The Apprentice...In The Air

All those blessed with appearing in Steven Soderburgh movies all seem committed to starring in sophisticated material from now on. Movies that both appear to the mainstream...but haven't been dumbed down by a committee of dumb studio executives, out to make a quick buck, at the expense of quality. So you have George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Ol' De Niro, he'll make crap if it pays good, but these guys try and find the smart stuff.

So Clooney does it again, this time finding sanctuary in the hands of Juno director Jason Reitman in Up In The Air. It's about a bloke who has no emotional baggage. He has a family he barely sees, an apartment he only spends a few days a year in, no close friends, no wife or kids. He spends the majority of the time working; flying from city to city 'professionally' firing people from employment. And that's the way he likes it, until his way of life is threatened and he has to take young upstart, Anna Kendrick, on the road with him.

This is a light indie comedy drama. With the recent downturn in global economics the release of this movie, with unemployment at its core, couldn't be more timely. Thematically, this is a great redemptive story for Clooney, with the surrounding cast including Jason Bateman (as his boss) and Vera Fermiga (as his love interest) gently nudging the evasive loner. Work, wealth and status, it would seem, are nothing without someone to share it with.

This is subtle, fluffy and witty while it's clear the cast are having fun. Clooney is excellent...although I can't see where all the Oscar buzz is coming from. Clooney, no matter how strong in the part, is always playing Clooney. He's a genuine, 100% movie star and a good actor...but (unlike Ellen Page or Marcia Gay Harden in Whip It) he's no character actor. Credit to Jason Reitman for not delivering on the tired rom-com ending you'd expect from the set up. Despite the light tone, it's deserving of Oscar consideration, especially for it's script. But there's more deserving out there for best actor. Sorry George.

Whip Me Girls. Whip Me Real Good!

I tend to think the quality of a movie will reveal itself to the audience within the first five minutes. If you're not digging it within that time, you've pretty much got the standard of the film sussed out. With that in mind, I wasn't really getting into Drew Barrymore's directing debut 'Whip It' from the outset. It seemed to be telling an overly familiar story (rebellious teen/coming of age yarn)in a way that was desperate to be a bit 'indie' (ie, the need to be quirky over genuinely funny).

But lead character Bliss, and her team of Roller Derby nutters, her friends and her family won me over. Big time.
It smoothly combines the whole coming-of-age thing (the heartbreak of first love, rebelling against the parents, finding ones own identity) with the cliched sports movie (underdog team on a losing streak, aim to win the championship). Fortunately, the emphasis is on the quirky character drama here, meaning the cliches are minimised. The main story line goes to Ellen Page's Bliss, as the young girl struggling to carve her own future, from underneath the shadow of her domineering Mom. Unusually for this kind of film, all the characters undertake a journey; her parents, her best friend, her rival and even her loopy team mates. It makes for very engaging viewing.

Helping to bring the sparky script to life is a brilliant cast. Ellen Page and Marcia Gay Harden, who plays Bliss' Mom, are two of the most talented, instinctive actors working today..you never quite know in which direction they'll take their characters. In support is a likably aggressive Juliette Lewis as rival 'Iron Maven', the angry and always late Drew Barrymore as 'Smashley Simpson'...along with Daniel Stern, Jimmy Fallon, R&B star Eve, Kristen Wig (a big future in comedy, this one methinks, Andrew Wilson and Zoe (Death Proof) Bell as 'Bloody Holly'.

A very rewarding experience. I wanted to love this movie. I started of really disappointed. And I ended up really, really loving this movie. It's got an uplifting theme about families learning to embrace change, whether that's your own blood or team-mates or your family of friends. And it does it in a way with off-beat character humour, good tunes...and a cast you can't help but love...even the antagonistic ones.

Crime Scene Investigation: Antarctica

If you've seen The Thing, X-Files: Fight The Future or The Thaw, you'll know that our most southern land mass is the location for much weird goings on. However, there's never been a murder on the continent of Antarctica, according to Kate Beckinsale's new murder mystery Whiteout.

This slick whodunit is produced by Dark Castle, producer Joel Silver's low budget branch of Silver Pictures, and stars a solid group of thespians including Gabriel Macht (The Spirit), Alex O'Loughlin (Moonlight) and Tom Skerritt (looking more and more like a grizzled Kris Kristopherson every year). As you'd expect from Gone In 60 Seconds director, Dominic Sena, the film is stylishly shot.

But its all a bit 'so what'....in a CSI-Antarctica kind of way.

The cast are adequate, but uninspired. The action, what few sequences there are, become old very fast. Worst of all is the murder mystery is obvious right from the start. We all know that the least suspicious character at the beginning of the tale (except the hero) is likely to be the killer...and so it is here.

At least there's a gratuitous 'Beckinsale-undressing-for-a-shower' shot to keep us sustained. Class this one as 'strictly average'.

Elementary, My Dear Buddy

Sherlock Holmes, the latest version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective novels, is produced by Joel Silver...the man who perhaps started the 80's buddy movie phenomenon in 48 hours and Lethal Weapon. Here he combines the established characters and structure of the novels, with the 'buddy movie' sensibility to create a fresh take on a familiar subject.

To do this he's hired Robert Downey Jnr, hot off the success of Iron Man and Tropic Thunder, to play Holmes while his sidekick Watson is played by Jude Law, who seems to have been missing from the mainstream of late. The pair are excellent. Downey gets the Riggs role (the superior partner who's also a tad unpredictable) while Law gets to be the loyal, dependable brother (saves the hero more than once, and puts up with him, despite their differences). It's the banter...the love/hate relationship that provides the meat of this light, adventure romp...and very enjoyable it is too. Downey's British accent, seems a little odd, but it's forgiven considering the eccentricities of his character.

Lock stock's Guy Richie is the man in the directors chair and does a solid job. Sherlock is a 12 rating, plus it's not written by Richie, so it does lack some of the pace and the edginess of his more personal work. But despite the calmer, more linear narrative, Richie paints a rich, textured world for Holmes to inhabit...both in the production design and in the supporting characters littering the plot. Richie still has his trademark moments, where he's allowed to shine (Holme's inner monologue when taking out an opponent in a fight / an explosive trap laid by the baddies on the docklands), but it's less frequenty then, say, Snatch.

Hans Zimmer, who everybody trys to imitate these days, outguns the competition by delivering a score than's both modern and unique...Rachel McAdams is a feisty muse for Holmes (but doesn't appear enough to make the proper impact) and the supernatural red herrings in the plot give way to a more predictable ruse to seize control of the British Empire. For an action comedy, it's a little light on action, but when the set-pieces do arrive they're constantly unpredictable and littered with humor.

This is fun and enjoyable fluff...but it never feels like everybody is 100% committed to delivering the goods. Downey could afford to go madder...as could Richie. And the script needs much more tightening up to compete with the big boys. Hopefully, if Richie & co are back for a sequel (it's surely made enough to justify one) then everybody will be on their A game.

Truth, Justice & The Bryan Singer Way

After what seems like a millennium in development, the long awaited return of the Superman movie franchise occurred in 2006 when Bryan Singer helmed Superman Returns, the semi-sequel to Superman II.

And a sequel is pretty much what you get. The look, basic personalities of the characters, graphics, music and even many shots are lifted right out of Richard Donner's original 1978 movie. And why not, when it's still one of the most powerful and enjoyable interpretations of a comic book superhero on the big screen.

Much time has been spent on the excellent script, distilling the separate elements of Superman's back story/powers, the events of Superman 1 & 2, introducing new characters and new situations...while juggling a romantic love triangle and a plot rule the world. Just as he did with the X-men sequel, all the parts are woven and refined into a lean, seemingly simplistic tale.

The cast are mostly superb, especially Brandon Routh as The Man Of Steel, who spine-tingly manages to channel the spirit of the late Christopher Reeve into many a scene. Overall, Routh's performance (much like Singer's direction as a whole) is much more restrained from that of Reeve's interpretation of the character...but cut from the same cloth. Kevin Spacey provides a low key, but deliciously menacing turn as Lex Luthor while his sidekick, Parker Posey, is an unpredictable delight. Only Kate Bosworth, as intrepid reporter Lois Lane, seems miscast. Sure, she's suitably single-minded and undeniably gorgeous, but she lacks Lois's wise-cracking cynical edge. Here, she's just distracted and a little cold.

Typically, Singers direction is sure, steady and deliberate..perhaps more so here than in his previous efforts. The result is something of a 'still' movie, that doesn't quite have the urgency of most summer blockbusters. However, apart from the final reel which could have been tightened up, this slower pace only helps to highlight the subtleties in the movie; a Spacey one liner here, a smirk from Routh there, an under-stated effects shot everywhere.

The Space Shuttle sequence remains one of the best action set-pieces of the year. However, while always exciting, as Superman saves the worlds inhabitants from one disaster or another, it ends up being a movie about a strong bloke lifting things; a globe, a sign, an aeroplane, a small continent.

Still, this is beautifully crafted, romantic, character focused, mythic, epic stuff. It's just a damn shame Warners didn't allow Singer to progress with a sequel. Superman Returns made as much money as Batman Begins did...and look what happened to that sequel.

Everything That Has An End, Has A Beginning...

David Tennant finally finished his run as the tenth incarnation of the BBC's long running science fiction drama Doctor Who. While never my favorite Doctor (unlike the readers of Doctor Who Magazine who voted him the best actor ever to portray the Time Lord) it was good to see Tennant go out on top in "The End Of Time - Part 2".

It was exactly what you'd expect from a Russell T Davis finale; scenes of wonder, quite, intimate moments of drama, lots of shouting, lots of running, a smattering of over-the-top, inappropriately timed humor and a barking plot that only makes sense to a giddy 10 year old. Fortunately I can tap into my inner geek-child so this was great fun (just please don't let my inner intellect know if you see it...)

Of course what was really important was how they handled the regeneration sequence.
And all I can say is...Russell, me lad. Beautifully done.
As the 10th Doctor accepts his fate, he delivers one last helping hand to each of his companions of his lifespan. In reality, this is really Russell T Davis saying goodbye in a Big Brother-style compilation of The Doctor's best moments, as most of this continuity will now be left behind in favor of incoming head-writer Stephen Moffat's new players. But it works wonders. Touching and nostalgic. A perfect goodbye.

Matt Smith has a short introduction as the regenerated 11th Doctor, but he makes an impact. I love the way he observes he's "still not ginger" when looking at his hair....surprised at his spitting (both him and Dalton...it's not a contest, is it guys?)...and fascinated to see if "Geronimo" will become his catchphrase.

I'm looking forward to springtime already when the new series promise the return of Daleks, Weeping Angels, Alex Kingston along with some Vampires and the impossibly cute Karen Gillan as the new companion. Geronimo!

A Triffid Is For Life...Not Just For Christmas

It has to be said, the recent BBC remake of John Wyndams novel The Day Of The Triffids was much better than I anticipated. I'm not familiar with the source material, and I can barely remember the BBC's own 1980's adaptation (except to say it was a lot slower paced than this).

It's got a strong cast with Dougray Scott doing a solid job in the lead, along with able support coming from Joely Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Preistly (one dimentional are barely seen) and Ewan Bremner. Comediuan Eddie Izzard's got a bit of stick for his bad guy role, but I was quite impressed with his convincing naturistic performance as the manipulative, power hungry Torrance.

Triffids 2009 has got a contemporary vibe. That means a fast pace (for those with ADD), a Zimmer-ish score and some hand held camera work to keep the energy levels up. The effects are good too, split between the 28 Days Later apocalyptic backdrops and the CG triffids themselves, which are wisely kept to a few necessary shots.

This adaptation has retained the social comentary on how humanity has exploited nature for it's resources (fuel) and how nature has struck back by having the very salvation of mankind be carniverous plants. Cool! As like the apocalyptic Romero zombie movies, the focus here isn't on the triffids (it's an ever present background threat) but more on the evils that mankind is willing to inflict on each other to prove a point, to gain power or to force a set of values upon a population.

Good stuff, and one suspects, bloody expensive. Well done BBC.