The Iceman

Movie Name: The Iceman
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Ariel Vromen

Stars: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta, David Schimmer, John Ventimiglia, Ryan O'Nan, Danny A. Abeckaser, James Franco, Stephen Dorff, Megan Sherrill, McKaley Miller

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

"The Iceman" introduces us to the real story of Richard Kuklinski, an apparently cold and aloof man, who though capable of romantic behaviors, had psychotic moments just as frequently, where he simply killed people ruthlessly. Kuklinski marries his sweetheart Deborah, who is oblivious to that side of his personality, and they start raising a family in New Jersey. Kuklinski is taken under the wing of a local criminal and embarks on a new trade, one of a hired killer. He becomes very successful in this venture, until problems with his employer arise, which force him to find alternatives means of income, which may jeopardize his family's safety.
Relative newcomer Ariel Vromen tackles the gruesome story of Richard Kuklinski with an attention to detail that is commendable, however the film lacks a spark to a story that, by all rights, is dark and horrific. Focusing more on the details and the process of Kuklinski's "venture", director Ariel Vromen leaves the dynamics of his family life strangely underdeveloped. The film has shades of Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas", but where this film brought the plethora of characters to life, in "The Iceman", characters such as Deborah, played with restraint by Winona Ryder, feel under defined (the same can be said of her relationship with Kuklinski). The film really benefits from Michael Shannon's indelible performance as the title character - his performance is strong and riveting, and he makes his presence menacing just by a muted glance. The film benefits from a fantastic production design, a strong cast, the only faltering element being a screenplay that needs further depth. An interesting film nonetheless worth checking out.

The Great Gatsby

Movie Name: The Great Gatsby
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, Elizabeth Debicki, Adelaide Clemens, Amitabh Bachchan

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

After the disappointing "Australia", director Baz Luhrmann has decided to tackle a classic of American literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" (the book itself has been adapted previously, one of the previous incarnations featured Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan). The film introduces us to Nick Carraway, our narrator. Nick recounts the story of how in the early 1920s he went to NY to work in Wall Street. There he reconnects with his cousin, Daisy and her husband Tom, a philanderer. Nick also realizes his neighbor is a man of a certain reputation, one who organizes lavish parties known throughout New York - his name being Jay Gatsby. Nick gets involved with Gatsby and realizes he has a hidden agenda behind all those lavish parties - he is trying to allure Daisy, whom he was involved with years ago, and whom he wants to reconnect with. Nick's involvement is a catalyst for the main duo's reconnection.
Baz Luhrmann is a director with a very discernible and specific aesthetic. He likes to make reinterpretations of classic stories through a pop lens, one where music, production design and costume design are amped up to a degree that threatens to suffocate the film itself. Sometimes this marriage works - such as his adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" - and sometimes it does not - "Australia" simply didn't work. One thing is undeniable - Luhrmann loves film and uses it as a canvas to portray his view of the world (and art). "The Great Gatsby" is a book that though defining an era (the roaring 20s, the excess of the American lifestyle), is also at it's core a doomed love affair. Luhrmann uses this to pair the more flamboyant side of the parties and the excess of that era with the more intimate side of a romance between two very different characters. The film benefits from a beautiful production design and from two great performances, namely Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby and Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan. The cinematography is equally beautiful, and the director uses different visual elements to make this story engaging and unique to the viewer. Though at times the film feels too tied to it's literary reference, this is nonetheless a vision that is bold, unique, and that breathes with love of film and all that this medium can provide. A film worth visiting.

Iron Man 3

Movie Name: Iron Man 3
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Shane Black

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, Rebecca Hall, Jon Favreau, James Badge Dale, Stephanie Szostak, William Sadler, Dale Dickey, Ty Simpkins, Miguel Ferrer

Genre: Action, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

The "Iron Man" franchise is back, this time under the direction of Shane Black. Shane Black made his name as a screenwriter of such well know films as "Lethal Weapon", "Last Action Hero" and "The Long Kiss Goodnight". His directorial debut was the underrated "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", which featured Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan.
"Iron Man 3" finds Tony Stark recovering from the events that occurred in the film "The Avengers". Tony feels very much like a war veteran, filled with traumas which progressively make him more distant and alienated from everyone. A new menace comes in the form of the Mandarin, an international terrorist, that is detonating bombs all over the world. In parallel, a figure from the past, Aldrich Killian, a renown scientist, makes his presence known to Pepper Potts, and ends up having a sinister purpose behind all his intentions.
Shane Black is a very intelligent director - he understands the action/adventure genre thoroughly. He builds momentum in his screenplays, with well outlined characters. There's the concern of building an overall arc that allows for humor, drama and suspense to fill the story, and to actually give the characters the sense of a journey. In Iron Man, there's the journey of Tony Stark surpassing his traumas and aiding his loved one and simultaneously ensuring that the world is a safe place. There's an excellent balance in this film, one that is achieved between action set pieces and the moments where the characters are given time to simply interact and make the film flow. The film also benefits from a great group of actors, in particular Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley, all of whom carry this film effortlessly. The special effects are astounding and simply superb. A very good action film worth watching.

Mud

Movie Name: Mud
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Jeff Nichols

Stars: Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson, Michael Shannon, Ray McKinnon, Paul Sparks, Joe Don Baker, Bonnie Sturdivant, Johnny Cheek

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Jeff Nichols' follow up to the critically acclaimed "Take Shelter", is another fantastically achieved film, that drinks directly from classic American novels (and authors as Mark Twain) and from his own knowledge of rural America. The film follows the lives of two young boys, sensitive and smart Ellis, and his best friend, Neckbone. Both boys discover a stranded boat on an island and much to their surprise find a man living in it. They come to know him as Mud, who is waiting to meet up with his girlfriend, Juniper. Ellis, going through troubled times at home, befriends Mud, and starts bringing food and acting as a messenger between the two lovers. Ellis and Neckbone eventually hear Mud's story and how he found himself deserted in that small island. His story ends up being a catalyst in Ellis' life.
Jeff Nichols' "Mud" is a beautiful story about growing up and how young children cope with their primal fears - the disintegration of their family, the lack of love and growing up. The director beautifully captures the life of people living by the river, coping with difficulties and hardship. The main hero of the story, the young Ellis, is a young boy who believes in the purity of love, and in the goodness of people. Mud for him represents an ideal of someone who fights for his love and to protect someone he cherishes, something he sees slowly fading away in the relationship between his parents. The film has hints of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", but it has an identity of it's own. Jeff Nichols' also benefits from a terrific cast, from the veterans Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and Michael Shannon, to the newcomers Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland. The cinematography from Adam Stone is equally beautiful. A stunning film not to be missed.

Oblivion

Movie Name: Oblivion
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Stars: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo, Zoe Bell

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Director Joseph Kosinski is back, following his big budget debut "Tron Legacy". "Oblivion" is another journey through slick and sophisticated environments, but this time around the story takes place in 2077. Our narrator, Jack, outlines the events of the last decades, describing a battle with an alien species that invaded Earth, leaving the planet almost destroyed. Most inhabitants had to flee the planet, but he and Victoria, are part of a maintenance crew tasked with maintaining some devices operating so there's enough water to maintain the survivors. Earth however is still haunted by scavengers, some of the surviving alien species, that try to sabotage Jack's efforts. In one of Jack's perimeter checks, he rescues a survivor from a spaceship, someone who strikes a resemblance with a woman he sees in his dreams recurrently. This accidental rescue sets in motion a series of events that challenges all that Jack knows and believes in.
"Oblivion" is an original story from Joseph Kosinski and Arvid Nelson. The director successfully builds a landscape that is simultaneously futuristic, bleak and stunning. The film depicts a world that is beautifully constructed, elegant and credible, though as the story progresses, the uneven balance of what is presented versus character and story development, starts to falter. The main issue with "Oblivion" is it's own premise - the director introduces the characters and the storyline so perfectly, that it has difficulty in maintaining that momentum - there are obvious troubles in rhythm within the narrative. Some of the action scenes are definitely video-game inspired, but are nonetheless thrilling and dynamically well staged. The actors are uniformly good, with a particular positive note to Andrea Riseborough, who manages to build her Victoria almost as a corporate drone, who wants to get out of Earth and be on her way to happiness. An uneven, yet entertaining and beautifully rendered film worth seeing.

Trance

Movie Name: Trance
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Danny Boyle

Stars: James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson, Danny Sapani, Matt Cross, Mark Poltimore, Wahab Sheikh, Tuppence Middleton

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

The ever fantastic Danny Boyle is back, following "127 Hours" and the Oscar winning "Slumdog Millionaire". "Trance", his latest feature, bears some similarities with his debut, "Shallow Grave", but the narrative goes in different directions and is an overall successful concept and execution.
The film follows the story of Simon, a young auctioneer, who gets involved in a scheme to steal a very well know and valuable piece of art, with a small group of accomplices. The heist however takes a wrong turn, Simon loses memory of what happened to the stolen painting, and the group resorts to a hypnotherapist to help him overcome that mental obstacle. Elizabeth Lamb, the doctor, becomes involved with the group, and as the dynamics change, things start unraveling for all the characters.
"Trance" will immediately bring to mind the traditions of film noir, namely the flips of the story and characters, very much in the tradition of what Lawrence Kasdan achieved with "Body Heat". Danny Boyle successfully creates a world filled with questions, where the events and connections between the characters slowly start peeling away. The story is built like a russian doll, with each level bringing further insight to the characters and propelling the narrative forward. As usual in Danny Boyle's films, he places his focus on an anti-hero (for instance Renton from "Trainspotting" or Robert Capa from "Sunshine"), he pulls the viewer to his perspective, though this time around, that same central character has some surprises in store. The film benefits from the stunning cinematography from Anthony Dod Mantle and a beautiful score from Rick Smith (from the band Underworld). The three central leads are all uniformly great. A wonderful film worth watching.

Evil Dead

Movie Name: Evil Dead
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Fede Alvarez

Stars: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore, Phoenix Connolly, Jim McLarty

Genre: Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2

Synopsis:

"Evil Dead" established the name of Sam Raimi as a talent to watch, in 1981. The film was a low budget experience from a director trying to establish his vision. This new remake, from Fede Alvarez, who previously directed quite a few short features, has sadly none of the auspicious highlights that made Sam Raimi's work always a treat for viewers.
The film follows a group of friends, who get together in an old cabin in the woods to help Mia, a recovering junkie, go through a forced detox. One of the friends, discovers an ancient book in the basement, and upon reciting the words from it, unleashes a deadly spirit, that possesses Mia and ends up wreaking havoc in the whole group.
The new version of "Evil Dead" follows the original very closely, however the main problem with this film is it's lack of inventiveness. There is no cliche that isn't visited here, the characters and plot points end up being mostly thin threads to connect the more disturbing and gruesome scenes. The film does achieve a high point in gore and horrific depictions of mutilation, but other than that, it brings no fresh perspective on a genre that can always have a new perspective (which "The Cabin in the Woods" from Drew Goddard does so well). There's also no suspense or sense of fear created throughout the film - most of it's impact comes from all the shocking bloody scenes, which after a bit become tiresome and repetitive. "Drag me to Hell" from Sam Raimi did a good job of being suspenseful without being gruesome, of being terrifying without being obvious and having a sense of humor (which does not exist in this version). The good remark in this wasted effort goes for Jane Levy, on whose shoulders the film anchors itself. Some lessons should definitely be learnt when tackling a remake of a film that didn't need to be remade.

Ginger and Rosa

Movie Name: Ginger & Rosa
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Sally Potter

Stars: Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt, Annette Bening, Jodhi May, Andrew Hawley

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Sally Potter's work is forever associated with her adaptation of "Orlando", which featured a fantastic performance from Tilda Swinton. Her newest film, "Ginger and Rosa", follows the story of two young girls, who are best friends growing up in London. By the time they reach 17, it's 1962 and the world is at the brink of a nuclear meltdown. But whereas Ginger is more interested in the salvation of humankind (and her family), Rosa is more interested in relationships, in particular with Ginger's father, the immature and self centered Roland. As the nuclear tension escalates, so does both girls lives, with each going in directions that end up having dramatic disclosures.
Sally Potter has been a director always interested in the lives of women looking for a sense of direction in their lives. Women that are coming in to their own terms, feeling comfortable in their own skins - that occurred with Tilda Swinton in "Orlando", with Christina Ricci's character in "The Man who Cried" and now with Elle Fanning's character in "Ginger and Rosa". The film utilizes the backdrop of the Cold War, to depict the slow disintegration of Ginger's family life - her father is an immature, self centered and self righteous man, and her mother resents his infidelities and a life that she put on hold to have a child. The film portrays the bohemian/intellectual side of Ginger's life (with the circle of friends her mother has) and depicts the innocent friendship and complicity with Rosa, who ventures into more sexualized territories than Ginger. The film is beautifully shot and has strong performances from Elle Fanning and Alessandro Nivola, but ultimately it never feels engaging and connected with both the drama of Ginger's sudden step into womanhood, and her family's ultimate ending. It's a flawed, yet interesting film worth investigating.

Olympus has Fallen

Movie Name: Olympus has Fallen
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Stars: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Radha Mitchell, Finley Jacobsen, Ashely Judd, Dylan McDermott, Rick Yune, Cole Hauser, Melissa Leo, Phil Austin, Sean O'Bryan, Robert Forster, Malana Lea

Genre: Action, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

Director Antoine Fuqua is back, following his latest action efforts, "Brooklyn's Finest" and "Shooter". The film follows the story of disgraced secret services agent Mike Banning, an all around decent and hard working man, who is desperately trying to redeem himself. This opportunity presents itself when the White House is attacked by Korean terrorists, who seize the President and his aids. It's up to Mike Banning to single handedly combat this group of highly skilled mercenaries and save the day.
Antoine Fuqua has always trailed behind the late Tony Scott in terms of directing style and visual flair. Though their styles have some similarities, Antoine Fuqua sadly can't rise above all the clichés that abound in this tepid action vehicle for star Gerard Butler. In this thinly veiled B-film with a fantastic cast, the main character and plot, are a mix of John McTiernan's "Die Hard" with John Carpenter's "Attack on Precinct 13th", with a dash of Wolfgang Petersen's "Air Force One". The film never presents anything innovative, and the actors are just dialing in their performances. It's quite puzzling seeing Oscar winners Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, and talented actors such as Radha Mitchell, Aaron Eckart and Robert Forster in such a tepid film. The positive points go primarily for the first section of the film, when the situation presents itself, but this one film that would have benefited from John McTiernan's hand in deftly building tension. A missed opportunity and a mediocre film at all counts.

Stoker

Movie Name: Stoker
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Park Chan-Wook

Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver, Ralph Brown, Phyllis Somerville, Alden Ehrenreich, Lucas Till, Harmony Korine, Judith Godreche, Tyler Von Tagen

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

"Stoker" is director Park Chan-Wook's first english language film, following his successful korean films "Thirst", "Oldboy" and "Lady Vengeance" (to name but a few). The film follows the Stoker family, in particular India, a young woman, whose father unexpectedly dies on her 18th birthday. Her long missing uncle reappears precisely around the time of the funeral, which prompts suspicion from India, and causes joy in her distant mother. As her uncle starts inserting himself in India's life, the seemingly placid life the Stoker family has enjoyed starts unraveling and changing, forever changing the young woman's life.
"Stoker" is a beautifully directed film, with a stunning cinematography and editing, which makes the film a pleasure to look at. It has a perfect pacing in the way it builds the tension and drama between the characters, however that's precisely where the issue lies with this film. The main faulting issue in this otherwise beautiful film, is the complete cliché ridden screenplay, which makes no use of what could have been a dark and interesting premise. The actors all try to breathe some life into characters that are barely explained (why does India resent her mother and vice versa), though Mia Wasikowska does manage to build a character filled with doubt, self questioning and ultimately becoming a woman. Nicole Kidman (whose face is emotionless these days) and Matthew Goode in particular are not so fortunate in their performances. Matthew Goode tries to build a menacing persona, but there's a spark definitely missing in his performance - this was definitely a case of miscasting. A beautiful but ultimately hollow film, which crumbles due to a weak screenplay.