Previewed: July's Releases

July's Releases

The month of many movies is finally upon us with a plethora of choices to keep nearly everyone happy. As usual I look at what is on offer and let you know what I think is worth watching and what should not even be touched with a bargepole. Enjoy.

Best Movies in July 2011

                           1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
                           2. Super
                           3. Horrible Bosses
                           4. Captain America: The First Avenger
                           5. The Tree of Life
                           6. A Separation
                           7. Cars 2


Action/Fantasy/Thrillers
Trust (8th July)
Part thriller, part drama Trust revolves around the dangers of the online world as a teenage girl is targeted by an online sexual predator and the knock on effects for her parents. David Schwimmer's latest foray onto the big screen after the acceptable Run Fatboy Run. In a month filled with good films, this will get pushed into relative obscurity where it shouldn't belong. 

Cell 211 (15th July)
A Spanish film this one. The story of two men on different sides of a prison riot- the inmate leading the rebellion and the young guard trapped in the revolt, who poses as a prisoner in a desperate attempt to survive the ordeal. Has gained critical acclaim from Spain with a Hollywood remake already mooted for 2013. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (15th July)
Don't think much needs to be said about this. Expect a media frenzy storm as the day approaches as the saga finally comes to a close. Harry Potter and Co's final battle with Voldermort will have the cinema's packed to the rafters and even if your not a fan you will probably somehow find yourself in there with everyone else. Watch out for my Potter Marathon post next week when I try and watch all 7 movies in one sitting with some live text updates. Fun fun!

Hobo with a Shotgun (15th July) [my review]
Having already reviewed this gives my a bit more insight than usual. I will let the review (link above) do most of the talking but suffice to say this doesn't hold back on the gore and guts. Want a plot synopsis? Read the title. If this is your type of thing then it's rather enjoyable!

Captain America: The First Avenger (29th July)
After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans {no not that one UK readers}) volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America's ideals. So yet another superhero enters our midst which will no doubt in part be another advertising opportunity for The Avengers film out next year. Looks good enough to merit praise on it's own though. In terms of hero movies this year, I'm placing it below X-Men but above Thor and Green Lantern. Go watch.


Animations/Children
Cars 2 (22nd July) [my review]
Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his pal Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Pixar is back and despite my belief that Cars is probably the weakest of their franchises, it's still not half bad! Should be a good laugh and looks visually stunning.

Arrietty (29th July)
Think The Borrowers in anime and you have this film just about worked out. The latest product of Studio Ghibli Inc. (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke) looks like a feast for the eyes once again. If this is your kind of thing then the cinema will be the only place to do it justice. I on the other hand will be waiting for the DVD.


Comedy
Larry Crowne (1st July)
After losing his job, a middle-aged man (Tom Hanks) reinvents himself by going back to college and develops a crush for his public-speaking class teacher (Julia Roberts). Closest thing to your romcom this month. Not quite my cup of tea but you never know.

Super (8th July) [my review]
After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt (Rainn Wilson), a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills. Another one I have already seen (link above) and it comes highly recommended by me. A lot grittier and more real than Kick Ass could ever hope to be. You have to watch this.

Beginners (22nd July)
A young man (Ewan McGregor) is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover. Sure to be making most viewers laughing one moment and then crying the next. Any other month I might make my way to see this but there are too many other choices to keep me occupied.

Horrible Bosses (22nd July)
Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness. Ever wished your boss would just disappear? Then this is the comedy for you. A host of A-listers in what has the potential to be one of the best comedies of the year. One near the top of the must see list for this month.

Zookeeper (29th July)
A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zookeeper (Kevin James) find love. This looks like more of a low brow slapstick comedy than anything else. This one is heading for a flop. Avoid unless you want to zone out for a few hours.


Drama/Documentaries
A Separation (1st July)
A couple, Nader and Simin have different ideas about living abroad. Simin wants to go to give her daughter a better life but Nader refuses to go because partly so he can care for his father who suffers from Alzheimers. However Simin is determined to get a divorce and leave the country with her daughter. Powerful drama in Iranian that just wins best foreign movie of the month from me.

As If I Am Not There (1st July)
Taken from true stories revealed during the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague on the Bosnian War of the 1990s. A schoolteacher in Sarajevo takes a job in a small country village to avoid the worst of the war. But when Serbian soldiers overrun the village, they shoot the men and keep the women as labourers (the older ones) and sex objects (the younger ones). Will fly under the radar but looks impressive. Subtitled.

Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo (1st July) 
Just because this list wouldn't be complete without a strange documentary, I give you this. It looks into the cultural and historical ties underlying Japan's deep fascination with insects. Doubt I would ever go to the cinema to watch (more suited to a TV listing) but it looked strange enough to warrant a place.

The Conspirator (1st July)
Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life. Looks OK- I can see it being eclipsed by some of the other movies out this month though.

The Tree of Life (8th July)
The story centres around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence. If it hits the right notes and doesn't come across as too pretentious then I'll bet it will be a forerunner to nick a couple of Oscars. Could go either way so I'm going to sit on the fence until I've seen it.


Horror
The Violent Kind (22nd July)
Yet again we have a month short on horror films. Tagged as 'From the producers of Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (the crappy remakes not the originals) it follows a night at a secluded farmhouse with a small group of hardened young bikers and their girlfriends. They become tormented when one of the girls is savagely possessed and a gang of "Rockabillies" seemingly from the 1950's descends upon them to collect what is growing inside her. Yeh one to avoid.


And due to the volume of enticing films out this month, I've been left with the best of the rest that I did not have time to preview but which still seem interesting so have a look yourself if you have a few spare moments:

Holy Rollers (8th July) : Jews and drugs. Jesse Eisenberg. Crime/Drama.
A Better Life (29th July) : Mexican gardener seeks better life for son. Drama.
Poetry (29th July) : Ageing woman undergoing Alzheimers finds poetry. S Korean. Drama.

Done. Seems like movie goers will be a few pennies poorer come the end of this month if they all live up to expectations. Anyway back to the reviews. Next up from me is Bridesmaids. [my review] As always, check out the trailer below.

Farm
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Reviewed: 13 Assassins [2011]

13 Assassins [2011]

15 - 141mins - Action/Adventure/Drama - 6th May 2011

Being the film buff that I like to pretend I am, I am still yet to see Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai- a work that has supposedly spawned many films since and is widely regarded as one of the first films to introduce plot structures such as recruiting a group of characters to to accomplish a specific goal and having a main hero undertake a task unrelated to the main plot. 13 Assassins leans on this movie which it has clearly been influenced by.

The story follows the efforts of a group of samurai as they aim to assassinate the evil Lord Naritsugu (Gorô Inagaki) whose malevolence and monstrosities against his people know no bounds. Unable to touch Naritsugu due to his links with the former and current shogun , a senior politician realises that he has to be stopped before he obtains a higher rank and becomes an even more dangerous threat. He secretly enlists the help of a trusted samurai Shinzaemon Shimada (Kôji Yakusho) to gather a group of samurai together with the task of eliminating Naritsugu.

Despite me not being the best judge of the way of the samurai, I was not born in the 1840's in Japan, I felt that 13 Assassins portrayed what it could well have been like during that time. Setting the film in a time of relative peace was a good choice as it meant many of the samurai had no real life combat experience or know-how which gave them more depth- they are trained killing machines and yet for some of them, they have never even killed.

The main draw of this movie is the combat sequences and action shots which are impressive to say the least. The whole movie is basically enacting out one long battle scene with the first half setting up the characters and the last hour being dedicated to the massive battle scene. There is quite a bit of gore to keep an eye out for in both the fighting scenes and others with many limbs being severed and plenty of guts on show. The fighting scenes are well done although if I had to find fault, I would say at points it did feel as it the samurai were fighting wave after wave of enemies leading to it feeling a bit 'samey' and instead of heading straight for Naritsugu the samurai felt compelled to slash their way through the footmen first when they could have gone for him straight away. But that's just me nitpicking.

The number of unfamiliar Japanese names being mentioned along with the fact that the samurai are all wearing similar attire and have the same haircut whilst having to spend time reading subtitles rather than watching can lead to some confusion. This does fall away though while the movie progresses as the characters take on more individual personalities especially within the samurai group.

Credit must go to director Takashi Miike who not only has created a beautiful movie in terms of cinematography and direction but also has brought the honour, tradition and way of life of the samurai and Japanese culture to the viewer in emphatic fashion. Awesome fight scene, solid acting and the ability to not shy away from the gore lead me to give this a...

Rating: B+

O and prepare to be befuddled for a bit at the end as well!

You may have noticed that another month has flown by so get ready for my preview of July's releases [my article] where there are many films that will be hitting the screens and by and large, most of them look quite good! Until then...

Farm
Are you fanatical about film? Then follow this site on Twitter @  FAbFilms

Trailered: Johnny English Reborn [2011]

Johnny English Reborn [2011]

Release Dates:

- 7th October 2011 (UK) -

- TBA (USA) -

Director: Oliver Parker

Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West

Johnny English (Atkinson) returns to the role of the accidental secret agent who doesn't know fear or danger in the comedy spy-thriller Johnny English Reborn. In this latest adventure, the most unlikely intelligence officer in Her Majesty's Secret Service must stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos.

In the years since the first installment, MI-7's top spy has vanished off the grid and been been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier's life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent.

Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English returns to the action. With his one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, English must use every trick in his playbook to save the day.

With his usual blend of sarcasm and straight faced comedy Atkinson will no doubt bring his usual wit to the role which saw it succeed during it's original release in 2003. Expect laughs.

Rating: B

Farm
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Trailered: Brave [2012]

Brave [2012]

Release Dates:

- 22nd June 2012 (USA) -

- 17th August 2012 (UK) -

Director: Mark Andrews

Stars: Emma Thompson, Kelly Macdonald, Kevin McKidd

Coinciding alongside the release of Cars 2, Disney Pixar have released the first trailer for their newest project, Brave.

The movie is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida (Macdonald) is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Thompson). Merida, an unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right she seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into her quest and serving as comic relief are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).

1st Teaser Trailer:

It's a Pixar and it's an original concept. Since when have those two points failed to produce something special.

Rating: A

Farm
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Trailered: Flypaper [2011]

Flypaper [2011]

Release Dates:
- TBA -

Director: Rob Minkoff

Stars: Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, Jeffrey Tambor

Flypaper follows a bank robbery with a twist. Whilst using a bank a man ,, is caught in the middle of a heist. Nothing out of the ordinary so far you say and you would be correct. However on this fateful day, the bank is being robbed by 2 groups at the same time- a slick operation after the vault and some rednecks out for the ATM machines.

Although this is too far fetched to be plausible and I have this feeling it's not going to be the best film ever produced, it will no doubt entertain.

Rating: C

Farm
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Reviewed: Troll 2 [1990]

Troll 2 [1990]

15 - 95mins - Fantasy/Horror - 12th October 1990

WOW. Where to begin with this one. This is without a doubt the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life bar none and I've seen a lot of crap. Let me just set the scene before I even move onto the, ahem, 'plot'. This review has spoilers in it but unlike most films, knowing what happens won't affect your enjoyment of it.

Troll 2 ahh the sequel to Troll 1 I hear you say? Nope, of course not. The distributors, concerned with the ability for the success of the film (and rightly so) renamed it to try and link it to a successful film, Troll, released 4 years prior. Along with that the artwork cover above was designed by someone who had seen neither of the films and as a result everything see on it has absolutely no relation to anything that happens... I mean he's drawn a werewolf for Christ's sake and that's not even the same kid.

Troll 2 was the brainchild of Claudio Fragasso who co-wrote it with his wife both of whom were native Italians not well versed in the language of English. In fact they spoke no English, hired an Italian film crew to do their bidding and to save from any confusion brought in American actors. A cunning plan if I do say so myself! Despite all this though the film was somehow shot and completed successfully so onto the 'plot'.

Troll 2 of course revolves around the mystical creatures known as trolls. Well... actually no, no it doesn't. Throughout the whole 90 minutes the word troll is mentioned a grand total of zero times. The film Troll 2 is actually about goblins. Whilst on a house swapping holiday in the small village of Nilbog (a gold star for anyone who can spot why it's called this) a family- mum, Diana; dad, Michael; sister, Holly; Joshua; and the vision of Joshua's dead grandfather Grandpa Seth discovers the village is inhabited by goblins that plan to eat them. They are of course vegetarian goblin's though and so first need to turn them into vegetable people by feeding them poisoned food. You couldn't come up with this even if you tried and yet somehow Fragasso has managed it. To add to the fun, Holly's boyfriend Elliot tags along in his campervan with his three friends Arnold, Drew and Brent.

This poisoned food is worryingly green and looks like it's come out of a cows rear end, so of course the family gather round the table to eat it. But Joshua's Grandpa's ghost appears from nowhere to save the day by warning him that the food is bad as it's been made by the evil Goblins. So how does our Josh save the day? The only way he knows how, he gets up onto the table and pisses all over the food of course prompting one fantastic line from the dad.

The special effect is stunning and ranges from a lightning bolt effect to a lightning bolt effect and the goblins are terrifying showing off what must have at the time been the cutting edge in how to make costumes from things found in a dumpster and potato sacks. The music sets the scenes and is composed entirely from a keyboard synthesiser probably with a couple of keys missing. O and before I forget, the acting is appallingly atrocious.

The weirdest thing about this film is the continual ream of continuity fails and unexplained scenarios. For example, we see Nilbog milk but never find out why it's there, no one in the town drinks it, surely it would go off? We never learn about grandpa Seth's special powers- why is he helpless to stop the family from eating the food but can hack a goblin's hand off with an axe through a mirror or create a Molotov cocktail out of nothing to fling at the nearby Nilbog residents. (No I'm not making this up!) Why does the mum have such freaky bug-like eyes? What was the purpose of turning Arnold into a tree instead of just eating him? What is up with that random girl running through the forest? Why is Arnold unfazed when he first sees the goblins? Who the hell is Creedence? What happens to her face at the end of the movie and has she never heard of chapstick? How do 'the powers of goodness' eliminate the goblins?

The general store scene:

Best actor of all time (This is Arnold)!

Now I've only scratched the surface of this film with so much more to see including the best weapon ever used in the history of film. You will have to watch it to find out what it is but I'll give you a clue- it comes in paper bag and shares it's name with an Italian city and a former English Lord.

The scariest part of this movie is when you realise that not only is it hilarious to watch but it's addictive and at some point in the future you are going to put yourself through the ordeal that is Troll 2 again! I'm proud to announce that I survived Troll 2, even if a bit of me and my brain died with it.

Rating: F*

Phew long post today but there was just so much to talk about!. Next up I review 13 Assassins [my review], a Japanese samurai assassin action movie. Check out the trailer below.

Farm
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Trailered: 30 Minutes Or Less [2011]

30 Minutes Or Less [2011]

Release Dates:

- 12th August 2011 (USA) -

- 7th October 2011 (UK) -

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari

Eisenberg has been keeping rather quiet since the success of The Social Network and returns with director Fleischer whom he worked with on Zombieland in this action comedy as Nick the pizza delivery guy. Rather surprisingly this story is based loosely on real events that happened in 2003 when Brian Wells was forced to rob a bank after having a time bomb strapped to his neck.

30 Minutes Or Less follows Nick's mundane life as it collides with the big plans of two wanna-be criminal masterminds (McBride and Swardson). The volatile duo kidnap him and force him to rob a bank. With mere hours to pull off the impossible task, Nick enlists the help of his ex-best friend, Chet (Ansari). As the clock ticks, the two must deal with the police, hired assassins, flamethrowers, and their own tumultuous relationship.

If the trailers are anything to go by then I have a feeling I will be laughing quite hard during this so long as it doesn't stray into the Your Highness levels of laddish vulgarity. This film is also another chance for Eisenberg to distance himself from his look-a-like/act-a-like Michael Cera tag which I think he has been unfairly handed.

Green Band Trailer 1:

Green Band Trailer 2:

I'm looking forward to this one and expecting good things from it.

Rating: A

Farm
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Reviewed: Green Lantern [2011]

Green Lantern [2011]

12A - 105mins - Action/Crime/Sci-Fi - 17th June 2011

First off, I have to say my knowledge of the Green Lantern extends as far as knowing that somewhere along the line a ring, a lantern, lots of green and a rhyme are involved and that's about it. Before the film I didn't even know our hero's name so in that respect I know not if this did the comic justice and stuck closely to the ideas and themes or it varied wildly. Feel free to leave feedback/comments below if you do know. On the plus side this means I get to learn about a whole new character from scratch and that's what I love about the movies.

The story follows Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) a jet fighter test pilot following in the footsteps of his father. However his life is turned upside down when he finds himself face to face with an alien who gives him a ring which bestows unto him magical powers that enable him not only the ability to fly but allow anything he imagines to materialise. He is not the only one with a ring though and but part of a larger collective known as the Green Lanterns who are tasked with looking after the universe and protecting it from evil.

Unfortunately I found the action somewhat disappointing not only in its quantity (there wasn't much) but also in respect to its quality. The options available to our green lanterns are endless, whatever you can think can become real, it's a scriptwriters dream as anything is feasible as long as they could think of it and yet we are treated to an array of shields and various guns where just a bit more thought could have given us so much more. CGI was a massive factor in this movie as well and for the first time in while I noticed it with the effects feeling slightly incomplete on occasion.

In the supporting cast there was one impressive performance with Mark Strong as Sinestro who should have had more screen time and no poor ones as the cast went about their parts with a minimum of fuss. Reynolds does not quite suit the superhero role but that could just be because I cannot see past him as any character other than a comedic Van Wilder type.

My main gripe with the film though was the characters who were mostly underdeveloped- Hal's friend picks up Hal in his car and says wow when he sees him showing off his suit. That was it, no other point to him at all. Even stranger, Hal's sibling's and nephew were in the start of the movie and then completely cut from the script never to be seen or even heard of again. Also Hal's love interest Carol (Blake Lively) added looks but no real emotional connection with Hal questioning the inclusion of her at all.

As enemies go Parallax never had me worried and I never felt Hal was in real trouble. The Green Lantern has no weaknesses- Superman has kryptonite, Spiderman has limited powers but the Green Lantern can create anything and go anywhere which led me to never be concerned and so for a rather average viewing experience. I'm assuming in the lifetime of the comics, there were better villains that could have been used for the big screen than Hector Hammond (the giant head) (Peter Sarsgaard) and Parallax (the giant smoky head)?

I think that if this had been released before Thor [my review] or X-Men: First Class [my review] then it might have faired slightly better but it never captivated me in the same way those movies did. It seems set slightly more towards the younger generation with a few too many plot holes for my liking and I just hope that if a sequel does come about from this, who am I kidding, WHEN a sequel is made, more effort is put into developing the characters. It seems a bit like I hate this movie but it's not a bad film (remember Catwoman and Daredevil?), it's just I'd rather save my cash and go with something else instead.

Rating: C+

Next movie up is Troll 2. For those of you unaware of this movie, it's known as the best worst movie ever made. Will it live up to expectations? If the trailer is anything to go by then yes, yes it will!

Farm
Are you fanatical about film? Then follow this site on Twitter @  FAbFilms

Trailered: Footloose [2011]

Footloose [2011]

Release Dates:

- 14th October 2011 (UK, USA) -

Director: Craig Brewer
Stars: Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid

Back in 1984 the original Footloose was released unto the world and was a massive success grossing $80,035,402 and coming in at 5th on the all time dance genre total grosses leaderboard. It told the story of a city boy coming to a small country town where dancing and rock music were banned and similar can be said for the remake.

After a group of students dies on the way back from a night dance, the town outlaw public dancing for minors. Of course this just drives it underground as our city slicker (Wormald) starts to become one of the locals and works his way in with the preacher's daughter (Hough), he campaigns for the ban to be lifted.

Over the past few years we have had a plethora of dance movies make it to the big screen (Step Up 1,2,3; Honey 1,2) and they don't have the same effect they used to. Sure with so many reality TV shows plugging dance groups and dance acts there has been an increase in interest for street dance but I can't see the appeal. I understand the skill involved (I could never pull of any of what they do) but I tend to see these films as musicals without the singing- kinda pointless. Maybe I've finally lost touch with the youth of today!

I've not seen the original and have no desire to so the prospect of a remake does not fill me with any sort of joy. I will personally steering clear of this one and so it gets an...

Rating: F

Farm
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Reviewed: Bad Teacher [2011]

Bad Teacher [2011]

15 - 92mins - Comedy - 17th June 2011

Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) has somehow found herself as a school teacher during her life when all she wants to do is grab a man with lots of money who can provide for her. With her former fiancé having worked out the truth and ditching her, Elizabeth has to return and teach for yet another school year much to her frustration. Not only does she have to teach the children but also has to keep the principal (John Michael Higgins) and goody two shoes teacher Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch) off her back while all the time fending off the gym teacher Russell's (Jason Segel) advances.

Things start to look up then when she discovers the new substitute teacher Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake) is sitting on a family fortune. But Elizabeth has competition from the ever perky/mentally unstable Amy so sets about getting money for a boob job that will be sure to win over Scott and his money. Confrontations get even more extreme when Elizabeth discovers there's a bonus for the teacher who achieves the best academic results.

Timberlake once again shows that he is more than apt in the role as a dorky geek with his transitions to the screen a lot more impressive than some other wanna be pop star actors out there. During the movie, there was a moment when I thought they were going to get him singing properly but luckily he knows how to rip on himself very well. I'm still not sure whether most of his laughs come from the fact that the audience knows he is Justin Timberlake and he is doing weird things or whether it is because of his character. I'm inclined to say the former but he still got the laughs.

The others did their jobs with nothing spectacular but no duds either. Special credit goes to Phyllis Smith who plays Lynn the introvert teacher who is always pushed around and Segal who's performance merited more screen time. It also wouldn't be a Diaz film if there wasn't some point at which she lost a few layers and despite being just shy of the big four O she sure knows how to pull off a car wash scene.

There was something with the soundtrack that I liked as well. It suited the mood and gave that scheming feeling which was apparent whenever Diaz or Punch were on screen.

Bad teacher impresses more than I thought it was going to with a combination of over the top characters that play off of each other well and several cringe worthy moments leading the way in the laughing stakes (I actually laughed quite a few times). Sure there were some jokes that didn't quite make the cut for me and the reverting to toilet humour cropped up a couple of times but these instances were few and far between. It's certainly better than the long list of mediocre comedies that have been shown so far this year (Hall Pass [my review], The Hangover Part II [my review], The Dilemma) and is certainly worth a watch.

Rating: B-

Next up is our latest super hero to hit the big screen- Green Lantern. [my review] Check out the trailer below.

Farm
Are you fanatical about film? Then follow this site on Twitter @  FAbFilms

Trailered: The Muppets [2012]

The Muppets [2012]

Release Dates:

- 23rd November 2011 (USA) -

- 17th February 2012 (UK) -

Director: James Bobin
Stars: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper

So my blog has been up and running for three months now and taken in over four and a quarter thousand views which means I must be doing something right. Thanks to all who have and will continue to tune in. I'm a fan of this becoming as interactive as possible and so in that vein I have created a Forum to get those discussions flowing. Check it out HERE!!!

One of the things that I've always enjoyed is finding out about new films and seeing those new trailers for the first time so I thought I'd bring that to you guys and gals by introducing a new feature to my blog in the form of 'Trailered' where I hunt down the latest trailers and get you all excited about the future projects from the film world. And to kick all of this off I have a couple of old faces that I'm sure we will be happy to see again.

That's right people, THE MUPPETS are returning to the big screen!!!

It has been 12 years since we last saw the muppets on the big screen with The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland and even longer since they made a commercial success of it with, the quite amazing if I do say so myself, Muppet Treasure Island in 1996. With their return (which will undoubtedly be accompanied by a huge marketing campaign) Disney will be hoping to introduce a new generation to the muppets and their unique ways. Whether puppeteering will be able to captivate the target audience in a world where CGI has taken over is yet to be seen but I for one welcome them back with open arms.

Although a few teaser trailers have been released in the past months we recently got our first full length trailer to help appease the mystery surrounding the teasers.

The first teaser trailer:

Another teaser trailer (sorry Sweden!):

Full length trailer:

As you can see we are not only being given the old gang back but even get a new muppet in the form of Walter (being thrown into the electric fence in the trailer) described as "a sweet, slightly naive twenty-something Everypuppet who is the kind of guy who faints when he sees Kermit" by Bobin (writer behind The Flight of the Conchords series) the director. Actor and co-writer Segel also adds that "Walter has a little bit of a self-confidence issue because he's the only person like him that he's seen aside from the Muppets. His dream is to meet the Muppets and be around people who are like him". [EW]

So should you go and see it when it comes out? O hell yeh, the muppets are awesome!!

Rating: B

There you are then, not only have I brought you lot a new regular feature but I've given you the ability to slag off my reviews even more easily than before with the new FORUM. Next I review Bad Teacher [my review] with Cameron Diaz. Another trailer below for you- it's your lucky day!

Farm
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Reviewed: Swimming With Sharks [1994]

Swimming With Sharks [1994]

15 - 101mins - Comedy/Crime/Drama - 5th April 1996

Heading back a few years this time to bring you an interesting little film I stumbled upon on the tele-box a few weeks back. To be honest, this is how I find most of the less well known films that I watch with some turning into real gems and others making me wish I had turned over after 5 minutes. I've always had a problem of having to see a film through to the end though no matter how terrible it is. (Not completely true as once even my obsession was cut short as the film was just that bad- problem is if you ever want to find out which one that was then I'm going to have to watch all of it, something I don't have the desire to do just yet).

Swimming With Sharks is set in the cut throat world of the film industry although this doesn't dictate the plot as much as you might think. It follows Guy (Frank Whaley) who is a clean-shaven enthusiastic new recruit into this unique world landing himself a job as the personal assistant to Buddy Ackerman (Kevin Spacey) an expletive throwing repugnant studio executive whose addition to your CV opens every door imaginable but is counteracted so much by his demeanour that many would find it not worth the trouble.

Guy seems to have the determination to see it through helped by script writer and love interest Dawn (Michelle Forbes) but after working for the man for over a year, cracks begin to surface and Guy is finally pushed too far showing up at Buddy's home in the middle of the night intent on revenge. What plays out over the 100 minutes is a mixture between the past year of his life and the present unfolding situation.

This was George Huang's first (and it would seem only notable) foray into the world of writing and directing and credit must be given to him. The script is impressive with Whaley engrossing himself into the character topped only by Spacey's exceptional performance where he looks set to star in a similar, albeit toned down, role in the up and coming comedy Horrible Bosses next month. He not only excels in many of his 'throwing a tantrum' scenes but somehow brings sympathy and compassion to a character that we should not feel anything for. Even when being held hostage he emits a certain smug arrogance that would be misplaced in any other character apart from this one.

I felt conflicted given the knowledge at the beginning that Guy kidnaps his boss. It somewhat limits the sympathy you can show towards him regardless of finding out what Buddy did to drive him to such lengths.

I wouldn't class this as a comedy per say as this is not going to have you laughing a great deal but rather an extremely dark satire of life in Hollywood and the means required to keep your head above the water. It shows us that the calling of the bright lights can change a man with only a few have what is required to make it. Add all of this together to an unexpected ending and it makes for an interesting watch.

Yes there are moments where I felt things were not quite working and the relationship between Dawn and Guy lacked that believability factor but Swimming With Sharks certainly made the time fly and has enough to keep it fresh in the mind for a couple of days at the very least.

Rating: B

Next up I'm bringing something slightly new to the table so keep you eyes peeled.

Farm
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Reviewed: Something Borrowed [2011]

Something Borrowed [2011]

12A - 103mins - Comedy/Drama/Romance - 6th May 2011

As I've already mentioned before, living up to my stereotype, I'm not the biggest romcom fan your ever going to meet but there are some out there that I enjoy, some I can grit my teeth through and the rest I tend to avoid. I always find it's very hit and miss with what particular type your going to get from viewing the trailer alone so it was with a sense of hope that I'd chosen one of the better ones.

Something Borrowed follows Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) as she meets Dex (Colin Egglesfield) at university where they become best friends with feelings clearly developing but neither of them acting on said feelings. So when Rachel's best friend the selfish and obnoxious Darcy (Kate Hudson) shows up and asks Dex out, Rachel gives her blessing, Dex says yes and several years later they are engaged to be married.

This leaves Rachel distraught for letting Dex slip through her fingers and with the cowardly and wimpish Dex (I'm sure just what ladies look for in a man) still conflicted as to what to do next. After Rachel's birthday celebrations though, she and Dex end up sleeping together and supposed hilarity ensues as they try yet again ignore the chemistry between them and just let life run its course.

Thank god for Ethan (John Krasinski) Rachel's friend who gave a voice of reason to proceedings by at least attempting to beat some sense into the main characters who seemed to be oblivious to everything around them. I think my main fault with the movie was the storyline and the way we are supposed to feel for Rachel despite the fact that she didn't make a go of it with Dex, everything that happened to her was self inflicted and she has slept with her best friend's fiancé; and given that Darcy isn't a very nice person to say the least that either of them hung around with her in the first place.

The supporting cast outside the four main characters didn't add to the film in any way shape or form. With some movies you get the token celebrities who show up for 10 seconds, say a line and then leave again and this is how the rest of the cast felt to me for the entire movie. They were just written in for one line and then would disappear never to be seen or heard from again.

Apart from a few witty remarks here and a bit of slapstick, there was not much comedy in the film with the overall feel of it leaning more towards a drama with a bit of comedy rather than the other way around which I feel is the better mix for this genre. There was nothing wrong with the acting with Goodwin and Egglesfield doing their jobs and creating some chemistry but it was merely a minor consolation which can't cover up the rest of the issues highlighted.

As romcom's go this was one of the worse that I've seen so much so that even if your an avid fan of this type of movie you'll have a hard time getting any pleasure out of watching it. Time to forget about this and move onto another one.

Rating: F

Next I'm reviewing Swimming With Sharks, where Spacey plays the worst boss you will ever want to have. Trailer below.

Farm
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Reviewed: Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father [2008]

Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father [2008]

N/A - 95mins - Documentary/Crime/Drama - N/A

The last time I cried in any movie was a few years back at the end of The Green Mile and that was a good 5 plus years ago and the time before that was probably The Lion King when I was 7 so it's fair to say that it's quite rare for me to get all emotional during a film. This film though had me blubbering like a schoolgirl who had just lost her favourite teddy.

Dear Zachary follows the true story of Andrew Bagby, a medical resident who was murdered in 2001 shortly after having broken up with his girlfriend Shirley. She then announces she's pregnant with Andrew's child which leads his closest friend Kurt Kuenne to make a film about Andrew as a gift to the child so he will know what his father was like whilst he was alive.

The documentary jumps between these past events and the present in real time so we find out what is unfolding at the same time as the family and friends. The film can be very fast paced and a bit full on especially at the start but this tends to immerse you into the life of Andrew and his family and you become one of them rather than this approach inhibiting the story. There is a lot of focus on Andrew's parents, Kathleen and David, as they go through the emotions of not only coming to terms with the loss of their child but also the challenges in seeking justice for the murderer and fighting for the right with Shirley to see their grandchild.

This movie perfectly sums up an emotional roller coaster ride as the emotions I felt varied wildly from sadness to anger, frustration, hope, inspiration, humour and everything in between whilst watching it. I found it even more intense because I knew nothing about the case or this movie coming into it and I recommenced that if you can keep curiosity under control (don't even watch the trailer below) to watch it without prior knowledge of what happened, hence why this review might be slightly vague in places.

The fact the documentary is personal to Kuenne brings about a certain objectivity that could not be achieved by another film maker. We get an insight into their life as they grew up in the form of home made movies they did together and family occasions. In some cases this is beneficial as he knows his subject matter better than anyone while in others it's less so as we meet Andrew, the man who has done no wrong in his life (but this bias is understandable, especially considering the intended viewer of the documentary).

Movies are supposed to elicit an emotion from you and for this fact alone, Dear Zachary was able to climb its way into my category for one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. Granted the technical film side may not be the best you are ever going to see but boy it has a story to tell and it's well worth listening to.

Rating: A

Next a romcom in the form of Something Borrowed. [my review] Trailer below for those who are interested.

Farm
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Reviewed: Kung Fu Panda 2 [2011]

Kung Fu Panda 2 [2011]

PG - 90mins - Animation/Action/Adventure - 10th June 2011

Po (Jack Black) returns in another kung fu animation adventure which sees our ever hungry panda face up to a new and devastating threat in the form of angry albino peacock (Gary Oldman) Lord Shen. Having been cast out by his parents years before for his atrocities, Shen has been biding his time returning with a new technology that threatens to enable him to conquer China.

Po is joined once again with the Furious Five as well as a few new characters to try and save not only the local people but also the very fabric of kung fu and all that it stands for. Aside all of this, we also learn about the childhood of Po and how he came to be at the doorstep of Mr. Ping (James Hong) and his noodle restaurant.

This film definitely takes on a darker feel when compared to the first and will surely give the younger kids in the audience something to keep them awake at night. It also has more packed into its story with extra depth and variety than the first did not necessarily have ie. lineage and upbringing and the effect that has on us as adults.

The animation is fantastic and despite not hitting the heights of a Pixar movie is up there with some of the best that I have seen to date. My favourite scenes are the fighting scenes in particular one where they are assaulting Shen's stronghold. The combination of action with the impressive visuals drags you right into the fight alongside the characters.

Po can get a bit annoying/repetitive at some points as the Jack Black from within is released and a torrent of 'awesome' and similar such catchphrases are rattled off one after the other but this did seem to be toned down slightly from his usual self so I began to think of Po as Po rather than Black in a panda costume.

I think this is a case of the sequel running the original very close and I would be hard pushed to say which one I preferred. Whereas the first was original and purely a kids flick this builds strongly on the first opening it to a wider audience with more of a slapstick feel to it which has me just siding with this one as the better of the two. Why don't you make up your own minds as it's definitely worth a watch on the big screen.

Rating: B

Next I take a look at documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father. [my review] Trailer below (This is one of those movies where the less you know the better so if you are ever going to watch it then ignore the trailer and hunt down a copy instead).

Farm
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Reviewed: Arthur [2011]

Arthur [2011]

12A - 110mins - Comedy - 22nd April 2011

Now for a guy who takes an immediate disliking to Russell Brand the prospect of watching him for nearly 2 hours did not fill my heart with joy especially when he was to be acting as a rich layabout. But I buckled on down and watched away hoping to be pleasantly surprised and I have to say, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be (still nothing special mind).

Arthur is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name and follows Arthur (Russell Brand) the a rick drunken playboy whose only worries in life seem to be how to top his last stunt or where his next lay is coming from. To help him through life Hobson (Helen Mirren) his nanny and Bitterman (Luis Guzmán) his chauffeur are there to look after him. Despite this help, he still gets into trouble at every turn which leads to the company in which he is the sole heir becoming nervous about the future.

So when his mother (Geraldine James) becomes sick of his attitude, she gives him an ultimatum that he can either marry Susan (Jennifer Garner) who would ease the shareholders concerns or be cut off from the family fortune and live out life in the real world. The only problem being he has finally met the girl of his dreams Naomi (Greta Gerwig) and so faces a dilemma.

I have only seen some of the original not all of it and in that respect, Brand seems to capture some of the charm and essence that Dudley Moore brought to the role but I still find it hard to relate or feel anything towards the main character. Are we supposed to feel sorry for the billionaire who finally has to make a decision and do something with his life? O boohoo!

First and foremost thought, it's a comedy so did it make me laugh? In general no but I have to say there were at least a few jokes that got me smirking but over the length of the film, which was too long in my opinion, were few and far between. Brand plays the drunk well (not that surprising) in a more toned down version of his usual characters which won me round- I'm still not a great fan but his performance was solid.

Arthur partly entertained and when not compared to the original gives the opportunity to zone out for a couple of hours and be mildly entertained. If there was another choice available then I would probably go for that but there are definitely worse comedies around than this one.

Rating: D+

Next I look at the return of Po in Kung Fu Panda 2. [my review] Check it out below.

Farm
Are you fanatical about film? Then follow this site on Twitter @  FAbFilms