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The Guest (2014)
A Fantastic Cliché
Adam Wingard's 'The Guest', is for almost the entirety of the film, absolutely submerged in clichés, from the high-school bullies to the withdrawn but intelligent son and attractive, rebellious older daughter combo. But this is in no means a criticism, as this use of classic film staples only creates even more of a shock when they come crashing down in the final act of the film. The slow-burn, and on the surface-level, seemingly generic first half of the film is used to build a complete picture of American ordinariness, the mid-level, mid-life, over-drinking father, and stay-at-home mother, as well as the afore-mentioned children, are so commonplace in film that they become instantly relatable, and when the thrilling finale gets under way, it becomes all the more astonishing as it unfolds. Wingard's taut, tense shots of the Ryan Gosling-esque Dan Stevens building turmoil are masterful, and the ability to excel at this and both the later action scenes add to an extremely captivating 100 minutes, that could provide his breakthrough into the mainstream.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Possibly the most disappointing film of the year.
At least with this year's 'Godzilla', I went into it expecting a clichéd action movie, but with 'Dawn', the series has,(rightfully or not is a different question), gained a reputation as being able to balance thoughtful reflection with enjoyment, and so I was looking for it to transcend traditional tropes of the genre.
But it didn't.
However hard the film tries to convince you of its intelligence, its an average action flick. The storyline is bland, an unbelievably predictable, relying on caricatures, not characters, to provide the conflict both within the human and ape species and between them. A corny script, filled with forced sympathy and unconvincing moments of bonding, that results in characters we don't really care for, most notably, and worryingly, the main human character.
So why have I given what is clearly a very flawed film a 6? If I dislike it that much why not give it lower? My rating is completely based on the brilliance of the CGI, which provides breathtaking realism to the encounters between simians and humans, and brings to life the main action scene, complete with horse-riding monkeys wielding machine guns. At points you forget that Andy Serkis' Caesar is, well, Andy Serkis, and the technical achievements of the films special effects make it more enjoyable than the story deserves.
The Thin Red Line (1998)
The Thinking Man's War Film
"I like you captain, and I'd just want you to know that, we're in this thing together" growls Lt. Col. Gordon Tall early in what has to be one of the most innovative war films ever made, and that is truly how the audience feels, as if they are it with the characters. The perfect cinematography and directing create such immersion, that we really feel as though we are one of Charlie company, fighting alongside them. This practically first person view contributes to this being possibly the most visually stimulating war film ever made, and this allows the audience to really picture the horror of combat. When combined with fantastic performances from the likes of Nick Nolte, whose deranged persistence is a highlight of his career, the film is as thought provoking as the best of all war films, Apocalypse Now, and a comparison to that shows how brilliant a film Terrence Malick has created.
Enduring Love (2004)
Nowhere near as good as the novel.
Having massively enjoyed Ian McEwan's original, I decided to watch the film adaptation, and was thoroughly disappointed. Roger Michell's decision to leave out two of the best scenes in the book, and to largely alter the ending, left me feeling cheated. Parry's assassination attempt on Joe's life in the novel is hugely important in building suspense to the final scene, and Joe's purchase of a gun injected some humour into an otherwise very bleak plot. Missing these two scenes, and curtailing perhaps the most important scene, the balloon accident, which takes up over a chapter in the novel, to a matter of minutes, made some of the later incidents unbelievable, as it did not seem convincing that Joe would be so traumatised by something portrayed as being so fleeting. While some of the acting (Rhys Ifans) redeemed the film to an extent, it still remained unsatisfying. To anyone who did not enjoy the film, I would still recommend that they read the novel, as it is hugely enjoyable, very well written, and most importantly, a very different experience from the film.
Jarhead (2005)
One of the best war films ever made
For me, Jarhead is one of the best war films ever made, and certainly the best on the Kuwait conflict. It was not until after the film I checked reviews for it, and was shocked to find it being overlooked and criticised because of it's "lack of action". This shows an utter misinterpretation of the film, one of the main themes of which is the unbelievable build up to what was a 4 day ground battle, in which Jake Gyllenhaal remarks that he "never even fired my rifle". The long, drawn out wait for that "one kill" is what drives the movie, and was something I found completely fascinating. I would highly recommend you watch it, or if you watched it and didn't enjoy it, re-watch it, thinking about it from this angle. It is an enthralling, realistic account of a soldier's life in war.
The Island (2005)
An interesting concept dragged down by self-indulgent, ridiculous scenes from Michael Bay
From the first 20 minutes of 'The Island', I was intrigued, the building uneasiness and suspicion created was interesting, but as the film went on, I became less and less impressed. The child-like gimmick, of them both having no knowledge of he outside world, that both Ewan Mcgregor and Scarlett Johannson indulge, quickly grows old. The overdrawn chase/fight/ridiculous building collapse scenes become almost a parody of Michael Bay's directorial work, endless explosions and gunfire. The impossibility of these scenes detract from the clever concept of celebrity clones the film revolves around. While Ewan Mcgregor's second appearance in the film, and dialogue with himself was amusing at points, and added to evidence throughout the film that it had the potential to be brilliant, but that it fell short with Michael Bay at the helm.