Captain America: The First Avenger review

Directed by: Joe Johnston

Starring:

Chris Evans
Hugo Weaving
Hayley Atwell
Tommy Lee Jones
Stanley Tucci
Dominic Cooper

Last weekend I went to see Chris Evans in action in the new Captain America film and I just thought I'd share my thoughts on the film. I'll try and point out the highs and the lows without giving anything important away.

First impressions

To be honest the film wasn't quite what I expected, then again I wasn't sure what to expect. On the whole I thought it was a pretty fair adaptation of the comics but Joe Johnston's direction failed to depict the horrors of war and that is one of the reasons why it didn't live up to expectations. Of course it would be unfair to put down the film on that point alone and so I will look at some other bad points later in the review, and some good points too.

The good points

On the whole The First Avenger is a pretty decent action film with plenty of well thought out fights and some witty dialogue. The script was good enough to keep me watching which can't be bad. Right then, what about Chris Evans performance? Well, he is certainly not Johnny Storm in fact he is far removed from that character which is a good thing. The casting of Chris Evans did leave me thinking that it was a wrong choice however there is nothing to fear as he was spot on as the star spangled avenger. He character is worth rooting for as it is easy to warm to the underdog especially when he takes a beating in an alley but refuses to back down.

Other performances of note are Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark who showed that he was just as eccentric as his son. Stanley Tucci pulled of the friendly German act pretty well. He is a likable character and was much departed from his role in The Lovely Bones (Thought I'd mention his role in that film as I watched it for the first time the weekend before).

The effects are worth noting particularly the mind blowing early sequences which show Chris Evans as a skinny individual. The effects team definitely had their work cut out pulling off that effect. There are also plenty of decent action sequences which help to demonstrate Caps enhanced strength and ability.

The bad points

What didn't I like about this film? Personally I would have preferred to have seen Captain America mucking it up with the average soldiers, storming the beaches of Normandy for instance. The horrors of war are not explored in this film and I feel that if they're where it would have given the character of Captain America more depth. I just wanted him to endure what many young soldiers would have endured in the war. Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull didn't quite cut it. Think Agent Smith with a German accent and you'll have an idea of how he played the part.

Final thought

I kind of liked this film, in fact I preferred it to X-Men First Class and Thor. It had a bit of character, a good performance from Chris Evans and an endearing period setting which set it apart from other superhero movies. I just thought that we could have seen more of the war, instead it was slightly glossed over for the sake of taking a safe approach.

Sucker Punch Soundtrack Review

I did a review of Sucker Punch a couple of a weeks ago, a few days after watching it at the cinema and one of the key things I liked about the films was the soundtrack. So I thought I would review the soundtrack too. I can't remember all of the songs so I'll just review those that I'm familiar with and those I like the most for the time being.

Sweet Dreams

This song helped to set the scene for the opening of the film and is the first of three songs performed by Emily Browning. The song works well enough as every time I hear it I imagine the scene that accompanies it; which includes a pervy stepfather, a gun and of course Baby Doll, doing all she can to to stop him from harming her little sister.

Where Is My Mind?

Another song that I can instantly connect to a scene from the film; Baby Doll is about to undergo a lobotomy procedure. Now there's an image that's hard to forget.

Asleep

This song further emphasized Baby Doll's woeful situation. I can't remember the scene entirely but I'm pretty sure the song featured near the beginning of the brothel scene. Anyway, I thought it was a decent cover and it suited the dark tone of the film perfectly.

I Want It All

A suitably thumping track for a big fight scene and one that is instantly recognizable to many of us. This is a mash of the classic Queen song with heavy hip hop beat and additional material by Armageddon.

Overall Opinion

I thought that each song complimented the film quite well by adding to the emotional content of each particular scene. Emily Browning lent her quite capable vocal talent to some of the songs which helped to evoke a sense of emotion between the audience and the experiences of her character. Some of the songs weren't really my cup of tea, for instance the Brian Ferry cover which was a let down compared to some of the songs that where featured earlier in the film.

Film Review: Sucker Punch from a Male P.O.V

Info: I didn't know much about this film before going to see it and I wanted to keep it that way so that I could go into the cinema with low expectations. It was actually Kat who brought Sucker Punch to my attention. The synopsis sounded interesting and it give us enough incentive to go and see the film. One thing I want to get out of the way is that although the film is sexy, with hot women in hot outfits it has a lot more going for it. This film is pretty deep, and contrary to what I have read in many reviews it does have a plot. And it's a pretty interesting one.

Plot: The story begins with "Babydoll" played by Browning, who is sent to an insane asylum after her step father accuses her of murdering her sister. To escape the hell of the asylum she allows her mind to sink into an alternate dream world, that of a brothel. Here she finds several friends, SweetPea, Blondie, Amber and Rocket, and together they forge a plan to make an escape.

Thoughts:

Well, what can I say other than, jolly interesting. There is not really anything negative I can say about this film. Like any good film it was the well written story that kept me watching. Amidst the despair of facing a grim future in an insane asylum "Baby Doll" found hope in the recesses of her mind. And that's what I liked about this film. No matter how bad life is there is always hope. And hope can originate from a positive thought. Hope for "Baby Doll" comes in the form of five items and these items are the key to her escape plan. The music was another interesting aspect of this film. For me it felt like a musical, as the songs in the film reflected the emotional state of "Baby Doll". Classic songs such as "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics have been tailor made for the film. Emily Browning proves herself as a competent singer and lends a dark brooding presence to each of her songs.

Visuals:

Sucker Punch certainly has the looks, and I don't mean the young ladies who grace the screen. Just imagine your favorite action video game and you'll have an idea of the kind of imagination that "Baby Doll" has.

Casting:

I've only heard of two of the cast members, Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket) and Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) . High School Musical isn't really my cup of tea, being a bloke and all, so I have nothing to say about that film. I have seen Lemony Snicket however and in that film she played the part pretty well. It's fair to say that after her role in Sucker Punch she is a talented actress. And that goes for the rest of the cast, yes, that's right, even Vanessa Hudgens who has successfully escaped the sickly sweet arms of High School Musical.

Overall:

Sucker Punch is a great film, packed with interesting ideas and stunning visuals. The performances are great and the direction is spot on. I have high hopes for the Superman reboot now that Zack Snyder is on board to direct. He brought a decent mix of emotion, excitement and pace to Sucker Punch. I know it's a cliche, but the story stayed with me long after leaving the cinema. And as Kat pointed out, we didn't finish our coke which must be a good thing.

Film Review: Sucker Punch

Starring: Emily Browning, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung.

Certificate: 12A

Info: I went in to watch this film with very little prior knowledge of it. All I knew was that it was about a young girl who goes into a fantasy world to escape and conquer the events going on in the real world.

My initial thought was that it was going to be very similar to "Pan's Labyrinth".

The film looks incredibly stylish, in a similar way to Sin City and 300.

Plot: In the Real World, 20-year-old "Babydoll" (Browning) has just lost her mother, and in order to claim their money, Babydoll's step father has framed her for the death of her own younger sister. Sent to an Insane Asylum, Babydoll's world crumbles into that of a Brothel, in which she befriends SweetPea (Cornish), her younger sister Rocket (Malone), Amber (Chung) and Blondie (Hudgens), work concoct a plan to escape the clutches of their boss "Blue".

In order to collect the five things needed to escape, Babydoll must dance in order to distract them, throughout which she falls into various worlds, where she and her friends must hunt out the five items.

Can they find the first four items in time, and can Babydoll figure out what the elusive fifth item actually is?

Thoughts: Sucker Punch has received a great deal of negativity from critics, who have branded it "erotic" and "sexist". But, personally, I think the critics are missing the point.

On one level, of course the film is sexist, but only in the way that Babydoll and Co. are forced to dress and act. Nevertheless, you have to remember that the characters are being forced to dress like this, in order to survive in a vicious place. These young and attractive girls, in the Brothel World, are ultimately being objectified by a group of middle-aged men, and how is this any different to the men in the real world who go out and buy Lad's Mags or visit strip clubs?

On another level, the film is about how these girls use the one thing that these men want from them, against them, in order to escape and to beat them. In my opinion, this is empowering and shows that women are smarter than this particular type of male thinks that they are. It shows that women can and will defend themselves whenever they need to.

A couple of reviewers have compared the film to several video games, including Final fantasy, and as a self-confessed Final Fantasy fan-girl, I really have to agree with that idea, and I definitely feel that the likeness to video games is the exact reason why I enjoyed the film as much as I did.

Visuals: Sucker Punch is visually stunning, especially during the battle sequences with Steam Punk imagery and incredible action scenes, that you really can't fault, because they were fast-paced and looked incredible. But, from a film that boasts graphic novel, video game and steampunk elements you wouldn't expect anything less!

Casting: Personally, I thought Emily Browning was great in Lemony Snicket, so it was nice to see her move into an oddly similar, in the sense of quirkiness, film. Her casting seems perfect, because she pays the cute innocence of Babydoll so perfectly.

The only film that I have seen Jena Malone in, is Donnie Darko, and it is fair to say that Rocket was absolutely nothing like the character she portrayed in that. Rocket wasn't an amazing character, but Malone did a fair job.

Being a big hater of the High School Musical films, I expected very little from Vanessa Hudgens, so it is with a little chagrin that I confess to being impressed with her acting skills in Sucker Punch. I would say it's fair to say that Hudgens has proven herself to be a potential all-rounder in a way Zac Efron has really failed in.

Jamie Chung and Abbie Cornish were complete unknowns to me, but they both performed well.

Overall: Sucker Punch was not what I expected at all, but I can definitely tell that this is going to be a really Marmite type of film, and I know that no matter what I say, the critics will never be brought round to liking this film.

It was smarter than a lot of the critics seem to think it was, and the fact that I couldn't predict the ending put it in great stead with me.

But, the reason I know I liked this film is because it passed my "coke" test:

I always buy a large coke whenever I go to the cinema, I'm not really sure why, but I just always do, and if I still have a large amount left, then I judge that I liked the film, because I was too drawn into it, to drink the coke. However, if I finish the drink a long time before the film has even finished, then I consider that the film bored me that I remembered my drink to try and quell the boredom.

And yes, I did have coke left when Sucker Punch finished!

Film Review: 9

Starring: Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, John C Reilly
Certificate: 12

Info: For a film not actually directed by Tim Burton, this film still manages to actually ooze the fact that Burton was involved. It's incredible that this story didn't even come out of Burton's mind, because it has the look and feel of many of Burton's fantasy-based films and book (anyone who has had the pleasure of reading Burton's "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories" will know exactly what I'm talking about!)

Plot: Inspired by a short film that Director Shane Acker developed six years ago, "9" is the alternative interpretation of what would happen if man-made machines took over the world! As the film's tagline goes "when our world ended their mission began", because although the machines have wiped out the human race, the future of the world is in the hands of nine little creatures. But who are they? Where did they come from? And, how come they have been able to survive?

Thoughts: "9" is a beautifully crafted and very quirky film, that you can just tell has been passed over by those of us who are more familiar with what Pixar and DreamWorks have to offer us. Some could say that making the film was quite daring, but it's also likely that most people who have seen this film, have only really watched it because of the Tim Burton tag attached to it. Which is fair enough, because as I just pointed out, it's one of those darker animated films that most people aren't interested in, until a big name is tagged on.To be fair, I only picked up this film because it was being sold for £5 in Tesco, but other than a few random bus posters, I don't remember seeing that much publicity for this film, which I have to say, is a big shame!

Visuals: Visually, "9" is very stunning to watch. As a  big video game geek, I have to admit that I have been very spoilt when it comes to graphics, which is predominantly down to the fact that I am a Final Fantasy geek. Final Fantasy, as any fan will know has probably the best graphics in all RPG games. So, it's fair to say that I have very high expectations when it comes to graphics.

I was also incredibly impressed with how realistic the movements of the characters were.

Casting: I have to admit that I'm not really a fan of Elijah Wood, which is why I was relieved that most of the actors (including Wood) didn't really sound like themselves. In fact, we spent half the film trying to guess which actor was playing which role.

Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly were both easy, and we'd guessed before the film had even started.

Crispin Glover was an easy guess, but luckily we pinned that one, despite the fact that we realised that we didn't know what Glover's voice actually sounds like (and the fact that I spent the first 20 minutes getting Glover mixed up with Sam Rockwell, in my head!!)

John C Reilly was a guess, but again a good one.

Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau were the real challenge, and we kept changing our minds over who was "1" and which one was "2". We eventually got so confused, that I can't even remember if we got it right or not!

Overall: The plot was interesting, albeit a little confusing at times, but definitely worth a look by anyone who loves a dark, fantasy-based film!