Iron Man 3

Movie Name: Iron Man 3
Year of Release: 2013

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): 8

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.

New Tshirts Available.

Check the new tshirts here.

Oz the Great and Powerful

Movie Name: Oz the Great and Powerful
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Sam Raimi

Stars: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs, Joey King,  Tony Cox, Abigail Spencer, Bruce Campbell

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

Director Sam Raimi is back, after tackling his "Spider Man" trilogy and the underrated "Drag me to Hell". "Oz the Great and Powerful" is a prequel to Victor Flemming's "The Wizard of Oz", the beloved classic which immortalized Judy Garland and the legendary yellow brick road. The film introduces the audience to Oscar, aka Oz, a small time magician in Kansas, who makes his living through rudimentary magic tricks and who uses his suave style to lure and seduce the ladies. Oscar is accidentally transported to Oz, the kingdom, when a hurricane hits Kansas. Upon there he meets Theodora, a young beautiful witch, who falls under his charms, and who believes Oscar to be the legendary Wizard who is destined to save the kingdom from the wicked witch. Oscar is sent out to the dark forest to battle the villain, but ends up meeting the beautiful and gentle Glinda, who explains who the real evil forces are. It's up to Oscar to acknowledge his inner worth, and save the entire kingdom.
Sam Raimi's take on the legendary world of Oz, owes more to the vision that Tim Burton set forth in his "Alice in Wonderland", but it does build some aesthetic bridges to the Victor Flemming classic. The film's main issues end up being related to the characters and story development. The film is filled with clichés, from the main anti-hero (the con man with a heart of gold), to the trio of witches, who are of course completely paper thin in terms of character development. The sidekicks for the main hero, namely the cute monkey and the chinadoll girl, though beautifully rendered, remain lifeless just like it's main hero. James Franco simply does not work in the main role - he does not embody the whole larger than life persona of the con man, and without a strong lead, the film lacks spark and emotion. The wicked witch also feels trapped and does not have much to do - this film needed a villain with a bigger bite, and sadly that never occurs. On a positive note, Peter Deming's cinematography and Danny Elfman's score are both wonderful. A misfire from Sam Raimi.

Side Effects

Movie Name: Side Effects
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Stars: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta Jones, Channing Tatum, Ann Dowd, Mamie Gummer, Peter Friedman, Laila Robins, Vinessa Shaw, David Costabile, Michael Nathanson, Sheila Tapia, Polly Draper, Andrea Bogart

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Prolific director Steven Soderbergh is back with another fantastic genre piece. Following "Haywire" and "Magic Mike" from 2012, this new year brings "Side Effects", another collaboration of the director with screenwriter Scott Z. Burns who also wrote "Contagion" and "The Informant". The film follows the story of Emily Taylor, a young woman going through anxiety and depression following the release of her husband from jail (he was convicted for insider trading). Upon Emily's suicide attempt, she is placed under the care of Dr. Jonathan Banks, an overworked psychiatrist who tries to salvage Emily the best possible way he can. One of the medications he prescribes, Ablixa, has some side effects, namely sleepwalking. In one of those episodes, a dramatic event occurs that sends everyone's lives spinning in very different directions.
Steven Soderbergh is one of the most talented directors currently working - he not only directs, but also is the cinematographer and editor of his features (he uses the names Peter Andrews and Mary Ann Bernard for those). He has tackled most genres since his brilliant feature debut with "sex, lies and videotape" in 1989. "Side Effects" is a great addition to his overall work, a film that is very much a Hitchcockian exercise, with flips in the narrative that you don't see coming. The film flows effortlessly, which is a true testament to the ability of the director to conduct this story with efficiency and talent. "Side Effects" also benefits from a very talented cast, particularly Rooney Mara who builds a character who is apparently very benign and docile and who turns out to be a lot more than what can be seen on the surface. Jude Law and Catherine Zeta Jones also turn in good performances which make a solid contribution to the overall feeling of the film. A solid film not to be missed.

Warm Bodies

Movie Name: Warm Bodies
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Jonathan Levine

Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Theresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton, Dave Franco, Cory Hardrict

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Romance

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Following "50/50", director Jonathan Levine is back with an interesting take on a specific genre, namely the Zombie genre, which has been made popular by the talents of George Romero. The film follows the story of R, a young man, who is a zombie and the narrator of the story. R is different from his comrades, and after battling a series of humans, he develops a romantic interest in the lovely Julie. This improbable connection develops into something more, as R becomes more than a corpse and starts coming back to life. This soon starts extending to other zombies, save for a group who is named the "bonies" and for whom there is no rescue.
Jonathan Levine adapts the novel of Isaac Marion, embedding his gentle hero with a series of quirks and eccentricities, that make him a lot more than the traditional zombie. From listening to vinyls, to collecting snow globes, R is a young man desperately trying to make a connection. The film placidly accompanies his attempts to connect, help and ultimately rescue Julie and prove to her father (the always fantastic John Malkovich), that the world changes all the time. The film is finely acted and also benefits of good visual effects that successfully create a sense of a world at the brink of ultimate destruction. A film worth checking out.

Zero Dark Thirty

Movie Name: Zero Dark Thirty
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Stars: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong, James Gandolfini, Edgar Ramirez, Chris Pratt, Kyle Chandler, Harold Perrineau, Mark Duplass, John Barrowman, Stephen Dillane

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

Director Kathryn Bigelow's follow up to the Oscar winning "The Hurt Locker", is another stellar example of what a fantastic filmmaker she is. The film details the long process of capturing Bin Laden, seen primarily through the eyes of a young analyst named Maya. Maya's resilience and driven determination are the core of the film, which goes to great lengths to paint a vast canvas of how many people and logistics were involved in making that event occur.
Kathryn Bigelow has always been a terrific filmmaker with a capability to create a narrative thread anchored in strong characters that are always inserted in a reality that is almost at odds with them. That was a strong point in "Point Break", "Strange Days" and even "The Weight of Water". "Zero Dark Thirty" builds a strong narrative based on facts that are well known by the general audience, but it gives it a human dimension by making us, the viewers, share the plight of Maya, the main analyst, whose life and dedication has been the completion of that mission. The labyrinth the film presents is as intricate as is the unraveling that slowly occurs as the story unfolds. The film is fantastically well directed, with a great central performance from Jessica Chastain. A film not to be missed.

Best films of 2012

2012 was a fantastic film for films. The year saw work from accomplished filmmakers who continued to expand their palette, with particular highlight going for Paul Thomas Anderson, who created with "The Master" a film unlike any other this year. This was a true work of art - unique, challenging and simply stunning in every aspect of it's execution. For that alone this would be a phenomenal year for film, but every other feature on this list proves that there are unique artists still laboring in an increasingly commercialized art form.

The Master
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons

Zero Dark Thirty
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong, James Gandolfini, Edgar Ramirez, Chris Pratt, Kyle Chandler, Harold Perrineau, Mark Duplass, John Barrowman, Stephen Dillane

Cloud Atlas
Directors: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Jim Sturgess, James D'Arcy

Killing Them Softly
Director: Andrew Dominik
Cast: Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Ray Liotta

Life of Pi
Director: Ang Lee
Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Ayush Tandon, Gautam Belur, Adil Hussain, Tabu

Silver Linings Playbook
Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, Shea Whigham, John Ortiz, Anupam Kher

Frankenweenie
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell, Martin Landau

Django Unchained
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Johnson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, David Steen

Looper
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano, Noah Segan, Pierce Gagnon

Special mentions should go for the following films. "The Impossible" from Juan Antonio Bayona, "Bernie" from Richard Linklater, "Paranorman" from Chris Butler and Sam Fell, "The Deep Blue Sea" from Terence Davies, and "Flight" from Robert Zemeckis.

The Impossible

Movie Name: The Impossible
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Juan Antonio Bayona

Stars: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast, Marta Etura, Sonke Mohring, Geraldine Chaplin

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Juan Antonio Bayona's "The Impossible" follows the dramatic story of a family who gets caught up in the aftermath of the horrible destruction caused by the tsunami that hit the Asian shores in December of 2004. The film introduces us to a British family, consisting of Maria and Henry, and their three young children, Lucas, Thomas and Simon. The family is in Thailand enjoying their Christmas vacation, when a tidal wave of unprecedented violence comes through the beaches and destroys everything in it's path. Maria and Lucas get separated from Henry, Thomas and Simon. Maria is seriously hurt, and thanks to Lucas they manage to slowly make their way to safety. They eventually get found out by some local inhabitants and get sent to a hospital where thousands of other people also affected by the violent waters are fighting for their lives.
Juan Antonio Bayona's builds a film that is both riveting and exciting, pulsating with life and feeling. This is a film that accomplishes to be simultaneously technically flawless - the special effects that recreate the impact of the waves are nothing short of fantastic - and the way the characters are given time to really immerse the viewer into the dynamics of that family. The film also benefits from fantastic actors, namely Naomi Watts who again creates more than just a flat character - she embodies a woman who is grounded and is trying to protect her child and family above everything. Ewan McGregor and the young Tom Holland are equally fantastic, creating a very realistic sense of family unity. This a film to see and discover. One of the good surprises of 2012.