Top 10 films of 2013

After 2012's cinematic year of artistic breakthrough as well as blockbuster appeal, 2013 looked to do the same with films of a similar calibre. Although 2013 certainly delivered some greats it also delivered a large handful of disappointments, disappointments which make the year a rather mediocre one. None the less there were plenty of good releases and more than enough to create a top 10 list of the year.

Being in the UK a large majority of probable Oscar contenders won't be on the list as well as a couple of other films that were not available at the point of writing this list.

Those missed films being:

-Filth                    -About time

-Before Midnight  -The great beauty

-The selfish giant   -Behind the candelabra

Being a relatively competitive year there were a few too many films that didn't make the list but are honourable enough to mention.

Cloud Atlas- An exhilarating journey on mammoth proportions, Cloud atlas is one of the most expansive and elaborately told stories this year, neither of which takes away from its sheer beauty.

Insidious: Chapter 2- Somehow bettering the breakout original, the sequel brought some much needed realism that truly gets under the skin. The intelligent scares help to oversee the films average narrative.

The Worlds end- Edgar Wrights final film in the unofficially titled 'Cornetto Trilogy' finishes the series with a bang with excellent and creative action scenes with on-screen performances which burst energy and evident chemistry.

On to the top 10...

10. The Conjuring

Slowly but surely transforming the horror genre, director James Wan gives us his best film yet and perhaps the best big budget horror films in recent years. Following a typical family and their move into a new home, the conjuring’s biggest success is disguised as its weakness, with the narrative being quite clichéd and predictable the film more than makes up for this by concentrating far more on its aesthetics and ,more importantly, its scares. Blending various horror genres with intelligence and flair The Conjuring reverts back to old horror classics with subtle scares and a disturbing narrative as opposed to grandiose and unnecessary CGI set pieces.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/the-conjuring.html

9. Mud

Now recognised as the 'mcconissance', actor Matthew McConaughey has more than turned his career around, going from a sub-par rom-com actor into a more respectable thespian with acting talent to rival the best actors in the business. Mud showed this at its clearest with his central performance driving the film forward with very impressive supporting performances from the two boys in the film, Jacob Lofland and Tye Sheridan. Following many narrative themes, Mud accurately depicts each one juggling both an obvious story of friendship and adventure whilst carrying a back story of love in the background. Riveting from start to finish, Mud is one of the best dramas of the year.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/mud.html

8. Captain Phillips

Likely to receive a generous haul of awards come awards season Captain Phillips shows the excellent portrayal of the hijacking of the first American cargo ship in 200 years. Dramatizing the story a little for obvious effects, the plot still remains hugely realistic as it builds the tension to a sufficient level, waiting until we've become comfortable within the protagonist and his crew before springing us the terrifying dilemma of ruthless Somali pirates. Although many are praising Tom Hanks for his performance here, and no doubt he is fantastic, there is a better performance by main villain Barkhad Abdi, who acted with such dominance that he truly felt in charge of not only the ship but also the film, responsible for swinging it in the directions which it did. Often poking at themes which are unexpected, considering the films narrative, Captain Phillips does a good job in presenting an open opinion to the situation allowing the audience to make up its own mind on the events.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/captain-phillips.html

7. In The House

Much like many cinematic success' In the house was simply impossible to tear away from with a plot so ashamedly enticing it made you feel a little embarrassed to eagerly await the next scene. Surroundi

ng the story of a boy’s voyeuristic writing and his teacher’s incapability to stop reading, the film plays out much like a book that you can’t put down treating you to a new segment every 10 minutes or so as you, as well as the films protagonist, keeps guessing its conclusion and next chapter. This certainly proves to be the films biggest asset with its tone being pitch perfect, halfway between twisted and oddly loveable it never veers into one category, always keeping you guessing until the dying shot which ties up the film perfectly, as every great story should- keeping you guessing. With fantastic central performances, most notably from the boy, Ernst Umhauer, in the house proves to be riveting throughout with excellent cinematography helping to do so.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/in-house-in-nutshell.html

6. Robot And Frank

An early contender for film of the year, Robot and Frank has done a great job in holding its ground with a simple story with enough heart and grace to subtlety seduce its audience. Constantly flowing and upbeat Robot and Frank almost unknowingly jumps on the 'near future' bandwagon but refreshingly provides a new view, the view that nothing will change. Proving that Sci-Fi’s can be thrilling with the absence of ray-guns and gargantuan aircrafts, this is a film which finally portrayals a realistic view of the future from the perspective of a slightly bitter, yet extremely loveable, old man whose given a basic robot to help him round the house. Together they bond a friendship which never shows to be cheesy or drawn out as we follow Frank, played marvellously by Frank Langella, through a looking glass as he carries out his day to day tasks, and it truly does feel as though we are observing a man’s life with the characterisation of Frank being so realistic. Robot and Frank is a hidden gem which will catch audiences by surprise with its witty nature and intriguing undertones.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/robot-and-frank.html

5. Prisoners

Oddly overlooked despite its critical success, Prisoners follows the story of two girls who go missing from their homes as we witness their families' breakdown and attempt at separation from the events. With a mysterious and intriguing  narrative to drive the film along, Prisoners is ne

ver boring as, alike real life cases, new evidence is found frequently, and as we get to know the families of the children, we share in their emotional devastation and desperation, hanging on to whatever evidence we can to keep the victims alive. With a sub-plot which initially shows to be a little unnecessary, Prisoners more than makes up for this by using this plot more and more and to a more enticing degree as t throws in 'red herrings' into the investigation whilst also adding in depth and complexity. Being certainly worthy of recognition in the coming awards ceremonies be it in acting or screenplay, Prisoners is a fantastic drama with a riveting story, led by gripping performances. Prisoners is all in all a very neat and enjoyable watch.

4. The Kings Of Summer

Opening up to a small release, The Kings of summer is more than worthy of wide recognition with a strong coming of age story to rival the greats of the genre. Fulfilling perhaps every young boys dream, The Kings of summer follows a group of three good friends as they escape the repression of their parents to build a house in the wild. Although comedy is not the films central genre this doesn't stop the film from being one of the funniest films of the year with sporadic humour which consistently arrives at the perfect points, either to further engage within the characters or to lighten up a scene of seriousness. With a handful of other coming of age releases this year, The Kings of summer stands head and shoulders over the rest being far and away the most realistic when tacking the themes of love and escapism as well as in the portrayal of a confused young boy, conflicted between his desires and the expectations of those around him. Never boring and consistently charming, this film is pure joy to watch.

Full review-http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-kings-of-summer.html

3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Certainly a surprise placing it so high on the list, the sequel to the much loved predecessor is simply a perfect example of how sequels should be done, presenting a narrative which is a

natural step-up but which remains hugely thrilling. After both Katnisses and Peetas controversial victory in the games, the sequel follows their tour around the districts as they put on a smiling face in the eyes of the intimidating dictatorship and 'celebrate' their win. In terms of blockbuster releases this film goes the extra mile to distance itself from its brainless summer competitors presenting a sadistic central plot of greed and the indulgence of power, exploring these themes effortlessly but with enough concentration to leave you pondering every inch of the world as the film ends. Unlike its predecessor the Hunger Game's Catching fire prefers to thrive outside of the games, instead presenting a world so full of wonder and eccentric feeling that it’s frustrating to move away from. That said however the film in no way loses intensity as it enters into the games, games which prove to be far more creative than the first films with an more interesting set pieces as well as the absence of unnecessary 'shaky-cam'.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-hunger-gamescatching-fire.html

2. Gravity

Praised as a 'huge cinematic achievement' Gravity is one of those rare films that truly lives up to its humongous hype, with only the films performances not living up to expectations. With an exterior plot of meaninglessness, it’s only until you see the film and happily flock in its beauty and narrative depth that you see its true success. With visuals that undoubtedly better ANY other cinematic release, Gravity is a film which is very difficult to forget about due to the emotional ride that you endure whilst watching the film. Due to the visuals, the film is hugely realistic and terrifying as you literally feel like you're floating through space; this is only aided by the minimalistic yet undoubtedly stupendous soundtrack which aids in the portrayal of the mysterious nature of the universe whilst helping to amplify its beauty. Gripping you to the edge of your seat, Gravity will leave you agonisingly close to breaking point, despairing in the characters losses and rejoicing in their successes.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/gravity.html

1. Prince Avalanche

Far and away the best film of 2013, Prince Avalanche has been all but forgotten about in the fog of Oscar contenders and blockbuster drivel but has lost no amount of quality and charm. Following the story of two road workers as they bask in the wilderness of their job and reminisce about the woman they've left behind, Prince Avalanches' minimalistic narrative is unashamedly lovable and enticing as we follow two characters that are explored in great depth. Using just two le

ad characters works hugely in the films favour being a character study of two lonely men and the solitude of their situation only allows this characterisation and chemistry to flow throughout each scene, making each one a joy to experience. This is what Prince Avalanche ultimately proves to be, an experience, in a film where every feature is spot on and contributes a great deal to the story. The films cinematography is amazing using the surrounding woods and wildlife to enhance the feeling of isolationism, contrasting with this is the equally fantastic score which gives a sense of wondrous scope to each scene and never fails to paint a smile on your face. Add this to the perfect chemistry of the two protagonists who effortlessly bounce subtle humour off of each other and you get Prince Avalanche a human story of two effortlessly likeable men, played with such enthusiasm and wholesomeness by the fantastic Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch.

Full review- http://wfilmr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/prince-avalanche.html

Calum Russell

In the house- In a nutshell

Bored and frustrated with the lackluster performance of his English literature class, teacher Germain  

(Fabrice Luchini) sees potential in the voyeuristic writing of Claude (Ernst Umhauer) a young boy obsessed with a friend's family.

With a simple story that doesn't take much to tell, it is certainly an achievement to say that In the house is truly riveting throughout never letting up for comic relief or unnecessary sub-plots. Very much driving towards the films conclusion, the film plays out as if the audience is reading an engaging novel, very much relating to the themes of the film with the adult protagonist following suit being apprehensive in approach to the writing but elated whilst reading. Considering the films darker themes we also, as spectators feel ashamed at being so encapsulated within a story of such voyeurism. Much of this engrossment within the film comes from the acting performances, most notably from young actor Ernst Umhauer who plays the teenage boy with such sufficient menace and depth that his rather unrealistic character becomes believable and captivating as we attempt to deconstruct his complex behaviour; as he does with the characters he writes about. Using intelligent narrative and cinematic techniques to further increase the tempo of the story, the films cinematography is truly stunning carrying a bold sense of self-importance that only further involves the audience within its brilliant tale.

Despite being a little unrealistic and contrived, In the house proves to be a truly gripping piece of filmmaking giving a thought provoking explanation into the thrills of voyeuristic reading through the use of rich, meaningful characters. 

8.5/10- Dark, disturbing and undeniably involving. 

Calum Russell

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

With the best of luck a comedy sequel of recent release will glide past cinemas with little critical damage and the respect of its die-hard fan base still intact, however, with recent examples such as ‘the Hangover’ showing, sometimes they don’t fare so well. With the sequel to 2004’s hit comedy, and now cult classic, Anchorman, many were concerned that it would be a similar cash grab but with the whole cast and crew returning the result is a very different story; with consistent wit and intelligence throughout

Anchorman 2: The legend continues, is one of the biggest surprises of the year.

Alike the first film Anchorman 2 has little to boast about in the plot department with the story merely acting as a thin springboard on which to create the comedic moments. After conquering San-Diego Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) travels with his news team to New York to take 24 hour news by storm. Perhaps being the most significant issue of the film, the plot never really goes anywhere, for the majority of the time feeling much like a television sketch show with irrelevant joke after another. This is never really a major issue however as the joy of seeing the cohesive characters once more is enough to keep you entertained for potentially hours. Will Ferrell, most poignantly, reminds audiences of his absolute dominative screen presence and comedic timing, which has failed to deteriorate over the years. The same can be said for his fellow actors and news team in the film, consisting of Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner, who each reprise their roles from the original film with enthusiasm and wit. Never truly pandering towards one type of comedy, Anchorman 2 instead dips its toes into various forms, doing so very effectively with the puerile humour of Carell as well as the more intelligent jokes from the films social commentary being combined fantastically for ultimate audience satisfaction. This commentary appears towards the end of the film, criticising the entertainment value which the news holds today, never feeling forced or out of place, this theme slots in perfectly both to the films narrative as well as its social context, making a very clever and humorous link to the state of today’s news. Other pop culture references don’t fare as well; with many falling flat as the celebrity references of the 70’s fly by unnoticed to today’s young, modern audience.

Despite Anchorman 2’s lack of plot and narrative drive, it still remains to be a very funny addition to, what will surely be the growing franchise. As with all comedy sequels, Director Adam Mckay could’ve sat back and relaxed with the knowledge that the first films success would carry the sequel however instead he’s, quite admirably, exerted a lot of time and effort to create an brilliantly crafted script which debatably results in being even funnier than its predecessor.

8/10- Knowingly messy and disjointed Anchorman 2 focuses on comedy and delivers in spades being by far the funniest film of the year.

Calum Russell 

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Despite the furious following of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, last year’s tentative revisit to middle earth was still seen as an overall critical disappointment. Its tone was off, pacing messy and overall aesthetic reminiscent of dated children’s cartoons. Divided into three unnecessary cinematic releases, fans were quick to state that ‘a lot of the action starts towards the end of the book’, giving much hope to the, now released, sequel, the desolation of smaug. Whilst this sequel does repair the glaring issues of its predecessor, it left some problems untouched and even created some more, more major, issues in the process.

After the rather forgettable conclusion to the first film we re-join the team of 13 dwarves, Gandalf and a Bilbo (Martin Freeman) on the second leg of their journey to the lonely mountain. As they travel towards their destination they’re challenged with a mysterious forest inhabited by bloodthirsty spiders among a multitude of other events that send their journey into disarray. This simple plot line is very much what it should be considering that it’s based on the popular adventure tale for children being action packed with fun fuelled set pieces. At these points in the film we really see the story flourish to its full potential, spilling its creative ideas over the screen to create for some truly exhilarating and fluid scenes of action. The most notable example of this is a scene where the team are sent down a thunderous lake, each in individual wooden barrels as they’re chased by the enemy, working effortlessly to fling axes and swords to each other and towards the foes to create for a scene of pure enjoyment and hilarity. Similar set pieces are seen throughout the film with each carrying a comforting and overwhelming sense of adventure as they explore the vast kingdom of middle earth, an important essence missed from the first release.

 Something that riddled middle earth however with no fault of its storytelling was the films CGI. Visibly distorting vast landscapes and making the enemy look like poorly designed waxworks, it’s easy to reminisce of the days when Peter Jackson used makeup and practical effects instead to truly ‘wow’ his audience. Whilst this isn’t as much an issue for the worlds landscapes, the digitally created villains on the other hand look consistently bad for the majority of their screen time, this makes them less of a threat and more of a lame bore. Unfortunately however this can be said for most of the films anti-heroes with each of their unrealistic physical attributes doing very little to intimidate both the audience and the on screen characters. There are a few exceptions to this with the spiders in the forest, which we are treated to in the form of an exciting set piece at the start of the film, looking visibly frightening as well as the film’s most domineering villain Smaug. Surprisingly more detailed in his appearance there are far fewer occasions where Smaug looks visibly poor however his most villainous feature is by far his superb tone voiced by the fantastic Benedict Cumberbatch, who perhaps saved the film from a total lack of threat. A scene almost comparable to the predecessor’s standout ‘riddles with Gollum’ occurs at the films climax where Bilbo and Smaug share a conversation. The wit and humour of Martin Freeman, playing Bilbo, is seen visibly here as he vocally battles the sinister Smaug in a hall filled with riches, in perhaps the most memorable scene of the film which combines character, humour, excitement all within a rich environment, here we see but a mere glimpse at what this film should have been.

As stated this release makes far greater steps than its predecessor did but also however made one grave decision that would make the film, at least for a lengthy proportion, a source of whimsical laughter. Bringing in a new character to the story, Peter Jackson introduced Tauriel a wise and strong female Elf who actually brought along quite a bit of variety to the plot but who also brought with her a sub-plot which needs to be cast into the flames of mount doom. The love triangle between Tauriel, Legolas and (dwarf) Kili is one of the worst narrative decisions of the year being hugely unnecessary and consistently whimsical to the point where it inadvertently becomes quite an effective source of comedy. With this brings Legolas who prove to be nearly just as pointless in the story. Bringing sword wielding talent and shiny blonde locks, aside from this Legolas doesn’t really serve a purpose and for the most part quite literally stands around reacting to situations, again to great comedy timing.

The Hobbit: The desolation of Smaug does make notable improvements on the first with this one actually feeling like a great adventure as oppose to the first film which felt more like a  lengthy route plan. This is why it comes as such a frustration to say that this release is still riddled with many issues, from the bizarre script to the questionable aesthetics. The Hobbit: the desolation of smaug shows many glimpses of greatness but never seems to go down the right path; it’s a definite improvement but only marginally.

6.5/10- Often an exciting journey with spectacular set pieces and humour, the film is let down by a lacklustre plot of irrelevant love and general goofiness.

Calum Russell

The Hunger Games:Catching Fire

All but gone are the days of the gentle ‘tween’ drama, with films following this dated tone suffering as a result at the box office. Instead recent ‘tween’ releases have tended to lean more towards hard-hitting and realistic narratives rather than masculine focused tear jerking sob stories. Debatably starting this new trend, the new blockbuster franchise of The Hunger Games has quickly built a mass following after just two film releases, and deservedly so as the 2^nd instalment in the franchise is surprisingly rich and fulfilling, pandering not only to young audiences.

Straight off the ending of the first film, we follow Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in her victory tour of the districts after she and her ‘lover’ Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) defied the government, both winning the games in an act of rebellion. Now however they have inadvertently sparked revolution in the districts as they become the capitols number one targets. Suffering from a lack of contextual information the first Hunger Games only really became interesting, bringing themes of morality and a corrupt government, once the games had begun. Its sequel couldn’t be further from this as Catching Fire truly does what a sequel should, building on the first films success and adding a stronger narrative and backstory to give the first film and subsequent releases even more meaning. This works to excellent effect the where the scenes outside the games become surprisingly more intense than when the protagonist finally goes back inside the games as the fleshed out and sinister society becomes increasingly more active and rebellious.

This isn’t to say the games are boring, which is quite far from the truth, alike the first film the games prove to be hugely creative and imaginative building a mini-world where literally anything can happen and is down to the hands of the sinister ‘game makers’. That said however the games are certainly the weakest part of this film as they bring up and highlight the majority of the films issues. The moment Katniss steps foot into the games an odd air of self-importance engulfs the script as it becomes carried away in its own fantasy world where although anything is possible, laws of physics are also broken. Furthermore the more forcibly emotional world of the games brings out the worst in the script which up to this point in the film was exceptional, letting itself down with whimsical lines of dialogue which seem fitting only in a tween ‘rom-com’.

As previously mentioned however the long length of running time before the games is hugely engrossing as the games themselves are all but forgotten, downplayed in favour for a far more realised narrative. This narrative is played out in a world which is established in the first film, but far more explored in the sequel from the sadistic and stylistic dictatorship to the harsh yet natural lands of district 12, the world of the hunger games, despite its cruelty is really quite beautiful. For this reason the narrative takes a huge step up suddenly becoming all the more intriguing and fascinating, only to discover that its controlled by the truly sinister dictator, President Snow, played excellently by Donald Sutherland. This allows us as the audience to immediately get behind the films protagonist and band of  allies, feeling their sadness as well as their victories as the film progresses. New characters to the franchise state their claim nicely with Finnick Odair, played by Sam Clafin, as well as Beetee, played by Jeffery Wright, both being acted with gusto to create characters of distinct personalities and likeability. The acting performance of Jennifer Lawrence however still proves to outdo the (still shining) rest, showing great depth in a character of perceived subtlety, providing emotional realism behind every scene, her enthusiasm grips you into the film and makes you believe the world as a reality.

The Hunger Games: Catching fire is a huge step forward, not only for blockbusters but also for young adult films in general, providing an intelligent story whilst showcasing an amazing world of colour and imagination. Delving far into its narrative to touch on strong themes of morals, The Hunger Games: Catching fire is one of the best blockbusters to come out of Hollywood for a very long time, differentiating itself from its competitors with a brave narrative which challenges audiences and never insults them.

8.5/10- Hugely involving and genuinely terrifying, Hollywood might finally be realising the benefits of taking risks.

Calum Russell

Gravity

Entering into the months of the ‘awards season’, new releases hoping for nominations typically take a light-hearted route to the academy’s heart through a simple yet well told narrative. Alfonso Cuaron’s new release, Gravity, however couldn’t be further from the story presenting a film of aesthetic beauty but also narrative minimalism. Despite this, having already been praised worldwide by audience and critics alike, Gravity shows to live up to its hype being surprisingly deep in its narrative and breathtakingly astonishing in its visuals.

After an accident on a satellite sends debris hurtling through space a medical engineer ( Sandra Bullock) and astronaut (George Clooney) must work together to survive after being left adrift. Gravity is very much a film driven by its characters as appose to its plot, with the story being all but told in the opening 5 minutes. For this to happen the characters involved must be sufficiently ‘meaty’ in order to create a connection to the audience, and whilst this connection does form it comes with little help from the characters themselves. Instead the films impeccable visuals engross the audience into the film so much that the characters become instantly believable in a setting which is plastered with detail, looking like a duplicate of space itself. Perhaps shadowing over the impressive visuals is the pitch-perfect score, used terrifically throughout to amplify every emotion, as well as being used sparingly to allow times of silence to make the empty scenes of space even more uncomfortable.

This is a good job as whilst both protagonists are as interesting as each other, they both carry their unique burdens. George Clooney puts in a terrific performance, as to be expected from a veteran actor of his calibre however the screenplay does little to ground his character, being handed unrealistic comical jokes to perform in scenes of panic and fear which simply feel out of place, reminding us of the charming ‘Clooney’ and preventing us from getting more involved within the film. As for Bullock, her character is sufficiently explained and enough depth goes into her struggle to survive however she is at times let down by her own seemingly unenthusiastic performance, failing to reflect necessary emotions for certain scenes which downplayed moments of sadness as well as rejoice.

That said these issues only occur periodically throughout and are certainly minor issues within the artistic triumph of Gravity which tells a story of such perceived minimalism in a way in which makes the audience analyse every step of the narrative. Gravity presents its themes in a touching and subtle manner, allowing its audience to piece the messages together before there’re made more obvious and even invites debate into what these messages even are. Overall Gravity seems to be a film which contradicts typical Hollywood fodder, knowing exactly when to stop; being unnervingly realistic and subtle, detaching itself from its wonder to be a humble cinematic achievement.

8.5/10- An excellently told short story of great depth and power.

Calum Russell

Thor: The Dark World

Currently leading the superhero genre through its highly appreciated era, the MARVEL universe is quite literally leaving its competitors in the dark with rivals ‘DC comics’ adopting a dark tone in their films as oppose to the contrasting upbeat traits of the MARVEL films. Following in this light-hearted tone is the second in ‘Phase 2’ of the MARVEL canon, Thor: The Dark World, staring the Avengers’ favourite mythological superhero in the series’ most surprising addition yet.

Following off the events of ‘The Avengers’, we return to ‘Asgard’, Thors home planet, and residence to Thors royal family including his misguided brother, Loki, who has been encapsulated in prison to serve his punishment after the destruction of New York. However just as Thor returns to normality on Asgard, a bigger and more vicious threat dawns on his planet and mankind. Gifting us with only the impressive ‘Iron Man 3’ before this release, Marvel’s phase 2 has shown to be oddly more comical than its previous instalments and Thor: The Dark World very much follows this trait being arguably the funniest MARVEL release to date. Not only is it hugely entertaining humorously but Thors newest outing is also hugely refreshing and original in a franchise that is undoubtedly triumphant but certainly wrapped in cotton wool. The sense of threat in this release is far greater than ever, feeling as though any pivotal character could be eradicated at any moment, destruction is evident as civilians are clearly intimidated by Thors most recent foe and a general sense of peril is far more in the forefront of the film in comparison to previous instalments. This is partly due to the impressive direction of Alan Taylor with his previous works of fantasy TV series ‘Game of Thrones’ and its similar sense of peril coming through in his direction as he recreates a mythological world of wonder and conflict.

This mythology drains through the pours of the film and soaks the film with hearty characters and back story of far more structure than its series’ predecessors.  That said however, the modern storyline which Thor: The Dark World is handed is one of fair confusion with technological jargon being blindly mismatched together in the hope that they make even the littlest sense. This doesn’t stop all understanding of the plot altogether however as it is made fairly easy to follow through its linear nature and unfortunately tame motives of the antagonist Malekith. Played by the fantastic Christopher Eccleston, he is given frustratingly little material to work with and although he certainly does the best with what he has, the character could have been a far more memorable one if the story had been adjusted accordingly.

Thor: The Dark World’s sense of ambition is hugely admirable, being the only cosmic hero of the current Avengers; the film does a fantastic job in introducing the cosmic universe which will no doubt play a huge part in MARVELS upcoming releases. With bags of energy and creativity to boast in its outstanding unique action scenes and original script it’s just a shame that that it didn’t create a more fathomable plot with a more memorable villain to match.

8/10- Thor proves to be the most exciting MARVEL superhero, daring to be different with surprising action sequences and pinpoint wit.

Calum Russell 

The Kings of Summer

Currently In the groove of small independent ‘coming of age’ releases, with such films as ‘the way way back’ already having graced our screens, the newest addition for the sub-genre, The Kings Of Summer, hit very selected theatres earlier this summer only to gift us with a DVD release in October. Following very much the fanatical dream of the early teenager (if not the current one), The Kings Of Summer follows three friends as they embark on a woodland adventure to escape their parents and live self-provided in the wild. Whilst it’s a plot line that’s been walked countless numbers of times in some route or another, The Kings of Summer manages to create a strong identity for itself being sincerely heartfelt and true to life, launching surprises throughout as it consistently breaks genre expectations.

Being a film of standard running time it’s extraordinary to consider the great depths that each character is read into, with protagonist, Joe (Nick Robinson) being the most seasoned of the three main characters. Usually displayed with contrived gush in a conventional film of the genre, the protagonist here is instead hugely genuine, being presented in one of the most realistic portrayals of any teenage character to date. This comes with aid from the fantastic screenplay written by Chris Galletta who not only writes with incredible truth and charm but also does so with such effortless comedic flare. Being truly one of the funniest comedies of the year if not in recent memory, Galletta entwines ‘intelligent’ wit from the parental characters and contrasts it with the puerile humour of the teenagers; creating something for everyone either in the dead pan delivery of Joes father (Nick Offerman) or the bizarre antics of Biaggio (Moises Arias). Both of these performances are highly enjoyable with Offerman’s now polished cold humour and delivery standing out being consistently hilariously rude and obnoxious to every character he comes across.

With consistent surprises and realistic turns of events, The Kings of Summer never resorts to genre stereotypes or clichés making a recognisable brand for itself with its stunning cinematography and near flawless screenplay.  Moving the story along with some pace, at times certain events feel very contrived as the three characters find a knowledge of the woods from nowhere with skills to surprise even the most daring architect.

Watching The Kings of Summer is very much like going on the adventure yourself, part of the trio, despairing in their losses, grinning in their triumphs and consolidating with their damaged emotions; this is a truly heart-felt and genuine film that is assured to paint a smile across your face.

8/10- A portrait of young life, hilarious and painfully true.

Calum Russell 

Captain Phillips

Displaying Tom Hanks’ most terrific performance for years, Captain Phillips follows the true story of an American cargo ship which is hijacked by Somali pirates, as skipper ‘Rich Phillips’ defends his ship and crew.

Having an evident knack for the suspension of disbelief as well as the simultaneous maintenance of intensity, director Paul Greengrass bounces back from his slight 2010 miss step ‘Green zone’ to remind us of his directorial talent in his newest release. With a true to life narrative which works hard to keep close to its source material, Captain Phillips never refrains to entertain keeping an unbearable level of intensity throughout the whole course of the relatively lengthy running time. On occasion the story does slow down with repetitive scenes of nothingness as well as countless establishing shots of the boat used simply to fill time; however these moments are not significant enough to impact the overall intensity of the film. This intensity is heavily aided by the fantastic performances across the whole cast, with two in particular being deserved of momentous praise and perhaps award nominations. Protagonist Tom Hanks gives his best performance since arguably his Oscar nominated role in 2000’s ‘Castaway’ shoving every ounce of emotion into his performance with enthusiastic gusto as his character endures an emotional rollercoaster, emotion which is evident from even the smallest details of his performance. The antagonist ‘Muse’ played by first time actor Barkhad Abdi was hugely impressive playing an almost soulless pirate with a truly terrifying piercing stare and an equally unsettling monotonous tone. Unlike many films of a similar nature however Captain Phillips does an excellent job in humanising the pirates, giving them an identity to give them a motivation for their actions, this leads to the audience having a stronger connection to the villains at times feeling oddly sympathetic towards them as we witness them being almost forced to carry out the hijack.

As always in Greengrass' films the military is especially portrayed with extreme accuracy, making it seem as though we are following the actual occurrences of the time with real life navy troops, only adding to the already intolerable tension of the film. Captain Phillips shows that thrillers don’t need gratuitous violence and an offbeat storyline to stimulate the audience, only a gripping and fast paced narrative with complex characters and fantastic performances.

8/10- A hugely exciting thriller which will undoubtedly leave you fulfilled.

Calum Russell

Prince Avalanche

Coming perhaps unexpectedly from 'hit and miss' comedy director of ‘Pineapple express’ David Gordon Green, Prince Avalanche, his new release,takes a more subtle approach to humour than his previous 'in your face' style of filmmaking following two isolated road workers in their efforts to repair the surrounding area after a forest fire.

With such a constrictive narrative, Gordon Green allowed little space for comedic movement and rightly so as in a few ways Prince Avalanche is not a comedy at all, sure it has a lot of hilarious moments, but for the most part these moments are simply entwined with the day to day interactions of two hugely likeable, honest characters. This creates for a film which never ceases to put a smile on the audiences face, despite its lack of narrative material it consistently holds interest through its sheer realism and depiction of people in an atmosphere riddled with cinder and contrasting wondrous greenery. With the cinematography to match any ‘cinematic spectacle’ Prince Avalanche often feels like a nature documentary, with its truly inspiring shots of nature continuing the struggle through a beaten up area of collapsed forestry. This certainly builds the themes of the film sufficiently but perhaps lectures for a little too long; lasting for an unnecessary duration of time they occasionally felt like they were simply filling time until we revisited the two protagonists.

Alvin and Lance, the films two lead characters played by Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch are absolutely fantastic effortlessly displaying a realistic relationship of two people almost forced into friendship. This chemistry allows for the film to offload its messages and themes without being even marginally whimsical at any point, which is impressive considering the almost kitsch situation of the two characters and their personal lives. Gordon Green orchestrates his comedic lines with precision and realism, being inserted into comments at the most appropriate times, with the performances of both leads making the lines all the more hilarious until eventually their sheer screen presence paints a smile across your face.

With the plot unable to run its simplicity throughout the whole 90 minutes, new strands are added to the tale towards the end and throughout making it all the more interesting. These new elements are ambiguous in there meaning and sometimes slightly puzzling adding a wholesome undertone that leaves you thinking, acting as a relevant sub-plot to the films central narrative. Prince avalanche is a consistently surprising and heart-warming film which zigzags across the linear line of filmmaking, displaying two outstanding central performances and a tightly woven narrative, Prince Avalanche is a total joy to watch.

9/10- A refreshing and truly touching view at the lives of two begrudging friends.

Calum Russell  

Side Effects

Having already decided upon a perhaps premature retirement from film making, prestigious director Steven Soderbergh has released his 'last' film following his surprising 2012 hit, 'Magic Mike'. Side Effects follows the story of Emily (Rooney Mara) who due to her increasing depression following her husbands (Channing Tatum) return home from prison, is given a new drug to help cure her, little to her knowledge however the drug has unexpected side effects.

 Sustaining a high amount of intensity throughout the film, Side Effects proves to be a hugely enthralling drama concerning a subject matter which is both interesting and intelligent. With the background business of drugs being relatively illusive, by tackling this topic the film showed to be instantly engaging. This comes with thanks to the fantastic acting talent on board with Rooney Mara giving an excellent performance ( the best of the year so far) as a complex woman in disarray who is doctored by Mr Banks, played by Jude Law, who also gives a performance of similar credibility. As the plot continues and becomes entwined with one of a legal lawsuit, the story only becomes increasingly engrossing as realistic twists make the occurrences more complex than originally perceived.

 Side Effects never falls into being ridiculous despite coming dangerously close at times due to certain rushed and contrived events occurring in the films final act. Consistently 'upping itself' as the film progresses, Side Effects never becomes boring despite its bulky material and whilst perhaps you may have to stretch your imagination a little at the films conclusion, this doesn't prevent it from being a hugely enjoyable and surprising drama.

8.5/10- A gripping drama which delivers in spades.

Calum Russell

Insidious: Chapter 2

Arriving seemingly unnoticed in 2011, Insidious was quickly picked up by horror fans and film fans alike after receiving an oddly positive reputation for a low-budget horror flick. Directed by the once unpredictable (but now certifiably impressive) James Wan, Insidious brought something that few other horror films had ever brought before...a good story; and was quickly brandished with a future sequel after being the most profitable film of the year. Now in 2013, straight off the back of the hugely impressive 'The Conjuring', Wan returns to direct the second in the soon to be franchise, as Insidious: Chapter 2 hails its audience with intelligent and vast storytelling leaving us drooling for more.

 Being very much another chapter in the 'Insidious story' the sequel continues straight where the first one left off, cleverly explaining the cliff-hanger left at the end of its predecessor before delving into Joshes (Patrick Wilson) past in order to severe links with the 'spirit world' and return to normal family life. Doing a fantastic job to immediately immerse the audience within its fanatical world of horror, Insidious: Chapter 2 benefits hugely from not being a simple product of its predecessor. Instead of delving into the horror of the unclear and convoluted 'further' the sequel prefers to flesh out the films mythologies with the continuation of a gruesome story touched upon in the first. Through this story a more sophisticated source of scares emerges within a story-line which is uncomfortably realistic and unnerving, playing with its mythology and planting its feet on the ground to provide a slightly more believable tone.What remains however is still a largely ludicrous plot whereby rules are consistently broken and new ones are made in a flash. With this the audience becomes restless and some scares soon become a source of comedy instead of horror, being marginally less scary than its popular predecessor. 

Insidious: Chapter 2 is not a breakthrough in the horror genre, but its franchise soon will be with the vast expanse of possible story which this sequel has laid down. Explaining the bizarre goings on in the first film, Insidious Chapter 2 veers away from the frigid story-line and finds its unique tread, fleshing the mythology out as it truly creeps under your skin and effortlessly plays with the ordinary and  makes it terrifying. 

7.5/10- A surprisingly ambitious sequel with gusto and intelligence.   

Calum Russell

You're Next

Aside from the over used found-footage sub-genre, the home invasion horror film is perhaps the most popular and has no doubt been murdered over the years through ridiculous plot lines and lame jump scares. You're next is the latest in the genre, made over 2 years ago and released only in small scale film festivals, this independent production hopes to rekindle the flames of the home invasion genre.

With events proceeding in the typical fashion, the Davidson family, brought together in full from an eager Mother, find themselves under attack from masked men and they soon have to battle for survival. Thankfully the plot is much thicker than described containing many plot twists as well as terrifying set pieces and violence to appeal to its audience. Seeming to tire early on as we are introduced to the family, the film soon builds in speed and intensity as the story strengthens and events become ever more enticing, even during this slightly lazy introduction we're cleverly introduced to the realistic characters and their intelligent interactions, all whilst the mysterious tale develops underfoot. Most obvious at the beginning and perhaps expected of a small independent production, the acting is questionable from a small minority of the cast, leading to laughable moments of stupidity in the opening minutes, this however flattens out as the film progresses. Once this cumbersome introduction has past, You're next proves to be highly entertaining and surprisingly hilarious, effortlessly blending dark comedy with terrifying sights. Led by feminine heroine Erin, played by the fantastic Sharni Vinson, we see a side to the genre that is rarely witnessed and it was welcomed with open arms; a strong and heroic female lead that shows both brains and brawn's never being reduced to a misogynistic topless wreck. Using violence and gore sparingly and only when necessary to truly get the audience whopping with gross delight, You're next is one of the most inventive horror films in years, setting itself apart from the crowd by simply being hugely enjoyable and
showing impressive feats by being simultaneously hilarious and terrifying throughout.

8/10- Amazingly fun and wholesomely original, You're next is a breath of fresh air.

Calum Russell

We're the Millers - In a nutshell

 Original comedies are relatively hard to come by in Hollywood's current state what with sequels and remakes being a primary source of content. Consistently being a refreshing experience, a new comedy release introduces us to new unpredictable characters within a similarly unpredictable story, something which new release We're the Millers does admirably. Seeming like cliched comedy from the exterior, the film has far much more to offer being surprisingly funny and appropriately heartfelt. Small time drug dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) is forced to create a fake family, compiled of stripper Rose (Jennifer Aniston), homeless rebel Casey (Emma Roberts) and enthusiastic 'loser' Kenny (Will Poulter) in order to smuggle huge amounts of drugs across the U.S border. Whilst We're the millers is for the most part a largely enjoyable film, the humour comes periodically in varying doses with only a handful of truly showstopping jokes. The majority of these jokes comes from the innocently bizarre actions of the young boy played brilliantly by Will Poulter who uses excellent comedy timing as well as comical facial expressions to create many moments of hilarity. The plot is vastly different being hugely predictable from the very beginning following the typical, linear formula of Hollywood, ending inevitably with whimsical and cheesy style. Plenty of jokes fall flat, coming most prominently from the bland characteristics of Davids boss, Brad (Ed Helms), however there's enough originality and comedic flare in We're the Millers in order to have an enjoyable time at the cinema.

6.5/10- Aside from occasional pop culture references and whimsical drama this is a surprisingly effective comedy.

Calum Russell

Elysium

In a genre where an ‘apocalyptic earth’ setting is becoming both hugely popular and horribly overused, director Neil Blomkamp is trying his luck with Elysium his second sci-fi release after the immensely popular ‘District 9’. Having an intelligent eye for storytelling seen in his previous film, Blomkamp prefers to link the sci-fi storyline with a relevant current affair as to bring the story close to home and give it a subtle moral message. Whilst he certainly gives this a good go with Elysium, he finds himself getting carried away towards the end with an over indulgence in CGI and general stupidity.

Set in the year 2154, where earth has been reduced to ruin, burdened with disease and poverty and the human population work primarily for the rich, living on a utopian paradise modelled on a floating space station. After learning protagonist Max (Matt Damon), has only a few days to live after a radiation accident, he revisits his violent past in order to seek the superior medical aid of ‘Elysium’ whilst aiming to bring the distorted worlds to equality.

Beginning with real vigour and enthusiasm, Elysium spent little time procrastinating as it quickly introduced us to its dazzling and highly innovative world. Soaring overhead the fresh, organic world of Elysium brought stunning visuals which seamlessly merged both real visual sets as well as CGI. Frequently in awe of the films creative flair, it rarely follows linear sci-fi stereotypes being instead in favour of a storyline with more intelligence and class. Quickly establishing a self-made personality for itself, the grungy yet realistic tone of the film resulted in immediate engrossment as well as quick connections to the down-trodden protagonist. Played perhaps ‘by the book’ by Matt Damon, the protagonist Max showed to be dense and meaty initially only to wear thin towards the end, suffering from a lack of characterisation and real personality, a path which not only this character follows. Starting stupendously strong and intelligently, Elysium slowly depleted in brain cells as it transcended into idiocy and typical Hollywood flavourlessness. Plot strands become quickly contrived as the film runs out of fuel with no help from the half-hearted performance of the main antagonist, Jodie Foster. Performing with a bizarre and jarring accent throughout, she made little effort to beef out her already thin character resulting in little care for her character and her fate. Taking over as the real villain was the highly different Kruger, played by the fantastic Sharto Copley who induces so much passion and enthusiasm into his character that results in the audience overwhelmingly resenting him. This hatred for the villain makes each action scene seem much more passionate and thrilling as we really get behind Max and his good intentions. This entwined with a lack of shaky camera footage, makes each action sequence highly enjoyable and gut-wrenchingly disgusting with gratuitous violence being used sparingly to thrill the audience.

Elysium is quite far from perfect; however it is far superior to many recent sci-fi’s of little creative merit. Copley makes the film, giving it an almost 80’s feel with truly evil one liners as well as a ridiculous caricatured persona which never fails to thrill. Blomkamp has yet again created a highly enjoyable sci-fi possessing both brains and brawn, it’s just a shame he couldn’t withhold his excitement which spiralled out of control towards the end with idiotic and explosive style.

7.5/10- An intelligent, if overindulgent sci-fi.

Calum Russell 

Kick-Ass 2

Following the recent influx of sequels and hard driven franchises, 2010’s cult classic release of ‘Kick-Ass’ has earned a follow up film promising to replicate it’s predecessors success. Shocking audiences three years ago with its gratuitous comic violence combined with its foul mouthed underage actors, it soon built up a considerable following earning cult status due to its relatively small scale production. As with all sequels, their primary (yet very much disclosed) purpose is to rake in the profits made from fans of the predecessor who know what they’re getting in for and this applies all too well with Kick-Ass 2. Containing vast pop culture references as well as a noticeable ‘Hollywood gleam’ of indulgent CGI, Kick-Ass 2 attempts to appeal to everyone yet inadvertently appeals to no one.

 

As we pick up from the well rounded ending of its predecessor we join Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) trying to blend back into high school all whist maintaining his superhero alter-ego, joining him is newly appointed ‘partner in crime’ Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), who now craves acceptance in High school after years of home schooling. After events transpire and Hit Girl finds herself unable to fight crime, Kick-Ass finds a superhero team named ‘Justice Forever’, led by the eccentric Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey) but when super villain the ‘Motherfucker’ (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)demands revenge on Kick-Ass for the death of his father, the team meet their match.

Admirably boasting a very different plot from its predecessor, this is about the only dose of originality present in the film with the remainder of the running time desperately attempting to replicate the success of the original, resulting in disaster. With an established unique style the 2010’s Kick-Ass was a thrill to watch, witnessing justice fuelled eccentrics taking down the sinister enemy, however here this is turned on its head as we watch the bad guys horrifically murdering the good guys, and quite understandably it’s no fun at all. With horrific violence being used throughout, many sequences of Kick-Ass 2 felt oddly disturbing as comic violence would play out to a childishly offbeat soundtrack in a ‘real world’ environment. The films tone is so desperately obscured that its identity crumbles, thinking it’s a serious and bleak superhero film one minute, then the next changing to supposedly thrilling unjustifiable comic violence, when the audience simply isn’t ‘in the mood’ following scenes of such depressing realism. Such action scenes are no doubt executed with considerable style and are very well choreographed despite their loud and unwanted presence. The tonal balance isn’t aided by a jarring ‘coming of age tale’ surrounding hit girl which undoubtedly provides for some of the best scenes and laughs of the whole film, but which also however provides for some of the worst and certainly the most whimsical. One in particular containing washed up x-factor contestants ‘Union J’ was poignantly awful, summarising in one 3 minute scene the failure of Kick-Ass 2 being unnecessary, boring and just damn awkward.  

Doing very few things to keep its audience stimulated, Kick-Ass 2 is a lame attempt to find box office success and similar cult status. With tonal infrequencies running underneath the film throughout, Kick-Ass 2 simply doesn’t work and suffers from indulging in a multitude of irrelevant sub plots as well as using gratuitous violence to tell its already bleak story. Being very little fun at all, Kick-Ass 2 is simply too serious for its own good.

4/10- Frequently disturbing, Kick-Ass 2 is tonally indifferent and constantly confused.

Calum Russell

The Conjuring

Being the cheapest and most highly profitable genre, the quality of horror films has quite noticeably deteriorated over time becoming increasingly nonsensical and clichéd with only a handful of directors recently attempting to revitalise the genre.  Quickly becoming one of the most prolific horror directors of the 21st century, James Wan is one of these creative enforcers as he returns with The Conjuring the original and supposedly true story of a sinister haunted house. Whilst it may not have the most original and exciting of premises, it certainly exerts enough passion and genuine intelligence to

make it linger with the audience long after they’ve exited the screen and make them tremble in an empty house.

Based on one of the many cases of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, this is the first to include them within the film as key characters. Initially exploring the back story behind the couple’s carer with the introduction of a sinister demonic china doll, we are soon shifted into the lives of the ‘Perron’ family through a perhaps hackneyed and patronising use of on screen text desperately persuading us to believe the films realistic legitimacy. In an orderly fashion we’re shown to a family of six as they move into a new country house only to discover that it holds darker forces. Despite the clear use of an overused formula, The Conjuring does an excellent job in introducing original material to create intelligent scares for its audience instead of the cheap ‘jump-scare’ which so many films indulge in. Such scares are present but are used sparingly and to good effect after a sufficiently built scene of tension, through this the film creates far more effective prol

onged moments of terror that linger as appose to momentary moments of fright.

Remaining however are the classic clichés of the genre, giving a heavy load to a film which would otherwise be hugely impressive. The general stupidity and unrealistic actions of each character along with the classic clichés of mirrors as well as animal noises used as jump scares ultimately put a muzzle on the film preventing it from being as scary as it should’ve been as every forthcoming scare was predictable and dull. Furthermore, as is the issue with a multitude of horror films, The Conjuring makes the mistake of showing too much when far less is far more effective. Whilst the ‘terrifying faces’ are creditably made with prosthetics (and wisely so) the more we see the ghoul and the longer the camera lingers, the more the audience becomes desensitised to its horror and it instead becomes an offbeat source of relaxing humour.

Whilst it may be riddled with horror clichés and subsequent mild stupidity, The Conjuring still proves to be hugely unsettling through its original material and also with the aid from the directorial prowess of James Wan and as well as the believable and enthusiastic performances of the whole cast. The Conjuring knew its source material extremely well and rarely went over its head and indulged in irrelevant areas, with slightly unexpected turns along the way James Wan concretes himself as a veteran of the horror genre, creating a film so unsettling and subtly terrifying it will stay with you for weeks.

8/10- An excellent formation of horror elements both old and new despite its unoriginality.

Calum Russell

The Wolverine (in a nutshell)

 Due to 'the wolverines' poor initial attempt at 'solo stardom' in 2009 with 'X-men origins: wolverine', this newest release is barely pressured by its predecessors success and therefore thrives in its creative freedom. Boasting heavy comic book visuals and action scenes, the wolverine manages to turn ridiculousness into enjoyable fun, with even the most idiotic of action scenes thrilling audiences. Doing little to stray from it's linear path the story is relatively bland and in need of some sort of 'spanner in the works' or at least some more serious darker tones to compliment it's heavy '12A' nature. Towards the end an appropriate yet not so surprising twist appears adding fuel to the dwindling fire which quickly loses momentum during the floppy third act. The lackluster characterisation of the annoyingly un-intimidating villain does not help the lack of threat in the final scenes as 'Viper' a poisonous mutant woman makes comical lizard noises as she runs around in circles. Hugh Jackmans performance allows for some moments of truly engrossing action, with his passion for the character being transparent throughout,
allowing the character to flourish within an entertaining yet realistic persona.

6.5/10- Hugely enjoyable comic violence make this a welcomed surprise.

Calum Russell

The Worlds End

Nine years ago, the now acclaimed director Edgar Wright began his comedy renaissance bursting onto the scene with the first in the now completed ‘Cornetto trilogy’. Setting a benchmark for both British and general cinematic comedies, his newest release, ‘the worlds end’ hopes to finish his acclaimed trilogy with style and grant the director inevitable prestige. Whilst it may have been six years since ‘the worlds end’ predecessor ‘Hot Fuzz’ hit cinemas, little has been altered considering the style and comedy prowess of Edgar Wright, putting his right hand men and comedy duo, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost to great use in a film which concludes the trilogy with heart.

 Using intelligent humour and broadcasting a believable yet simultaneously entertaining backstory, the later storyline of otherwise ridiculous occurrences slots neatly in place with the films nutty persona, rarely seeming out of place. Protagonist Gary King (Simon Pegg) is living in the past, with memories of a failed pub crawl with his past friends especially lingering on his mind he decides to ‘get the old team back together’ and finish what they started, only to find themselves fighting for their lives within a town in which they don’t quite recall.

 With much to live up to with two previous films of fantastic quality, it’s no big surprise to say that the worlds end perhaps doesn’t reach the intelligent grounds of ‘Shaun of the dead’ neither does it reach the comedy genius of ‘Hot Fuzz’. Instead ‘the worlds end’ chooses to take the sentimental route following the story of a young group of friends who’ve grown older and changed their ways, being all too apt within the final instalment of the trilogy this also speaks praises for the trilogy on the whole, each displaying a unique and excellently displayed trait. With this however it also manages to simultaneously and effortlessly hold the traits of its predecessors being hugely and most importantly intelligently funny all within a narrative which for the most part retains its ingenious brilliance.

 Taking a while to find its feet and choosing a wild route in the closing minutes the narrative is slightly inconsistent being sturdy and hugely impressive in the middle but weathered at the ends. While we wait at the beginning for characters to be developed upon and plot strands to be thickened the comedy remains light resulting in short chortles from the audience with some jokes inevitably falling flat, proving to be the calm before the comedic storm. With aid from an excellent supporting cast, the band of five friends on show showcase the very best of British comedy and acting with ‘Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan’ all giving terrific performances to give the narrative long distance legs and a renewable source of comedy as the actors form effortlessly as a band of regular friends as their off screen chemistry becomes transparent.

 In amongst an industry of constant profit driven franchise releases it’s extremely refreshing to witness a trilogy linked only by their uses of ‘cornettos’  achieve so much whilst boasting so much originality. Proving to be one of the best directors currently in the industry, Edgar Wright has once again provided a film with heart, laughs and bags of originality.

8/10- Something for everyone, intelligent jokes, a heart-warming story, and gratuitous comic violence.

Calum Russell  

Pacific Rim

Big budget, bright lights, loud noises and heavy does of CGI, the summer blockbuster has become a staple of the the cinematic year hoping to thrill its dozens of enthusiastic spectators. Entertainment is key due to blockbusters' infamous focus on action over story and for Guillermo del Toro's new colossus film, Pacific Rim, this couldn't be more relevant. Boasting huge man-made machines battling giant monsters it's no surprise that it's being compared to the 'transformers' franchise and whilst it may not be as monotonously dull it shows to be just as narratively poor.

 Of course the plot isn't the primary point of appeal in the film with the glaring titan brawls taking pride of place, however without a sufficient and engaging enough story proceeding the action then it becomes useless, watching epic fights of man vs. beast may be momentarily entertaining however it's ultimately pointless. It's around the year 2020 and a hole at the bottom of the pacific ocean has been ripped open allowing hellish beasts called 'kaijus' to cause mass destruction on earth, after military tactics prove ineffective the world is forced to retaliate by constructing towering controllable machines, or 'jaegers', to fight them. Following a harrowing experience whilst controlling the 'jaeger', pilot 'Raleigh Becket' (Charlie Hunnam) leaves the programme only to be re-assessed years later as he returns through the persuasive voice of superior officer  Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba). With a plan to kill the monsters off once an for all it falls to 'Raleigh' to execute the mission.

Whilst the plot may not be diverse or hugely engaging the action certainly makes up for lost time being bold and hugely entertaining with the weapons and abilities of the 'jaegers' appearing nonsensically out of nowhere to sarcastic chuckles and enthusiastic 'woops' as a 'kaiju' comes crashing to the ground. Living up to its epic blockbuster status the action sequences are huge amounts of fun due to the fact that the film knows how ridiculous it truly is. With this however comes the lack of attention towards the story and characters, focusing too heavily on the high budget action instead. Surrounding our protagonist throughout the story are a plethora of exaggerated , stereotypical characters with poorly developed backgrounds and did very little to contribute anything towards the film aside from the occasional cliched 'one-liner'. Hindering any chance of character enthusiasm are the relatively average performances of the cast with protagonist Charlie Hunnam looking hugely bored throughout supplying a lack-luster performance. Exceptions appear in the forms of both Idris Elba who clearly enjoys playing his exuberant character and also Charlie Day who provides some fitting comedy in amongst violent scenes as a bumbling government scientist.

 Achieving in its primary purpose tho entertain, Pacific Rim does little else to thrill its audience being sluggish and hugely predictable for the most part. Being overly excessive in its action scenes the film forgets about its other necessary elements crucial to make the film mesh. If your're able to ignore a frustrating screenplay, a lot of fun is to be found within Pacific Rim however its difficult to neglect even when confronted with a monstrous brawl.

6/10- Lazy writing makes this film more dumb than fun.

Calum Russell

A Field In England

 Famous for defying genre and narrative conventions, British director Ben Wheatley is quickly becoming a cinematic phenomenon exciting audiences with his gritty and highly realistic approach to filmmaking. Following from the success of last year’s dark rom/com ‘Sightseers’, Wheatley has taken on a far more ambitious project in ‘A field in England’, surrounding the story of a group of deserters in the civil war as they are captured by an estranged alchemist searching for treasure.  Being released on multi-platforms on the same day (5^th July), ‘a field in England’ is an extremely audacious project, supplying a narrative which is highly extravagant and certainly not for everyone.

Containing perhaps some of the lesser known thespians that the UK has to offer, they ultimately prove to be crucial giving believable, meaty performances to a narrative which is relatively bare.  Following their capture, Whitehead(Reece Shearsmith) as well as his band of fellow deserters are forced to search for some buried treasure by alchemist O’Neil (Michael Smiley) all whilst under the influence of unwittingly consumed ‘magic mushrooms’, unsurprisingly madness then ensues. The film works on a basic level giving a plot which is undeniably thin, made interesting only through its fantastic cinematography and occasional moments of quotable dialogue. Shot in distinct black and white this choice of monochrome colours immediately transports you to the time of the English civil war and does an excellent job in encapsulating the setting and macabre themes. Breath-taking at times the cinematography is truly stunning, supplying frequent artistic stills as well as notable moments of mesmerising absurdity.

Whilst this style and cinematic grace coagulates perfectly with the terrific acting performances, the narrative ultimately proves to be too thin with the film filling it’s time with egotistical moments of nonsensical images and overlong scenes of a ‘bad trip’.  The overall pretentious nature of this film frustratingly looms over its 90 minute running time allowing the film few moments to legitimately express some genuine scenes of character chemistry or simple normal occurrences.

To create such a film is no doubt congratulatory as certainly very few Directors could replicate the bizarre and highly psychedelic piece that Wheatley has created.  ‘A field in England’ benefits greatly from its intelligent release schedule allowing great choice to audiences for a film which will no doubt be highly opinionated. With a tight script that morphs today’s dialect with the pasts seamlessly through fantastic acting performances across the board, it was a shame to see the plot enter into a nosedive being filmed terrifically yet showing scenes of no real value and very little payoff.

7/10- A highly psychological and convoluted ride with few twists and turns but plenty of mushrooms.

Calum Russell

This Is The End

 Famous for his foul-mouthed and crude 'stoner' comedies, lead actor Seth Rogen is back with his latest attempt to put his competition to shame with lavish 'dick' jokes and inappropriate humour. Helmed usually by fan favourite director, Judd Apatow, Evan Goldberg instead takes the driving seat, quite noticeably too brandishing humour similar to that of his past written 'Pineapple Express' being constantly 'in your face' but always hilarious.

Written in a unique style, this is the end sees the famous comedy actors (Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, James Franco, to name just a few) playing caricatured versions of themselves in the setting of the 'end of the world'. Reluctantly following Seth to James Franco’s house warming party the story largely follows Jay Baruchel and his relationship with Seth Rogen, ultimately proving to be an oddly touching one amidst crude comedy that screams otherwise. Immediately the film is entertaining as we witness a plethora of our favourite comedians act as themselves interacting seamlessly with those around them. Ignoring the main six actors in the majority of the film, actors such as Jason Segal, Kevin Heart and Michael Cera are all invited with Cera being the most notable comedian being a total exaggerated version of his persona fuelling the first act with hilarious moments sparking from his persona which would've quickly gotten old if he hadn't been killed off in the opening minutes. This cannot be said however for every surprise actor with Paul Rudd appearing at one point reminding the audience of his excellent acting skill and comedic timing using his short allotted time perfectly, it was a shame to see him and a few others mysteriously disappear when they could've been utilised more effectively. Almost Instantly the cast is whittled down to just six, including the protagonists, the host- James Franco as well as Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson after a rather thrilling and almost slightly disturbing 'apocalypse' sequence of death and destruction made counteractively hilarious through the reactions of the cast wisely chosen, all sharing excellent off screen chemistry that evidently translates in front of the camera.

 Hiding inside the house for many days the film never fails to entertain consistently finding something new to do despite the inability to go outdoors, springing up new surprises and events that swing the film in new directions. With toilet humour that is particular to only certain comedy tastes, not everyone will find this crude and rather masculine film for them, containing consistently immature scenes of an almost worrying amount of ‘dick jokes’ entwined however with occasional moments of intelligent comedy whereby none of the good jokes are in the trailer. Many humorous moments emerge from contextual references to past films of the cast being often admirable accepting which films were good and which were obvious failures, these are used sparingly however as to not discriminate audience members of little contextual knowledge.

With certain comedies it's crucial to know as little as possible prior to viewing so as not to spoil certain moments of hilarity and this is certainly the case in ‘this is the end’. The story could've been tighter in certain places, especially towards the end with its lacklustre finale however this is not the point of focus in the film. The films primary principle is of course to make the audience laugh and it achieves this heroically.

8/10- A whole lot of fun with the best cinematic comedians.

Calum Russell