Recent Posts
Marvel’s not-so-jolly green giant makes his much-anticipated return in director Louis Leterrier’s revamped Incredible Hulk franchise, just five years after Ang Lee’s lacklustre attempt. Wiping the slate clean and starting afresh with a much improved effort, Leterrier has successfully managed to breathe some life into a once-dead franchise.
At first it is hard to point out what exactly makes this film such an improvement over the last outing. There are no particular elements that stand out as spectacular; Edward Norton gives the meek and mild-mannered performance required of Bruce Banner’s character, and Liv Tyler does well in her supporting role as Banner’s love interest, Betty Ross. Additional performances from William Hurt and Tim Roth as the ‘bad guys’ add some more dimension to the mix, but overall none of the acting is incredibly memorable.
Where the film does shine is in its overall presentation. It's almost as if Louis Leterrier went out of his way to make The Incredible Hulk as different to Ang Lee’s rendition as possible. It is fun, colourful and humorous at times, and it's easy to digest despite moving at a rapid pace. The animation is impressive and the Hulk himself is a lot more emotive, even loveable this time round. There is no shortage of action in the film and all of the Hulk’s battles, be it with man, machine or beast, are well choreographed and entertaining.
Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk may not have garnered the critical acclaim of other recent born-again franchises such as Bond or Batman, but it has at least brought some hope and promise for the future of the franchise.
September 11th 2008 06:12
Pan’s Labyrinth is a somewhat misleading film, with a title and opening sequence that suggest viewers are in for a tale rich with fantasy. Unfortunately, any fantasy elements promised merely serve as a repetitive and insignificant backdrop to a main story that is neither original nor particularly intriguing.
The film is set just after the Spanish civil war in 1944, and the story revolves around Ofelia, a young girl who uses her imagination to escape the harsh realities of life. Whilst Ivana Baquero gives a mature performance in the role of Ofelia, Sergi López Ayats’ portrayal of the movie’s “villain”, Captain Vidal, isn't a memorable one due to the all-too-archetypal nature of the character.
Like most fantasy-based films in this day and age, Pan's Labyrinth relies heavily on special effects to convey the story in a believable manner. Or rather; it tries to. Unfortunately, because the bar has been set so high over previous years, some of the computer animated creatures in this film seem almost cartoonish by comparison. However, there is one saving grace as far as special effects go in this film, and that lies the make-up and prosthetics used to portray the more humanoid creatures. They are altogether more convincing, frightening at times and more suited for the dark theme of the film.
The film's fantasy elements generally seem incongruous to the main story, due to the lack of emphasis placed upon them and their seemingly random placement within the film. Director Guillermo del Toro would have done better to explore more of the unique imaginary world he has created rather than the one Ofelia is trying to escape from.
September 10th 2008 05:37
I needed something to kick-start my forum, and my recent review of Oldboy got me thinking a bit about Asian cinema- so I decided to create this thread.
Some of my favourite films are products of Asian cinema- ranging from Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's samurai epics of the 50' and 60's to modern international co-productions like Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
I was wondering if anybody out there had a favourite Asian film, director, or indeed actor, that they would like to share with us- give reasons why as well!
September 10th 2008 03:30
image courtesy of wikipedia
Some Kind of Monster is a documentary that follows the trials and tribulations faced by metal moguls Metallica as they record their eagerly anticipated 8th studio album, St. Anger.
Essentially this is a film about superstar egos, and is packed with conflict and real-life melodrama (particularly between front-man James and drummer Lars) on a level almost akin to that of reality shows like Big Brother. Whilst many may find their constant arguing and bickering irritating, these quarrels do at times make for entertaining viewing, and will have viewers wondering just how this band has managed to stick together for more than twenty years
[ Click here to read more ]
If you want to voice your thoughts on any of the films I have reviewed here (or even films of your own choosing) please feel free to do so- whilst the reviews may be mine, this forum is for YOUR opinions- so don't be shy, go ahead and post!
image courtesy of wikipedia
A brutally gory tale of revenge from the world of South Korean cinema, Oldboy is director Park Chan-Wook’s adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name.
Oldboy tells the story of Oh Dae-Su, an average family-man who is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years, and the quest he takes to hunt down his captors, discover their motive and exact revenge
[ Click here to read more ]
Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, the front-man of new Man City owners Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), plans a complete overhaul of the club which could see an audacious attempt at landing Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window.
ADUG plan to turn City into not only a top four club, but one that will eventually contend with the likes of current Champions League winners Manchester United and Spanish giants Real Madrid for European glory. In order achieve this, Al-Fahim has stated that the club must set its sights high when looking to sign players, and has made it clear that money will be no object
[ Click here to read more ]
image courtesy of wikipedia
The Fountain is a visual masterpiece that uses the ideas of sci-fi, time travel and religion as a vehicle to present what is essentially a simple love story.
The film is Darren Aronofsky’s interpretation of the graphic novel of the same name, and boldly explores complex and thought-provoking themes such as death and the meaning of life
[ Click here to read more ]
image courtesy of wikipedia
Tropic Thunder is a silly yet entertaining film, full of funny spoofs and amusing dialogue. Though set in a South-East Asian jungle, the film is essentially about actors and the world of Hollywood.
The film brings the type of humour we would expect from such a pairing as Ben Stiller and Jack Black, but also introduces a different brand of comedy to the mix. This comes in the form of Robert Downey Jr, whose performance is arguably the film’s strongest point
[ Click here to read more ]
|
|
|
Add Comments
Read More
Comments (5)
Comment by Chris Creegan
on Movie Product Placements
Filmreviewer.net Forums
Creegan's Footie
A couple more come to mind, for me:
Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore: Subway, Subway, Subway.
And a more recent (albeit quite subtle) example, but did anyone else notice the number of Audi's on the road in the end fight scene in Iron Man?