Christopher Robin - Movie Review

This film is a PG, was released on August 17th 2018 and this review will contain NO SPOILERS

Introduction 

The live action remakes by Disney in the 2010s don't exactly have a smooth track record. Yes there are some bright spots like 2016's The Jungle Book or 2015's Cinderella, but more often that not, they end up being shallow and simply living in the shadow of their animated version. However, one way they try to avoid this is by changing things around so they can stand on their own and not be a basic retreading, whether it be going from a different view or adding new elements. This is where 2018's Christopher Robin comes in.

I love Winnie the Pooh. It was honestly one of the biggest chunks of my childhood. I love the original books but also the Disney versions. However, last year there was a film called Goodbye Christopher Robin which explored the life of author A.A Milne and the misfortunes of his titular son. I thought it was really interesting to see exactly how these characters came about. Who would've thought that Disney would then make a Winnie the Pooh movie less than a year later. This film has no relation to that but is seemingly a Winnie the Pooh tale with a twist.

Thoughts Going In 

I wasn't going to go out of my way to see this, especially because I am still yet to see Ant-Man and the Wasp, but I knew that it'd at least be sweet or charming. Anything with Winnie the Pooh involved would always be likeable, and I'd always feel bad if I ever disliked anything with him. So, I didn't sense anything big on the horizon, but I did sense something nice. 

The Story 

Christopher Robin, played by Ewan McGregor, is now grown up, and in a position where his job is seemingly of a larger priority than his family, so much so that he cannot spend a weekend in the countryside, where he grew up, with them. Meanwhile, his old childhood friend, Winnie the Pooh, is having trouble finding his friends, so he pays Robin a visit and slowly we're is reintroduced to the whole gang, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and so on. In this time, Robin begins to understand what the most important thing in his life truly is.

What I Liked 

Well, my favourite thing about this film was by far the animated characters. As I said, I grew up with them and it was really nice to see all of them with their new CGI appearance. The effects are beautiful and they look very much like stuffed animals with the detail of the fur and textures, yet they all have a character that is easily identifiable. That and the voice work is terrific, with what I believe is one of the original voices, Jim Cummings, playing the roles of Pooh and Tigger. He did it so wonderfully and they sound just as you'd imagine. I do have a few issues with these animals which I will get into later but regarding their look and portrayal, it is the best thing this film has to offer. 

But, the true star here is Christopher Robin himself, and Ewan McGregor does a good job. To me he is a very talented actor because he can go from being a drug addict in Danny Boyle's Trainspotting to Obi Wan in the Star Wars prequel series, so he can cover a lot of demographics. But, he didn't ever have a crucial role in a film aimed at children, apart from Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast last year. Here, he is very charming and witty in this role. He has just the right amount of likeability and needed harshness to convey his character. I couldn't really imagine anyone else playing this part, at least in the way he did. 

Also, the general feel of the film is sweet. The characters act in their iconic ways and the combination of them with Robin and the setting adds up to a very satisfying watch when comparing it to what has come before. There are many situations that revolve around the stupidity of Pooh along with heffalumps and woozies. Even though it may not have had me laughing away, it still raised a smile and brought internal amusement. The silly old bear is so charming that I feel it should be illegal to dislike him, or at least in this interpretation.

What I Didn't Like 

Okay, I have some nitpicks which I feel I should address because they did bother me. My biggest issue is the science / logic behind the animals. Originally, the idea was that Christopher Robin was the only one who saw them as living, breathing creatures, whereas everyone else just saw stuffed toys. However, this film makes us believe that they are actually sentient. This is a big problem because it forgets what the classic stories are all about, the imagination of this one boy. I feel that if the way the animals worked in this world was the same as the originals, then the interplay between them and Christopher would've been more interesting, because we'd see how the toys are perhaps symbolic of the importance Christopher needs to find in his family, and the whole message about something coming from nothing would make sense equally because the toys may seem like nothing yet they're so much to him. Obviously that doesn't make perfect sense but with some development, it could be really powerful. But what we're left with is basically like Toy Story if the toys didn't freeze when Andy came to play.

Also, in terms of continuity, the film doesn't hold up. After the film Goodbye Christopher Robin, many elements in the storytelling are clearly made up. It shows Robin's father passing away when he was at a very young age, which isn't accurate, and it also glosses over the rough childhood he went through. But the biggest problem is, there is no reference to the books. Granted, this is fictional. And ignoring certain things for the purpose of storytelling is perfectly fine, but to me it makes the film less believable because we're meant to believe that the books were never a thing, and after I've been familiarized with how the books came to be, a grown up Christopher Robin living life in the way this film presents it just seems hard to get my head around, even if this is just fiction and we're pretending the books aren't real. It also serves as a missed opportunity for some interesting character moments where maybe the animals get recognized as they enter the city. Another thing regarding recognizing the animals is that the film is walking a tightrope regarding what generation of these characters it is trying to represent. Clearly it is reflective of the Disney interpretation with Pooh having his iconic red shirt along with the design of Eeyore, but characters like Tigger and Piglet seem straight out of the original books. Obviously you can look past this, but I think it opens up some problems. 

The last big issue was something that was very evident. This film is trying to compete with Paddington, another family film that centres around a small CGI bear. In theory, the 2 bears are quite similar. They both have an owner who lives in London, they both have an obsession with an orange spread that you put on your toast and they're both quite lovably dimwitted in the fact that they often misinterpret sarcasm and constantly end up messing things up. However, where Paddington succeeds is that it is very heartwarming, has funny slapstick and comedy that all the family will enjoy, and it is made by people who clearly understand everything the source material meant and stood for. Here, it only succeeds with one of those things, that being the heartwarming side. The slapstick and other comedy is there but will really only appeal to those below the age of 10 apart from the occasional chuckle, and the creators clearly don't understand the true spirit of the source, based off what I said earlier. In summary, this film doesn't tick all the boxes when compared to what it is clearly trying to compete with. 

Conclusion 

So, you can view this film from one of two perspectives. On the one hand, it is made by people who don't fully appreciate what they're basing it off along with not succeeding in all of what it sets out to do. However, the way I see it is as a sweet, charming film where people can see some iconic characters up on the big screen with some entertaining performances and terrific effects. Despite all the flaws I have, I don't mind this film and I can certainly visualize plenty of families having a good time and a laugh. I also think that even though it is not as good of a film, I would rather watch it than Goodbye Christopher Robin, simply because it is so much sweeter and suited for my taste. It may seem like I have a lot of issues but in actuality, when you look at it as a simple piece of fiction, it's a fine watch.

I'm going to give Christopher Robin an O

The Festival - Movie Review

This film is a 15, was released on August 14th 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS. This review will also be shorter as I don't have much to say.

Introduction

Of course I like a good comedy, but I would much favour a British indie comedy over a mainstream one, because I usually find them funnier being English myself. Although, I never really was into the Inbetweeners. One reason may be because I only reached the appropriate age to watch it recently, but also because in a comedy, clever comedy, such as Hot Fuzz or The World's End, is better than gross-out comedy. But after the massive success of the two Inbetweeners films (2011 and 2014) the creators decided to make something original, The Festival.

Thoughts Going In 

I didn't have many expectations, all I was hoping for was for me and my brother, who is really a big fan of this kind of stuff, to have a mid-summer laugh. I had watched the trailer and various TV spots and both solidified the idea that I'd get at least one laugh.

The Story 

On the day of his graduation, a guy named Nick has a sudden break-up with his girlfriend Caitlin. He obviously gets upset, but one of his mates convinces him to go to a music festival as a way of recovery. Once they arrive, cue dirty sex and drug jokes along with tons of ridiculousness, involving mud, crime and hijacking the show.

What I Liked 

Well, all that I really have to comment on is that the film is funny. That's really all I wanted out of this film and I'm glad that I did have a good time watching it. Aside from the jokes, there are some moments which are just so cringe-worthy or disgusting that you have to look away, but soon end up laughing. One particular scene involving climbing a fence is a great example. I won't spoil it but you'll know it when you see it. Also, sometimes the jokes are just so absurd that it makes you laugh. For example, one scene introduces a character called 'Pirate' and Nick wonders why he was called that by guessing if he lost a leg, and it turns out he actually did. It's so ridiculous that it really made me laugh.

Also, everyone in the movie does a great job. Aside from Nick, who was really good, there was a character called Amy who was really silly and naive that it was entertaining to see how she would act in certain situations. Nick's best friend (who I've forgotten the name of) was also really good too.

What I Didn't Like

My only complaint with the film is that the comedy, even though it made me laugh, was a bit cheap. As I said, it's all your typical crude jokes involving sex and drugs. While I think that they could easily have been in the film, I would've preferred some more down-to-earth humour, because in a setting like this and with all these characters present, it could've lead to some funnier moments during interactions, which is a shame because there is some in there and with the obvious competence on display I think more would've been pleasant. Also, the film can occasionally elongate an unfunny joke or repeat a funny one until it has lost its charm. But in all fairness, most comedies fall into that trap one way or another.

Conclusion

You may think that this review has been a bit shallow but there was really no reason to comment on character arcs, the narrative or cinematography because the only thing that people want from a film like this is the humour, and based off that alone, it really satisfies. If you do like the Inbetweeners then I can only recommend this to you. If you are actually going to a music festival after you get your results or whatever then this is also a good shout. And of course if you just want an easy laugh or two then do check it out. For me, I definitely had good time, but would've preferred more intelligent humour.

I'm going to give The Festival a D

The Meg - Movie Review

This film is a 12A, was released on August 10th 2018 and this review will contain VERY MILD SPOILERS, nothing that'll damage your viewing, but minor things.

Introduction

I love to go to the pictures and be entertained, that is the primary reason that I go in the first place. Yes, Hollywood can always put out something emotional and ground-breaking, but I'd much rather see something that entertains me. Entertaining audiences has always been a goal of cinema, but it really began to show when a new type of film was born in the 1970s - the summer tent pole. 

There was a little movie called Jaws, and it gave birth to films that were released in the summer and had the core intention of being escapism and enjoyable. Throughout the years, examples of this film include Star Wars, Jurassic Park and more recently Marvel. But in the summer of 2018, we're so spoilt for choice regarding what film we can see. There's the feel-good Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the family animations like Incredibles 2 or Christopher Robin, light hearted, fun action in Ant-Man and the Wasp, or more serious action such as Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Even with all of these, none of them seem like a classic summer tent pole, but there's also something that just looks like stupid, enjoyable fun with a giant shark - The Meg, 43 years after Jaws.

Thoughts Going In 

I was sure that I would enjoy this film. I like a blockbuster that does something clever or interesting with its visuals or storytelling, but occasionally, something stupid will suffice. The Meg took my interest because the trailers made it look like Jaws if the makers had access to CGI and were maybe a little bit drunk. But, I was keen to see just how ridiculous it was. So, I did. 

The Story 

A few hundred miles of the coast of China, an underwater research team have discovered a hidden trench on the ocean floor, covered by a layer of foam. This seems like a place to uncover new species but ends up causing the crew some trouble when an unknown creature attacks all the vehicles they send down. Of course, Jason Statham is brought in to help the crew and finds out that this creature is a prehistoric type of shark. As he leaves the trench the shark slips out and they then have to hunt it and kill it before it reaches the shore.

What I Liked

You know, this film is actually really enjoyable. Truth be told, there were so many times where I was engaged and having fun with all the bonkers action. When I saw Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom earlier this year, I thought that there were stupid parts, but at least it had Chris Pratt vs some Dinosaurs. The Meg is the exact same case except with Jason Statham vs a shark. So, believe it or not, this film does actually entertain in terms of action scenes and set pieces. 

Regarding Mr Statham, he is really good. He holds the film together well and at times makes this all seem plausible. He is so fully aware of how stupid the film is and his performance reflects that. All you need to know about his character is that he's someone who is willing to dive in the sea and get close to a massive shark to place a tracker on its back. There you go, now you know everything. He's definitely having a great time during all the action scenes and of course drops a few cheesy one-liners here and there. One of the bright spots. 

Of course, this is a shark movie, so this naturally pays respect to the film that began this sub-sub-genre. The references to Jaws are actually a mix of explicit and implicit. You have the underwater shots where the shark looks at all the kicking legs by the beach, the parent being stubborn about their child swimming but allows them (except this time it is played for a joke), the <Minor Spoiler> catching the wrong one and realising as the real one next attacks, the dog (which is called 'Pippin' which I'm sure is a reference to a dog in Jaws called 'Pippet') in peril, Jason Statham basically being a copy + paste of Robert Shaw, the cheesy line before the kill and various others. So it does pay a lot of tribute. 

This may not be a positive for others but I loved it, the predictability. This film is easier to guess than guessing the outcome of dropping a ball to the floor. And it is great. When someone is in the water and all seems fine, you know they won't be around for much longer. When a character makes a stupid decision or has a certain arc, you know what their fate will be. It was so much fun just sitting and saying to myself what I think will happen, and that thing occurring. So even though some may be bothered by this and say it makes the film worse, I really thought it was just hilarious.

What I Didn't Like

The Meg is a stupid movie, I'm sure you've got that vibe based off what I've said. But, there is some attempted drama regarding the deaths of some characters. This isn't fully explored but even from what there was, it bothered me because even though you're supposed to feel emotionally engaged and upset, I was still laughing my head off from the previous, ridiculous set piece. Obviously there needs to be some level of depth to these characters, but it is hard to take someones death seriously when I just witnessed a huge shark jump over a boat. So, what my problem is is that the film had boring scenes which focused to much on  character depth and ended up weighing down the film. 

The CGI. This is odd because CGI is an easy thing to point out and praise, but here there is an overload of it and it is so noticeable at times. You may say that the shark in Jaws was obviously fake too but you should acknowledge: the film was made in the 70s and CGI wasn't big until the 90s or so, and the film made you feel terror not by jumps or showing you a scary shark (for the most part) because it used dramatic build up with setting or characters and combined an equally dramatic theme tune and made you bite your nails until it reaches the climax of the scene. Here, the shark is largely present and the size of it and lack of plausibility makes it hard to feel tension. It usually just uses jumps, which to me are a cheap way to scare an audience.

The last thing is to do with expectations. I thought that I'd sit down, have a good ol' time with a silly movie and watch Jason Statham punch a shark for an hour and a half. The result is I had a good ol' time with a silly movie and watched Jason Statham punch a shark for an hour and a half. That's right, this film didn't offer many surprises. The doesn't necessarily mean the movie is bad but so many films this year like Ready Player One or Avengers: Infinity War surprised me and twisted my expectations in places. I just wish this maybe did something really ridiculous or surprised me in some way, but it didn't. Again, it didn't make the movie bad, but you should know that you're getting into exactly what you think when you see this, there is nothing you won't expect. 

Conclusion

The Meg is a typical shark movie and doesn't bring anything new to the already busy table. But it is so damn ridiculous and stupid that it feels hard to say in any way that it was bad. It has enough entertaining action, a likeable star and some neat Jaws references which do make up for the needlessly serious moments, noticeable CGI and lack of surprises. So if you want to see a film that does something clever or subverts your expectations then you won't get much out of this. But if you're looking for a film this summer where you can just switch off and have some nonsensical fun, The Meg is probably going to pass the time pleasantly for you. 

I'm going to give The Meg a D