheus poses more questions than it answers.

" It's an unfair game "

Moneyball

In 2002 the Oakland Athletics baseball club had the lowest salary cap in the league, with the loss of three key players the season has all but ended before it even started. General Manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) finds himself in a seemingly impossible situation as he can't afford the logical replacements to fill the vacant spots. Beane meets and hires an interesting executive called Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) who uses statistical data to analyse player statistics and value their true worth. Beane adopts Brand's method of choosing players and in turn creates a sort of 'misfit' team that he believes has the potential to win the World Series. The model adopted by Beane and Brand radically changes how players are valued, causing baseball clubs across the nation to take notice.

Moneyball is based on the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game written by Michael Lewis who also wrote; The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game which inspired the movie; The Blind Side. There is no doubt this is an amazing story and one that deserves to be told. For some the story might have been followed in real life but I came into the film with a blank slate as I don't follow baseball and wasn't aware of the events during the 2002 season. Working with Lewis were screenwriters Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, who are two of the best known screenwriters working in Hollywood today. The entire writing team along with director Bennett Miller (Capote) have successfully brought this film to life, making for a refreshingly modern sports drama, where the characters and events can still be followed today.

Billy Beane has a very charismatic personality and comes across as a loyal and dedicated manager of his club as he invests his time and emotion into every game. One of the more intruiging aspects to his character is the superstitious rituals he has such as not watching the games live. Throughout the film we learn more about Beane's own baseball career, which in itself is equally as intriguing and compelling as the main story arc. Beane is portrayed excellently by Pitt in one of his best performances to date, and I really thought it was his year for the Oscar. Unfortunately he missed out yet again but seeing as though he seems to get better each year it's only a matter of time now.

The other main characters include executive Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) and stubborn coach of the A's Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman). The only negative I have from this film is the amount of time given to the supporting cast. Hoffman was barely in the film at all and given Hill's Oscar nomination I had high expectations for his performance. Hill still delivered a strong performance and was deserving of his nomination, however I felt he could have been given a larger role especially since his character was largely dramatised from the real life Oakland A's executive Paul DePodesta. DePodesta didn't want to be named in the film and as a result he was changed to the character of Peter Brand, meaning the character of Brand isn't an accurate depiction of DePodesta's role at the club or his personality. There is also an excellent cameo like appearance form well known director Spike Jonze who plays the socially awkward partner of Beane's ex-wife Sharon (Robin Wright).

One thing I learnt from this film is how cut throat the sport of baseball is. Players are traded constantly throughout the season as managers continually try to make deals and bargain in an attempt to improve their list. By having the option to see negotiations that usually take place behind closed doors, you were able to see firsthand the stress placed on the managers and players and in turn develop a sense of sympathy for them. Whether it was Beane at risk of his losing his job or one of the many players that were traded out during the year there's no doubt that baseball is a competitive sport.

A major theme throughout the film is the sense of romance that is associated with the sport of baseball. Whether its a player getting a second chance to prove himself or one of the poorest teams in the league turning the tables on the rest of the competition, it's hard not to get drawn into the emotion of the sport. I think the idea of romance and baseball is an ideal that most can relate to and can be applied to many different sports. One thing that is common in all forms of sport is that fans will be passionate and loyal towards their team no matter what.

The film focuses on the inner workings of the club as much as the games themselves, showcasing what is actually involved in a game of baseball. For viewers that are hesitant to watch the film as they don't like baseball or don't understand the sport don't worry as you don't need to understand or even like baseball to enjoy this film. Moneyball is a compelling story with Pitt is at his best leading the way. Sure there are some cheesy moments but I believe this film will be remembered as one of the greatest sports films of modern times.

" It's a bad day to be a rhesus monkey "

Contagion

A modern day thriller centered around the lives of various people as a deadly virus infects millions of people around the globe. As members of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control struggle to find a cure for the virus the death toll around the world increases astronomically. With the virus spreading at a seemingly unstoppable rate the pressure builds for the CDC to find a cure as fear, chaos and desperation transpires worldwide.

There are many individual stories being told in this film from the members of CDC trying to find the cure such as Deputy Director Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne), Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet) and scientist Dr. Ally Hoxtall (Jennifer Ehle). As well as father Mitch (Matt Damon) whose wife Beth (Gwenyth Paltrow) and stepson die in the first recorded case of the virus. Other prominent characters include Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) a member of the World Health Organisation and well known blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law). You would think that having such a strong cast would ensure this movie is as engaging and dramatic as advertised, sadly however it is not.

Soderbergh has included a vast array of characters to illustrate the global affect of the virus. By following these characters the detrimental impact of the virus can be seen from a variety of perspectives whether it's a character dealing with the lose of a loved one, developing symptoms themselves or struggling unsuccessfully to try and find the magic cure. The problem with having so many characters in a film played by so many well known actors, is that when they are given limited screen time as in Contagion you end up feeling cheated by their contribution. For the most part there are strong performances, however no character was given a large enough role to warrant any character development, as character development took second place to the overall story involving the spread of the virus.

The best performances come from Kate Winslet and Matt Damon, with Damon in particular displaying the most genuine form of emotion out of the cast, which is highlighted in the third act of the film. Jude Law is the only real let down as his Australian accent is ridiculous. I have no idea why he even needed an accent as he wasn't based in Australia, but as a result his character was extremely annoying and unlikeable.

Soderbergh is a really good director, I loved the Ocean's Eleven series and have enjoyed many of his other films such as Traffic and The Informant! however his directing is challenged here as Contagion proves a difficult film to make. I feel like he took on too much with this film, causing the film to lack drama and excitement. Given the scale of the virus' effect it was always going to be hard to conclude the film in a satisfying manner. I couldn't help but feel bored with the ending as everything seemed to conclude very quickly and neatly. This is a film that should have been thrilling and suspenseful throughout, however I was left almost bored throughout the film with the events unfolding in a seemingly predictable manner.

One of the most impressive aspects to this film is a promotion campaign designed for the film. A billboard which can be seen below was created using live bacteria to spell out the name Contagion, which is a really clever and original promotion idea.

Ultimately Contagion delivers exactly what you expect: a virus spreads uncontrollably across the globe, causing chaos and disruption to social order worldwide. Contagion remains an engaging, thought provoking and at times thrilling film, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed after watching it. The film unfortunately suffers from a lack of clear direction and doesn't deliver the suspense and drama that one would expect from this type of film.

" A little guilt goes a long way "

The Machinist

Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) is an industrial worker who lives a tragic and lonely life. He is an insomniac who hasn't been able to sleep for a year, is so thin he is putting his health at risk and on top of it all believes the few people in his life are involved in a plot to seek some form of revenge against him. As Reznik searches for answers he finds himself more and more isolated from his work colleagues and friends as he struggles to trust any of them. As Reznik's desperation escalates he begins to doubt himself and his own sanity.

 Director Brad Anderson and writer Scott Kosar have created a powerful and memorable psychological thriller. The location, lighting, characters and overall mood of the film creates a feeling of desperation and confusion as you try to understand what's going on. With the harrowing performance of Bale at the heart of the film.

The film keeps you guessing right to the end as you try to piece together the clues including the character of Ivan (John Sharian) that apparently only Reznik can see, the strange occurrences at Reznik's apartment or the significance of the time 1:30. Throughout the film you are trying to work out whether or not the unusual events are just in his head and understand what happened a year ago to cause his insomnia. For me the the conclusion was very clever and came as a surprise as I wasn't able to put together all of the hints and clues.

There are some strong performances from minor characters such as Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) a prostitute Reznik frequently visists and Marie (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) a waitress whom he becomes friends with. As well as John Sharian whose portrayal of Ivan was extremely disturbing but very effective. Yet this film belongs to Christian Bale whose performance and physical transformation is both unbelievable and mesmerising. Bale lost about 28kg for the role, weighing only 54kg, which has to be up there as one of the most drastic weight changes any actor has undergone for a role. Bale is well known for going to extreme lengths for his films but never before has his appearance changed so dramatically. Bale is unrecognisable as the ghostly figure of Reznik proving the dedication he has for his art.

This is a disturbing and haunting film that explores the damaging effects of guilt, paranoia and fatigue. Bale's performance is fascinating to watch and his portrayal is one that is hard to forget. The Machinist lingers with you long after you finish watching as you appreciate the true quality of the film, but ultimately after watching this film you simply feel like you need a good rest.

" Where did you find this guy? " " He's from France. "

Godzilla

French nuclear testing in the South Pacific results in a new species of lizard to be created known as Godzilla. The new species affected by the radiation is 50m tall and after terrorising fishing boats in the South Pacific Ocean migrates to the island of Manhattan. As the U.S. military attempts to stop the giant lizard they enlist the help of Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) who has been researching the effect of radiation on certain animals. When the attempts by the military fail, Godzilla is able to undertake its real motives for coming to the island, which could result in an even bigger problem for the citizens of Manhattan.

Director Ronald Emmerich has established himself as the king of disaster movies. He has been responsible for many box office hits such as Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 as well as many films that were box office flops, none more so than 10, 000 BC. Whether his films gain box office success or failure his films generally receive poor critical response due to his style of film making. Similar to the filmmaking of Michael Bay, Emmerich doesn't shy away from big budget effects or a lack of explosions as he comes up with new ways to destroy well known cities. Godzilla is no different as Manhattan is the unfortunate backdrop for destruction and ruin. Coming into an Emmerich film like Godzilla you have to realise what you are about to watch: an explosive and fun action flick. Viewers expecting a sophisticated piece of cinema need to remember the film is about a giant lizard running rampant in Manhattan. 

Broderick is the unlikely hero who offers scientific knowledge rather than military experience. Perhaps the most unbelievable part of the film is that a scientist who researches radioactive worms is our best chance of stopping a giant lizard. Broderick delivers some quirky one liners but ultimately he is pretty poor. It's sad to say but I'm still waiting for him to appear in another good movie as Ferris Bueller seems to be his one hit wonder. Maria Pitillo plays Audrey Timmonds a struggling reporter who is Broderick's love interest in the film but unfortunately she is incredibly annoying as she plays the cliche damsel in distress.

The majority of the laughs come from Hank Azaria who plays dedicated cameraman Animal, who goes to any lengths to gain footage of Godzilla. But the real star of the film is Jean Reno aka Philippe Roache, a member of the French secret service who along with his team is monitoring the situation in an attempt to cover up the French involvement in creating the lizard. Reno is excellent as the mysterious French agent who along with Azaria proves he has excellent comic timing.

The early scenes of Godzilla are very engaging as there is still a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding the beast. The best scenes in the film come early on when you can't see Godzilla and it's left to your own imagination to picture what he looks like. The actual arrival of Godzilla comes fairly early into the film and is done with convincing effects that still hold up today. The majority of the scenes in Manhattan are very engaging with the scale and threat of Godzilla handled with excellent effect. The only flaw is how a 50m high lizard continually manages to hide from everyone. The main problem with the film is the length as thee film is way too long. During the second act the monster has well and truly been established and the storyline becomes repetitive and unnecessary.

There is no denying this film has its faults, the issues which have been shared by many critics since its release result in the poor acting and lack of story. On both accounts I would have to agree as most of the performances are beyond cliche and the storyline (in particular the second act) is very repetitive. Yet there is something about Godzilla that works, you have to simply go along for the ride and accept this film as a fun, guilty pleasure.