The London 2012 Olympic ceremony has begun and what a ceremony it has been. Gotta say, I was impressed and I tip my hat off to Danny Boyle for making a ceremony that reaches out to the British public as much as it excites any foreign viewers who likely missed a lot of the nods and in-jokes that were embedded. Highlights for me were the appearances of Kenneth Branagh and Rowan Atkinson, the skit involving James Bond and the Queen (like, the actual Queen), and the extravagant dances illustrating British literature and music. Londoners in particular might have grumbled and moaned about the many failings leading up to the Games and the prospect of heavy crowding and congestion, but in the end we were all really looking forward to the Olympics arriving here and you can bet that we'll be glued to our televisions to see a moment of national history - the Olympics might come to Britain again during the lives of our younger children, but for many of us this is a once in a lifetime event and one that'll hopefully be positively etched in our memories for decades. So, be ready to shout out your support for your favourite athletes in your favourite events this summer, I know I'll be looking out for Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Mark Cavendish and a score of other British athletes hoping to make their country and hometown proud. Some sports might be seen as less impressive than the big track and field events, but you have to remember that in order to get to this point these athletes literally have to become the best of the best, the best in their country, in order to have the opportunity to try and become the best in the world for at least one moment in history. Pretty big achievement for all involved.
I'm sure the luckier among you were able to find a cinema still with seats open to see one of the most anticipated films of the year. The Avengers might have whet your need for superhero action for a while, and The Amazing Spiderman might have...well...reminded you that not all comic adaptations are epic (just my opinion, I know many people liked it...just not many that I'm friends with), but The Dark Knight Rises has been the film that everyone's really been waiting for, albeit with baited breath. Can Nolan and Bale hit the same mark of greatness they achieved in the last Batman outing? In my books, yes, yes they can.
Now, I can't in good faith give away too much about the film because it hasn't been out nearly long enough to presume that everybody has seen it. So I will just give a quick run through of what you can look forward to:
New Villains: The Dark Knight introduced Batman's most infamous nemesis - The Joker, and that paired with the performance of the late Heath Ledger meant that many, including myself, wondered if The Dark Knight could be topped. Then we heard that The Dark Knight Rises would include Bane - one of the more interesting villains that if you have a moment you should look up, and Catwoman. The boots of Bane are filled by a British superstar Tom Hardy who again manages to bulk up to a simply ridiculous size to portray the hulking villain, yet still retains the presence and charisma that showed the young actor to be a ever rising talent. Bane is a much more grounded villain who has just as strong ideals as The Joker, but none of the insanity. He may not show a love for wanton destruction, but he is not shy of it either, and he really does manage to capture every scene he is a part of. There's something about the way he talks and the somewhat relaxed demeanour of Bane that makes him a truly chilling villain, and although The Joker was terrifying for a different reason, Bane by no means is an easy follow-up for our caped crusader.
Not only that, but Catwoman has entered the fray and plays a prominent role in the fate of Gotham this time round. Anne Hathaway was, perhaps unfairly, a slight worry for the role - though that may be because the more recent renditions of Catwoman would seem out of place for Nolan's Batman franchise. But, come on, this is Chrisopher Nolan we're talking about here. I personally think Catwoman, and Hathaway, are a welcome presence in this film and although some of her lines are a bit grating, she makes up for it by not simply being a ridiculous sex kitten character, but a fleshed out icon that strengthens rather than tarnishes the series.
Darker Batman? - The plot of The Dark Knight Rises certainly makes no effort to pull any punches so expect a much higher body-count that previous outings and just as much emotional investment. This film is meant to take place a good while after the events of The Dark Knight and the fate of those involved in that film, so expect to see the fallout as a result. Gotham is different, and so is Bruce Wayne. Christian Bale allows us to see a lot more of Bruce Wayne this time around, and the struggles he has to go through in making the choice to be a hero for his city. I'm glad that Bale's acting chops have been recently recognised by an Academy Award, and he fires out another stellar performance this time round, reminding you that Batman is Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne is not unbreakable - he needs to overcome a lot in this film.
Not the lone hero - The other element of the Nolan Batman films that have made them so exemplary is the level of talent in the support cast and the thought that goes in to the development of the support characters. Alfred (Michael Caine), Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) are all back in force, and with such acting talent at the helm you can expect some meaty performances on the good-side of the table. Then we have the new characters of Blake and Miranda Tate, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard respectively. Blake, a young 'hot-headed' police officer who is determined to take a hands on approach to helping Gotham and Batman, and Miranda Tate who has visions of helping Gotham from a different position, allying herself with Bruce Wayne and Wayne enterprises in their ventures for a better city. The title fight may be between Batman and Bane, but Batman can't do it alone.
Twists, turns and tie-ins - For those of you have seen Nolan's other films and other Batman editions, you will know that you can expect an exciting and rough ride in terms of plot, and The Dark Knight Rises manages to keep a tension that builds steadily and keeps hold of threads that have carried over from the previous films. This is Nolan and Bale's last Batman film, and they finish gloriously. The plot isn't hard to follow so you won't feel lost at any point, but it is intriguing enough to hold your attention anyway. Fans will probably spot things that others wouldn't but there is enough excitement and enough surprises to keep everyone entertained.
The other bits - Just for those who are interested, expect the same booming scores from Hans Zimmerman - hope that your cinema gets the sound levels right as at some times the music can make the dialogue a little hard to decipher, though not at particularly important points. There's a heap load of action, Bat-gadgets and explosions, but what is different about this Batman is how much of it is set in daytime. I think this shows that Batman is forced, at points, to come out of his element of darkness to deal with an enemy who is a far larger challenge than he has yet to have faced, and it won't be as easy as jumping up behind enemies with a swoosh of a cape. The film itself is long, very long, but it's definitely worth it and doesn't really slow down enough to remind you how much time you've been sitting down.
So, general consensus? The Dark Knight Rises is an amazing end to a spectacular trilogy. If you haven't seen the preceding films, the length and drama might be a bit overwhelming, but why would anyone see the last film of a trilogy without seeing the lead up? Madness. It is a shame that there won't be any more Bale and Nolan Batman outings, but everyone knows that the longer a franchise runs the higher the risk of it losing its magic touch, so its reassuring to know that the Batman can finish on a high.
I would also like to add that my thoughts go out to those who were affected by the tragedy surrounding the premier showing of this film in Aurora, Colarado. There is really nothing I can say that can describe how devastating and unfair the world can be, and I really hope that everyone wishes strength and compassion for those involved.
I'm going to quickly list the good parts of this film, just to get it out of the way. Don't worry, it won't take long. Firstly; the acting is pretty solid, despite the somewhat questionable material - Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Michael Sheen and Rhys Ifans to name a few stars. Secondly; there are some funny moments. Not many, but a couple. Thirdly; when you do see Spiderman, he's pretty sweet, his fight scenes work well and are exciting enough. Other than that, I honestly can say I'm not entirely sure why this film was made (other than to obviously allow Spiderman to enter The Avengers at some point? Maybe?) and I don't know why anyone would choose to see it over the Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi editions that weren't made long enough ago to justify a reboot. X-Men: First Class was good because it offered something new that made sense in regard to the previous films. The Amazing Spiderman is a re-boot, and so it re-tells the story of Spiderman and reintroduces the characters. The problem is, it doesn't have the heart of the previous Spiderman films, and if you have already seen those original films then you will find the 'Amazing' version diluted in comparison.
So where does The Amazing Spiderman go wrong? The original Spiderman films were great because you really cared about the characters and the struggles that come with being the masked superhero for Peter Parker. The Spiderman character was, at least in the first two films, a character you were really rooting for. But Amazing doesn't have the same heart. Andrew Garfield is a great actor, but his Peter Parker just seems like a ass-hat teenager, with none of the awkwardness or innocence that Tobey Maguire managed to convey. I have to stress that this isn't Garfield's fault, just the material that he was given. Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacey brilliantly, but her relationship with Peter Parker seems rushed with none of the sweetness and torment that was found with Mary-Jane. There is barely a relationship with Aunt May, and although Uncle Ben's inevitable demise is just as depressing as any other rendition, the relationship he had with his nephew just wasn't as tight. I won't talk about the villain as that could be seen as a spoiler, but their intentions and character are weak. The main character is of course, Spiderman, the alter-ego of Peter Parker. And again, he's just not that amazing. We barely have any chance to see Spidey fighting crime, and for goodness sakes, the guy just won't keep his mask on. Seriously, the amount of stuff Peter Parker seems to do with his face fully on show is ridiculous. There's a point where Spiderman is asked to identify himself by a cop, and retorts something along the lines of "you guy's really aren't understanding the point of the mask" - yet he reveals himself to Gwen Stacy, swings around in plain clothes and attacks criminals with nothing other than a hat. Spiderman was always meant to struggle with keeping his big secret, and it was a big deal when villains found out his true identity. The way this villain finds out is...urgh.
So the characters aren't as approachable and you won't care as much about them or their relationships with each other. What else? The plot isn't particularly complex which is fine, but it seems to take too long to arrive at the important parts and as a result rushes and squashes a lot into the last half an hour. I don't know much about direction, but there were certain shots where you can view from Spiderman's perspective, which although interesting at first, gets boring and jarring on the third or fourth time. The music, at points, seems completely out of place - I never thought I'd miss Danny Elfman. There are too many odd "what the hell, really?" moments - too many "yeah that doesn't quite work" moments, even for a superhero film. The CGI effects and what-not are commendable, and although I don't like the general look of the main villain, they do a good job of bringing them to life. Everything else falls flat.
So, I really wasn't convinced by this web-slinging romp. Long, not boring but not as exhilarating as the other superhero films out at the moment, and severely pales in comparison to the other Spiderman and Marvel films.
Yes, the Lynx (or Axe) adverts are generally ridiculous and some may take offence to the scantily clad models that lust after those who buy it, but the adverts are also generally hilarious. These new short adverts which can be picked on the YouTube homepage at the moment are pretty funny, so I thought I would collect and share them for you. The Party Girl above - the amount of times I've broken my own code of 'never dance' to try to keep an energetic stunner entertained, just to have her leave with a wave and nothing more; who knew I just needed the right Lynx showergel!
The Sporty Girl - I knew I should have taken up a real sport to excel at - Ultimate Frisbee only impresses women who actually play Ultimate Frisbee. Damnit.
The High-Maintenance Girl - I learnt the hard way that you should never accompany a girl shopping unless you are going out with them or at least have the possibility of being rewarded for your patience. I mean seriously, do women actually think we would volunteer to do this for free?!
The Brainy Girl - I suppose feigning interest in something intellectual is more rewarding than feigning interest in celebrity gossip or The Only Way is Essex
The Flirty Girl - perhaps my favourite and the most heart-breaking girl. If you've ever been with a girl like this, I applaud you for your perseverance, confidence and ability to not sucker punch every guy who makes eyes at your woman. If the above ever happens, however, you don't need my applause.
I really don't know much about the producers, director or writers behind this film, but it hit the spot. It's funny, charming, sexy (see Meagan Good and Gabrielle Union for the dudes, Michael Ealy and Terrence Jenkins for the dudettes) and well produced - not too long and not too short, with a plot that isn't ground-breaking in terms of most romantic-comedies, but is still fresh enough to surprise you. There are star-studded cameos, some better than others, and a number of the lines can be guaranteed to wriggle into London slang talk if enough people see it. Kevin Hart is hilarious in it and it's great to see him in a bigger part than usual, and he is just as able to make fun of himself in a big picture as he is in his stand-up routines. If you see it in a cinema, expect to constantly hear hilarious commentary from groups of women around you, as well as applause for some of the pure class moments that the male characters have. I have a couple of favourite scenes, but I can't appropriately describe them to you without stealing the magic. All I will say is; the 'chirp chirp girl' scene with the flash car, 'did that boy just steal my coffee?' and pretty much every scene with Kevin Hart.
I realise I probably haven't done this film much justice, but seriously, if you're waiting around for the big blockbusters to come around and you want to take your significant other to something that you both will genuinely enjoy, go see Think Like A Man - it looks to have a pretty limited release in my area, so catch it while you can!
Most annoying thing ever ever ever for film lovers
No, not British films about good looking female athletes overcoming adversity and blah blah blah - good sports films work well in getting adrenaline pumping and perhaps more importantly getting people into the sports that they glamorously advertise (see films like Bend it like Beckham or Cinderella Man) but the thing that annoys me about the above trailer is the fact that I feel that I have seen most of the film by watching it condensed into a 2 minute advert. Understandably, this looks like it could quite a low budget film that won't push boundaries, so will need to really capture the attention of the viewer to get bums on seats, but from watching this I already know that; the main character has a crush on another character and gets with him, that the main character has a rivalry with another character but that this is resolved, and that any drama that for whatever reason would add tension is resolved in the end. Great. Again, I know that this isn't a film that everyone has been looking forward to, but so many films do this. It's really annoying. When a film is coming out that I have REALLY been looking forward to, I will deliberately avoid trailers and news in the weeks coming up to release. Take for example The Dark Knight Rises which is out later this month - I kid you not that I have closed my eyes and plugged my ears whilst sitting next to my friend in the cinema, with him on the order to tap me when it finishes. The difference is, however, that I am fairly certain that the Batman trailers won't give away anything too devastating so that it takes away from any particularly jaw-dropping sequences, while Fast Girls (above) although not a blockbuster, has meant that I don't feel I'll be surprised by anything that it has to offer.
Now, the obvious rebuttal of my rant is that I haven't seen the film, so I don't actually know if there is something exciting being kept from us. Like maybe aliens turn up or there's a zombie-apocalypse and these four relay girls are pretty set because they can, like, run really fast. But there are plenty of trailers that do a film justice while not giving anything major away. The trailer for Prometheus (2012) was good enough to generate heap loads of hype despite being a sub-par film, and while the trailer for Inception (2010) displayed some of the jaw-dropping scenes, it only gave glimpses and there were still scenes that came as a complete shock. In my opinion, this is how all trailers should perform:
Comedy films - show ONE of the best gags and some of the lesser ones - keep others in the chamber
Action films - show a few explosions, an excerpt of a car chase or a gun fight or whatever, and a sexy lady.
Science Fiction - SPAAAAAACEEEEEE but remain mysterious about what is out there
Romance - set the premise, show the characters, but for the love of god don't actually show us if they get together in the end
Westerns - horses and guns and sand and shit
All films - Don't do what Fast Girls did and include an announcement saying 'with music from...' - I don't care what artists have lent their vocals to the soundtrack. This wont happen; "Oh good lord, these characters are severely underdeveloped and this plot is dull, but I can forgive this because they used that track by Tinie Tempah that I like so much"
But yeah, good trailers but keep us guessing. Thank-you everyone.
I've only read snippets of information around this potential release, but it looks like a remake of probably one of the best Western films ever is in the works. Now, sometimes there'll be a collective intake of breath at even the suggestion of remaking a classic, and a lot of people will be concerned that once again Hollywood will attempt to drag a piece of classic cinema through the mud. But this hasn't always been shown to be true. While remakes such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) with Keanu Reeves or The Wickerman (2006) with the hilarious Nic Cage might have bombed, other attempts have managed to at least be good enough to introduce an old film to a potentially new audience. For example, I really enjoyed True Grit (2010) and I've never seen the original - so in seeing and enjoying the modern rendition of the film, I am much more likely to go back and watch the original at some point. Maybe I'll find that the original is better, but if I never get round to seeing it I'll still be pretty satisfied with the version that I've seen. The Ocean's Eleven films were great, 3:10 to Yuma (2007) is another great Western remake, and there are a number of films that wouldn't necessarily be called remakes so much as re-imaginings. Even the original Magnificent Seven (1960) is a remake of Seven Samurai (1954) - which is just as good with the added bonus of katanas!
The reason most of the good re-makes work is down to good direction and good casting. Christopher Nolan has brought Batman from a pretty mediocre run of films, and sticking acting greats such as Jeff Bridges, Russell Crowe and George Clooney in the above mentioned films surely helped each film with its success, so in the case of this Magnificent Seven remake, the rumours of Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner has to be a good sign. Each of this actors has probably had a very limited number of bad films, but the vast majority of their films and performances have been top class - so surely having them all together in an ensemble kick-ass Western can only tip the odds in epic proportions. If, and none of this has been officially confirmed as of yet, these four actors are down to play some of the Seven themselves, that - if my maths is correct - will leave three more slots to be filled up, and with actors of such high calibre already you can bet that there'll be more brilliance to be added.
I think the reason why I find myself more able to give this re-make a chance than I would some other attempts is because Western films, which are some of the best films - especially for lads -, have more or less passed by my generation. Yes, it would be nice if there could be original stories and characters bringing Westerns back into cinema, but some of the old classics are just so good that it'd be criminal to not introduce new audiences to them in a new form. I do sometimes find it hard to go back and watch the originals, especially when many of them are made over sixty years ago, partly because it can actually be hard to get hold of a decent copy. So while it would definitely be criminal to attempt to remake The Godfather, some of the ventures into the ol' West are more than welcome in my opinion. I wish I was a cowboy.
