I wish more weeks were book-ended with films like that!
WRECK-IT RALPH
* * * *
Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD
"A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives."
(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.imbd.com UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE)
Wreck-It Ralph is the wonderful kind of animation that effortlessly appeals to both children and adults alike, thanks to the constant juxtaposition of old and new games, with the "retro" vibes of pixilating Pac-Man characters interacting with modern soldiers in an alien battle game in the tongue-in-cheek 'Game Central Station'. It's both nostalgic and brand new, with a ridiculously vibrant colour palette and graphics that offer a feast for the eyes. All of the games are depicted in such rich detail that at times it feels a waste to hop from one to another and not spend the entire film exploring each individual world, but director Rich Moore somehow ensures that each game is given the right amount of screen time within the 100 minute time frame. At no point do you feel short-changed by spending more time in 'Sugar Rush' than in 'Hero's Duty'.
The characters are just wonderful. Under normal circumstances it would make no sense at all to throw them all together but it's the extreme differences between them all - both in terms of size, age, temperament, backstory - that adds another ingenious layer of charm to the film. Protagonist Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) is thoroughly likeable, and although Sarah Silverman's Vanellope von Schweetz is horrendously annoying it's easy to see why children would take to her.
It's an unlikely tale, but watching a 'villain' desperately wanting to become the hero in a world that won't allow him to is surprisingly endearing. Ralph may be the bad guy, but he's definitely not a bad guy.
UP
* * * * *
Sky Movies // 2009 // DVD
"To avoid being taken away to a nursing home, an old widower tries to fly his home to Paradise Falls, South America, along with a boy scout who accidentally lifted off with him."
I always forget how utterly brilliant, imaginative and touching Up actually is, mainly because it's not as flashy as other Pixar offerings like The Incredibles and Monsters Inc.. That being said, I think there's a strong case to be made for it being one of Pixar's best stand-alone films. It's the type of film that successfully shows that a children's animation has the power to be gut-wrenchingly heart-breaking and full of emotional depth while simultaneously boasting the humour of a talking dog and sheer genius of a floating house.
It's just fantastic, and if you don't cry after the first 15 minutes then you're either lying or have a heart of stone.
THE OTHER GUYS
* * *
Netflix // 2010 // DVD
"Two mismatched New York City detectives seize an opportunity to step up like the city's top cops whom they idolize -- only things don't quite go as planned."
"I'm a peacock, you gotta let me fly!"
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are a comedic match made in heaven as two disgraced New York City detectives - a nerdy, rule-abiding ex-pimp and the man who shot Derek Jeter - forced to work together filling in the paper-work for high flying heroic duo Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. The laughs are a-plenty and Ferrell is on top form: he does awkward and uncool ridiculously well, and his interactions with Wahlberg are brilliant. It's the type of film you'll be quoting for weeks (or years in my case…), and although it's not going to change the world or take its place in the history books as a truly great comedy, it's harmless, hilarious fun.
Make sure to look out for a fantastic turn from Michael Keaton as the washed-up TLC-quoting Captain forced to take shifts at Bed, Bath & Beyond to pay the bills. As far as I'm concerned, he steals every scene he's in.
ENOUGH SAID
* * *
Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD
"A divorced woman who decides to pursue the man she's interested in learns he's her new friend's ex-husband."
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late, great James Gandolfini deliver heartfelt performances as mismatched couple Albert and Eva in Enough Said, which although I found to be a little disappointing is still an intelligent, humorous and perceptive film. Although Louis-Dreyfus is given the most screen-time it is Gandolfini that really shines, coming into his own in smaller scenes bursting with emotional intimacy: he is quietly and subtly brilliant.
It shouldn't work but somehow does. This isn't an air-brushed yet over-dramatic textbook Hollywood romance but instead an awkward and delightfully real meeting of two likeminded people trying to do the right thing but constantly making the wrong choices.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
* * * *
Sky Movies // 2006 // DVD
"A naive young woman comes to New York and scores a job as the assistant to one of the city's biggest magazine editors, the ruthless and cynical Miranda Priestly."
The Devil Wears Prada is unapologetically guilt-free viewing for me, as no-one does cold, successful fashion editor quite like Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt crying about carbs while ferociously spooning chocolate mousse into her mouth is just brilliant and a sight to behold. Featuring New York, Paris, a cameo from Valentino and an abundance of Hermès scarves - what's not to like?
THE GREAT GATSBY
* * *
Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD
"A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbour."
I really, really want to love this but sadly it always falls short and doesn't live up to my expectations. Visually, Baz Luhrmann has created a masterpiece, with beautiful costumes and elaborate (largely green screen) sets that capture the opulent spirit of the roaring twenties and the vibrant, insanely over-the-top parties that seem to drive the film forward. The soundtrack is amazing, yet ridiculously odd. It's more than obvious what Luhrmann wants to achieve by using artists such as Jay-Z and Emeli Sandé, and once you get past the weird concept of watching flappers dance to will.i.am it works wonderfully and is actually pretty ingenious.
It looks incredible but sadly - old sport - there's no real substance. That's the problem: it seems like so much time and effort has gone into how the film looks and sounds that once you strip all of that away what's left is average at best. The visuals are so dazzling and impressive that they completely distract from the plot and the acting which is a real shame given the calibre of the cast and the source material, neither of which are given a real chance to shine. Ironically the film feels like Gatsby himself: all champagne and crazy parties to distract from what lies beneath.
THE IMITATION GAME
* * * *
Vue Cheshire Oaks // 2014 // In UK cinemas now
"English mathematician and logician, Alan Turing, helps crack the Enigma code during World War II."
I think I've been looking forward to The Imitation Game since it was announced that an Alan Turning biopic was in the works. Having a dad that's nerdily obsessed with code breaking and Enigma machines, words and phrases such as Caesar-shifts, codewords, Bletchley Park and cryptanalysis fit comfortably amongst my vocabulary. Although I'm not particularly well-versed in the very specific nuances between different models of Enigma machines and other such code breaking equipment, having seen and handled several original Enigmas I like to think I could muddle my way round one and point out a few features.
It's impossible to have any sort of awareness of this topic without having heard of Alan Turing, the astonishingly talented British mathematician who is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. Along with a team of cryptologists, Turing successfully broke the 'unbreakable' German Enigma code at the top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. Their achievements are estimated to have shortened the war by 2 years and saved around 14 million lives, but their remarkable work remained hidden and unrecognised after the war due to government secrecy acts. Turing's life had a tragic end as he was prosecuted for homosexual acts - which were illegal at the time - in 1952 and sadly committed suicide in 1954.
There's no doubt that it's a tough sell, but The Imitation Game does Turing's life - and most importantly his work during the war - justice thanks to a brilliant ensemble cast lead by Benedict Cumberbatch. He is a tour de force in the main role, carrying the film with a career-defining performance as Turing. He plays the socially awkward mathematician with an intensity and sensitivity that you'd expect from the Sherlock actor, but this genius seems an awful lot more human and the stakes are so much higher. The film jumps in time from the work cracking the Enigma code during the war to Turing's interrogation by the police in 1951. Cumberbatch does intimate character-focused scenes and breakdowns so, so well, and allowing him explore the older Turing more would have given him the perfect opportunity to really flesh out the isolation and sadness in his post-war years. That being said, he's so good in the earlier scenes that everything that follows a decade later has a real gravitas and poignancy that I doubt any other actor could have achieved.
For a war film that shows very little of the physical fighting director Morten Tyldum has crafted an extremely tense film that finally highlighted how incredibly important brains were in the battle against Nazism. Even with a forgone conclusion, who knew assembling a computer to crack a code could be so compelling and utterly thrilling to watch?
Did you see The Imitation Game this week? Or have you been catching up on some old favourites? Let me know in the comments below!
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