I'm baaaaaaaaaccckkkk in the sadddle.....

After a long hiatus I've decided to start doing this again. Why? Cause I feel like it.

Best.Bond.Ever.

Yep, I'm just gonna come out and say it - Skyfall is the best Bond move so far. It's a big claim, one which I back myself in making 100%. I will now attempt to convince you that this statement is correct. In dot point form.

• Bond's Character - More time is spent on actually developing the character of James Bond in Skyfall than in all the rest of the Bond movies combined. He's given a back story, an emotional backbone and even looks vulnerable at times. All the while remaining bad ass and ultimately unstoppable.
• The Villain - It's a given that Javier Bardem would play an excellent Bond villain, but this is something else. Bardem's Raoul Silva is clever, smooth, despicable AND actually has personal motivation for his... villainy. The character is so cunning there were I actually thought he might get the better of Bond, something which I can't say any of the previous Bond villains have achieved.
• The Action/Story - Skyfall opens of course with a completely over the top action scene to get everyone pumped, but from there the story and action build with such preciseness and without a moment of lost  momentum  that it builds to a beautifully worked action crescendo at the end and an emotional payoff the likes of which 007 has not offered before.
• The (lack thereof) Gags and Gadgets - Some people lament the old Roger Moore days with the unending lame puns and insane gadgets. I think the new more serious approach to Bond is a breath of fresh air, but here we have just enough gags and gadgets to hopefully apease that crowd without being over the top. Perfect balance.
• Sam Mendes - Anyone who has seen any of Sam Mendes's previous movies (American Beauty and Road to Perdition to name a couple) would know that him being in the director's chair was always going to bring a new level of artistry to Bond. And he does just that. Nuff said.

So there you have it. I'm pretty sure you know I'm on the money. Great stuff.

****1/2 out of *****

They should have taken more time writing the script

The original Taken was a hit, and why shouldn't it be. Take a likable actor in Liam Neeson, have him play a likable character who stops at nothing to achieve his goal and takes crap from no one, kicking all manner of ass on the way, throw in a fairly straightforward but satisfying storyline and plenty of action and thrills and you have yourself a winning formula.

Taken 2, on the other hand, is garbage. The thrills from the first movie are instead replaced with sappy melodrama and a lame revenge story, the action is tame and by the numbers, and the villain feels like he's be more at home reading Dostoevsky with a tall glass of milk rather than killing people. Liam Neeson feels like he's simply going through the motions this time, and the whole  damn thing just feels kinda phoned in. But that's a cash cow sequel for  you huh?

Oh, and then there's the script. It's painful. The dialogue was so horrendous I could have written it. And that's a bad thing, because I have no idea how to write a movie script. Avoid this travesty.

*1/2 out of *****

Is seeing Helen Hunt in the buff appealing?

If you answered "yes" to the above question, you'll probably enjoy The Sessions, but I imagine you probably don't enjoy life much. Or keeping your dignity. If you answered no you should still enjoy this tale of a poet in his late 30's who is paralysed due to suffering from polio as a child. Due to his immobility he is still a virgin, and is desperately seeking to lose said virginity despite suffering from Catholic guilt over the issue, which he discusses at length with the his priest played by William H Macy. Helen Hunt plays his sex surrogate, which is apparently different from a prostitute because they only offer you a maximum of six sessions. Whatevs.

The Sessions is funny, smart, charming (believe it or not) and, if there's any justice, John Hawkes should be nominated for an Oscar for his sympathetic portrayal of the lead character here. Well worth seeing despite the abomination mentioned in the head.

**** out of *****

The Amazing Spiderman & More

The Amazing Spider-Man

I'm not a straight up hater of remakes and reboots, but when the original film series is less than ten years old (the most recent film being made in 2007) a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise seems not only bizarre but kinda pointless. That shouldn't, however, stop the new movie standing on it's own merits and being judged accordingly. What seemed like an second feature for director Mark Webb, who's only other film to date is the off beat romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer, only intrigued me more and left me cautiously optimistic for the new take on the story.

But really, as long as you stick to a predictable formula, how badly can you stuff up a Spider-Man origin story. Introduce dorky kid who gets picked on at school the audience can sympathise with and root for once he develops new powers, see him learn to use to those powers and develop more confidence in a series of confrontations with baddies, develop the relationship between said kid and hot blond girl (this time the character of Gwen Stacey rather than Mary Jane) and finish things up in a satisfyingly over the top action sequence where Spidey battles a weird giant mutant thing. If all of the above elements are there, the audience goes home happy.

The question, then, is whether the new movie offers anything above and beyond the standard formula, and the answer is, well, no not really. The story was more interesting early on with our hero using his new powers to search for his uncle's killer after Spidey's angry response to a couple of situations indirectly leads to his death. This character development is played out well, but the transition from vengeful vigilante to public servant taking on greater responsibility just sort of happens with no rhyme or reason. The final battle with The Lizard (the film's main villain, who is a little lame) then sort of just happens arbitrarily and doesn't build on what has already been established.

Andrew Garfield is fine as Spider-Man, probably just as good as Tobey Maguire in all honesty. Emma Stone is great to watch as always, and there's a decent amount of chemistry between the two. I actually saw this twice, once at the drive in and again in 3D, as I'd heard the visuals were quite stunning, however it was really only the last 25 minutes that gained any benefit from the 3D (it did look pretty darn good though.)

As the movie doesn't stray from the formula, offers some laughs, some thrills and a different take on the story, it's a success. It's just not one of the better superhero films to come along recently, that's all.

***1/2 out of *****

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

So, this a Turkish art film showing in only one cinema in Brisbane that I doubt anyone I know would have any interest in. But I'm going to talk about how awesome it is anyway. The setting is a barren landscape near a rural Turkish town late at night. The police, accompanied by a group of other men with various professions, are searching for a dead body buried somewhere in the vicinity, however it turns out to be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. The sombre mood that presides over the affairs is compounded by the sparse light available to the search party and the thunder roaring in the distance. This all serves as a framing device for the conversations of the men as they reflect on their own mortality, past regrets and the trivialities in contrast with life's deeper meaning.

What follows is multi layered film poetry at it's finest. The attention to detail is exquisite, the camera lingering on the character's faces not a second too long to gauge the full range of emotions being experienced, and long takes of simple things such as an apple falling from a tree and rolling down to a creek are handled with such grace that it almost feels like watching each brush stroke of an artist creating his latest masterpiece on an enormous canvas. One needn't worry too much about what is supposed to be symbolised by such things, just let the spontaneity and beauty of the image carry you away (do I sound like enough of a pretentious fop yet?)

Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2011 (the second highest award following the Palme D'or) I'll acknowledge this movie isn't going to be for everyone. Believe me when I say it's slow. I've seen some slow movies before but this one is SLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW. I don't know what else to say, it's one of those pieces of art you really need to just jump in and experience rather than analyse, and if you have the patience for it you'll be duly rewarded.

****1/2 out of *****

Not Suitable for Children

Ryan Kwanten must really enjoy working in his home country, as he could surely land numerous jobs in Hollywood after his success in True Blood, yet he keeps returning to Australia to make movies. Good on him I say. Here we follow him as a care free 20 something male living the dream and running a party planning business when he discovers he has testicular cancer. The doctor's have caught it in time and can operate, however this will leave him infertile. With only a short amount of time available to him, he sets out in an attempt to father a child before his opportunity runs out.

There are a few elements that set this Australian rom com apart from the multitude of others out there and make it a movie guys can enjoy as well. Firstly, the characters and situations are more firmly grounded in reality, and there's no ridiculous gimmicks or contrived scenarios that bring our couple together. Rather, the blossoming romance forms as a natural extension of the already established story and characters that we've come to care about. The dialogue is also more organic and less forced than you would usually expect in the genre. Secondly, the movie is actually funny, which is, you know, a plus for a comedy. Thirdly, the performances of the two leads are believable and there is plenty of chemistry between them.

So yeah, thumbs way up!

**** out of *****

Other movies I've seen lately but can't be bothered talking about are Prometheus (four stars), Ted, Brave and Men in Black III (all three and a half stars). So as you can see there are some good movies out there at the moment. I must say, though, that what promised to be the biggest season of blockbusters in years has been a bit disapointing so far. The only movie that really lived up to the hype was The Avengers, and even that was mildly disapointing. The Dark Knight Rises had better deliver.

First update in a while

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 *****

The Hunger Games

It only took me about a month longer than everyone else to see the new teeny bopper flavour of the moment, but I finally got there. Comparisons between The Hunger Games and the Japanese film Battle Royale are inevitable considering they have the same basic premise. Of course, Suzanne Collins, author of the novel, claims she had never even heard of Battle Royale when writing it.... let's give her the benefit of the doubt. There are more than enough point of differences between the two, however, to hopefully not have people bang on about it too much. Firstly, Hunger Games spends about the first half of the movie looking at the lead up to the tournament of death, whereas Battle Royale thrusts us almost immediately into the action. Secondly, the thematic elements are pretty different. Whereas Battle Royale was effectively a study of the issues surrounding teenagers and the way they were treated by people in authority, Hunger Games is more of a satire of political dictatorships and oppression of the lower class etc. So enough on that.

So yeah, I think everyone is familiar with the story, teenagers battling to the death for a televised reality show, which was set up as punishment due for a failed coup against the government by the different "districts". Jennifer Lawrence's character volunteers in place of her younger sister. There's a love triangle thrown in for good measure.

The set up to the actual tournament feels like it goes for about half the movie, and it's all fairly mundane stuff. There are some attempts made at character development but it all falls a bit flat and didn't really make this viewer care about what was to come. Then the tournament starts and things do kick up a notch, but not all that much. There are a couple of nice action scenes, a descent side story involving our heroine and her relationship with a young girl she tries to work with, but the love triangle that is apparently supposed to be a big part of the story goes nowhere, and one third of the triangle hardly even appears in the movie. If it was, as I suspect, being set up for something bigger in the next movie then they didn't do a very good job.

 Jennifer Lawrence is a really fine actress and almost carries the movie on her own back, but at the end of the day it kinda feels like one of those fantasy/adventure kids shows they put on Saturday mornings or after school, just with a bit more violence. Verdict - Ok, but wait for DVD.

*** out of *****

So anyway,

Yeah. Been slack. Too busy watching The Wire (it IS the greatest TV show of all time. If you disagree you're just plain wrong.) I think I'll just look at three films, even though I've seen more. Can't be stuffed with the other ones 'eh.

A Separation

As I already said in my last post on my top 10 from 2011, this film is amazing. Beginning with an Iranian couple (cause, you know, this is an Iranian film) explaining their reasons for separating to a judge (which immediately draws the viewer in as they speak directly to the camera) the focus soon shifts as the male in the relationship is involved in an incident with his new housekeeper which has far reaching consequences for his family and his housekeepers family as the matter goes through court. From here the journey is best experienced spoiler free, so I wont mention any other plot elements.

What I will mention however is the incredible depth in which A Separation explores the nature of truth as viewed by the different characters, how their circumstances mould their perspective of it and how far they are willing to bend the truth, especially given their religious and family values. The film offers a study of your average family and how they are affected by illness, separation and tragedy, and does so with both subtlety and poignancy.

A Separation is a film so thematically rich yet at the same time instantly accessible that it would undoubtedly be studied in English classes for years to come, if only it were in English. I'm not sure that this is still actually showing at the cinema but be sure to pick it up the first week it come out as a new release. Or illegally download it if you have no conscience. Just make sure you see it.

***** out of *****

The Raid

Unlike the above movie, The Raid has no philosophical musings on the nature of truth and will never be studied in any depth whatsoever, but it completely kicks arse. This Indonesian action film is about a group of cops trying to take down a major crime boss who's created a fortress for himself in a high rise building, so full of henchman that no one has had the balls to try and topple his empire. Until now.

As far as story goes, that's all you really need to know. Then settle yourself in for some of the most over the top, beautifully choreographed action set pieces you're likely to see. The real beauty of the whole thing though is that even though the action is relentless and non-stop it never feels chaotic, there is an order to it and you can always tell what's going on. There's also an incredible amount of thought put into actually making the action scenes mean something. For example, toward the end of the movie the big baddie's number one henchman has a lengthy fight scene with one of the top cops. Due to the length of the fight you may think it's a climatic battle, however, nope, it instead demonstrated how much of a complete bad arse this guy is and made the final fight mean all that much more.

Despite the majority of the focus being on the action, there was also enough effort put in to make you actually care about what is going on. The opening scene shows our protagonist training hard, leaving his pregnant wife reluctantly to go to the job, establishing him as a hard working, caring man wanting to provide for his family. We want him to succeed. A subsequent shot shows the main antagonist brutally slaughtering three men he has tied up for no apparent reason. We hate him. These two simple scenes achieve more in the way of actually getting us to give a damn in five minutes than most action movies do in the entire film ***cough*** Expendables ***cough*** Actually, no need for the coughing, The Expendables was terrible.

The storyline was basic, but surprisingly not terrible, and there are actually a couple of nice twists thrown in for good measure. If you haven't  already got the picture, this is a completely bad arse action movie (no I can't think of a better expression), again proving that for some reason Asia just completely blows Hollywood out of the water when it comes to the genre.

**** out of *****

21 Jump Street

Based on  an old American cop drama that I've never seen, so no nostalgia for me. The TV show was apparently quite serious. The film is co-written by Jonah Hill (who also stars), so you know it's not. Hill and Channing Tatum (in the first role he's played where he's not completely wooden) play a pair of idiotic beat cops who get re-assigned to a project requiring them to go undercover at a high school to expose a drug dealing operation. While Hill was the nerdy outcast and Tatum was the jock when they were at school together, things have changed since their days as students, and the cool kids are now the environmentally minded hippie types who Hill finds it easier to bond with.

While 21 Jump Street probably doesn't break any new ground when it comes to the buddy cop/comedy genre, it does provide plenty of laughs including some clever self referential humour, and actually delivers some decent action toward the end. The characters a likable and make you care, the relationship between the two leads is developed adequately. Pretty good.

***1/2 out of *****

And that'll do for now. Other new movies I've seen lately but can't be bothered writing about are th US remake of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (four stars), Another Earth (three and a half), and John Carter (lets call it three). Wont be so slack with future new film.... for real.

Best & Worst of 2011

So yeah, this has been a long time coming, but I've finally gotten around to it. This is going by the official release dates of the below movies, as I think ranking them according to Australian year of release is kinda pointless. Anyway....

Top Films 10 of 2011

1. The Tree of Life

A rare film that only comes around every so often that not only lives up to it's ambitious nature but exceeds it. Completely moving, surreal and other worldly experience, this could well end up being the film of the decade.

2. Burning Man

Australian brilliance. Not only an artistic triumph but succeeds in telling an extremely engaging and, apparently, very personal story for director Jonathan Teplitzky about dealing with personal tragedy, all the while resisting the urge to add even a hint of sentimentality. Kudos.

3. A Separation

I haven't written about this one yet (although will soon), this Iranian film offers up a fascinating multi layered exploration of family, truth, lies and religion while not becoming preachy, and sympathising with every character and presenting all different points of view on display fairly and equally. With such a rich variety of character and themes this one would be studied in English classes for the rest of eternity, if only the film were in English.

4. Hugo

Martin Scorsese's passionate and wholly original work about childhood and the beauty of film making is a visual stunner that has the storyline to back it up. Shame that you'll need a 3D TV to recapture that magic from cinema.

5. Shame

Unsettling, yet powerful and honest portrayal of a man who has become a complete slave to his sex and pornography addiction. This exploration of what happens when men lose their way is difficult to watch and recommend due to it's graphic content, but is undoubtedly a near masterpiece.

6. The Descendants

Dubbed as the sentimental favourite of 2011, probably due to it's heart warming story that just about anyone can enjoy about family bonding together during crisis. Excellent characterisations, funny script and a plot that starts strong and loses no momentum along the way.

7. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Complex yet masterfully crafted spy film that will, if there's any justice, be recognised as a classic of the crime genre somewhere down the track. Will probably require a couple of viewings due to the complex narrative, but it's worth it.

8. Melancholia

Lars Von Trier's flawed masterpiece about the end of the world is like no other Armageddon film you're likely to see. No pointless love stories or sappy farewell speech's, but rather a look at how two sisters deal with their impending doom differently based on their mental state. The use of Wagner's prelude to Triston and Isolde is used to great effect, especially when blasting through the speakers to signify that the end is nigh.

9. Moneyball

The combination of Brad Pitt in a lead role and an Aaron Sorkin script had all the markings of being a winner, and didn't disappoint with Sorkin providing his usual witty and intelligent dialogue and Pitt providing the acting goods to bring this intimate character study to life.

10. The Guard

Rounding out the top 10, this Irish film works well as a comedy, a crime/action film and a serious character study. On top of that, Brendan Gleeson gives a brilliant performance, so what's not to like?

Five Worst Films of 2011

This part is by no means an exhaustive list. For obvious reasons, I usually avoid films that receive bad reviews from critics and the public, and therefore I'm sure there are a lot of duds I haven't seen. However, every now and then I have the misfortune of coming across some stinkers for whatever reason, and these are the five worst from last year.

1. (Being the absolute worst) Jack and Jill

Adam Sandler has clearly come to the point in his carer where he has realised he can sell a film base solely on his name and nothing else, so putting any actual effort into the movie would be a waste of his time. And no, putting on a wig and playing his own twin sister doesn't qualify as effort, it qualifies as completely moronic. No laughs to speak of, no plot or characters to care about, loads (and I mean LOADS) of product placement, and Al Pacino playing an insane version of himself confirming the sad reality that his star has fallen, this is one huge steaming garbage pile.

2. Your Highness

The aim of the game in this fantasy comedy is to use the F word as much as possible in each sentence, and apparently that automatically equals laughs. The special effects are lame, the story is utterly pointless and none of the jokes work. Pathetic.

3. Battle: Los Angeles

To save you the pain of sitting through Battle: Los Angeles I'll sum up this snooze fest in a few words; Army guys are introduced briefly - aliens invade - BANG BANG BANG - generic war speech 1 - BANG BANG BANG - generic war speech 2 - BANG BANG BANG - the end. Next.

4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The worst entry in this insipid trilogy (ok, the first one was actually not bad) obviously has no substance to it, but I've heard many appeals made to the fact that the final battle was worth sitting though the other mindless two or so hours for. But I can't understand why. The battle goes on forever, it's all over the place and has no flow to it whatsoever, and with nothing invested in the story or characters I couldn't give a stuff who ends up winning.

5. Sleeping Beauty


It's a shame that this was the film to effectively represent Australia at Cannes last year. Slow, boring and pretentious, the director seems confused between subtle character development and not giving enough information for the audience to care.


Most Underrated Film of 2011

The Ides of March

The critics didn't seem to think all that much of George Clooney's latest directorial effort, however I was compelled by this political story of shifting loyalties and loss of innocence from beginning to end. A tad contrived perhaps, but no more so than any other film of it's type.

Most Overrated Film of 2011

Warrior

Cliched, heavy handed and unrealistic, this MMA film's only saving grace is it's performances, which although prevent it from becoming a disaster, certainly don't propel it to a level worth of the critical praise it's received.

It's been a white part 2

So here's the conclusion to the previous entry, containing the rest of what I meant to include.

Warrior

Warrior is a mixed martial arts film about two estranged brothers with an alcoholic father who both enter the same multi million dollar tournament. I've written a bit about my thoughts on this one elsewhere, so allow me to take a moment and make use of ctrl+c followed by ctrl+v....

In response to Mr. Ben Hobson's positive review of the film I said

"..... It started out well introducing the characters but got progressively worse as it went on. What I didn't like about it;

- The relationship between the brothers wasn't developed in any great depth, certainly not enough for me to care about the end. I think there was one brief confrontation between them before the ending.
- The dialogue was pretty weak.
- I disagree with you regarding the cheese. The whole last hour or so which comprised of the tournament was rife with cheesiness and cliche. From the completely unsubtle way the commentators narrated the story and gave us vital information, to the annoying music stirring up cheap sentimentality, to the crowds reactions to the fights, slowly warming to the protagonists.
- For that matter, the entire way they developed the characters was about as subtle as a sledgehammer.
- SPOILERS - The way the tournament was set up and played out was extremely unbelieveable. As if a washed up UFC fighter and a no name would gain entry to a major tournament worth $5,000,000. The fact that the washed up fighter then beat the Russian fighter who was unbeaten and at the top of his game without us (the viewer) seeing his journey through intense training was pretty unsatisfying."

However, on a more positive note what I did like about the film were the performances, particularly Tom Hardy. His relationship with his alcoholic father, played by Nick Nolte is quite nice, and there's a brilliant scene between them that almost single handily redeems the film. But it doesn't. This isn't any better than average.

**1/2 out of *****

Shame

The second film from British director Steve McQueen (so no, not the Steve McQueen you're thinking of) paints the portrait of a man named Brandon, played by Michael Fassbender. On the outside Brandon appears to be a confident, successful guy having it all together with a respectable job, nice apartment and living a comfortable life. This is the image he presents to those around him and no one suspects any different. On the inside, however, he's a man who's completely lost his way, living hollow existence as a slave to his sex and pornography addiction.

When his sister, played by Carey Mulligan shows up at his apartment to stay carrying the same amount of baggage as Brandon, and possibly more, it throws more than a simple spanner in the works. Through a number of confrontations between the two we begin to learn that their childhood was not a Rosy one, and it has inevitably damaged them both, but is the damage irreparable?

As far as I'm aware this is the first film to take a serious look a sex and pornography addiction and the destructive effect it can have on a person's humanity, and it's powerful one at that. From the goose bump inducing score, to the brilliant performance of Michael Fassbender to the subtle, somewhat ambiguous journey into the depths of Brandon's soul that is none the less extremely deep and, I'll admit, a little tear jerking. I have to be honest and say I was extremely moved by this very raw, very honest, yet extremely stylish look at what happens to men when they lose their way.

It's s tough film to recommend due to it's graphic nature, so some research into the content is suggested by yours truly before choosing to watch it. It's a touch uneven, with the last 20 minutes or so packing the most punch, where as earlier the film feels like it looses momentum occasionally. But that's nit picking, this was an otherwise amazing, powerful experience.

****1/2 out of *****

My Week With Marilyn

I don't really feel like talking about this one much, so I wont. In short, good movie, not great. If you have any interest in Marilyn Monroe you'll probably like it, but even if you don't the story about her brief fling with a guy working on her first British film, who wasn't anyone particularly noteworthy for that matter, is fairly engaging. Michelle Williams is fantastic as Marilyn and could have carried a script written by a fourth grader anyway.

***1/2 out of *****

Carnage

Roman Polanski's latest (yes he's still making movies) is set pretty much entirely in one apartment and the adjoining corridor. Jodie Foster and John C Reilly play the residents of said apartment, and are playing host to Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz, who's son has hit their hosts son in the head with a stick. The two couples meet to discuss the matter, and although the meeting at first appears as if it will be brief a number of incidents keep stopping Kate and Christoph from leaving. What ensues are numerous conflicts, resolutions, shifting loyalties and clashes of over differing values as the two couples learn more about each other than the wanted or needed to.

The concept of Carnage was probably more interesting than the execution, and it may have worked better as a play. I am a fan of all four actors, however, and what is interesting to watch is how their characters a developed over such a short period of time (79 minutes) in a confined space. Watching four adults begin proceedings in a civil meeting and slowly degenerate into a childish, chaotic mess is also somewhat amusing, while at the same having perhaps a few too many doses of reality to instead be rather alarming. Again, a good, but not great film that you can probably skip at the cinema but well worth checking out on DVD.

***1/2 out of *****