FILM: Babel.

STARRING: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal, Koji Yakusho.

CERTIFICATE: 15

REVIEW: Babel has recieved mass acclaim from the Oscars and the Baftas, however mixed reviews from some critics. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who found fame with his arthouse debut 'Amorros Perros', however failed to find the same form with his second film, or the short he directed in between.

This film is set across the globe, following how the shooting of an american tourist in Morocco effects people from all over the world, intercutting the various stories using their own timelines, leaping the audience through times over the course of a just under a week.

The most overriding issue with this film is the rather weak links between stories and actual lack of true character development. The film is presented rather gimicky, and content and quality seems to have been exchanged for style.

Brad Pitt gives a good performance, although Cate Blanchett is very weak, however the surprise is the strong impact of the acting from the Moroccan's who were in fact locals from the area rather than actors.

Direction and editing are quite notable, however the realism style of the direction is counteracted by the lack of common sense and the unbelievable elements of the narratives. These are the highlights of the film, however the pace is unneccessarily slow, and could do with some alteration.

This movie is a very far cry from the directors debut, and it appears he has definately not returned to form yet. However the film is interesting, if rather overworked, and does have something to offer an audience, but does lack the power and substance that is requires.

Cyrus Bales

www.cyrusbalesfilms.co.uk

 

 

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FILM: The Pursuit of Happyness.

STARRING: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton, Brian Howe, James karen.

CERTIFICATE: 12 A

REVIEW: The Pursuit Of Happyness, is an emotional true story, starring Will Smith in what is his finest performance. This film has built up a great reputation already, but it more than surpasses the praise it’s received.

Chris Gardner(Will Smith), is struggling to make ends meet after wasting all his money in a poor business venture. Once his wife leaves him, he must look after his son, spending all his time on the very edge, pinning his hopes on an internship that has minimal possibilities of yielding a job.

The main point of interest is the sensational performance of Will Smith, which captivates the viewer and definitely has the power to move any audience. The characters themselves are highly three dimensional, which is expected as it’s based on a true story, but nonetheless, Smith delivers the greatest performance of his career.

Direction is also notable, emphasising the realism via use of handheld camera and a sense of motion. Bringing the viewer into the narrative, close ups and lengthy shots make the audience feel involved and really take part in the emotional story that revolves around a masterful performance.

However, the pacing throughout the film is sometimes inadequate and too slow, generating a desire for more. But the way in which the audience’s heartstrings are toyed with, giving the impression of hope, then dashing it, really creates a strong feeling that mesmerises.

This movie is highly rewarding, and stirs up a huge emotive response that sometimes leads to tears. Above average direction and production merely accentuates the fantastic performance that fit’s the intense narrative perfectly. Definitely a must see film, prepare to be moved.

Cyrus Bales

www.Cyrusbalesfilms.co.uk

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ema

FILM: Children of Men.

STARRING: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Cane.

CERTIFICATE: 15.

REVIEW: A far cry from Alfonso’s previous directorial endeavours, Children of Men sees him dive head first into the murky waters of science fiction post Harry Potter.

The time is 2027,the place, a less than futuristic London in which Women have become infertile, immigrants are outlawed and the world seems to resemble a war torn gutted slum, where you can’t even drink your morning cup of coffee without the building next door exploding. Oh and by the way……. the Human race is fast dying out! Yes in the words of our anti-hero the world has indeed ‘gone to hell’. 

Clive Owen is the man in the lead role, playing the former activist turned alcoholic Theo Faron, who is desperately trying to escape the harshness of reality around him until ex wife Julian (Julianne Moore) throws him into a desperate plot to save man-kind via a immigrant pregnant woman named ‘Kee’ who is trying to flee the threatening government power to get to the mythic ‘Human Project’ who are supposedly the ‘resistance’ and salvation for the freedom fighters.

For its exciting concept and very creative cinematography by Curaόn, Children of Men has all the elements of a great film however sometimes lacks that emotional pull that could turn this good film into an excellent one. Case in point, the very brief encounter between Owen and Moore. Both actors deliver a good performance showing two people who clearly still care for each other however all hopes for that coveted romantic edge are dashed after Moore’s rather brutal and premature exit, Curaόn failed to show a moment of heart-felt emotion between two very capable actors.

 The sliver lining for our reluctant hero was the incredibly funny Michael Caine who plays a drug-dealing hippie outcast, which provided a streak of humour in an otherwise very dry script (excluding some great one-liners from Owen). Each actor delivered a stellar performance and Owen did a good job portraying a broken man who still harbours that hint of hope and belief buried beneath the sarcasm and a fantastic raincoat.

 

Despite a few cringe-worthy clichés towards the end (Owen lifts his hand to reveal a bloody wound pronouncing “They got me!”) Children of Men is a very good film with some impressive scenes and a captivating storyline. For all intents and purposes Alfonso Curaόn shows his talent extends well beyond depicting a sixteen-year-old wizard with a wand!

 

Hayley Davison

FILM: Life & Lyrics.

 

STARRING:  Ashley Walters (So Solid Crews Asher D), Louise Rose, Christopher Stewart, Cat Simmons.

 

CERTIFICATE: 15.

 

REVIEW: Life and Lyrics is a music-based drama set on the gritty streets of south London.  The Motion crew are a group of hard up youths who dream to make it in the music industry using their emceeing skills to make it to the top and make it out of the ghetto.

 

DJ Danny (Ashley Walters) is the Motion crews DJ and an aspiring producer who falls for Carmen (Louise Rose), a member of rivals Hard Money Crew. A “wrong side of the tracks” love story ensues between down on his luck DJ Danny and privileged Carmen. The relationship is completely unconvincing as Rose has absolutely no chemistry with Walters and is incredibly false throughout the film. Ashley Walters is a little more convincing in his performance but it is an improbable relationship and does not serve as a distraction from the poor script.

 

The leader of the Hard Money crew is a gun-wielding maniac who has an obsession with Carmen and absolutely no acting skills. He owes money to a fake Jamaican gangster, (whose accent changes in each sentence) and has to win an emcee battle to pay him off. This is played out through scenes of exaggerated violence with apparently no real purpose other than to hype the negative stereotypes surrounding black inner city youth.

 

The remainder of the film is a series of emcee battles reminiscent of Eminem’s hit 8 Mile yet without the lyrical skill or delivery. It would have been more beneficial to have emcees that could act rather than actors who tried to emcee as not one of the Life & Lyrics actors were convincing emcees.

 

Mc Fable (Chris Steward) slightly distracts us from the rest of the film with the sensitive scenes of him trying to make contact with his estranged mother. This section of the film was handled well and offered a little more than shooting, emceeing and pointless banter between the rests of the characters. 

 

Overall Life and Lyrics failed to impress and appears to be nothing more than a mediocre British remake of Eminems hit ‘8 mile’.  The music is nowhere near the standard of the American hit and does not help to improve the image of British Hip Hop or Garage.

 

Daniella Genas

 

 

 

 

FILM: Click.

 

STARRING: Adam Sandler, Christopher Walken, Henry Winkler, Kate Beckinsale, Sean Astin.

 

CERTIFICATE: 12A.

 

REVIEW: Click is the latest film from Adam Sandler’s production company Happy Madison Films and sees the man himself in the lead role. Sandler plays the part of Michael Newman, a hardworking architect who puts his job before his wife and two kids in pursuit of what he believes will lead to a better life – a promotion.

 

The film begins with this tale of the dad who misses his son’s swim meets and constantly lets down his family and wife Donna Newman (Beckinsale) in order to win over his boss and earn himself the chance to become a partner in the firm.

 

This is until he becomes the proud owner of a universal remote control that not only opens his garage and turns on the TV but pauses and skips moments in his life. With this he has his own DVD-like menu where he can revisit chapters and even has his own commentary from the voice of Darth Vader – James Earl Jones, which any man would love to have. Newman uses this remote to manipulate time for whatever purpose he sees fit, creating some fun and enjoyable scenarios whilst he is at it. His ongoing feud with the spoilt boy next door is particularly funny

 

However things don't go exactly to plan as the remote begins to control his life using its memory function and whilst work takes off his family life suffers. Newman has to try and win back those he put second.

 

Christopher Walken appears as a wacky inventor who gives Newman the remote and is on hand to help him learn to use it. David Hasselhoff puts in a good performance as the boss he tries so hard to please and shares some entertaining scenes with Sandler, particularly when Newman finds out he has not yet made partner. Henry Winkler is invited once again to appear in a Sandler film (after appearing in Little Nicky and The Waterboy), this time as his on-screen dad. The make-up and costume in this film do a fine job of adding a few extra wrinkles and pounds as the characters get older through the skips in time.

 

If you think this film is all about fart jokes and a dog mating a toy duck (both are included in the film) then think again as it has some deep and meaningful scenes. These centre around the strange presence of death in the film. One particular scene with Newman and his father, where he gets to re-live his last meeting with his father is given extra emotion when you consider Sandler himself recently lost his father. This gives a real, raw and natural feel to the scene and is one of the best in the film.

 

The main problem with this film is that it is neither a brilliant comedy nor piece of drama. The silly humour and heartfelt scenes don't really go hand in hand and can appear to be a bit Jekyll and Hyde.

 

Despite this Click remains largely entertaining and is more than adequate as a fun night out whether you are looking for the laugh out loud moments or fancy seeing Sandler in some serious acting scenes.

 

Michael Snowden

 

 

 

 

FILM: The Devil Wears Prada.

 

STARRING: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Adrian Grenier.

 

CERTIFICATE: PG.

 

REVIEW: With its hilarious and satirical take on the fickle fashion industry, David Frankels adaptation of Lauren Wiesenberger’s is a must see for 2006.

Andy Sachs, (Hathaway) is fresh out of university and searching for her dream job in New York. Seeing an opening at top fashion magazine “Runway” Andy applies hoping it will be an opportunity to break into journalism. However, it quickly turns into a nightmare when she lands the job of P.A. to Miranda Priestley (Streep), the magazines long serving editor.

From the offset Andy is on the receiving end of Miranda’s devilishly sharp tongue and receives constant criticism for her apparent lack of style. She is faced with a constant barrage of laborious tasks for which she receives no praise or recognition for completing. She is also subjected to continuous ridicule and sarcasm from Miranda’s neurotic first assistant Emily (Blunt).

Although Andy is totally out of place among the self-obsessed, high-heeled “clackers” in the office, she refuses to conform. That ideal is short lived as Miranda gets more difficult and working for her becomes impossible. Not knowing what to do to please her demanding boss, Andy seeks help from Miranda’s second-in-command, the hilariously camp Nigel, (Tucci). He predictably gives her glamorous makeover and blossoms into the striking fashionista that she swore she’d never be.

As the film progresses Andy begins to form a bond with Miranda and more ensconced she becomes in her ruthless world, the more personal life wanes. Her ethics are called into question when she takes first assistant Emily’s place in Paris knowing how much Emily wanted to go.

It all comes to a head when Andy witnesses Miranda heartlessly sacrificing Nigel’s chances of a dream job in order to save her own. Andy has to seriously decide whether being a success in the fickle world of fashion is worth sacrificing her integrity for. But what will she do?

Streep and Blunt are brilliant in their respective roles and have excellent comic timing. Hathaway is likeable as Andy but her performance is clouded by her co-stars wonderfully comical performances, including that by the brilliant and hilarious Stanley Tucci. The writers have produced an excellent script, which is enhanced by their wonderfully animated facial expressions and delivery.

Overall the film was enjoyable and incredibly funny and its portrayal of the self-obsessed, neurotic and isolated world of the fashion industry is definitely worth watching.

Daniella Genas