"Mad Max: Fury Road"

I have to this review by saying that I am not in any way a fan of the original movies. So I suppose it begs the question, why on earth am I watch this new film?

The future, a post apocalyptic desolate wasteland. Pretty much nothing but sand, where very litttle grows. Roaming the sand dunes are gangs of psychotic tribes, driving around in the most bizarre vehicles.
Immortan Joe rules, he controls the people, the supply of water, and rages a constant battle for fuel. Battling all this is Max, a former Police Officer, who has lost his wife and daughter, and now battles his own demons as well.

To answer my original question, when I saw the trailer, I was stunned by the visuals, which looked quite amazing. Also I felt that enough time had passed since having seen the original movies, that it was time to reacquaint myself with Mad Max and the world he is from. It must be 20 years since I last saw a Mad Max film, and I would be quite happy for the same amount of time to pass by before I see, if I see another one.

As a piece of entertainment, I cannot see what there is to be entertained by. The visuals are at times quite remarkable but it is so not enough to warrant 120 minutes of viewing. I just see what the point of the film is, just like the originals. Tom Hardy is a great actor, and is woefully underused. I would say that Charlize Theron has the better role.

The film is as barron as the wasteland that it is set in.............4 out of 10

"The Drop"

Whenever we lose an actor far too soon, especially someone with the screen presence of James Gandolfini, it is hoped that their final film will be one to remember. And I think that it is fair to say, that "The Drop" is a film that he could be proud of.

A New York Bar, 'Cousin Marv', formerly owned by Marv (Gandolfini), but muscled out by Chechen mobsters, who leave him as manager, but take all the profits. By Marv's side is Bob (Hardy). The Bar is part of a network, where money is constantly hands, for any variety of deeds. Best not to ask too many questions. But one Bar will be assigned 'the drop', amd this is where all the money will be left behind the  car to be collected and handed over to the powers that be. And sometimes it can be a tidy sum.
One night two small hoods decide to rob the takings from the Bar, despite knowing who owns the bar, and risking deadly retribution, they go ahead, and profit by a few thousand dollars. But soon the Police are investigating, and also the Chechens are keen to reclaim their money.

In a seemingly seperate strand, when walking from the Bar one night, Bob hears a cry, and finds an abandoned dog in someones trash can. Nadia is the owner of the trashcan, and both she and Bob take a shine to the dog, and possibly to each other.
The downside is that the owner of the Dog turns up, a rather nasty piece of work - Eric, who is wanted in connection with a recent murder, and it seems he has a past connection with Nadia, and is keen to get both his Dog and Nadia back, and extort both money and information from Bob.
As you can see all the strands start to merge together, as not only is Eric keen to line his pockets with Chechen money but someone else is looking to do the same.

It is very much a dialogue and characeter driven piece, there are no larger than life characters, no big over the top gestures, just everyday people, surviving, and it makes for great viewing. There is the odd surprise along the way.
The three main leads are all excellent, as one would expect. Hardy is especially good as the quiet and soft spoken Bob.

A great film, which reminds us all what a great actor James Gandolfini was, and why he will continue to be missed........8 out of 10

"Locke"

This review may seem late in coming, but I missed it first time round, and thanks to something our local Cinema chain does, I was give the chance to this movie.

I have to start by saying that I cannot recall in recent memory of having been so misled by a films trailer. Watching it, you see a desperate man, alone in his vehicle, clearly under immense pressure, having some very heated phonecalls. And considering that the film is just him in the vehicle, and dealing with this pressure, the sense of confinement would surely make for a very tense and atmospheric film.

It is still tense and atmospheric but not to the level that was indicated in the trailer, and certainly not through the reasons that one was led to be the cause of his bad night.
Dont get me wrong, the film is worth watching as it is a vehicle, forgive the pun, to show the great acting talents of Tom Hardy who does a great job of man under pressure. The lead character should be in the circus with howmuch juggling he has to do.
Naturally with his making a lot of phone calls, there are several well known names doing the voices for these various characters, and i have to say that some may find more fun in identifying the unseen cast. I was surprised by some of the names I saw in the end credits.

Good but could have been so much better...... 7 out of 10

"The Dark Knight Rises"

It has been 8 years since the death of the District Attourney of Gotham, alledgedly at the hands of 'Batman', but with his death came the 'Harvey Dent Act', a powerful law which gave the Police and the relevant Authorities increased powers to not only convict but incarcerate criminals. As many as a thousand criminals are now behind bars because of this act, and it has made Gotham a much safer city. Surely something to be proud of?

But the act was created through a lie, a act of deceit, and with that deceit there has to be a reckoning. And that reckoning is coming.....in the shape of 'Bane'.
Gotham may be clean of villains, but it has also been clear of both 'Bruce Wayne' and his alter ego 'Batman'. Wayne has become the Howard Hughes of the modern generation. He locks himself away in a quiet wing of the Wayne mansion, rumours circulate as to what he looks like, what his health condition is like. During a Charity event, his safe is broken into by 'Selina Kyle', masquerading as a waitress. Initially it seems she is after a stunning pearl necklace, but her actual intention is to get her hands on the fingerprints of 'Bruce Wayne'.
These fingerprints will be used by shady business John Daggett to cause the ruination of the Wayne Empire. His ultimate aim is to get his hands on the Applied Sciences Division of the Wayne Corporation, and also to obtain a nuclear fusion device. Initially created to be a source of energy, but put on hold by 'Wayne' fearing it could be used for a far deadlier purpose.
But Daggett is merely a front man. The one in charge pulling on the strings is 'Bane', a ruthless, incredibly powerful criminal, intent to see the rich and decadent of Gotham have their wealth redistributed, and barring that he will wipe Gotham from the face of the Earth having converted the fusion power source into a bomb.

With his beloved Gotham at risk once more, and seeing 'Bane' on the horizon, 'Bruce Wayne' knows that his other identity has to return' but the return comes at a cost.
'Batman' attempts to bring down 'Bane' but only finds himself ill prepared, and unable to deal with immense strength, and naturally 'Bane' gets the better of him. He imprisons our fallen hero in the Prison that was his home for many years, leaving to him to rot in a pit of despair.

The pit however will not become a permanant home for the Caped Crusader, and the scene is then set for the ultimate show down between the two masked men.

I have probably made the screenplay sound a lot more complicated than it actually is. It is brilliantly written. Nolan, through the original work of 'Batman' creator Bob Kane, has created some truly memorable characters, all brought to life by the very best in acting talent. You only have to look at some of the many names in the cast, there are many Oscar winners and nominees involved, and though this does not always mean the best acting talent, in this case it clearly does. And though it is hard to single out any from such a distinguished and talented cast, for me there are a few who truly shine bright.
There is Gary Oldman as 'Commissioner Gordon' who brings his worldly wisdom to the great law man of Gotham. Anne Hathaway is sultry, sexy and every bit the equal of 'Batman' as 'Selina Kyle'. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has long been an actor to watch and admire, and again he does admirable work as the cop off the street, somewhat hot-headed but determined that right should always prevail, a loner who sees similarities with the lonliness that follows 'Bruce Wayne'. Tom Hardy has probably the hardest job of all, how to convey emotions behind just a big mask, but he does a really stunning job, the voice is haunting, his bulk is quite something, but it is the eyes, he gives his performance almost solely through the eyes of his character and does so brilliantly. And of course there is Michael Caine who returns as 'Alfred' the long time butler of the Wayne Mansion. But he is so much more than that, and so is his performance. The love that 'Alfred' has for 'Bruce' is so beautifully conveyed in some very moving scenes.

As one would expect, the action comes thick and fast, and Nolan has really upped his game since "The Dark Knight", making great strides with his work using the IMAX cameras. They take the film to a whole new level. The action is pivotal to the film, and not just there for the sake of it, like some action films that we have seen earlier this year.
The photography is some of the best I have ever seen, and Cinematographer Wally Pfister will most ceratinly be nominated for an Oscar, and barring any major competition, deserves to win.
There is a thundering, rousing score from Hans Zimmer, that wonderfully accompanies the imagery on screen.
Some of the cast have already been mentioned, but it is rare to be able to say this, but there is not one poor performance in the entire cast. Everyone is at the top of their game, giving their best.

There are so many memorable scenes in the film, especially the destruction of an American Football pitch, also the first appearance of 'The Bat', and it all builds to a haunting and moving finale. With a running time of just under three hours, you never get bored, there isn't even any annoying scenes which Directors sometimes use to pad out the running time. Nolan has your 100% attention for the entire 164 minutes. And believe me, you will love every single minute of it.

Visionary British Director Christopher Nolan has come a long way since those early days of films like "Memento" and "Insomnia". He has long held this vision of 'Batman' and has wonderfully brought it to life, both with his amazing Direction, and his first class writing. This awesome trilogy that he has created will be watched for many years to come.

Going to the Cinema is about the experience, and if ever there is a film that HAS to be watched on the big screen, then it is "The Dark Knight Rises", and wherever possible I urge an viewers to see it on an IMAX screen, as it is an experience that you will never forget.

The legacy is complete......Bob Kane will be so proud......a well deserved 10 out of 10