Rupert Sanders gives us an exceedingly grim Grimm universe in this LOTR-inspired fairytale; his sweeping landscapes and sumptuous visuals almost making up for the fact that his source material never comes close to the richness of Tolkien. The tale may be problematic and the characters laughably thin, but there’s no denying that this directorial debut almost wins you over with blazing ambition alone.
Twenty-four years in the making, George Lucas’ passion project has finally soared onto our screens to expose the untold story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Except it doesn’t really do that at all. The only history lesson on offer here is a little recap of ‘The Great Beard in the post-Episode VI era’, which is justly left out of textbooks because it’s really rather sad. Face it, George, a P-51 Mustang is just not an X-Wing.
If you’re walking into this film expecting Alien: 2012 think again. Prometheus is a grandiose but significantly flawed film; underpinned by a vastly ambitious concept that is, in many ways, its undoing. Featuring a stellar central performance from Michael Fassbender and built upon some stunning, imaginative visuals, Prometheus nonetheless manages to feel bloated, confused and – dare I say it – even a little naff at times. But its unusual, heartfelt approach – there is no doubt that this was a labour of love for Ridley Scott – and attempts at tackling some of the universal questions make it uncommon viewing.
What do you get if you take Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, some kids and Wes Anderson’s terrifying, beautiful mind? NO, not an orgy with incredibly good dialogue. Did you not read the “some kids” bit? Anyway, it turns out you get perfectly crafted 60s fairytale Moonrise Kingdom, a loving paean to childhood, companionship and, well, camping. It’s a real treat.
Yep, it’s another one of those films where very clean celebrities pretend to have names like “Holly” and “Gary” and there’s just loads of them, loads of them scuttling around like glowing, plastic noise-rats shouting “UH OH! BABIES!” and it’s funny until it’s not and then it is again because sad emotions only last as long as a scene of about four minutes, and then it’s BACK TO CHRIS ROCK DOING HIS JOKES and people in bikinis and Jennifer Lopez realising stuff and then crying so gently. Just call it Middle Class Heteros Have Kids (You Don’t Even Get To See Them Shag), and be done with it.
Julie Delpy’s follow-up to her 2007 film 2 Days in Paris retains a little of the charm and humour of its predecessor, but there’s an oddly forced quality to the proceedings. In place of the previous film’s intuitive and authentic depiction of an unravelling relationship are clumsy setpieces and surreal gags which smack of a project that is inherently directionless. Julie Delpy and Chris Rock are charming, alongside comic standout Albert Delpy. But ultimately the film feels flabby and ill-defined, and the presence of Adam Goldberg is sorely missed.
A stunning performance from newcomer Gretchen Lodge saves the occasionally misjudged but undeniably disturbing Lovely Molly ; a tale of one woman’s descent into madness at the hands of demons past and – unfortunately for our Mol – very much present. The scares may be patchy, but when they hit, they fester.
Muscular, mean, nightmarish and brutal, The Raid delivers an unyielding onslaught of exquisitely choreographed violence, reminding us all that the thick, brawny shoot-em ups we’re used to associating with the action genre wouldn’t last a minute up against Indonesia’s glistening finest. With shades of Oldboy, Ong Bak, Reservoir Dogs and more dripping from every blood-drenched sinew, this is endurance-entertainment that isn’t afraid to push its actors and audience until its final, skull-cracking moments. Best of luck.
The 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games were virtually eclipsed by an extraordinary image, one which has stood the test of time to become an instantly recognisable symbol of the civil rights battles of the 60s – two black athletes giving the infamous Black Power salute from the winners’ dais. But who was the white man standing beside them? Salute offers a truly fascinating insight into the greatest humanitarian you’ve never heard of.
Snipe London
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