26 November 2016

Monthly Round-Up (November 2016)

Welcome to Novembers fab line up! 

The world of witches and wizards returns with a stellar adventure and Tom Ford wow's us with one hell of a slick feature... 

We Make Movies on Weekends ~ 

Rupture 

The Fan Carpet ~

Arrival: LFF Gala Screening 
Nocturnal Animals 
Allied 
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 
  

CineLanguage ~ 

The Light Between Oceans 
The Accountant 

Thanks for reading - Bring on December and many glasses of mulled wine!

8 November 2016

The Accountant


When you see a film titled 'The Accountant', it doesn’t exactly draw you in does it? Sitting in an office, going through files and counting numbers isn’t what you want out of a film and thankfully for the most part it isn’t anything like that. Although, what is in store is a sleep inducing, inaccurate portal of an accountant come assassin suffering with autism. Yes, you did hear that right.

What The Accountant appears to be trying to establish is equilibrium between ‘A Beautiful Mind’ and ‘John Wick’; yet the execution here isn’t nearly as clever as the aforementioned. All this is; is a predictable and formulaic mash up of genre’s that fails on virtually every level. Meet Christian Wolff (Affleck), a seemingly troubled man who is a whizz with numbers, but before we get into it, the neatly compact flash backs of his troubled childhood bombard the screen just to give us that back story we all so desperately apparently need to see. At first glance such context helps, only to be used to bring this confused script back down to earth. One minute this wants to be an action thriller, the next a romance about how to deal with autism around women, oh and throw in two brothers reunited after years apart. Anyway, back to our main man.

The fact we have a leading man with autism here brings a refreshing feel to our screens. Having someone insanely good with math but so socially awkward made for a few giggle moments and gave our ears a break from the sound of bullets flying through the air. Such qualities gives our protagonist a certain edge that in his line of dangerous accounting work he can certainly use to his advantage. As Wolff takes on a new client it seems there a greater things at play which results in a fight to the death revealing the man behind the operation to be the one person we all thought it was from the moment we saw him on screen, eye rolls and signs are sure to emerge – the hair was a dead giveaway.

This is nothing Affleck can’t tackle with his eyes closed. His recent Bruce Wayne has paved the way for a brooding, let’s just get the job done attitude and this is basically the same performance without Alfred. Sadly, Anna Kendrick was severely misplaced in her role as the sweet, ‘just doing my job’ Dana Cummings.  She had no reason to be there; this wasn’t a demanding role nor did it present her in a different light than we have previously seen. It simply could have been any female actress, up and coming or a recognisable face to match Affleck, this plotline really didn’t need to be here and would have saved a good 25 minutes of seat shuffling time. Credit, where credits due, there’s one twist that might surprise you.


Perhaps the biggest problem we all face is that we can’t help but see Affleck as anything other than Batman... Go home and quickly put Gone Girl in your DVD player and remember what Affleck is truly made of. 

Directed by Gavin O'Connor 
128 mins, 15 (2016)

The Light Between Oceans

‘Fassbender and Vikander – what could possible go wrong?’

The Light Between Oceans tries desperately to be a harrowing and emotional romantic tragedy but the sheer amount of heartache becomes too much to bare for 120 minutes. Ultimately, what we have is a dull, tedious, repetitive melodrama that doesn’t seem to take itself anywhere but the realm of sadness.

Set on an Island off the west coast of Australia, Tom spends his days tending the lighthouse and ensuring all is fine. A bleak and lonely outlook on life is quickly meet by a ray of sunshine. The young and care free Isabel (Alicia Vikander), who practically woos Tom (Michael Fassbender) with every inch of her smile eventually (or should we say, rather swiftly) becomes his wife and resides on this little island estranged from the mainland. As one would hope, their happiness blossoms as they wait for the next member of the family to show its face until Isabel sadly miss-carries. Desperate to give it another go, we yet again see her happily pregnant and practically about to burst when they are struck again by terrible sadness. Isabel is basically shattered into pieces after this tragedy and what’s worse is that they only have each other’s to talk about it with. Due to the shame of the situation they wouldn’t dare tell another soul. As they wallow in their sadness, the faint cry of a baby fights it’s why through the whir of the wind as they find a new born baby and a deceased male in a boat that has found its way to shore.   

They find themselves in a tough situation and a risk that they know would have severe consequences if ever found out. But however wrong this is, one can’t help but empathise with the pair who want nothing more in the world then to start a family. After a strong debate, they decide to keep the child and say that it is their own. All seems to be going well until the real mother of the child shows up and Tom’s guilt is far too much to carry.  Of course, this makes all the noises when it comes to aspects of motherhood and the strain it came place on families, whether they had a healthy pregnancy or not. It’s no wonder Fassbender and Vikander fell for each other here as both roles demand copious amounts of emotions and connectivity on a rather involved level.

The main issue with The Light Between Oceans is the mundane face it plods along at – virtually nothing exciting happens apart from the couple committing a crime. Other than that, it’s twirling in the grass, long conversations of right and wrong and well nothing much else happens. The message of no matter how much you want something, you shouldn’t take it if it isn’t yours appears blatantly throughout. The sheer joy and happiness this child brings to Tom and Isabel’s marriage, the inevitable resolution doesn’t seem to make it worthwhile.


Overall, there are good performances alongside a solid story – just make sure you are in a comfortable seat with enough nibbles to chow down on whilst watching this whirlwind of a romance unfold into something rather dull.   

Directed by Derek Cianfrance
133mins, 12A (2016)


4 November 2016

Monthly Round Up (October 2016)

Welcome to October!

The month of Halloween treats and some rather good films if you ask me!
Here is what I have been watching...plus take a look at my interviewing skills on the red carpet (and try not to laugh at me - I dare ya!)  

We Make Movies on Weekends ~
War on Everyone 
BFI London Film Festival: Call Back 
Train to Busan 

The Fan Carpet ~
Premiere: The Girl on the Train  
Arrival 
Inferno
Your Name 
Queen of Katwe 



HeyUGuys ~
Phantom Boy 


Get yourself down to the cinema - you will be spoilt for choice! 

Thanks for reading