"Shazam!" - (Preview Screening)

It is a well known fact that films based on DC Comics are pretty downbeat. You only have to look at any of the Batman / Superman films. It is also fair to say that "Wonder Woman" was a step in the right direction.

Well finally along comes a film that is upbeat, funny, and VERY entertaining. I supposed the nearest Marvel comparison would be "Guardians of the Galaxy", that kind of light easy going film.

Thad is in the car with his Father and older Brother, often teased, he seeks solace in bigger things via his Magic8Ball. When strange symbols appear on the ball, before he knows it he is transported to another world, a world where a Sourceror's time is coming to end. And he seeks one that is pure of heart to take over his exalted position. In the past things have not gone well for the choice of Chosen One, when the Council of Eternity were all but wiped out. Shazam being the only survivor.
Keen to make the right choice, he tests his candidate, but Thad fails, and spends the next 45 years trying to find a way back to that World, to take the power he knows he is deserving of.

Billy Batson is desperately tring to find his Mum, since being seperated from her at a local Fair when he was four years old. Ten years later, and he is a troublesome teen, going from one Foster home to another, trying to get information to reunite him with his missing Parent. He too gets selected to take the test, and he succeeds, taking on the mantle of Shazam, and all his amazing powers.
And this is where the magic really begins, seeing how a 14 year old in the body of a man in his 30's and equipped with many superpowers reacts. Its a testament to the great performances of both Asher Angel as 14 year old Billy and Zachary Levi as Shazam. It would be hard for Billy to hide his alter ego, so some of his Foster siblings do find out, with hilarious results.

There are great scenes where Freddy, his Foster brother helps Billy to understand what his Superpowers are, helping them become an internet sensation, and trying to earn some extra pocket money on the side.
Eventually comes the big showdown with Thad, who has become the villain of the piece, and having the power of the Seven Deadly Sins, a collective of powerful demons. He wants to complete his Power by having that of Shazam.

The events of the past are told slickly but enough to give us an idea of what is to come, and what makes the characters take the actions they do. There is a lot of fun to be had in this highly entertaining film. The action is well choreographed, the visual effects are excellent, and all the cast excel in their roles. There is NO weak link. The relationship between Billy and Freddy is brilliantly played out, these two young actors are outstanding, and a special mention to Faithe Herman, who plays Darla, youngest child at the Vasquez residence, where Billy resides. She is both adorable and very funny. And it goes without saying that Mark Strong does villainy very well.

So as one would expect there is a lot of heart within the film, and also a wonderful display of innocence, especially with Billy being only 14. Its not like Deadpool, where there is much swearing or adult humour. I think that Zachary Levi desribed it perfectly when he said 'It's like "Big" with superpowers'. Very apt.

A second viewing is a given........SHAZAM!!!....9 out of 10

"Kingsman The Secret Service"

Take a Comic Book co written by Mark Millar, have the book interpreted for the Screen by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, and have the same Mr Vaughn sit in the Director's chair, and just like "Kick Ass" you have all the ingredients for a kick arse film.

When a leading World Scientist is kidnapped, it takes a special organisation to investigate and rescue. Here come the Kingsman, a collective of Gentlemen and Ladies, well groomed, well refined, well spoken, but who an also, when required, deal with an agressor, in an ungentlemanly fashion.

However, said missing Scientist is soon once again walking the streets of London, and the Kingsman have lost one of their group. Whilst still trying to uncover what the Scientist is working on and find out why he has been seemingly freed, they must fill the vacancy left by their recently departed colleague.

Each of the elite gentlemen agents gets to assign a protege, someone to mould in their image. Most of the new recruits would not look out of place as students at Eton say.
Elsewhere in a housing estate in London, Gary, or 'Eggsy' as he is known to his mates goes on with his mundane day to day existence, he shares a flat with his Mum and her loathesome boyfriend. After some joyriding he finds himself under arrest. He has a necklace / chain given to him by those he loves, and told to use in an emergency......so 'Galahad' (Firth) receives a phone call and his release is soon forthcoming. 'Galahad' sees this rough young lad as a possible Kingsman candidate and promptly enrols him.
Whilst training is going on, we learn more about what 'Valentine' is upto. He believes that the World has become over populated, and that this will lead to the end of the human race as custodians of Earth. So he sets about a plan of action to heavily reduce the number of inhabitants, seemingly looking like the philanthropist he says he is, but actually a mass murderer on an epic scale, and quite mad.

Cutting to the chase, Valentine and his organisation go to battle against humanity, and its increasing number, and all that stands in the way of his success is the Kingsman.

Whether a fan of comic strip violence, or Bond films, or just out to be entertained, then  you should quite rightly love this movie. It has it all, great screenplay, fun characters, loads of kick ass violence, amd is just a great barrel of laughs.
I am amazed that I have still not seen the film a second time yet, and I must rectify this.
We get to see a small example of Valentine's scheme in action, during what is a memorable head popping sequence.
All the cast are exemplary, from Michael Caine as Kingsman head 'Arthur', to Mark String as a Q type figure 'Merlin'. There is the very good looking Taron Egerton as 'Eggsy' who is a real find, he conveys both the streetwise Eggsy and the gentlemanly Kingsman brilliantly.
Colin Firth however does steal the show as 'Galahad', it is rumoured Firth may have offered Bond, and if so, then this is a worthy chance for us to see what might have been. And the highlight of the film is during a small fracas in an East End pub when he has to tackle a few unruly youths.

Great fun, great cast, great film.................8 out of 10

Before I Go To Sleep

I am sure that in numerous of the reviews for this film, that a certain British Director is named, as the film will undoubtedly be compared to that of Alfred Hitchcock. The legendary Director has no fear that his toes are being stood upon, for this latest thriller is no threat at all to his reputation.

Christine wakes up each day, knowing that any memories of her previous days have been wiped from her mind, as she is an amnesiac. Have suffered an ordeal, and severe trauma to the head, this is the end result. Each morning she awakes to find her husband in bed next to her, not knowing who he is. She gets phone calls from her Doctor, telling her that they meet regularly, and to retrieve a camera, on which she has been recording thoughts and memories for herself, to know who she really is.

But who was behind the trauma that she sustained?  Does her physician Doctor Nash have some hidden secrets?  And who is the mysterious Claire?

By the time the answers to these questions start to appear, severe boredom has crept in, and one is not at all fussed about knowing the answers, and it is a shame as there is a nice little twist within the movie.
Clearly the two leads, Firth and Kidman, enjoy working together as this is at least the second time they have done so, previously playing together in "The Railway Man". And adding Mark Strong and Anne Marie Duff should make for a great thriller, but that is not the case, and the trailer promised so much, but alas so little was delivered.

Instead of "Before I Go To Sleep", the film actually put me to sleep.......4 out of 10

"Zero Dark Thirty"

Following on from the major Oscar winning success that was "The Hurt Locker", Director Kathryn Bigelow returns to similar territory with "Zero Dark Thirty", well certainly geographically, with this latest film which documents the ten year hunt for Osama Bin Laden.

The film opens with emergency phone calls, and also personal phone calls that were made by people trapped in the twin towers of The World Trade Center on September 11th 2001. It is a haunting reminder of horror that occured on that day.
The film then documents a timeline which follows the journey taken by the CIA in the quest to bring an end to the reign of the Al Qaeda head.
Maya, a CIA operative starts the film with her being present during a questioning of a suspect. Some rather heavy handed tactics are used during the talks, something she is clearly uncomfortable with. But she stands in the background and watches, as they try to extract information that will bring them closer to their target.
There is a chain of command, and following that chain is a long and ardous task, one that takes commitment, and Maya has that in bucket loads, she conveys a sense of determination so strong, she will not stop til the job is done. Others before her have long since gone on to other jobs back in the US, but she stays in her post, and will hopefully see the job through to the end.
When the team get a major break through in their intelligence, it leads them to a physician who can hopefully lead them ever closer to their goal. In a truly memorable sequence, events unfold, though they clearly show how desperate the CIA were to obtain valid information, leading to an attack actually inside a US base in Afghanistan.

Although the powers that be are keen to have Bin Laden captured, they seem reluctant to trust in the intelligence that Maya provides them with. Had we not already known the result, one would wonder whether he might have evaded capture or his death.

Her resilience and determination prevail, and the team are led to Pakistan, and a compound, which is heavily fortified. Given the security involved within the compound, they believe that someone seriously is evading being seen, and believe that Bin Laden is hiding out there. A task force is sent from Afghanistan to raid the compound and hopefully bring an end to the decade long man hunt. The latter part of the film is the Compound attack, virtually done in real time. It is compelling, brilliantly shot, almost documentary style. The film does not end with some big morale message, it just quietly fades out.

There is a strong cast, ranging from James Gandolfini as a top CIA head to Jason Clarke as Dan a CIA operative who works closely with Maya in those first few years. There are also a lot of unknowns on screen, which for a film like is makes it more like a documentary, sometimes it is easy to relate to a character when it is well recognised face playing the role.
Got a major surprise when a well known face on UK television popped in the film, thankfully very briefly.
But at the end of the day, the film belongs to Jessica Chastain, who has become quite prolific of late thanks to roles in films like "The Help", "The Debt" and "Lawless". We follow the journey she takes in her lead role as Maya, from those early days, uncomfortable with the torture used to obtain information, to her feeling of helplessness following the Suicide bomb at the US base, to her grit and determination to confirm where Bin Laden is, and initiate an Operation to capture or kill him. The said journey takes it toll, and this we see reflected in a great piece of acting.
As one has come to expect, the Direction is of the highest calibre coming from the Oscar Winning Director Kathryn Bigelow. Her attention to detail, style of film making make her one of the most brightest talents behind the Camera of her generation.

Some my find it a long haul, others, hopefully like myself, will find it absorbing, and an example of great film making....the two and a half hours of viewing time just fly by.......9 out of 10