World War Z

Movie Name: World War Z
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Marc Forster

Stars: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Fana Mokoena, David Morse, Ludi Boeken, Peter Capaldi, Pierfrancesco Favino, Ruth Negga, Moritz Bleibtreu, Sterling Jerins, Abigail Hargrove

Genre: Action, Drama, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

German director Marc Forster's career continues to be filled with eclectic and different choices. Following the poorly received "Machine Gun Preacher", Forster has tackled the adaptation of Max Brooks' "World War Z", a book that details the zombie epidemic and how humanity handles it's outburst. The film introduces us to the Lane family - Gerry and Karin and their two daughters, who live in Philadelphia. Gerry is a former UN investigator, who quit his job to take care of his kids. This apparent blissful existence is thrown into disarray when a zombie outburst occurs, and quickly topples every big city in existence. Gerry and his family are taken to a safe haven, but as a trade off, Gerry has to go to the hot zones of the outbursts, and hopefully discover how the whole epidemic began and how it can be battled.
"World War Z" is a film that has had it's fair share of shooting issues and problems during production, due to mixed opinions to the ending and overall tone and direction of the film. The result is however surprisingly engaging. The film allows for a perfect analogy to how humanity deals with an epidemic of gargantuan proportions, but also for our current times, with the current economic woes and how everything single movement that one country does is echoed everywhere and resonates elsewhere. The zombies in this film are also quite different from have been detailed in other excursions on this theme: these creatures function very much like a virus that wants to spread as much and as quickly as possible. In that sense the film perfectly captures the sense of urgency, fear and sheer dimension of what an event like this can create. Forster smartly balances the big action set pieces, with a more confined point of view, which in this case focuses on Gerry and his quest to return to his family - his frantic need to do the right thing, but also remain alive and safe for the sake of his loved ones, gives the film it's heart. The film does have underdeveloped and underused characters, but it's tone and aesthetic are fantastically adequate for what the film presents and stages. Brad Pitt again commands the screen in an adequate performance. A suspenseful, smartly conceived film worth watching.

Man of Steel

Movie Name: Man of Steel
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Zack Snyder

Stars: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Antje Traue, Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni, Harry Lennix, Richard Schiff, Ayelet Zurer, Dylan Sprayberry

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

After the disappointment that was "Sucker Punch", director Zack Snyder is back with the adaptation of a comic book, something he has dabbled in before, though previously he adapted graphic novels, which resulted in his films "300" and "Watchmen". "Man of Steel" follows the well known story of Superman - we are presented with the collapse of his home planet, Krypton. His parents save him from the destruction of their home planet, and also from the ire of General Zod, someone who sees his pursuits as the ultimate goal and who stops for nothing or for no one. Kal El is sent to Earth where he's raised in a small farm in Kansas, by the Kents, who raise the young Clark/Kal El with the knowledge he is special and whose destiny will change the human race. Clark eventually goes on a quest for himself, until he comes to terms with his alien origins. That acknowledgement also awakens the pursuit of a lost enemy - Zod. He comes to Earth to claim Kal El and the planet itself.
Zack Snyder is a director who has always primed for being visually virtuoso and for bringing a specific aesthetic to his films. His experience as a commercials director has always been clearly present in most of his features, which thus far has produced results that have been both interesting - "Dawn of the Dead" and "Watchmen", and also less interesting - "Sucker Punch". "Man of Steel" tries a different approach to the Superman legacy - it tries to create the hero as a young man coming to terms with a sense of belonging - someone who is just trying to find who he is and who his real family is. That is the concept that permeates the film - the heritage of who who we are and how we preserve a sense of identity. However these themes, as ambitious as they may be, are tossed aside for the greater spectacle of an endless digital effects showcase, which engulfs the story altogether. The last section of the film becomes a doppelganger of Lana and Andy Wachowski's "Matrix Revolutions", with endless fight scenes and special effects that though visually enticing, are hollow and meaningless after the viewer is bombarded with them endlessly. The actors end up having little to do, and feel a bit sidetracked in the middle of all the rubble and destruction that is on screen - Amy Adams and Michael Shannon have little to do, and ultimately is Kevin Costner, Diane Lane and Russell Crowe who give the film it's heart. An assault on the senses that is ultimately unrewarding. 

Stories we Tell

Movie Name: Stories we Tell
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Sarah Polley

Featuring: Sarah Polley, Michael Polley, Harry Gulkin, Joanna Polley, Mort Ransen, Mark Polley, Deirdre Bowen, Pixie Bigelow, Geoffrey Bowes

Genre: Documentary

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Sarah Polley is of course well known for her acting skills, but since "Away from Her", she has steadily been building a directing career, one that also includes "Take this Waltz".
"Stories we Tell" is a documentary that the director embarked on, to know more about her mother's story, and ultimately her own. Sarah Polley's mother passed away in 1990, and left behind a devastated family and some questions regarding the director's own parenthood. The documentary tries to trace the story of Diane and Sarah Polley's, from multiple and distinct voices (family members, friends, co-workers). The documentary also includes a lot of stock footage, depicting the family's earlier days, where all the key players give us an insight into what that family life was all about. It's interesting that Sarah Polley actually turns the tables on the documentary premise, and she actually stages these scenes with actors portraying her parents and siblings. It is in a way, bringing to life, stories she can only reminisce through the words of others. This is a documentary that probes deep into what makes a family a unique reality, with all their dynamics, secrets, pain and anguish that make every day life so indistinguishably theirs. A great documentary worth watching and reflecting upon.

The Purge

Movie Name: The Purge
Year of Release: 2013

Director: James DeMonaco

Stars: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, Adelaide Kane, Edwin Hodge, Rhys Wakefield, Tony Oller, Arija Bareikis, Tom Yi, Chris Mulkey, Tisha French, Dana Bunch

Genre: Thriller, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

James DeMonaco has made his career as a screenwriter, with the remake of "Assault on Precint 13" being one of his most visible features. "The Purge" takes place in a nearby future, one where unemployment and violence have been almost wiped out from society. This has been accomplished by using "The Purge", a night where everyone can do whatever they want, in terms of violence and mayhem. It's during this night that the Sandin family gets prepared to spend it within the confinements of their protected shelter. That is until Charlie, the young son, lets a hunted man into their household. What follows is a game of resistance, with the captors trying to get their prey.
This low budget film, has a very interesting premise - it questions and raises issues pertaining to the social tissue of society, racial issues, all filled with great potential. However the director opts to make the film more specifically about the violence that surrounds a family and how the gradual realization of the deeply rotten core of a ritual, actually represents the perversity of what lies within that society. What could have been a fantastically accomplished thriller, claustrophobic and filled with tension, quickly degenerates into a series of cliches (and shootouts), which sadly make the film a lot less interesting. Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey try to make the best of their characters, but have sadly little to do, other than act scared and scream when required. An interesting premise wasted in a forgettable film.

Frances Ha

Movie Name: Frances Ha
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Noah Baumbach

Stars: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Esper, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen, Grace Gummer, Charlotte d'Amboise, Patrick Heusinger

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

"Frances Ha" follows director Noah Baumbach's latest directorial effort "Greenberg", which also featured the performance of Greta Gerwig, who is a co-writer on this feature. The film follows the story of Frances, a 27 year old dancer, who shares an apartment with her best friend Sophie in NY. Frances is honest and outspoken, and seamlessly wandering in random directions (both professionally and personally), something that gets aggravated when Sophie moves out and Frances is forced to find a place to live. The film follows the life of this young woman, who is looking for some meaning and a path to her life that always seems to be going in directions she doesn't quite control.
Noah Baumbach has managed to create a film that is endearing and funny, following the life of a young woman in NY (even including some slapstick moments). The film has a certain touch of Woody Allen, in the way that it captures Frances' socially awkward behavior at times, surrounded by a certain intellectual milieu that prevails in the NY art scene. Greta Gerwig creates a character that is at times annoying, sweet and comical - her Frances is simply eager to find a direction in her life, but doesn't really know how to start. These are the pains of growing up and becoming an adult, even if it is in the bohemian and intellectual scenario of NY (and even if the young men and women in this film come from financially "comfortable" backgrounds). Also to be highlighted, the performance of Mickey Sumner as Sophie and the beautiful cinematography of Sam Levy. A good film to be seen and enjoyed.

Now You See Me

Movie Name: Now You See Me
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Louis Leterrier

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Melanie Laurent, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Caine, Michael Kelly, Common, David Washofsky, Jose Garcia, Jessica Lindsey

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

Louis Leterrier has made a name for himself directing big action films, namely "The Incredible Hulk" and "Clash of the Titans". His latest feature follows a group of magicians who get assembled by an unknown figure, to perform daring tricks that are surprising and completely unexpected. These tricks increase in scale, and involve some high concept robbery, which places them under the pursuit of the FBI and Interpol. Also on their pursuit is Thaddeus Bradley, a former magician who now makes a living unmasking other people's tricks. Both Thaddeus and the FBI are unprepared for what the final trick of the group turns out to be.
Louis Leterrier is a director more interested in staging frantic and elaborate actions sequences, as can be verified from his directing resume (he also directed the first two "Transporter" films).  "Now You See Me" has an interesting concept - illusionists that are robbers. However throughout the film, the story ends up focusing more on the FBI and Interpol agents that are actively pursuing the group. Nothing much is said about the characters, and there is information thrown in by other characters intending on distracting the viewer for the big final revelation. Sadly though, is difficult to care much about the characters when nothing much is said about any of them - we never really know much of any of the magicians or the people chasing them. It's a cat and mouse chase, whose sole purpose is building ground for the final secret and revelation. The film has a wonderful cast, and Mark Ruffalo creates the most satisfying character, but it's still surprising to see talented actors such as Melanie Laurent, Jesse Eisenberg and Morgan Freeman with little to do. A film that is enjoyable but also quickly forgotten.

Kon-Tiki

Movie Name: Kon-Tiki
Year of Release: 2012

Director: Joachim Ronning, Espen Sandberg

Stars: Pal Sverre Hagen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Tobias Santelmann, Gustaf Skarsgard, Odd Magnus Williamson, Jakob Oftebro, Agnes Kittelsen

Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

"Kon-Tiki" is based on the true story of explorer Thor Heyerdal, a charismatic and fearless young explorer, who takes upon himself to test the theory that South Americans settled Polynesia in pre-Columbian times. For that effect, he and a crew he assembles, build a raft utilizing materials identical to the ones used centuries before. The long journey (100 days) tests the resources and friendship of all these men.
This group of directors, have previously done two films that went by slightly unnoticed, though "Bandidas" featured the talents of Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek. They both have created a reputation for themselves as directors of commercials. "Kon-Tiki" captures briefly whom Thor was and his intent on proving himself correct, but the definition of the character is so vague that ultimately he comes across more like an arrogant man, intent on getting his point across, sacrificing everything and everyone that crosses his path (including his family). The film is beautifully shot, edited and the actors try the best they can with very little to do, except look exhausted and tired (and bearded). The overall result is one that though entertaining, feels light and superficial considering the herculean task that these real men took upon themselves to achieve. Interesting.

Star Trek Into Darkness

Movie Name: Star Trek Into Darkness
Year of Release: 2013

Director: J.J. Abrams

Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bruce Greenwood, Alice Eve, Peter Weller, Noel Clarke

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

The "Start Trek" franchise continues after the rebirth given in 2009 by director J.J. Abrams, who again tackles the directorial responsibility of the sequel. The film continues to track the story of the crew of the spaceship Enterprise. The impulsive and emotional Captain Kirk finds himself in a difficult situation after saving his friend and first in command, Mr. Spock. All these situations somehow pale, when the Federation comes under the attack of a terrorist under the name of John Harrison. The crew of the Enterprise is tasked with seizing this incredibly resourceful menace, but end up uncovering a lot more than they expected.
J.J. Abrams is currently a one man empire, involved in multiple directorial features, and even more projects that he produces for TV and film. His previous directorial effort, "Super 8", was the homage he created to the sci-fi/monster films of the 80s, celebrating the work of renowned director Steven Spielberg. "Star Trek Into Darkness" follows his previous film from 2009, where he brought a new perspective to the world of the classic TV show, which was created by the late Gene Roddenberry. The first feature introduced the cast of the Enterprise, how they joined efforts and became a team. This sequel goes in a different direction, one that emphasizes more the action thrills (and the spectacle), while discarding the concept of the individual characters of the team (some of the characters have little to do, or basically are one note sidekicks, always mumbling or always worried). The film succeeds in building a momentum and rhythm, thanks to the special effects which allow the construction of fantastical worlds, however most of these elaborate set pieces end up feeling a bit hollow and devoid of feeling. There is an undeniable well oiled machine behind this entertainment, but where does a film of this scale stop feeling generic and start looking more individualistic and dare I say it, artistic. An interesting film worth watching nonetheless.

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: 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.