"King of Thieves" - preview screening

One almost feels like this story revolving around the Hatton Garden Diamond job by a group of more mature thieves has been done to death already. Don't quote me but I believe that this is at least the third production involving this storyline. I guess that what gives this one the edge is the very top notch British acting talent involved. Any Director would say goodbye to some serious anatomy parts just to get one or two of these actors involved, let alone having 5 of the very best.  For those of you who may have been blissfully unaware of what happened, basically a group of senior aged thieves planned a robbery in the famed Hatton Garden area of London during the Easter Bank Holiday. There will be no staff to cause distress to, and the area will be deserted and in theory no one will realise what has been done til everyone is back at work the following Tuesday. The ideal opportunity.

Sir Michael Caine plays Billy, the brains behind the scheme. And he assembles a motley crew to help in the caper, all with their own skills and personalities, and as mentioned, bringing these characters to life is some of the very best British acting talent.
It is hard to say what kind of film it is trying to be, whether biopic, comedy or drama, all these boxes seem to get ticked. And unfortunately it means that the film is a little bit all over the place.

Sir Michael Caine and Ray Winstone are playing characters that we have seen them play before, and in fairness, in far superior films, but there is still much to enjoy about "King of Thieves", most notably Jim Broadbent in something of a departure role. And Tom Courtenay is highly entertaining as a gang member with a hearing problem.

There is a riotously funny highlight of the film and it involves the introduction of Michael Gambon's fence character, and Sir Michael Caine in bewilderment.

Seeing the cast together is the main reason that many will enjoy this film, and rightly so, but it could have been a real great, up there with that other Ray Winstone masterpiece "Sexy Beast"....6 out of 10

"Crazy Rich Asians" - preview screening

Whilst watching this preview, all that kept going through my head was John Hughes. And that is in no way a bad thing. When you look at some of the great films that he has been responsible for, whether as Writer, Director or both, it is a library of films to be very proud.

The premise is that handsome young Asian has the woman of his dreams in his life, and he feels it is now time to take the next step, and introduce her to his family. There is however one small fly in the ointment. His family are to Asia, what John Getty was to oil in America. They are seriously wealthy and live a very lavish lifestyle. All of this information he has kept from his Girlfriend.
So she suspects all in not as it seems when they board the plane and finds that they are in 
the bees knees of travelling style, and the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together.

There is also an over-bearing mother, wonderfully played by Michelle Yeoh, and one doubts if anyone would be good enough for her soon, so let battle commence between Mother and potential new Daughter in law.

Its nicely played out, but I would not say it is laugh out loud funny, but still entertaining none the less. 6 out of 10

"The Equalizer 2"

Problem Solver Robert McCall is back.
I always thought that this was something of a departure role for lead actor Denzel Washington, but the first film worked incredibly well, in fact my one regret was that I never got round to seeing it at the Cinema, so naturally this was something I was very keen to rectify with the sequel. In fact I have been wracking my brains as to whether Mr.Washington has done a sequel before, and without consulting the oracle that is IMDb, I cannot think of one.

McCall is reunited with one of his former work colleagues. And they enjoy catching up, but all too soon said colleague is off to Europe to investigate an apparent suicide, but there are suspicions of foul play. And sure enough, McCall soon finds himself investigating her death, which may or may not be a robbery gone wrong.
There is also a side story involving a tenant in the apartment block where McCall lives. A young lad, who McCall takes under his wing, in the hope that he can veer him away from the Street gang that he is involved with.

It builds to the inevitable big finale, taking place wher McCall and his wife lived, and during a big storm. It is a very well executed sequence.

Overall its a good film, may be not quite as good as the first but still worth watching for the always reliable Mr Washington....7 out of 10

RIP Burt Reynolds

 

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Burt Reynolds earlier today. I have been a fan for many years. I have fond memories especially of a Saturday evening, when as a family, in the early 1980's we would rent a video cassette, and I remember the likes of "Smokey & The Bandit" and "Sharkey's Machine".

 

I have always admired him, as for me he personifies a real fighter. He has had a lot to contend with throughout his life, some of which was by his own hand, but he has always battled on regardless.

 

I know it wasn't his favourite film, far from it, but I just love watching "The Cannonball Run" and its sequel. Any film fan must get a real kick from watching these two great movies.

 

A more serious Reynolds can be seen in great movies like the classic "Deliverance" and his Oscar nominated role in "Boogie Nights".

I saw an interview he gave with Piers Morgan for "Life Stories"...it was insightful and at times very moving.

 

I for one was over the moon when I heard that he had been cast in the latest film from Writer / Director Quentin Tarantino. It is such a crying shame that he did not get the chance to shoot any scenes for what would have been another great and memorable performance.

 

A couple of months ago I started to read "But Enough About Me". I do enjoy reading autobiographies, especially ones about the movie business. I can honestly this has to be one of the very best, and I can think of no better way to praise him, and his life, than to recommend reading this phenomenal book. Trust me, you will not be able to put it down.

 

Thanks for the ride Burt.......rest in peace.

"The Children Act"

The above poster was what attracted to me to this film.There are certain stars who simply seeing their name on a Cinema Poster is enough to get me to buy a ticket, and Emma Thompson is most certainly one of them. Time and time again she has delivered top notch performances, and so it was a guarantee to find me watching "The Children Act" despite not having a clue as to what it was about.

The film is in two halves, the first a judicial drama, as we find Ms. Thompson playing a Judge, who is presiding over two high profile cases. There is a lot of relevance to some equally high profile cases that have been in the news of late. And it does give one a lot to think about, and gives a fascinating insight into how and why these decisions are reached.
The second half of the film is more of an emotional drama as Thompson's Judge must deal with the repercussions of her actions, following on from a judgement that she has given. In one such case a Child's parents are trying to stop a Hospital from allowing potential saving treatment for their Son who is seriously ill with leukemia. Part of the treament, which could prolong his life, involves a blood transfusion and, unfortunately both the Parents and the 17 year boy are Jehovah's Witnesses. The Judge must make a diffcult decision between wanting to respect the religious beliefs but also in respect of health, what is best for the Boy.

I will not go on any further regarding the plot is it will unfair to reveal what happens.
But safe to say that this is a really compelling drama.
Having seen some recent high profile cases in the news, regarding Parents of babies wanting to take them abroad to try alternative treatment, and the Hospital ruling it would not be in the best interest of the baby, this is firmly in the mind when watching this film. Seeing things from the perspective of the Judge, it really is fascinating.
The second half is equally strong, as we follow Judge Maye, both struggling to keep her marriage together and dealing with the aftermath of a ruling she has given. I was simply glued to the screen.

It is hardly a surprise that the film is as brilliant as it is. Directing we have Richard Eyre, the man responsible for "Notes on a Scandal" and "Iris". Writing the Screenplay is acclaimed novelist Ian McEwan, adapting his own novel, and there is a dazzling cast. from Stanley Tucci, to Jason Watkins, in a scene stealing performance as Maye's Secretary / assistant.
But ultimately the film belongs to Fionn Whitehead and especially to Emma Thompson. Anyone who has seen either "In The Name of the Father" or "The Remains of the Day", and thought she was excellent, well, this is Emma at her very best.

A second viewing is a given.......great stories like this are why we go to the Cinema. I can think of no other score but as follows.....10 out of 10

"Ant-Man And The Wasp"

I have to admit that the first "Ant-Man" film did not exactly wow me. I thought that it was merely average. But this is sequel is far superior, and highly enjoyable,

We meet the team after events of the last two years. Lang is under house arrest for his involvement helping Captain America in Germany. Dr. Hank Pym and his Daughter Hope are working on trying to retrieve Pym's wife Janet who has been trappeed in the Sub Atomic quatnum realm ever since stopping a Russian missile from reeking havoc.
Also interested in the quantum experiment is a mysterious ghost figure. What are their intentions?

The opening scenes with a young Michael Douglas are excellent. It is really outstanding how this is achieved, and if I'm honest I do not want to know how it is done. But someone, somewhere is really working some creative magic.
As one would expect with Marvel there are some excellent action scenes, but with a Marvel spin, and given the sizes that the two title characters can shrink and expand to there is a lot of humour to be had, especially from seeing a rather large Pez or Salt jar being used to great effect.
The action is well photographed, and not in your face, and likewise the editing is equally well done.
And keeping with the humour, there is a fair bit of it from Luis and his Security Consultant team, the X-Cons.

The chemistry between Rudd and Lilly is excellent, and they make a great duo. Michael Douglas is excellent again as Pym, and nice to see Pfeiffer as his wife Janet.

Much improved on the original, and very entertaining.... 7 out of 10

PS - Yes there is a mid way end credit sequence (DO NOT MISS), but the very end one is not worth staying for

"Mission: Impossible - Fallout"

The Mission: Impossible films have been going for over 20 years now, and this is the sixth film in the series. Do either the franchise or its lead actor Tom Cruise show any signs of slowing down?
Most definitely not.

There has been a lot of hype with regard to the major stunt work and action sequences that Cruise has been involved in. It does make one wonder how nervous the Insurance Company executives must have been?

After the Capture of Soloman Lane, the IMF team are trying to retrieve 3 cores of plutonium, which are meant for the hands of 'The Apostles', the remaining remnants of Lane's group. Alas things do not go to plan. The plutonium is still out there, and The Apostles are hoping to deal with the mysterious terrorist John Lark, who aims to cause anarchy, as most terrorists do. His identity remains a secret, though he has inside information on the goings on at both IMF and the CIA, could it be one of the IMF team?

Rather than slowing down, the gauntlet has been well and truly thrown as to how far action sequences can be taken, especially with the involvement of the leading man. A lot has been about this in the press, especially after the injury sustained by Cruise during a rooftop jump in London. The action sequences are some of the best that have ever been put on celluloid. But I felt they also detracted from the plot. It is almost as though the plot has been written around the action, rather than the other way round. The story starts off well, especially with Hunt being investigated as a possible John Lark. The mistrust from the CIA makes for compelling viewing. But the second half the plot gives way to Hunt either on the road, in the air, or on a mountain edge. All great sequences, but what of the Apostles? Are they being saved for the inevitable MI7?

The cast are all as reliable as ever Some are hailing this the best Mission: Impossible film. I would not go that far. There has been better. And for anyone planning to watch it on the IMAX...save your money, I cannot for the life of me fathom out why the film was shot in 3D. It is a truly wasted format, and it adds nothing to the film. It would have been far better on the IMAX in the traditional 2D format.

Although for me it is not the be all and end all of action movies, it is still worth watching.....7 out of 10