Robin Hood (2018) - Movie Review

This film is a 12A, was released on November 21st 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

Introduction 

Nowadays, we see a lot of reboots coming from Hollywood. This is mainly because they're struggling for new ideas, but also because it's easier to find a fanbase and make money from a product that already exists. However, we do occasionally end up with tons of interpretations of one story. The classic folk tale of Robin Hood is a perfect example of this. The classic story of the thief who robs from the rich and gives to the poor has been put to the screen many times. 

But, in my opinion, the best interpretation was from Disney in 1973, which didn't even star humans! It was anthropormorhpic foxes and bears. I grew up with this film and it was one of those Disney films that lived in the DVD player. So, I don't think that there is much more left to explore with this character, but maybe I'm wrong...

Thoughts Going In 

I was excited for this film at first. I really like Taron Egerton and the trailers did make it look cool, to say the least. However, a swarm of negativity surrounded it over the past week, making me wonder whether it was actually worth my time or not. Well, it's the middle of exam season so I'll take a cinema trip whenever one comes about. My expectations were mixed for the most part.

The Story 

So, is there anything new that this interpretation shows us? Kind of. In this version, Robin begins as your average medieval tough guy who meets a girl named Marian. The two instantly fall in love but Robin has to go and fight in the Middle East. After a mishap where Robin almost betrays his leader, everyone believes him to be dead. However, he returns to England only to find that the Sheriff of Nottingham is ripping everyone off with their taxes, and Marian has found new love with a man named Will. So, Robin teams up with a fugitive named John, and the swashbuckling thievery begins. 

What I Liked 

The best thing about this film was Egerton as Robin Hood. I think his strongest points as an actor are when he brings charm, wit and humour to his roles, many will be familiar if you've seen the Kingsman films (2014 and 2017), Eddie the Eagle (2016) or Sing (2016). Here, while he doesn't fully utilise his strengths, he is still very likeable and has enough charm to be entertaining. He pulls off the tough guy performance well enough and was definitely a bright spot in the film. I should also mention that supporting roles from Jamie Foxx and Ben Mendelsohn were decent too. 

There is the occasional good action scene, but there is one in particular that I thought was amazing. It's basically a chase involving horse-drawn wagons through narrow streets of a mining town, along with a small tangent when Robin hops on one of the horses and begins to run around the rooftops. The choreography of all the fighting and various other set pieces was really well organised. It was the only scene that I thought was worth mentioning. 

What I Didn't Like 

My biggest issue with this film was the way it looked and was stylised. We're supposed to believe that this is medieval times, but the clothing and action seems so much like such from nowadays or even the last decade. As you may have seen from the trailers, there is a section in the Middle East. Nothing about this scene is specific to the time period. You could easily substitute the bows and crossbows for guns and it'd make so little of an impact. The costumes were also hugely distracting. There's so much leather, revealing clothes on women, fancy jackets, and an assortment of things you'd see people wearing today, as well as hair and make up which seems remarkably unrealistic. I think this film could've easily settled with this style if it set the story in the 21st century. That also would've given the film more of an identity, and make it stand out against the tons and tons of other versions of this story. 

The pacing of the film also seemed a little bit off. The beginning is not only extremely pretentious, but very rushed. We flippantly switch from introduction to characters, to the first bit of conflict, to meeting John and training with him, all in the first half an hour. This really undercut what could've been some really engaging scenes. If they had extended out all of this, we as the audience would have a much deeper understanding of who these characters are and how they came to be who they are in the second act. Because as it is, we're not really connected to these people and can't really connect to the struggles they face. I understand that they want to cut to the cool bits where we see Robin as a thief, but weirdly enough, the first 3 proper robberies he does are glossed over. We see a quick cut of action but not enough to enjoy ourselves. This is only apparent until the chase I mentioned earlier and the climax. So not only do we skip all the parts which are necessary for the story, but we don't even see many of the parts we came to see and get a kick out of.

Conclusion 

Robin Hood isn't exactly a disappointment. It further enforces why Taron Egerton is a strong talent, along with delivering some neat set pieces. But it can't decide what exactly it wants to be as well as glossing over what could be some really necessary and exciting moments. I think this film will pass the time just fine for anyone, but it isn't exactly anything great. As for me, I don't think I'll be watching it again any time soon, but I won't actively try to avoid it either. I think I'll just stick with the animated version for now.

I'm going to give Robin Hood an A

Hunter Killer - Movie Review

This film is a 15, was released on October 19th 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS

Introduction 

In this modern age, there are plenty of films which are so good they're good, as well as so bad they're bad. But we also have many which are so bad that they're good. To me, I'd always take a good bad film over a good good film if I enjoy the former more. Most of these bad films include Olympus has Fallen, London has Fallen, and even though I haven't seen it but I'm sure it'd be included in this list, Geostorm. What all these films have in common besides being so laughably terrible that they're hilarious? A man named Gerard Butler. 

Thoughts Going In 

I didn't go out of my way to see Hunter Killer, but I thought it'd pass the time just fine and perhaps bring a few laughs with how stupid it was. Plus, Gerard himself is enough to make me know I'll enjoy a film. But regardless of how much I thought I'd enjoy the film, I had super low expectations.

The Story 

Gerard is a tough, but sensitive guy named Joe Glass. He's brought on to a mission to go to Russia where a submarine was recently attacked. After taking a few suspected criminals from the crash, the submarine he's in is called into save the Russian president after a series of convoluted events. Meanwhile, Gary Oldman is the admiral, shouting at a control room of people.

What I Liked 

In all fairness, this film isn't as poor as I thought it'd be. There is a lot of competence on display here from the director and the performances. The actions scenes are well crafted and do make you feel some basic form of tension. One involves the big, long submarine trying to carefully manoeuvre its way around sound-sensitive sea mines whilst everyone on board has to stay dead silent. It doesn't have you biting your nails, but you do feel what the characters are going through. There are other various ones torpedoes and missiles heading towards the sub as well as some mainland combat with soldiers. All do show this isn't the worst quality of film on display.

The best thing about the film is by far Gerard Butler himself. He isn't genuinely one of my favourite actors like Chris Pratt, Benedict Cumberbatch or Taron Egerton, but he's definitely a lot of fun to watch, especially in films where he plays the generic tough guy who shouts a lot. That is exactly what you have here. It isn't as entertaining as London has Fallen simply because the direction and script for that film was complete rubbish, but here he is trying to be the same character again and it was quite fun to watch and laugh at.

What I Didn't Like 

The film is too long. Not only is it too long, but it jumps back and forth from several groups of people we're supposed to feel tension about. But the way it jumps isn't consistent because it spends too long on one groups that when it has cut back to another one, you either forgot they were in the film or didn't want to cut back because the other group was more interesting. I don't think any groups could've been emitted from the film because they're all necessary to the plot, but if 20 minutes at most were cut, it'd be beneficial.

The film is also surprisingly dull. There's a lot of boring scenes where it's either an overly long tracking shot which adds absolutely nothing, or bland talking between characters which isn't as engaging as it thinks it is. Gary Oldman tries his best to make these more interesting by shouting at the top of his lungs in most scenes, but it doesn't do the job. I don't quite think this film knows that its audience are not going to be people that saw Darkest Hour, but rather those who saw every Gerard Butler film on Netflix. As a result, it lacks the guilty pleasure which I get from other good bad movies, and instead just feels like a poor attempt at a gritty action drama. 

Conclusion 

Hunter Killer is just bland, forgettable action. It has one or two neat scenes with Gerard doing his very best, but it doesn't do anything outrageously bad that's funny or serve as a guilty pleasure. Instead, it's a film I can imagine popping up on network television very soon. And it's also one I don't think I'll be rewatching soon. Hopefully Geostorm will do the job this film didn't. 

I'm going to give Hunter Killer an A

A Quiet Place - Movie Review

This film is a 15, was released on April 5th 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS 

Introduction 

I can't say I'm really a horror person. Out of all film genres, horror films seem to be the ones which I struggle to engage with the most. I think it's probably due to me getting frightened quite easily and thus continuously telling myself it's all fake and as a result not getting full engagement. However, I do like a horror film if it does something clever with its storytelling, such as Alien as opposed to the rubbish that we constantly see nowadays. So when I saw the trailers for A Quiet Place, I got some interest.

Thoughts Going In 

Obviously I didn't see this film in the cinema as it came out at a pretty crowded time, but I recently saw it on DVD as I'd heard many great things about it and it was a huge success with audiences and critics alike. So I had very high expectations, regardless of the fact that it is still a genre which I'm not a huge fan of. 

The Story 

In the near future, aliens have invaded earth and seemingly taken out all of humanity. However, these aliens can only sense sound. So any noise somebody makes will mean death. Despite this, there is a small family with mother and father Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. They have got used to life with these aliens, but things are about to take a bad turn as Blunt's character is pregnant.

What I Liked 

Out of every film I've seen so far this year, this film is by far the best in terms of direction. This is especially amazing considering it is Krasinski's directing debut. He cleverly builds tension through clever camera movement and with an absence of sound, which heightens the audience's senses and makes for some truly scary sequences. The atmosphere is also so well established within the first 5 minutes that for the whole of the runtime, you have such a strong feeling of caution. I admire how this was done because it creates such an engaging world and allows for true horror, much like Alien. 

The perfermances are also terrific. Not just from Emily Blunt and JK, but the two children are great. They bring the action down to earth and add another layer of peril because them being children makes them more vulnerable to any consequences of these creatures. It's also worth mentioning that these people are all great physical actors. Because the dialogue is so minimal, their bodies have to express their feelings for most of the time. They were really compelling and the fact that they're just an ordinary family caught in the middle of this makes it all seem easier to understand. 

There are plenty of well organised action scenes. One with Emily in a basement with one of these vile creatures, which echoes the kitchen scene in Jurassic Park. Another in a huge container of corn (I don't know what they're called) with the children hanging onto some debris to avoid sinking and being attacked by the creature. They're well constructed and are very nail-biting.

What I Didn't Like 

The film does unfortunately have a lot of plot holes. This is somewhat inevitable for any film but A Quiet Place does suffer from many creative choices feeling questionable. For example, if the aliens are so sensitive to sound, why don't the humans just build a giant speaker and blast loud noises out to distract them? Or how do the family still have access to electricity? Or how are they able to make that particular noise and go down unnoticed? This may seem quite pedantic but whilst watching the film, during the slower scenes, I couldn't help but feel like there were better options compared to that which the film did. 

Conclusion 

You can easily pick apart A Quiet Place and point out many errors in the world-buidling and such. But there's no point because it's very well directed, filled with strong performances and stuffed with tense scares and moments. John Krasinski has a bright future and these children should have a lot coming their way too. But Emily stands out the most and I cannot wait to see her as Mary Poppins later on. I really wish I'd seen this in the cinema, as it would've been an interesting experience with an audience. I'm sure anyone who'd like something tense to sit through will get tons of enjoyment from this film. 

I'm going to give A Quiet Place an S

Venom - Movie Review

This film is a 15, was released on October 3rd 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS but there will be a discussion of post credit scenes which I consider MINOR SPOILERS at the end.

Introduction 

You've heard me ramble on about superheroes and movies based off them for ages if you've been reading my reviews. And that's because I really enjoy them. You'll know I like them just because it's decent entertainment with enough heart and character to enjoy too. But 2017 and 18 have had so many hits in this sub-genre that all arguments about over-saturation feel redundant. It makes sense as there are vast amounts each year, but it's not a case of quantity over quality because nowadays, these movies have an incredible amount of passion put into them, and have even brought some indie directors to higher ground. But you can't have a genre without a dud, can you? This is where people suspected Venom would come in.

Thoughts Going In 

The trailers for Venom looked quite good. Despite not being linked to the MCU, it still looked like something I'd enjoy, and I do like Tom Hardy. But as the release got closer, I had some reservations. The reviews were awful with many critics I respect saying it was bad. Followed by a surprising 15 certificate and limited showings at many cinemas. I was keen to see what this movie was, so I had very low expectations. 

The Story 

Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock, a reporter who loses his job after being too inquisitive in an interview. This also causes his relationship with Michelle Williams to end too. However, Eddie ends up in the life foundation where he lost his job and ends up with a substance called a Symbiote. This leads to a mysterious voice in his head, known as Venom. What follows is a Jekyll and Hyde style dynamic between Eddie and Venom as well as villainous plans to put a Symbiote in every human to prevent extinction. 

What I Liked 

Surprisingly, I did enjoy this film. There are enough well directed action scenes which keep it from feeling shallow. One in particular involves Eddie being chased on a bike as he discovers some of his new capabilities with the Venom powers. This involves some thrilling moments where strands of Symbiote stretch out and grab or swing from things and it is pretty creative. That was a stand out and the rest are decent enough too. 

Hardy's performance was something I didn't think would work out, but the way he interacts with his alter-ego of Venom was the best part of the film. The dynamic between the two is entertaining, as it leads to some comic moments of disagreement or just arguing. I'm not a huge fan of how Hardy acted at some points but I'll elaborate later. The main thing is that this play-off between these two different characters was what kept the film afloat for me, I just wish it was explored in more detail as it really only scratched the surface. But what we got was good. 

The visuals are amazing. The fluidity of the movement of the Symbiote strands was so mesmerising to watch. When Venom comes out to play by overtaking Eddie's entire body - like in the first transformation scene - or snaking out of his back to have a face-to-face conversation, it looks so beautiful. The details are so well refined and I really liked to watch it. There are some effects that don't work as well, but the small moments where nothing extreme or catastrophic is happening and we just see Venom being Venom, it had me transfixed. 

I think as a 15 the film works just fine. Obviously, it isn't as great as other 15 Marvel movies, most notably Deadpool or Deadpool 2, but like the latter, the certificate matches the tone of the film as it is quite brutal, occasionally scary and filled with horrific imagery, which would've been undercut with a 12. I appreciate the studio not playing it safe and trying to make something tonally different in terms of a superhero movie. There aren't that many horror-esque ones out there.

What I Didn't Like 

This movie is somehow rushed and bloated at the same time in the first half. I'm not joking, but the first whole hour was essentially Venom-less, or at least it felt that way. The set up before the powers meet the hero usually takes somewhere between 30 and 40 minutes. Here, it takes ages to get going. In the showing I was at, I knew what time it was due to finish, so when we had our first great action scene, there was literally about 30 minutes to go. That set up should've been condensed. But what's more crazy is the fact that the set up is badly paced too. It jumps from one thing to the next very flippantly. Symbiotes arrive on earth, Eddie has a good job, Eddie gets fired and breaks up, experiments with Symbiotes go awry, Eddie gets the Symbiote and then some action. It feels like there are some pieces that connect those scenes missing, to me. All I'm saying is that there is a good chunk of this movie in which we have no Venom, and it results in some boring scenes. I suppose that now we have the origin out of the way, any sequels will have more Venom.

Another complaint, THIS MOVIE IS SO LOUD!!!! There are action scenes where Venom fights another Symbiote called Riot (which leads to a cliche hero vs villain with similar suit / powers) and it is so noisy. It's either explosions, unnecessary roaring, giant blades slashing things, cars crashing and tons more. As a result, there is some fatigue as it gets tiring after a while to see more boom, crash, bang. Additionally, the effects on the big fights are weirdly less engaging than watching the slimy strands slither around at a very slow pace. Maybe I'm just fascinated by the little things. 

The direction is bad in places. Before I go on, I think Tom Hardy is brilliant. He is one of the most talented actors working today. The fact that he's British too is also nice for me. He can do so much with his material. For example, in Dunkirk he has a mask which obscures most of his face, but yet you still feel every emotion due to his expressive face and somewhat minimal dialogue. Here, I think he was directed badly. He's sort of doing the same thing as Mark Ruffalo in the Avengers franchise, in that he's kind of introverted, enclosed and awkward, all because he has a radically different alter-ego he doesn't want to come out. However, Tom overdoes it on some occasions. He goes a bit crazy in a restaurant in one scene and because he's not being very expressive with his movements, it feels restrained, as if he's holding back all he can really do. And in terms of comparison with Ruffalo, the latter is only better because those traits are more suited to him as an actor and the directing in all his film appearances is far superior to this. Again, Tom is great and I have no issue with him, it's the direction on him which I think is weak. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. 

Conclusion 

Overall, I'd say people are being a bit harsh on Venom. Apart from some weak direction, noisy action scenes and a slow, bloated first half which makes for less Venom time, this is a perfectly fine watch with a good central performance, an interesting dynamic between the two characters, neat visuals and some stand out moments. Obviously I can't say it's an Infinity War level of film, nor is it Deadpool in terms of being in the 15 category, but it works well enough and doesn't fall into the common trap of having the need to kickstart a new universe throughout the whole runtime. If you're quite a jaded fan of Marvel comics then this will pass the time just fine for you, but as for me, I can't say I'll be rewatching this any time soon, maybe if it ends up on Netflix I'll stick it on. My friend made a good comparison with Solo: A Star Wars Story - they're both very much in the shadow of other movies with the same brand attached to them, but it works well enough as its own thing with some decent action and performances. And it isn't the dud of the genre this year to me, I think Aquaman will probably hold that title.

I'm going to give Venom an O 

Spoiler Talk 

Obviously, there are some post credit scenes which suggest different things for Sony's future with the Marvel licence. The mid-credits scene has a brief moment of the very talented Woody Harrelson who plays Carnage, who to my understanding is another Symbiote? Whatever it is, it sets up another film which I think will either be called 'Carnage' or perhaps 'Venom 2'. If so, I hope there is more fun action like the bike chase in this movie, along with less noise during so. 

The post-credits scene was weirdly an overlong clip from the upcoming Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse. Not surprising considering that's another Sony / Marvel movie but odd when you factor in that it'll probably be a PG at most and thus for a very different audience than the main film people came to see. There was also a trailer for it beforehand. The first two trailers had me very excited because they looked different, a Sony Pictures Animation movie that looks like it'll have depth, emotion and some terrific visuals. But this new one scares me that it'll just be a generic kids movie, with bad jokes and too many characters, most of which will probably be a comic relief. But the long sequence after the credits seems visually interesting and the action is well directed, so not all hope is lost and I definitely will see it. 

Technically that last scene wasn't after all the credits, so I don't know if those two were all that was shown, because I left after the Spidey one. I can't missed much though, I'm sure that was all.

Ant-Man and the Wasp - Movie Review

This film is a 12A, was released on August 3rd 2018, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS but at the end there will be a brief discussion of MAJOR SPOILERS

Introduction 

Well Marvel have been rather game changing recently. Prior to this year, people were beginning to get sick of superheroes. But 2 movies almost flipped that idea completely on its head. First, Black Panther, a film that added depth and nuance to a superhero movie all while maintaining the fun. But 2 months later, Avengers: Infinity War came out and shocked the world. But before we find out where our beloved heroes are after the tragic events of that film, we have 2 more to come which will hopefully give a bit of insight. One of which is Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Thoughts Going In 

I really liked the first Ant-Man, it came out at a time where I was still just beginning to get into the MCU but I thought it had great action, crazy visuals as well as a likeable star. It was one of my favourites but gradually got a bit pushed down, especially since we've seen some great entries since 2015. So, I was excited for a follow-up, but even more so after the last film. I had to back away from the YouTube theories and see as much official information as I could. So I was excited and hoping for the best. 

The Story 

After Scott, AKA Ant-Man, came back from the Quantum Realm just fine, Hank Pym and his daughter Hope think that his wife and her mother, Janet, may still be alive as she got stuck in the same place many years ago. Meanwhile, Scott is on house-arrest after what he did in Civil War, but the two bring him in as he seemingly has the best knowledge about the place than they do. But, an evil business owner and a girl with ghostly abilities both want the technology for their own reasons.

What I Liked 

As a cool off from Infinity War, this film really delivers. It maintains the unique style of action that the first one had and it makes way for some really clever scenes. This time, it's more than just the suits that shrink. There's things like cars and buildings constantly going from big to small. The film uses these to its full advantage and it allows for some really creative action. In one car chase scene, the main characters are sat inside a car that fluctuates between the 2 sizes. It is really fun to also see everyday things blown up, for example, a Pez candy dispenser is used at a weapon at one point. And in one scene in a kitchen, the Wasp faces regular kitchen utensils which come off as massive threats. So unlike most other Marvel offerings, this one has an inventive flair from an action standpoint.

Also, as it has major plot importance, the Quantum Realm is really interesting. I have a few issues with it but aesthetically speaking, it's beautiful. We really only saw a segment of it last time and here I think it was fully explored. The jagged and swirly shapes are really intriguing. It definitely does please, especially since it is almost at the centre of this story.

The performances are great, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have great chemistry and they're definitely having fun in this film, but like the last one, Micheal Pena steals the show. In the original he had a few scenes in which he'd explain a needlessly complicated story that we see play out with all the characters involved talking in his voice. Here, we get another, even funnier one. But beyond that his presence is always welcome. Micheal Douglas is as good as always and Hannah John-Kamen continues to impress this year, after her small, but solid, performance in Ready Player One. 

What I Didn't Like 

The film is a little bit all over the place. There are several plots all intertwining at once and it gets a little bit exhausting. You have the main plot with Hope and Hank, Scott being under house arrest and dealing with that, Ghost's plan to use the Quantum Realm, another villain who wants to make a business off of the Quantum Realm, Luiz and his companions and their business, the FBI trying to track down Scott, and an old friend of Hank's who wants to help Ghost. Because of this, it can be hard to follow who is who at certain points. What doesn't help is the fact that some are actually irrelevant, and just exist so that everyone has their own role in an action scene or so there can be more conflict even when all seems fine. That and because of all these people, some have to explain their back story and the film can get bogged down in explaining some motivations. I think the film would've benefited by cutting down on the amount of people involved. Come on, we already had a Marvel movie which juggles a million characters at once, we don't need another one!

Also regarding explanations, another thing bogging the film down is exposition regarding the Quantum Realm. There's a lot of boring mumbo jumbo about how 'we need to do this' or 'now let's try this' and the word Quantum is said about a million times. They clearly are aware of this as at one point someone claims that issue, but that doesn't exactly resolve it, it just means the writers are aware how much repetition of that one word there is. I've also heard people say some elements of the Quantum Realm were underutilized but I won't go into detail because it is spoiler filled. It didn't bother me personally but I cant understand why it annoyed others.

Conclusion 

Overall, whilst it does get slightly bogged down in exposition and maybe suffering from having too many characters, Ant-Man and the Wasp is still is great addition to the MCU with essentially the same strengths as the first, great action, crazy visuals as well as likeable stars. However, because it is more streamlined and easy to follow, I'd have to say the first is slightly better. But, if you need a cool off after Infinity War or you'd just like to see some cool action, you've probably already seen this because I saw it super late...

I'm going to give Ant-Man and the Wasp an S

BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR SPOILER DISCUSSION!

This is really just going to be my thoughts on the end credits scenes. Firstly, the mid-credits scene. During the really nicely stylized credits, I was waiting for the inevitable reveal of what happened to these characters after Infinity War and I am happy how it went. I predicted that Ant-Man would survive but the Wasp and Hank Pym would be in the 50% that faded to dust. I was exactly right! Unless you point out that I never guessed the fate of Janet. I am pleased it has gone like this because hopefully we'll see more of Ant-Man in the currently untitled Avengers 4, assuming he gets out of the Quantum Realm. 

However, the one which followed the credits was a disappointment. I know that most of the scenes after all the credits are usually just a joke, but after films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man: Homecoming, that idea had kind of worn out its welcome. But this year, both Marvel movies has something to offer after the credits, so I was hoping for more than just a big ant playing the drums, which was actually a clip from the trailer. Maybe a scene showing where Hawkeye is, we haven't seen him in a while, did he die? Or maybe finally seeing Captain Marvel for the first time, setting up her own film and possibly Avengers 4. So there were options, but I can't get properly annoyed because the Russos probably want to keep everything as quiet as possible. On the bright side, it was nice to see that Marvel finally had a bit of fun with the ominous text that pops up after the end credits scene, placing a ? after the usual '_____ will return'  

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