Oz the Great and Powerful: Film Review


If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how the Wizard of Oz came to be, you’re curiosity may now be dispelled. What awaits you, unfortunately, is a rather tedious affair with a lack of the Land of Oz’s charm and oddity.

Sam Raimi joins the ranks of directors who have taken old magic, in this case perhaps somewhat literally, and meddled with the potion with CGI to conjure up any stardust and big names to captivate semi-intrigued eyes.

James Franco is Oscar Diggs, the archetypal American trickster with a charming grin and a smart hat to boot, who finds himself sucked into a storm and dumped in the mystical land our forebears adored. There he finds witches in the form of the good Mila Kunis and the bad Rachel Weisz, both alluring and resolute, and Zach Braff who plays the winged monkey.

The story so unfolds that the simple folk of Oz believe Oscar ‘Oz’ Diggs to be the saving grace of their otherwise plagued land, though of course he is but a mere mortal, which brings about problems.

The presence of the Wicked Witch of the East, Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and the gradual transformation of the initially good witch, Theodora (Mila Kunis), into the West’s wicked counterpart is a good touch – as is the inclusion of a lion and the dramatic realisation of how Oz’s large, smoky face came to be that Dorothy and her friends finally come across at the end of this instalment’s supposed sequel.

Oz the Great and Powerful might appeal to a young, Dorothyless audience who might consider delving into the Land of Oz. But there is a lack of magic in Raimi’s journey and ultimately a degree too far of a dismissive lack of servitude to the original.

The casting is spot on, as is some of the brilliant colour and transposition from black and white. The story itself however, is not a commendable enough tribute and the original character and wit has been forgotten.

Director: Sam Raimi
Produced by: Joe Roth
James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Zach Braff, Michelle Williams, Joey King
Release: 2013
Running time: 130 minutes

- Joshua Barrie




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Fast and Furious 6: Film Review


Whether this is actually a film or not is up to you. In my mind, it’s more an algorithm of Nuts magazine, an episode of a particularly destructive Top Gear and an ultra-hard gym.

Now in its sixth instalment, the Fast and Furious series, which started with a moderately well composed supercar-come gangster flick, has now evolved into nothing more than a crazed 15-year-old’s concoction. It’s absolute mayhem and, actually, it’s quite entertaining.

I’m certainly not a fan of Nuts, nor am I all that fond of top gear or gyms filled with meat heads, but from the safety of my sofa I don’t mind watching a collection of supercharged alpha males charge around the West End and Spain trying to sort things out.

After settling down following a successful heist in the last revved up film, the group of petrol heads now find themselves brought back into play after a crazed former Special Forces soldier gets rather unsavoury.

It’s up to Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to pull the old guard together with some bribery and persuasion to stop the soldier from wreaking even more havoc. His primary man is of course Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), who finds himself with no other choice.

In this lengthy, fuelled and ultimately brainless epic (its 130 minutes long), the standard form appears to be simply speed, girls and criminals so revered that the highest authorities can only work with them, rather than against, in defeating the true ‘bad guy’.

The car crashes, immature quips and sleek moves are well moulded and will attract a host of followers. On one level, it’s a very well executed sixth edition; on the other, it’s ridiculous and should never be watched.
I suppose it’s relatively Marmite in composition. There’s really nothing wrong with it. But there’s really nothing to it, either. That said, I reiterate, it’s quite entertaining really.

Director: Justin Lin
Produced by: Neal H. Moritz; Vin Diesel; Clayton Townsend
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Sung Kang, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, John Ortiz
Release: May 2013
Running time: 130 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


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Hangover Part III: Film Review


As with the norm, the Hangover saga has steadily declined in feasibility, originality and most importantly, humour.

After forcefully, yet thankfully, thrusting the first Vegas epic on us all, the alcohol – and such – fuelled flick made even a stiff grandmother laugh. It is unsurprising that we now find ourselves amid a trilogy.

The second Hangover saw Bangkok as the setting and without question simply retold the tale in a new environment. It was strangely reflective of a typical fan: get drunk at home and have a laugh; go to Thailand and do the same there in the hope that something magical will happen. While Bangkok undoubtedly does often offer that escapism and ‘next level’, the film did not see a similar effect.

Now, the third take is upon us, as director Todd Phillips injects the tired characters back where it all started. It’s a nice idea in theory, a full circle; if anything was going to work this was it. Sadly, the film offers little more than a replay. A lacklustre attempt at rekindling an old flame with a lazy script and a drowsy plot.

Despite car chases and a pacey feel, it lacks energy. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha and even Zach Galifianakis fail to forge the bond of old as Phil, Stu, Doug and Alan. They seemed a bit bored. It’s a kidnapping, a mob boss and some fast driving.

Hangover created a dude’s night out with style and charisma. It had its ease, misdirection in parts and erratic points, but they were overcome by Mike Tyson punching Alan in the face, or contriving the Wolf Pack. No film seemed better over a beer.

Yet the beer, evidently, has run dry. It will take much more than a pill on a roof to get the party going again and really, while the third is understandable, it really is utterly pointless in cinematic terms.

Director: Todd Phillips
Produced by: Todd Phillips; Daniel Goldberg
Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Zach Galifinakis, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Jeffrey Tambor, John Goodman
Release: 2013
Running time: 100 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


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The Great Gatsby: Film Review



It would be nice if people put down their copies of The Great Gatsby, a novel so brilliant it makes Champagne look like Lambrini, and appreciate film for film’s sake. I found it refreshing the other day, listening to a conversation between two people who had just watched Baz Luhrmann’s dazzling, explosive take who had decidedly not read the book. I know this because person A asked person B if he had heard of the author, to which person B replied ‘no’.

As a result, they were upbeat and merry on their exit of the cinema. They praised the effects, Di Caprio’s wonderful charisma and the vibrancy and electricity of it all. 1920s New York – who wouldn’t want to have been at one of Gatsby’s parties? Luhrmann certainly throws a lavish watch for the eye; takes on those golden jazz days with colour and song.

But of course if you compare the adaptation to the novel, you are left with disappointment. Perhaps a bitterness at the very joviality of it all. How Fitzgerald’s subtlety is left behind, how his intricacy and his complexity is left shattered in a million bubbles and blinded by sparkling light.

The author himself conjured up these scenes, sure. But he did so with a different tone entirely. The book, we all know, is a masterpiece of literature. It does things Luhrmann, or indeed probably very few if any directors could do, however brilliant the cast and resounding the budget.

This year’s telling of the tale marks nothing masterful. But then to me, it is far from catastrophic in design. It throws the book out the window, having read it and positively enjoyed it, had a bottle of wine and thrown it onto screen. It doesn’t thwart the original wit, charm or intelligence of it all, it celebrates it in a new and exciting way.
Di Caprio as Gatsby is wonderful. Carrey Mulligan as Daisy, too, is excellent casting. Tobey McGuire as our guide Nick Carraway is perhaps the closest thing to the novel as anything.

The Great Gatsby of 2013 is nothing of the 1920s. Perhaps it is completely out of focus, maybe it would look a fool in brogues. But it’s a fantastical drama, which, as films go offers a feast for the eyes if nothing more. Read the book and marvel at Fitzgerald, at the story that unfolds. Watch the film and just relax. It’s not that bad.

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Produced by: Baz Luhrmann; Douglas Wick; Lucy Fisher; Catherine Martin; Catherine Knapman
Leonardo Di Caprio, Isla Fisher, Carrey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke, Elizabeth Debicki, Adelaide Clemens
Release: 2013
Running time: 143 minutes

- Joshua Barrie




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Dead Man Down: Film Review



There aren’t many better than Colin Farrell at playing the neurotic; the confused; the paranoid; the dreamboat; the drunk. Or all at the same time. His brilliant performance in In Bruge was nearly topped recently in Seven Psychopaths. And he is not restricted by skill in the characters he plays – nor is he constrained to do so.

He is very much at the heart of Dead Man Down, which sadly isn’t a good thing. What appears to be a harrowing and twisting tale early on quickly descends into a meaningless, supposedly thrilling gangster farce. It is lacking in substance and while Farrell is joined by the likes of Dominic Cooper and Noomi Rapace, with Niels Arden Oplev at the helm, Dead Man Down offers nothing more than chasing bad guys, good guys, shoot outs and some pretty faces.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Oplev’s wonderfully strong and clever Swedish film of four years ago, showed his ability to weave complexity and compel an audience with darkness and with beauty. None of this is evident here however, and all that’s left is a painfully standard criminal flick. What it puts out in variants in plot and numerous subtexts, it lacks in actual substance; in what could have given such rewarding exchanges between the likes of Farrell and Cooper.

It’s not that it’s entirely awful – it’s got some nice touches and a degree of excitement. But it’s disappointing when the likes of Oplev and Farrell could provide far, far more.

Director: Niels Arden Polev
Produced by: Neal H. Moritz; J.H. Wyman
Colin Farrell, Dominic Cooper, Noomi Repace, Terrence Howard, Isabelle Huppert
Release: 2013
Running time: 117 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


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