So, now I've finished The Wire (best TV show of all time) I can refoucs again. I saw these movies a while ago, so write ups will be brief.
The Avengers
I don't think there's ever been a bigger build up to a movie than The Avengers. I mean, sure, there's been longer movie series with endless sequels that just keep going and going, but I can't think of any other instance where there have been five different movies (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger), looking at different characters each time, with a deliberate build toward one ultimate pay off. So, with that in mind, was it a success? The simple answer is yes, although not a resounding yes.
The basic plot of The Avengers brings together Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye under the direction of Nick Fury to stop Thor's evil step brother Loki from destroying the earth. The also fortunately don't ignore the already established characters and plots from the previous movies, and there are several sub-plots inter weaved as well.
Written and directed by Joss Whedon it was a given that we would be treated to good dialogue and humour. The spectacular action scenes and already fleshed out characters also set this apart from other similar movies. It does, however get a little bogged down in the middle, and while there is sufficient attention paid to the individual character sub plots, I would have liked to have seen more. So while The Avengers doesn't quite hit the ball out of the park in the convincing and confident manner expected of it, it does hit the ball out of the park nonetheless.
**** out of *****
Wish You Were Here
This Australian film starring Joel Edgerton tells the story of two couples from Sydney holidaying in Cambodia. We pick up on their journey as they arrive home and it's immediately obvious that something horrible has happened on their vacation, however we soon find out that there has been more than one incident in Cambodia that will impact the lives of these characters. There's a lot to like about this film, the story is very carefully and skillfully told through a narrative that flashes back and forward through from the present day to the groups time overseas. It's made clear from the start that there is some information about what happened there that is being withheld from us, and this is successfully used to keep us engaged. The locations were well chosen with the scenery all looking quite pretty, and the performances are fine. Unfortunately the character development is a little lacking and the film suffers from not knowing exactly what it wants to say, or at least not being clear about it. But, with the aforementioned qualities standing out above the flaws, Wish You Were Here is a little gem of a film that it's a shame not many people saw (my cinema was empty, besides me.)
**** out of *****
Dark Shadows
Based on some weird supernatural themed soap opera from the 60's and 70's, Tim Burton's latest outing is a mixed bag. The storyline is all over the place and not really worth talking about, but in short Johnny Depp plays a vampire who, after being buried alive for hundreds of years, returns to bond with his family's ancestors, falls in love with a human and seeks revenge on the witch who made him this way.....
On a more positive note, the soundtrack is outstanding, and there is even a cameo from Alice Cooper performing a couple of his old songs. Johnny Depp is really good, along with the rest of the cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green and Chloe Grace Mortez. The story is even somewhat interesting to begin with, however it slowly degenerates into complete nonsense and the ending is all kinds of stupid. Clearly Tim Burton isn't interested exploring any deep themes or even putting together a carefully constructed narrative. He just wants to entertain, and you either embrace the over the top silliness of it all or you don't. I can't say I really did.
**1/2 out of *****
The Dictator
Following the over the top vulgarity, Sacha Baron Cohen tones it down a notch with this tale of a dictator of a fictional country having his identity stolen during a trip to America as part of a plot to usurp his position. You wont Baron Cohen duping any innocent bystanders into looking foolish this time, as The Dictator is a completely scripted movie consisting entirely of actors. Which is probably a good thing. While some of the vulgarity of his previous movies remains, The Dictator focuses more on satire, and it's quite funny and at times pretty clever. Worth a watch.
***1/2 out of *****
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