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