Chris O'Dowd is an odd bad guy: Cuban Fury lives up to expectations, and more!

Nick Frost proves to us that it's not all about looks.

There is only one thing that is odd--in a non-pleasant way--that I found about Cuban Fury; It's weird seeing Chris O'Dowd as a bad guy. I'm so used to him as the bumbling hero (IT Crowd, Moone Boy etc.) that I was quite...disturbed to see him in a negative light. But then again, that's just me. Cuban Fury was spectacular.

Cuban Fury tells the saga of Bruce (Nick Frost), a former child prodigy who, after a traumatic experience before a massive salsa contest, gave up the tiny shoe-dance (as his friends so aptly put it) for

a normal, bod standard life of drudgery at the local Laithe firm. However, with the arrival of Julia, his new boss, who is both beautiful and a salsa-lover, he decides to take it back up. But can he woo her with his dancing skills with the arrogant and dastardly Drew (O'Dowd) sniffing around as well?

It's a quintessential British comedy, in the same vein as Shaun of the Dead, Run Fatboy Run, or About a Boy, that succeeds at being both uplifting and hilarious without being soppy or overbearing. It also didn't follow the archetypal underdog story, either; rather it mixes things up a bit and manages to keep up the same sort of tone. Although it's still the same plot, the events are jumbled in a pleasantly different way that keeps things from being repetitive. If you like that sort of thing, and are looking for some variety at the same time, then this is definitely a must see for you.

"Wings of an Eagle". Yeah, right.

Additionally, the supporting characters were great. While they were, of course, archetypes (the eccentric foreigner, the bored (Welsh!) office worker) I didn't find them hackneyed or boring. I honestly can't think of any faults with Cuban Fury; if there are any, they won't bother you enough to ruin the film for you. I think with this one it simply comes down to what sort of thing you like--if you enjoy this genre of smart, British (Self-mocking) humour, then you'll like Cuban Fury, but if you don't like it then you won't like this because it is that. 

Another thing that I thought was quite nice was that Bruce, although very fat, doesn't actually lose any weight, or change that much about himself at the end. The most similar film that comes to mind is Run Fatboy Run. In that, Simon Pegg is slightly overweight, but the director had him wear padding during filming and grtadually shed the size of that padding, so that it looked as though he had lost weight. And so by the end, we have a perfect, good-looking everyman, rather than the average and typical idiot that we related to at the start. And Cuban Fury doesn't lose this sense of relatability; it tells us that we don't have to be (what society deems as) good-looking to succeed, or get what we want. And I think that that is a brilliant message, much better than some of the hollywood tripe we've been accustomed to in recent years (yes, hollywood is a proper noun and so demands a capital 'H', but they don't deserve one, with films like Taken 2 or The Expendables under their collective belt!!!).

Overall, I'd have to give Cuban Fury a four and a half out of five, because it was great, but not something that would be my film of the year. However, there wasn't much of anything wrong with it, and so it is totally deserving of the highest score possible that I can give without marking it as mind-blowing. 

4.5/5

****

Written by Jon Petre.

A mind-bending trip into the psychedelic minds of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Scott Gentry reviews "The Lego Movie".

"The Lego Movie" (U)
Directed by:  Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Starring (voices only): Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Charlie Day, Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman and Will Ferrell. 
Running time: 100 minutes.
Rated: U for containing mild fantasy violence, and very mild language.
Out now in UK cinemas. 

"The Lego Movie" is a story that revolves around the fantastical world of Lego, in which our lead character named Emmet (Chris Pratt) comfortably resides. One day however, our unlikely hero is mistaken for the fabled saviour of the Lego universe, the Master Builder. Soon Emmet joins forces with a seemingly unstoppable group of friends, including Batman (Will Arnett) and the god-like Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman); to stop an evil tyrant named Lord Business (Will Ferrell) from destroying their world, through the use of super glue. 

A Lego film had been in the pipeline for many, many years. From countless straight-to-DVD films and shorts including the “Bionicle” films, the prospects of that actually happening seemed very dim. 

However in recent years, Lego has grown considerably in not only variety, but popularity. Videogames based around popular films and comics soon began to spread and send a shockwave through the gaming industry; whilst Lego sets became bigger and bigger. From tackling franchises such as “The Lord of the Rings” and “Indiana Jones”, the Lego Company definitely seemed set on staying the leaders of the constructive toy market. 

“The Lego Movie” soon became a reality due to the creative minds of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Resting safely in their hands since 2008, this popular pair of directors were sure to produce a hilarious piece of animation and they have most definitely succeeded. Due to the success of their film "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" back in 2009, Lord and Miller were able to pitch their film to Warner Bros and in 2011, the film was finally green-lit.

Animated by the Australian company Animal Logic, “The Lego Movie” was soon to become one of the largest animation projects for quite some time. Whilst preparation began on “The Lego Movie”, the pair of directors found the time to direct and write their live-action debut, "21 Jump Street". An excellent comedy with a particularly interesting plot line, “21 Jump Street” reached critical acclaim and proved that the both Phil and Chris could tackle adult comedies and animations intended for children. 

Having spent six years in production, "The Lego Movie" has definitely been a film that I was particularly looking forward to viewing, and not just because I'm a total geek, but because of its excellent cast of directors, writers and voice actors. The film did not disappoint and instead succeeded my level of expectation. 

As I previously mentioned, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" was an excellent film, which many people decided not to watch and instead, became an indie-animation hit. Thankfully, in terms of "The Lego Movie", this is not the case. Already having surpassed box-office and critical expectation across the pond, this big-budgeted animation is both hilarious and exciting. 

I personally believe that the reason behind why the film is of such a good quality is because of the film's writers and directors. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller fortunately have a unique ability to entertain both adults and children, through an anarchic style of animated films. This is most definitely evident in "The Lego Movie", as it uses certain hilarious lines and situations in perfect conjunction with the storyline. It's obvious that children will enjoy the colours and characters, but it's the adults who will receive the full benefit of the film, through its expertly written script and animation.

The voice cast are excellent, with Chris Pratt heading up an all-star cast which includes the likes of Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Charlie Day; who not only bring a great style towards all of their roles, but include the ability of fantastic comic timing into their performances.

Verdict

Despite the constant use of the film's main theme tune "Everything Is Awesome!", "The Lego Movie" is in many ways the perfect family film. Wild, different and highly anarchic, this hilarious animated film is definitely worth watching. 

8 stars out of 10.

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

The World War Two Film Is Rebooted, In Fedor Bondarchuk's Epic, "Stalingrad"; Which Is Reviewed By Scott Gentry.

 "Stalingrad" (15)
Directed by: Fedor Bondarchuk.
Starring: Mariya Smolnikova, Yanina Studilina, Pyotr Fyodorov and Thomas Kretschmann.
Running time: 131 minutes.
Rated: 15 for containing strong battle violence.
Language: Russian and German, with English subtitles.
Out now in UK cinemas. 

Vaguely deriving from the infamous battle for the control over the city of Stalingrad, this bold yet imperfect film, tells the story of a small group of Russian soldiers, who are ordered to protect a building of strategic importance; from the German army by any means necessary. 

To say that "Stalingrad" is an excellent action adventure, would be a complete lie. "Stalingrad" is however, a film which is particularly good in terms of action, scale and visual effects. Where the film's faults unfortunately lie, is within the key ingredients of any film: intriguing characters, a well written script and a story which both excites it's viewers, but also ends in a satisfying manner. The three afore-mentioned ingredients unfortunately, cannot be found in this melodramatic film. 

In regards to its imperfections, the characters portrayed by the cast of "Stalingrad" are both exceedingly dull and impassive, which leaves a large gaping wound in an otherwise passable film. This is surprising in regards to the actor Thomas Kretschmann ("The Pianist"), as his style is impressive and always refreshing; but here the actor delivers a performance that could have benefited from perhaps more perseverance. Furthermore the script is tedious and in many ways unintelligent. Instead of creating astute Tarrantino style dialogue, we are left with communication that could have been written by the least literate screenwriters, working in cinema today. 

Despite its condemned nature, "Stalingrad" does however feature well upon the key ingredients of an action film. For example, the 3D effects are well produced and liven up many of the action sequences, in a Zack Snyder/Micheal Bay style. Not only is the 3D enjoyable, but you are able to tell that this $30 million budgeted film's 3D effects, are crafted considerably well. Having been shot in 3D, this film decided not to convert itself into 3D, but be filmed properly, to give a distinctive edge for audiences. Like the 3D, "Stalingrad"'s action is exciting and at times may be unbelievable, but is stunning. In terms of scale, prodigious scenery was created specially and faithfully, costing 120 million Rubles, 6 months to create and almost 400 people to depict the city of Stalingrad perfectly.

Verdict

Exciting at times and Impressive in its visuals, "Stalingrad" disappoints in the more important features, but is a perfect example of a film, that should have perhaps been sent straight to DVD and Blu-Ray. 

4.5 stars out of 10.

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

Dead Or Alive, José Padilha's Attempt At Rebooting Paul Verhoven's Original Sc-Fi Hit, Is Surprisingly Decent. Scott Gentry Reviews "RoboCop" (2014).

"RoboCop" (12A)
Director: José Padilha.
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jay Baruchel and Samuel L. Jackson.
Running time: 118 minutes.
Rated: 12A for containing moderate violence, injury detail and infrequent strong language.
Out now in UK cinemas. 

Set in the year 2028, "RoboCop" follows the story of a Detroit Policeman named Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), who after becoming injured in an explosion outside his home; is left in a critical condition. Upon hearing this, a multinational conglomerate named OmniCorp, decide to request consent from Alex's wife Clara (Abbie Cornish), to utilize Alex as their first test-subject for a part-man, part-robotic police officer. Upon accepting, Clara soon realises that the company's best interests may not be in Alex, but in the money instead... 

It has been eight long years since Sony Pictures (Screen Gems division) announced that they would be the company responsible for re-booting Paul Verhoeven’s infamous "RoboCop". Fans of the original were outraged (and still are) that a company would decide to re-boot an almost perfect film and turn it into something that could have been particularly distasteful. After all, re-boots aren't always five star hits, are they? (Examples include 2010's "The Nightmare on Elm Street" and 2012's "Texas Chainsaw 3D").

Ignoring the negativity surrounding its new franchise, the company's carried on with their plans. Three years later, it was revealed that MGM were developing the film alongside Sony Pictures and had met with the famed visionary director Darren Aronofsky, to pitch him the directing chair of "RoboCop". In June 2008, it was confirmed that Aronofsky would direct and certain fans pushed their negativity aside, to welcome the perhaps potentially intriguing, new take on the popular series. 

Travel forward three years and unfortunately the prospects of Darren Aronofsky directing MGM's "RoboCop", were destroyed. Instead the company decided to hire Brazilian director José Padilha, because of his success with his first two feature-length films, "Elite Squad" and "Elite Squad: The Enemy Within". Soon, the studio began to show an interest in hiring actors such as Michael Fassbender, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Russell Crowe, to portray the character of Alex Murphy. Finally in early 2012, Joel Kinnamen was cast in the role of Murphy and many other characters soon fell into place. 

Padilha later described (during a phone call to Fernando Meirelles), that the production of "RoboCop" was "the worst experience of his life" and that "for every ten ideas he has, nine are cut". Despite a long and troubled shoot, it seems as though "RoboCop" somehow fell into place. 

Now, I'm not saying that "RoboCop" is an excellent film by any standards. I'm simply saying that it's fairly good. Personally, I don't think this reboot deserves all the bad press surrounding it. For what it is, "RoboCop" is a re-boot that delivers on many grounds.

First of all, it seems as though José Padilha and his team definitely understand the style and feel of Paul Verhoeven’s attempt and have honoured it with an updated version; which pays respect to the original and still retains its satirical nature. For instance, throughout the film there are certain scenes including Samuel L. Jackson (in a cameo appearance) who portrays Pat Novak, a television presenter who constantly comments on the problems within society, in his very own classic style.

 For a reboot, "RoboCop" could have turned out very differently, but instead it tries extremely hard to honour the original, whilst creating its own spin on an otherwise dying franchise, also including an intriguing ethical debate.

The screenplay (written by Joshua Zetumer) is fairly interesting despite lacking in some respects, but provides the chance for many of the key actors to flourish in some darker performances and others being tongue-in-cheek. The cast are entertaining and engaging to watch, with Gary Oldman and Joel Kinnaman leading the performances in many of their scenes and helping to keep the film serious, despite certain quips.

Verdict 

“RoboCop” is enjoyable fun, which could never live up to the wit and excitement of Paul Verhoeven's classic, but tries valiantly to become an interesting and fresh piece of Sci-Fi. 

6.5 Stars out of 10.

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.

It's "Artificial Intelligence" Meets "Annie Hall" In Spike Jonze's "Her", Which Is A Joy To Behold.

“Her” (15)
Director: Spike Jonze.
Starring: Scarlett Johanssen (voice only), Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Christ Pratt.
Rated: 15 for containing, strong language and sex references.
Running time: 126 minutes.
Released in the UK, on the 14th of February 2014.

Set in the near future, Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) is an unhappy divorcee, who no longer enjoys life to the extent of when he was married. Now living a solitary life, Theodore writes letters at a company for people who find it hard to express their feelings. While bringing joy to others he ultimately feels pessimistic, until the day he purchases a computer operating system, which speaks to it's user. Living inside Theodore’s computer with built in artificial intelligence, this equivalent of Apple’s “Siri”, adopts a female personality and voice (Scarlett Johanssen). Before long his life begins to improve, as the seemingly inseparable pair soon develop a very deep and personal relationship. 

Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix in "Her".

The idea of “Her” originally came to Jonze ten years ago, after reading an article which explained how artificial intelligence could instantly message other people. He quickly became fascinated with the theory and ten years later, began the development on his own blend of 
Sci Fi/Romance, “Her”.


So artificial intelligence is an amazing idea but there’s only so far you can go, isn't there? In fact with regards to “Her”, Jonze pushes the boundaries of the film’s purpose and intends to present a definitive look at love using artificial intelligence; and that’s exactly what he has perfected. There have been many attempts to capture love stories through similar plot lines, including 2012’s well received “Ruby Sparks” (starring Paul Dano) and “Electric Dreams”, a film from the 1980’s with a similar story to “Her”. But neither can compare in regards to the brilliance of Jonze’s writing and style. 

Spike Jonze directing Joaquin Phoenix, in "Her".

The script is not only fresh, but includes a unique mix of unsettling drama and hilarious comedy. A satire if you will, of what the future has to hold, that becomes increasingly authentic as the film moves on. The relationship between Theodore and Samantha is also genuine, with Phoenix providing an exceptional performance alongside the notable portrayal of Samantha by Johanssen, despite only using her voice in the role. Amy Adams contributes an engaging performance as Amy, a friend of Theodore who is just as lost as he is. 

Not only is the film near perfect, but also the soundtrack of “Her” (written by the acclaimed independent rock band “Arcade Fire”) works perfectly in conjunction with the subject matter, and provides some of the group's best work to date.  

Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara in "Her".

The film's only fault (and it's really hard to find any) is possibly it's overlong running time. Spanning two hours in length, the film honestly feels as though it could have ended on the one hour and thirty minutes mark. The reason behind the running time? Perhaps Jonze felt more needed to be said.

Verdict

"Her" provides an unparalleled, yet almost innocent view of love and whilst partly focusing on the technological advancements; it never loses sight of the film's true meaning. 

9 stars out of 10.

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.