Review: The Wrestler

I never got round to seeing the Wrestler in a cinema. Honestly, I feel like it’s the biggest mistake I ever made. Fuck Bambi, fuck Titanic and fuck P.S. I Love You, The Wrestler is the single most emotionally pitch-perfect film I have ever seen. And I’ll admit it, it made me cry.

The Wrestler sees a “return” from Mickey Rourke into the world of acting (Although as I recall, he did a pretty nifty job in Sin City in 2005, still, people like an inspirational story, even if it is a little exaggerated) and it;s like he never left. At the risk of sounding like 97% (according to RT) of the critics before me, he’s PERFECT in this role. Rourke single-handedly dominates this already small (and wonderful) cast which makes it all the more spectacular. It’s an absolute wonder to see a man on top of his game at the most unlikely of times in his career.

I have to say, also, I was so upset when Sean Penn won his “Best Actor” award at the Oscars. Milk was an overrated film to begin with, in my opinion and there was no way anyone did any better than Mickey last year. Sorry, Penn but you’re a thief.

The Wrestler’s plot sounds simple: an old Wrestler from the 80’s is doing the independent circuit, living in a trailer park and refusing to move past his glory days, clinging on to any nostalgia he can in an all-too fast-moving world. I don’t want to give too much away on the plot, I was advised by a friend, very wisely to not look ANYTHING up on it before watching. Apart from this review, obviously, but you can trust me. It works as well. Such a low-key concept on paper is transformed into something that is so much more on screen. It’s pound-for-pound the most beautiful and well-acted script in years.

With a $6 million budget, an all-but washed out star (who didn’t even get paid initially) and a single line summarising the premise, it;s surprising The Wrestler was given the chance it was. But it took that chance and the results are astonishing. Perfection.

Rating: *****

The Wrestler is out JUNE 1 on DVD and Blu-Ray. Find it at any retailer - PLEASE!
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Review: I Love You, Man

2009 has been a good year for Paul Rudd. He’s had big success with his first lead in Role Models ( **** -One of my top 10 comedies ever) and I Love You Man promises to continue the trend for such a talented actor. At first glance, this is a weak film. Both leads have really only had a starring film each, the aforementioned Role Models for Rudd and 2008’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall for Jason Seigel and from the trailer, it didn’t look like anything special. It looked like another flimsy film washing over Spring as Apatow pocketed a few more million.

Unfortunately, I was half right. his film is flimsy as hell. The story is propped up by a few middle fingers to the normal buddy movie fare, but there’s only so far parodying your own genre can take you. Another big failing for the film was what can be universally cited for an Apatow film, every female character was either boring, stupid or annoying. This wouldn’t be so much of a problem if it weren’t for the fact Radisha Jones, a very talented actress, was given such a big role. In the film she served only as an irritating side note for what should have been some complimentary heart for the film. They got it right once in Knocked Up, I know they can do it again.

I Love You, Man has its flaws but it’s also undeniably funny, a running gag where Seigel’s character refuses to clean up after his dog sits well. And Rudd’s awkwardness around his guy-friends is something I can relate to all too well. Like Role Models, Like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You, Man manages to avoid enough easy pitfalls that it so could have fallen into, and becomes yet another success for comedy. I’m still hankering for a proper narrative this month, though.

Rating: ***
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The best update I've given in a while

Let's cut to the chase, bitches. I got a lot of news and not much patience. Think you can handle a list?

1. Chris' departure will slow the blog down for a little while, but I am in the process of getting me a right-hand man. James Lewis, my co-podcaster will probably take up the job but he has a lot of plates spinning, watch this space.

2. I'm going to try to implement more social shit on here. I'm talking twitter and facebook and shit. Personally I'm on twitter as @tommphilip but let's see if we can't get a blog twitter up too, eh? Might also get round to doing a bigger bio. You guys know nothing about me...

3. I now have a monthly, full page piece in an actual publication! Anyone who lives in Henham on the offchance can see my reviews every month in the Henham Dragon, delivered free to your door. If you don't live there, 'fraid you'll have to make do with scans. Worry not, this is only the first stage. I'm climbing up the ladder.

4. I expect my WWE reviews to be done by the end of the weekend. holidays take their toll. I'm in and out the house more than I can ever remember. Plus I've just got into House and as far as I'm concerned, a second spent online and not watching House is a second wasted.

5. Idioteque by Radiohead is the best thing I have experienced this month. it's not a film but it gets my first 5-star rating in aaages. Sucks to be you, cinema.

See y'all next time.
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The Super Fun Happy Hour: Episode 5

I will be reviewing 2 films on my next podcast with the as-ever extraordinary James Lewis. This time, it's Knowing and The Wicker Man along with a ton of other media-based rambling, You'd be a fool not to download. Even if you don't listen.
To download, follow the link in the right-hand column. Don't forget to rate!
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Review: Monsters vs. Aliens

Anyone who knows a thing or two about films today knows just how big the 3D debate has become over the last few months. Plenty of films are being made for a 3D audience nowadays. Is it a good thing. Here’s my view: A few days ago I went to see Monsters vs Aliens. The opening sequence involves a short scene set in space, as the camera glides through planets and the like, all I can remember thinking was “Wow, I’d really like to see this in 3D”. The thing is, throughout that opening sequence all I could THINK of was how nice it would look in wonderful 3D glory. And therein lies my problem. If you go to see a film in 3D, your mind is distracted by the objects seemingly whizzing past you and the shapes and the colours and the “oooohhhhhh.....”, That’s not what I want. I want to sit and watch my film. If it looks good, great! But it’s no substitute for character or plot. Seeing a film in 3D would also grow tiring. Like my experience inverted. At first, all I wanted to do was see it in 3D- Those people who WERE would be thinking about it also, but because it was right in front of them. It was a novelty. Later on, I didn’t care. I just wanted to watch the film. For those who had the means to watch in 3D, it must have got tiring to have an extra, unnecessary layer to the film they were watching.

In terms of the film itself, MVA is fine. Just fine. The monsters all bring a charm and humor to the piece. (The best arguably being Seth Rogen’s B.O.B. Or indeed, Insectosaurus, a 50-storey insect thing oddly reminiscent of “Horton Hears a Who!”’s Katie) and a strong voice cast featuring Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie and Rainn Wilson help it along. The actual humour involved is a little disappointing. It felt a little stale and easy. It was nothing we hadn’t seen before. Aside from a couple of moments, My amusement didn’t venture beyond the occasional chuckle. With some masked satire masquerading as an access point for parents, it’s clear to see why this film is doing as well as it is, and rest assured I like it. But a film called Monsters vs Aliens had so much potential to be something extraordinary, when all it really did was fall into line along with the rest of Dreamworks’ portfolio.

To summarise, it’s a fun-loving kid’s film. Definitely a better weekend family film than Dragonball Evolution. But, it’s Spring time. So be prepared to search around for a strong narrative and insight. Nevertheless, Monsters vs. Aliens, I say Aye!

Rating: ***
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Some News

After several months dedication and assistance to the blog, it has been decided Chris is going to depart from the blog. I want to take this opportunity to thank him for the work he;s put into this and I will be posting a link as soon as possible to his new project which I'm sure will be starting up soon.

It's onwards and upwards on here, however. I'm really going to go for it from here on in and I may or may not have some exciting news in a few days.

Until next time.

Tom.
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Review: The Boat That Rocked

I’ll admit it, I like Richard Curtis. Come on, Love Actually was decent. You liked it, didn’t you? Don’t be shy. Everyone knows everyone liked that film, we just pretend to believe those that say they hate it, when really, as they’re flicking through Sky around christmas time and see it on ITV2, they can’t help but look. It infects you, as does all Curtis’ work, it makes you smile and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

The Boat That Rocked is a departure from Curtis’ usual Romantic Comedy fare. Instead, this is a full-on ensemble comedy centered around, well, men s they run an offshore pirate radio station (named Radio Rock in the film but we all know what it is really). In the line up we have Philip Seymour-Hoffman (above) as The Count, Radio Rock’s Chris Moyles, if you will. Bill Nighy as the station’s eccentric, blunt manager and Nick Frost as a womanising presenter also present in the role-call. As well as some nice, light turns from Rhys Darby, Rhys Ifans , Gemma Arterton and Kenneth Brannagh.

The film is episodic in its structure, there isn’t so much as a plot in sight apart from the ongoing on-shore government battle to have Pirate Radio outlawed. On the boat each set-piece is almost entirely detached. It’s like a sketch show with the same characters again and again. And yet it doesn’t tire. The characters involved and the weight of the names in this film pull it right up to a fantastic comedy. Admittedly with such a structure there are tricks to be missed. For instance, I would really have liked to see more of a focus on The Count’s rivalry with Rhys Ifan’s character Gavin. after all, it was funny but it didn’t seem as deep as it could have been.

It was this along with an extended running time which prevent The Boat That Rocked from being a truly wonderful film. It’s a wonderful, light spring romp with plenty of laughter, but if you want something to really get your teeth into, look elsewhere.

Rating: ****
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Review: Knowing

Knowing had all the potential of a downright bad film. We had Nicholas Cage (right), some outdated CG sequences from the trailer and an apocalyptic message laid out in cryptic numerical clues (Anyone remember a few years back when Jim Carrey bombed with something or other?). I entered the cinema with admittedly low expectations. Sitting down and viewing the first 20 minutes, it made for a compelling watch. Then again, Cage's films tend to hold strong for the first act. I awaited with unbridled glee for the moment when the film would veer into sheer ridiculousness and cheese, looking forward to coming home and writing a scathing review berating the director, producers, actors and anyone who would have paid their hard-earned cash on what I was sure would be the worst film of 2009.

I left the cinema disappointed, not for the film itself, but because I was at a loss as to how I was going to maul such a competent, well-paced and intriguing Sci-Fi thriller. Knowing could very well be the worst film of 2009, but only if you don’t accept the film for what it is from the start. Sure, there are several points in the film at which you think the film couldn’t get any more unbelievable or silly, then a moose, on fire, jumps into Nic Cage’s house (Yes, really). However, slaying the film for such things means you reject the concept of a film from the off. Don’t like the fantastical ending? Don’t pay to see a film where 50 years of earth’s history are accurately predicted by an elementary (primary) school child receiving psychic whispered instructions by silent men who wear lots of dark and hang out in the woods a lot.

Knowing combines several cliched film ideologies and manages to weave it into something coherent and reverent, although there is an adequate amount of mediocrity you come to expect from a Nic Cage film. Rose Byrne, cast as the female lead fares better as the daughter of the woman who’s predictions started it all. But what can you expect from an actress with 2 Danny Boyle films under her belt (28 Weeks Later and Sunshine, ***** and **** respectively)? There are plenty of reasons to dislike or even loathe this film, but why not give it a go if you’re into that kind of thing?If it doesn’t sound like your kind of thing, there’s a few other reviews around of stuff that’s out right now. Spring is a good time for films, get out there!

Rating: ***
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