It's a mixed bag this week, from stylish but flawed romance The Age of Adaline; to classic Jack Ryan in Patriot Games; generic Liam Neeson action-thriller Non-Stop and pure food porn from Jon Favreau with Chef. Something for everyone then?!
THE AGE OF ADALINE
* * *
2015 // In U.K. cinemas now
"A young woman, born at the turn of the 20th century, is rendered ageless after an accident. After many solitary years, she meets a man who complicates the eternal life she has settled into."
(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.imdb.com)
As far as (sort-of) supernatural romances go, The Age of Adaline isn't exactly bad, but it's certainly not great either. Providing you don't think about the premise too much and just accept the idea that following a car crash and a bolt of lightning in 1924 Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) never ages, the whole film kind of makes sense. It's ludicrous, yes, but still inventive and full of potential. Sadly director Lee Toland Krieger never quite commits to the bonkers story and leaves behind a wonderfully stylish film that has very little substance beneath its romantic facade.
It could have been so good - and I was really, really hoping it would be! Unfortunately leading lady Blake Lively seems incapable of shaking off Serena van der Woodsen. The two New Years Eve scenes, in particular, that bookend the film feature two truly stunning gowns that only Lively could pull off with such aplomb. However it's impossible to view her as anything other than the Upper East Side party girl that she initially shot to fame for as the costumes here all but scream "Serena". She does successfully demonstrate the ability to blend into any decade and thus no end of different fashions, but once again Lively isn't given adequate room to prove her acting credentials and instead she's essentially a clotheshorse. Her acting is also wooden, and while it's obvious she's supposed to be conveying the reserve and old-school poise of the frozen-in-time Adeline it doesn't work and she's ridiculously dull to watch.
Likewise, Michiel Huisman gives a thoroughly forgettable performance. In all fairness it's not exactly his fault - the character of Ellis is such a fantasy it's impossible to believe he could actually exist, and it's obvious he's only there as a generic, handsome counterpart to Lively's more interesting Adaline. It's refreshing to see a man used as eye candy to develop a woman's storyline instead of the other way round, but it just highlights how annoying it is to watch either way.
Don't be fooled by the trailers: this isn't a tear-jerking melodrama. It is, however, as beautiful and stylish as suggested and visually it's a real treat to watch. Just make sure you don't look into the plot too far and expect too much, as odds are you'll just be baffled and disappointed (as I was!).
PATRIOT GAMES
* * * *
Sky Movies // 1992 // DVD
"When CIA Analyst Jack Ryan interferes with an IRA assassination, a renegade faction targets him and his family for revenge."
Harrison Ford! Sean Bean! Samuel L. Jackson!
This second instalment of the Jack Ryan franchise (with Harrison Ford taking over from Alec Baldwin) is just genius, and so '90s it hurts. It may have encountered controversy following its release, most notably due to critics complaining about Harrison's portrayal of Ryan compared to the book and author Tom Clancy disowning the film, but it's still enormously entertaining, full of tension and high octane action scenes. Yes, the ending is very Indiana Jones-esque (as pointed out by Roger Ebert) but that doesn't mean it's not fun to watch. Here, Jack Ryan is an action hero and not just a CIA boffin - what's not to like?!
CHEF
* * * *
Netflix // 2014 // DVD
"A chef who loses his restaurant job starts up a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family."
Oh god, Chef is pure food porn. It's utterly filthy: every scene is packed to the rafters with molten cheese, sizzling meat and decadent pasta, so if you're on a diet then give watching it a wide berth. Luckily, the story around the porn is witty, heart-warming and touching, and more than good enough to (periodically) distract from the food.
At the helm is the wonderful Jon Favreau, who writes, stars and directs in what's probably one of the best films he's ever made. It seems like a passion project, with Chef full of his favourite foods, music and places, and heavily laden with a host of his favourite actors. Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. only have a handful of scenes yet they're all memorable and perfectly cast. Sofía Vergara is at her absolute best as successful ex-wife Inez, for once moving away from her go-to exuberance and instead approaching the character with a softness, subtly and real warmth. She retains the over-protective mother traits found in Gloria on Modern Family but by toning it down she really shines. Favreau, too, really is excellent. He establishes early on Carl's credentials as a chef and his clear unapologetic passion for his craftsmanship, but expertly unpicks his initial bravado to reveal flaws in his relationship with his son and the issues being stifled at work create.
The whole film looks and sounds beautiful. The upbeat Latino score compliments the sizzles and pops of cooking food and adds a brilliant flavour to the film. The best part though, has to be in the use of twitter - a medium that both makes and breaks Carl's career. Each tweet is seen onscreen and when posted - mistakingly or otherwise - it floats off with a distinctive "tweet" sound. It's ingenious, modern and a real nod to the relationship between social media and food. There's no doubt that Chef would have succeeded without it, but it's this clever use of graphics that makes Carl's journey seem both paradoxically more intimate and more public at the same time.
Chef is such an uplifting and warm film that it's endlessly watchable. You're routing for Carl from the beginning, laughing and cringing at his more embarrassing moments (public meltdowns at restaurant critics included) all the while willing him to succeed both with his career and his family. I guarantee you'll reach the credits hungry and wanting more: this is authentic cuisine, beautifully served and lots of fun.
NON-STOP
* * *
2014 // DVD
"An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account."
I have a very low tolerance level for generic action movies, especially those made with the same ageing actors who basically play the same character over and over again with little to no variation in plot. Therefore it's no surprise that I was a little hesitant at the thought of Non-Stop. However, I stand corrected: it's actually quite good.
The plot is - obviously - extraordinarily similar to every other Liam Neeson film ever made. Neeson is an air marshall on a transatlantic flight who's private phone network is hacked and is subsequently sent a series of text messages threatening the safety of everyone on the plane. As time runs out passengers start to die, and it's up to Neeson to find a way to neutralise the threat and save everyone on board. It sounds like the plot of every other action movie in existence - and it is - but as it never takes itself too seriously and embraces the ludicrous storyline it somehow works wonderfully. There are moments of comic relief throughout, for instance when the passengers start to plan a revolt against Neeson and his way to calm them down is to blindly offer free air travel, but it's largely a tense whodunnit thriller.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra expertly places red herrings throughout as it becomes clear that the sender of the messages is a fellow passenger, such that at the half way point - when the audience should normally have worked out who it was - it's still unclear. Every passenger is a suspect, and equally so are the crew. While Lupita Nyong'o and her Oscar is woefully underused, Michelle Dockery (Downton's Lady Mary) takes centre stage as the only flight attendant Neeson deems trustworthy. Julianne Moore is also perfectly placed as a mysterious passenger with a heart defect and affinity for the window seat, the sort of character that has alarm bells ringing for the entire film. It doesn't help that each character is edited to look like they're the bad guy, with everyone given equal amounts of shifty side glances and nervous gulps. It's beyond silly but surprisingly tense!
It may be generic and nothing special, but I was a fan. There was adequate action in close, confined spaces; no obscenely young love interest for Liam Neeson (I did fear for Lady Mary at the beginning); and and a slow build of tension throughout. Non-Stop is no Taken but it's well worth a watch.
ONCE UPON A TIME
* * *
"A woman with a troubled past is drawn to a town in Maine where fairy tales are to be believed."
Once Upon a Time is my guilty pleasure television show: the special effects are terrible, the acting is embarrassing and the plot makes very little sense. That being said, I love it! Explaining what it's about and why I like it so much makes me sound like a crazy person (as soon as you start talking about Rumplestiltskin and Belle being in love; a young boy having the "heart of the truest believer"; and Peter Pan being the bad guy it all just looks and sounds really weird). Essentially a whole host of fairytale characters were cursed by the Evil Queen and sent to our world where their memories of their previous lives were wiped. Each episode flits back and forth from the everyday goings on in Storybooke, Maine, and the magical Enchanted Forest and their previous lives. The first series focuses on Emma Swan - the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming - and her son trying to break the curse and restore everyone's memories, and from then on the characters have to deal with a never-ending roster of iconic villains. I'm aware that probably makes very little sense!
The cameos are fantastic: Jamie Dornan features early on as the Huntsman; Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito is both the Magic Mirror and the Genie of Agrabah; Jamie Chung pops up as Mulan; Alan Dale's a mean king; and Sebastian Stan's the Mad Hatter. It's sort of like watching decent actors do panto but taking it extremely seriously.
All four series are currently on Netflix so if you're a fan of fairy tales, flamboyant costumes and bonkers plots then this is the show for you. I'm mid-way through series 4 and Maleficent, Cruella de Ville and Ursula have just joined forces as some sort of villains super team while Snow White and Prince Charming try to keep the peace in the cleverly named town of Storybrooke. Like I said, I sound like a crazy person...
What have you watched this week? Are there any films/television shows you'd recommend? Do let me know in the comments below!
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