Grimsby

So The other night I was invited out by a friend to see Sacha Baron Cohen's latest film Grimsby frankly should have been called  Far too Grimsby. The films plot is set around Nobby a work shy party animal who lives at home with his girlfriend and nine children. Your impression of Nobby is that between constantly breeding, getting wasted and sponging off the state his life would be complete. But this isn't the case he is still looking for his brother Sebastian who turns out to be a top Mi6 agent on the trail of a arms dealer who is looking to let a virus loose and exterminate the worlds population of scum including the inhabitance of grimsby.

More Damp Squib than Octopussy.

To be honest I knew that this film was going to be a disappointment the minuet the opening credits finished. The film goes for the formular of gross out cheap laughs rather than Baron Cohens usual brand of subversive comedy as we have seen in Ali G and Borat. There are two scenes in the film regrettably are burned into my brain for ever which are the elephant and the fish market, don't look either up on google.
This film doesn't get any better than this, I did think that the few first person shoot out scene where a interesting idea but not enough to save any part of the film. I was not the only one who had stopped laughing in the audience nor did I hear anyone had enjoyed the film either.
In all honesty dont waste your time with this film. I hope this is a small bump in the road for Sacha who normally turns out brilliant pieces of writing.
Although I could saved myself a lot of time by redirecting you to the Leciester mercury newspapers review which I shall quote. "Grimsby: In which the privately schooled, Oxbridge educated multimillonare invites us to laugh at his latest creation; a bloke with no job and eleven kids.

DeadPool

Ryan Reynolds is back as our Friendly neighbourhood pool guy Dead Pool. Although this isn't  the first time that Ryan has stepped into the role. Unlike most of the other marvel films its a violent love story.
The movie tells the story of wade wilson former special forces and mercenary who is struck down with incurable cancer all seems lost. Then one evening he is approached a shadowy man in his local bar who offers him a cure plus the chance to gain super powers. After a very short period of thought he decides to go for it and this is where his troubles begin. He is tortured by Angel and Ajax yes the stuff that you use to scrub the kitchen sink. Eventually the changes take hold and he escapes to have his revenge on them.

I have to say that Im not the biggest fan of the marvel franchise as most of them  are aimed at families and very similar plots. DeadPool Felt like a change of pace for once with a more non family friendly script. From the word go you are laughing and in places cringing at the amount of gore hitting the walls. As the body count rises considerably you still feel engaged by the film waiting for the next gag or spatter of brains. Ryan Renyolds does make the role his own especially after his performance as The Green Lantern flopped. I like how all the marvel movies are now starting to tie into each other in the same way as the comics. The use of Shields down base as the scene for the final show down between Dead Pool and Francis. The budget for this was the smallest fpr the marvel franchise so far but I think that helped as there was very little in the way of CGI or big explosions helping to keep the focus on the acting. It I hope that the marvel franchise  will find time to make another Deadpool movie or maybe Deadpool and wolverine film.
If you enjoy the Kick Ass series you'll love this, its defiantly worth the watch go catch it before its released to dvd.

90 percent

GetFaster444

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

It feels I, like many others have been waiting for this for 30 years or so. I do clearly recall watching Return of the Jedi as a small boy and wondering what happens next? Happily ever after doesn't seem like the Star Wars universe and we all need to see that.

This episode has so much expectation that I feared going in that it would be a nostalgic mess of cameos. However that was mostly thankfully unfounded, a wise decision all round. The new cast Daisy Ridley, John Boyaga and Oscar Isaac are great and come across very well. By that I mean well cast and just the right amount of playful interaction and dramatic depth. The villains Adam Driver and Dominic Gleeson are more apprentices in waiting in the dark side. This works as they clearly don't get on, like fighting brothers who are both unhinged in different ways.

The returning cast how did they do? Well it's really all Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew with a cameo from the rest. But honestly Han and Chewee are silver screen magic they really add another level of greatness when they do arrive.



Much has been made of the practical effects and real sets and locations. To be honest I didn't think that much about it. There is clearly CGI in there but the difference is 99% of the time my eyes and mind weren't going "oh ffs" at the clear crapness of the cgi like I do a lot. (I'm looking at you Alice through the looking Glass trailer). From and an effects point of view this how every film should be done if you really care about it.

This does feel like a very big new start for Star Wars I'm not 100% sold that Disney can keep it up long term. The main issue with it all long term is lack of making it all special. If you look at Marvel you will see it all becoming more and more like a TV show. Very formulaic and predictable although I do admit I'm not a fan of most of the Marvel films (Guardians Of the Galaxy excluded).

 I do hope this is just the start and better is to come because I did enjoy The Force Awakens very much, but I do believe it is near impossible to create something truly special based solely on something that was special from the past. It just not gonna be the same of course and nor should it be.
 The Star Trek reboots are a good example of that, the first film was fun and interesting but the second was totally forgettable and from the trailer the third looks like it's going to kill the series. What made it special has been lost along the way.

I do hope that they really develop the new cast in future Star Wars films leave the past behind and embrace what they have started. I really would love it if they succeed.

Mooopers
90%
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I don’t think I have looked forward to a film as much as I have Star Wars: The Force Awakens for a long time, and on thinking on it I don’t think there has ever been an event like this in movie history.  This is what makes it special.

That is why I was there at 8am on the morning of the opening day.  I have never been to the cinema that early before and was alarmed at how many people that decided it was a good idea too, felt the need for nachos, chocolate and popcorn. As an aside, I was disappointed about the lack of serious costumes.  I know you are out there cosplayers, I have seen you!  Instead  I got two people dressed in stormtrooper onsies that from the back looked like easter bunnies. Just saying.

So, to the actual screening.  I will be honest, this is what my brain usually does during Star Wars titles.  Politics, politics, politics, Death Star, politics, politics' This time I read it properly as it is more like a 'where are they now?' piece without the 'then' and 'now' photos.

I promise no spoilers.  The first scenes have a massive impact, Po Dameron is awesome, BB8 adorable, holy crap Kylo has some moves and for a villain has some major style (it is intimidation by having immense taste).  That is roughly the first ten minutes, it escalates quickly.

I am going to offend a few people now by using the 'F' word.  This film is FUN. All the characters are believable, even without all the backstory details.  The interaction between the cast is genuine.   It is great to see the original cast who bring a sense of gravitas to the story and clearly have approached it with integrity.

There are some great moments of comedy, perfectly timed and not over done.  There are also some very subtle nods to the original films dotted around.  There are also moments that are just heartbreaking to watch and you will think on them long after you have left the cinema.

Visually it is amazing, as technology gets better and better in film making you know that only now are we getting near to George Lucas's vision of what this universe looks and sounds like.  I'm loving it!

I could go on about Rey and how she really does pin the whole story together.  Fin, who is openly terrified most of the time in opposition to Rey's pretty unflappable demeanour.  Kylo, who seems to be a good guy trying to be bad with an unhinged quality rarely seen in a film and Po, who is a skilled fighter with a lot of well earned confidence and a sweet attachment to BB8.

The music.  I have been whistling or humming Rey's theme (used in one of the trailers) consistently.  It is my brains' elevator music, always on in the background with occasional bursts out loud.  I cannot express how good this composition is and the ways it has already been used.

Okay, as you can tell I really enjoyed this film.  I am in no way an expert on the canon of Star Wars but understand there are some messed up histories going on here.  I am hoping that the writers have come up with some amazing ideas on how to move this all forwards with un-obvious twists that made Empire Strikes Back so revolutionary.  Once the film had finished I have to admit I was straight on the forums, searching through theories of what is going to happen next.  It was very enjoyable watching the feeds come through.  The fans and their dedication and loyalty to what has gone before are really what makes this story great!

Beakoala
93%