Thor

Movie Name: Thor

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Stars:Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Jaimie Alexander, Josh Dallas, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner

Genre: Action, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

Kenneth Branagh has made a career of making interesting choices, both as an actor and as a director. His directorial debut, "Henry V", garnered fantastic reviews and award nominations, but since then, his output has been irregular: he has directed both the really good "Hamlet" and the really bad "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein", to name but a few. "Thor" adapts the Marvel Comics character, introducing the multiple dimensions/parallel universes that exist, namely Asgard and Earth. Thor and Loki are both sons of Odin, the ruler of Asgard - Thor the oldest is the one, chosen to rule after his father steps down, but he is a young man ruled by arrogance, impetuous and with a lack of consideration for others. One of his outbursts threats the peace of Asgard, upon which Odin sends him to Earth in order for him to learn the value of courage, humbleness and kindness. On Earth, Thor meets Jane Foster, an astrophysicist who teaches him the meaning of humanity, while Loki in Asgard prepares a macabre plan.
Kenneth Branagh had with Thor a lot of material to work with. The character has existed for years and the plethora of stories is immense. However, the screenplay opts to introduce the character on Earth and in Asgard, and how both realities exist simultaneously. The main problem with the direction of Branagh, is how he populates the story with cliches that are predictable and add nothing new to the storyline. And of course, as usual in all his films, he overdoes everything, from the soundtrack to the production design - the film almost crosses the line between an interesting aesthetic and kitsch. The actors try their best to do what they can with the meager material. Chris Hemsworth personifies the strong and muscular hero with a great energy, but his transition from arrogant to humble never really makes much sense. Natalie Portman has nothing much to do, the same can be said for Stellan Skarsgard and most of the supporting actors in the film. Tom Hidleston as the villainous Loki, tries to give the film some gravitas, but he's never really menacing, nor convincing. The film ends up living from the fantastic special effects, sadly that is not enough to recommend it.

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Win Win

Movie Name: Win Win

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Thomas McCarthy

Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Schaffer, Margo Martindale, David W. Thompson

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Thomas McCarthy is one of those rare actor/director cases, where his directorial efforts have all produced very interesting and accomplished films. McCarthy usually plays supporting roles in big budget films, such as Roland Emmerich's "2012", but in his directorial career, from his debut with "The Station Agent", through "The Visitor" and now "Win Win", he has always showed a rare insight and deft perception to showcase the life and interactions of people, not cardboard characters.
Win Win follows the life of Mike Flaherty, a small town lawyer who is struggling to make ends meet since he has very few clients. Mike also has a side activity as a wrestling coach, but much to his dismay, his team isn't doing so well. When one of his clients has to be placed in the care of the state, Mike sees that as an opportunity to make some extra money for himself. When his client's grandson shows up at his doorstep, a series of events starts to unravel, which will change Mike's and his small circle of friends and family lives forever.
Thomas McCarthy knows how to examine and probe the microcosms of life and of the relationships of everyday people. Mike Flaherty is simply trying to stay afloat and maintain the happiness and stability of his family. The film smartly interplays the humor and drama of every day life, something that adds an extra layer to the film, and makes all the characters the more engaging. Paul Giamatti is fantastic as always, creating a man who is struggling and almost overwhelmed by the difficulties of life, but who tries to do the right thing for the people he loves. The supporting actors are equally great, from Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Melanie Lynskey and the young Alex Schaffer. A very good film worth seeing.

Hanna

Movie Name: Hanna
Year of Release: 2011
Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng, Jessica Barden, Aldo Maland
Genre: Action, Thriller, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Following the little seen "The Soloist" with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, Joe Wright changes gears and direction with "Hanna", which can be considered his first action film. The film follows the story of young Hanna, who has been raised in an isolated cabin in the icy areas of Finland, by her father Erik. Erik is a rogue agent who has been training Hanna to be as resourceful and capable as him, in all matters of combat and general capabilities as far as military intelligence goes. Hanna longs to find out more about the world, but she knows she has a formidable foe to tackle: Marissa Viegler, the agent responsible for the death of her mother.  Hanna sets out to the world with Marissa on her tail, to the final confontration where Hanna finally knows more about who she is.
Joe Wright is an interesting director with a unique aesthetic and capable of great performances from his casts, which is the case with Hanna. However where the film again falters is in the screenplay. There are scenes that exist and prolong themselves needlessly, which add nothing to uncover the main characters, who remain till the end very thinly expanded (namely Marissa and Eric). Hanna goes through the process of understanding the menaces of the world, but above all, she tries to understand who she is and where she comes from. Joe Wright oscillates between wanting to explore the evolution of a young girl to womanhood and the concept of the ruthless killer that she can be (as if she's a young Nikita). In the end the film doesn't opt for any of those directions, trying to be a hybrid, that never is really solid enough to make the film as compelling as it could have been. Saoirse Ronan and Cate Blanchett are both fantastic and make the film worth watching, though sadly this could have been a much better film.

Insidious

Movie Name: Insidious
Year of Release: 2011
Director: James Wan
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lyn Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor, Corbett Tuck, Joseph Bishara
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
James Wan has made a name for himself directing suspense and horror films, namely "Saw" (which started the franchise that spawned 7 films) and "Death Sentence". "Insidious" is his new collaboration with actor/screenwriter Leigh Whannell, who also wrote "Saw" and Oren Peli, who was the director of the hugely successful film "Paranormal Activity".
The film follows the Lambert family as they settle in a new house. Josh and Renai have three children, Dalton being the eldest and the one prone to investigate and get into trouble. Following a small accident in the house, Dalton becomes unconscious and all the medical exams can't seem to figure out what is wrong with him. While taking care of the young child, Renai starts noticing and hearing voices around the house, figures that appear and disappear, scaring her senseless. After their decisions prove worthless, Josh and Renai decide to ask for the help of Elise Rainier, a psychic who they believe can provide the answers they are looking for.
James Wan creates with "Insidious" a smart and suspenseful film, that lives from suggestion and the environment that slowly is created, as opposed to gore and piles of dead bodies. He manages to create a feeling of unease, that slowly showcases the nuclear family being attacked from a supernatural menace. The fact that the main target is a child, makes the film even scarier, as it represents the innocence of a young child being destroyed. The film does have it's weaker moments when Wan decides to bring his ghosts to life, but overall the film is genuinely scary with moments of tension that keep escalating.
The actors are uniformly good, with highlights going to Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and the always great Barbara  Hershey. Worth watching.

Source Code

Movie name: Source Code
Year of release: 2011
Director: Duncan Jones
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Arden, Russell Peters, Cas Anvar, Craig Thomas
Genre: Action, Mystery, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:
After his debut with "Moon", director Duncan Jones again impresses with his follow up film, "Source Code", a science-fiction film where the lines of what is real and parallel existences are blurry. The film follows the story of Colter Stevens, a young soldier who finds himself in the body of a man he does not know. His mission is to identify the bomber of a train who is directed towards Chicago. Stevens is confused and unaware of what to do, until Goodwin, his army liaison, explains the details of the mission: the Source Code allows him to experience the final 8 minutes of the life of someone. He can take inhabit that person's life and try to find out who is the catalyst for all the destruction. What follows is Stevens' desperate attempt to save everyone, including in particular Christina, whom he meets on the train.
The film intelligently mixes a story which is vaguely reminiscent of Philip K. Dick with elements of conspiracy theory with a hero who doesn't really know what's going on and to whom the ending is a surprise (very much like the end surprise of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense"). The film also has the touch of Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day", with the hero forced to relive the same event until he fulfils his mission, but in this case, the mission is a tragic one. Duncan Jones keeps the film continuously interesting and doesn't anchor it in elaborate special effects: everything we see is filtered through the actors, in particular Jake Gyllenhaal, who does a very good job portraying Colter Stevens. His confusion and despair keep propelling him towards the truth and by the end, his sense of peace is also his liberation. Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga have good performances in a film that is extremely well done and paced. Worth watching.

Sucker Punch

Movie name: Sucker Punch
Year of release: 2011
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn, Richard Cetrone, Gerard Plunkett
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:Zack Snyder is a director who has had a consistent output of films since his debut in 2004 with the remake of George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead". He followed that film with the successful "300" who allowed him to tackle "Watchmen" and last year's animated tale "Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole". If his films thus far have been met with different levels of success, both critical and of audience, one thing remains undisputed: his visual flair and visual detail are impressive and effective. The major flaw that somehow is also the common thread to all his films seems to always be the same: the screenplays are usually thin as far as character development is concerned.
"Sucker Punch" follows the story of Baby Doll. After the death of her mother, the young woman is left by herself with her younger sister. Both of them are left at the mercy of a monstrous stepfather, who tries to abuse the younger girl, upon which Baby Doll attacks back and is placed against her will in an asylum for mental patients, where she is going to be lobotomized. Before that procedure takes place, Baby Doll has a week to devise a getaway plan. She enlists the help of other young women who are also patients in the asylum. Escaping from the grim reality through her imagination, the young women slowly but steadily try to achieve their goal.
Zack Snyder with "Sucker Punch" tries his hand at writing an original story - one that is about female empowerment and the capability to find your own voice even in the harshest environments. The main problem with this story is how little his main characters are developed. You never understand where they come from, why they are in the asylum, not to mention characters who seem to exist without any purpose besides giving away plot points. To anchor the story in the domain of one's mind is no easy feat - Christopher Nolan did achieve it with "Inception" - but Zach Snyder seems to have forgotten that in order for the viewer to get invested in what's happening, there has to be more than beautiful visuals: there has to be a soul.
The film has a certain depth mostly thanks to Abbie Cornish's performance and character, who seems to be the only one who is trying to give her character some more dimension besides the cliches that seem to populate the story. Visually the film is impressive and beautiful - the cinematography of Larry Fong is stunning and the soundtrack is well chosen. A mixed experience, this is a film that would largely benefit from a far more developed screenplay.

Battle: Los Angeles

Movie name: Battle: Los Angeles
Year of release: 2011
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Stars: Aaron Eckart, Michelle Rodriguez, Cory Hardrict, Gino Anthony Pesi, Ne-Yo, Bridget Moynahan, James Hiroyuki Liao, Michael Pena
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:Jonathan Liebesman's career started in his native country of South Africa and afterwards his career moved rapidly within the ranks of Hollywood. He has directed poorly received films such as "Darkness Falls" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning", but films who managed to make some decent money at the box office. "Battle: LA" follows the story of Sergeant Michael Nantz and his platoon, who tackle the invasion of LA and Earth from an alien invasion. The aliens have invaded the planet for water and though humans fight back, their resources are fewer and the technology of their opponents is far more advanced. Sergeant's Nantz platoon however finds a way to expose their weaknesses and the humans counter-attack.
"Battle: LA" tries to be several films combined at the same time. Jonathan Liebesman joins elements of Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day", with Kathryn Bigelow's "Hurt Locker" and Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down", but this mesh comes across as something that is filled with cliches that have been seen in countless other films. While Neill Blomkamp's "District 9" was original in the depiction of an alien invasion/existence, "Battle: LA" exists solely with the purpose of displaying paper thin characters handling guns. Aaron Eckart tries to create a strong character with his portrayal of Sergeant Nantz, a man with a past, carrying a huge burden, but his efforts are not enough, for a film that is ultimately underwhelming. The special effects, usually the draw for films of this kind, also feel under produced. A sadly missed opportunity.

The Adjustment Bureau

Movie name: The Adjustment Bureau
Year of release: 2010
Director: George Nolfi
Stars: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Michael Kelly, Terence Stamp, John Slattery, Jennifer Ehle, Brian Haley, David Alan Basche, Anthony Ruivivar
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:George Nolfi's directorial debut, adapts a story from Philip K. Dick, the science fiction author, whose work has been adapted to films like Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner", Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" and Paul Verhoeven's "Total Recall" to name but a few. George Nolfi has made a name for himself as a writer, having written films as Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Twelve" and Paul Greengrass' "The Bourne Ultimatum". "The Adjustment Bureau" follows the story of David Norris, a young congressman who casually meets a woman by the name of Elise. Upon their encounter both of them fall in love, which causes for a strange group of men to appear before David and tell him that their relationship is not to happen. These men, their bureau, controls the fate of men, and the relationship of David and Elise is against their designs. David decides against everything and all odds and goes after Elise.
George Nolfi's debut feature is an elegant film, one where the thriller elements are downsized for the romance that flourishes between the two main characters. David's quest for his true love, goes against everything, against a fate that is established. As in most Philip K. Dick's stories, the lone hero is a voice of antagonism in a world dominated by a larger establishment. George Nolfi's direction is a classic one, elegant and reminiscent of films like Stanley Donen's "Charade". Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are great in their roles, with a visible chemistry that makes the story utterly convincing. The soundtrack from Thomas Newman is beautiful as usual, as is the cinematography of John Toll. A great debut feature.

Rango

Movie name: Rango
Year of release: 2011
Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root, Harry Dean Stanton, Timothy Olyphant, Ray Winstone, Ian Abercrombie
Genre: Comedy, Animation
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:Gore Verbinski has made a name for himself with two largely successful franchises, "The Ring" and "The Pirates of the Caribbean". Following the disappointing "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", "Rango" is a return to form, in a film that is fantastically well animated and that is a visual stunning experience.
The film follows the story of a domesticated chameleon, who due to an accident, finds himself lost in the middle of the Mojave desert. Rango, as he calls himself, finds a small town called Dirt, where all the creatures living there, are desperate for water. The mayor of the city, controls the city through water rations, but ultimately has other plans for it. Rango showing up and becoming the city's law, changes everything.
The film follows the traditional western genre, clearly utilizing the pattern of the Sergio Leone films with Clint Eastwood: the stranger without a name that comes to town to establish law. The film is also an ode to friendship and overcoming one's self doubts, something that is traditional in Disney films, but here is presented in the western context. The animation from Industrial Light and Magic is stunning, with the details of all the textures simply breathless. All the voices are fantastic, but Johnny Depp clearly relishes his role as Rango and imbues it with a lot of humor. This film is stunning in it's design, storytelling and animation. A gem!

Cedar Rapids

Movie name: Cedar Rapids
Year of release: 2011
Director: Miguel Arteta
Stars: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Alia Shawkat, Rob Corddry, Mike O'Malley
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Miguel Arteta's new film following "Youth in Revolt", follows the story of insurance salesman Tim Lippe. Tim is an idealistic man, living in a small town, having an affair with his much older, high school teacher Macy, whom he loves. Following the accidental death of a co-worker, Tim gets sent to a convention in Cedar Rapids, where he has to make a presentation and hopefully get an award for his insurance agency. Tim gets roomed with the extroverted Dean Ziegler and with the hard-working Ronald Wilkes and during his stay, he finally sees life from a different perspective and has fun like never before.
Miguel Arteta creates with "Cedar Rapids" a comedy that lives from the observations of people with simple dreams, who maintain their ideals and a certain naivete. Tim Lippe is a man who always lived a sheltered life, and who gets to experience life beyond his limits and boundaries. Tim gets tainted, but remains true to himself and his ideals. The film has a sweet irony to it's core and manages to feel heartfelt, most of it due to the wonderful cast, from Ed Helms, the always fantastic John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and of course, Sigourney Weaver. This film is a small gem waiting to be found.

I Am Number Four

Movie name: I Am Number Four
Year of release: 2010
Director: D.J. Caruso
Stars: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Callan McAuliffe, Kevin Durand, Jake Abel, Judith Hoag, Garrett M. Brown
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:
The new film from director D.J. Caruso, following the huge hits of "Eagle Eye" and "Disturbia", is again targeted at a young audience. The film follows the story of John Smith, a young man whom we come to find out early on, is an alien possessed of great powers. John and 7 others are a group of selected young men and women, who have been entrusted with those powers to defend their planet of the attack of a hostile species. The first three of this special group are found and killed - John is the next and feeling the menace of exposure, and possibly extermination, he and his protector run off to Ohio. As John enrols in high school and meets the special Sarah, things get increasingly complicated with the appearance of his followers.
D.J. Caruso has made a name for himself as a director, starting with the underrated "The Salton Sea", after which he directed "Taking Lives" with Angelina Jolie. His latest two films were both considerable hits, produced by Dreamworks, who again backed up "I Am Number Four", alongside director/producer Michael Bay. The film is written as part of a serial, which in itself would not be a problem, if the characters existed and not just disappeared or have no consistency. The director tries to build momentum with the good special effects, but there's only so much that can be achieved - creating memorable entertainment requires a solid screenplay which clearly isn't here. There are plenty of cliches throughout the film and the acting for the most part is forgettable. A film not worth visiting.

Freeway

Movie name: Freeway
Year of release: 1996
Director: Matthew Bright
Stars:Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Dan Hedaya, Wolfgang Bodison, Brooke Shields, Brittany Murphy, Alanna Ubach, Amanda Plummer, Michael T. Weiss, Tara Subkoff, Conchata Ferrell, Bokeem Woodbine
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:
Matthew Bright's career has thus far been a short one, with "Freeway" being his debut feature and his best effort. The film executive-produced by Oliver Stone, is a take/variation on the story of the Little Red Riding Hood, but with a contemporary edge to it. The film follows the story of Vanessa Lutz, a teenage girl with a messed family life. Her mom prostitutes herself and her step dad is trying to abuse her. When her mom and step dad get thrown in jail, Vanessa decides to go stay with her grandmother. On her way, her car breaks down and she hitches a ride with a man, who turns out to be a therapist. Or so he says, since Vanessa knows there's a psycho killing young girls on the road.
Matthew Bright's film is one populated with great character actors that really bring the story to life. Bright manages to create the story vivid, engaging and always dynamic. Though nothing particularly new is happening on screen, the sheer energy and enthusiasm of everyone involved makes the film enthralling. The Red Riding Hood story, which has been used in so many different films, gets a more urban scenario, with the wolf being replaced by a serial killer (which is a departure, considering for example Neil Jordan's "The Company of Wolves" which used the werewolf metaphor). The actors are also really vibrant, particularly Reese Witherspoon, who at this point wasn't known for her mediocre comedies, but for her actual acting talent. She creates a character that is hilarious and unforgettable, whereas Kiefer Sutherland, excels as the creepy killer. A hidden film worth discovering.

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