The American President (1995)
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Michael Douglas, Annette Benning, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox and Richard Dreyfuss.
Running Time: 114 Minutes.
A widowed US President and a lobbyist for an environmental group fall in love. Even though they are keeping business out of the bedroom they must fight against public opinion as the world of politics does not approve.
I have seen this movie several times and it never gets old. Aaron Sorkin weaves a narrative which is smart, witty, funny and emotive. The romance is so sweet and the audience becomes increasingly invested in their happiness without it becoming schmaltzy. The relationship between Sydney (Annette Benning) and President Shepherd (Michael Douglas) is very believable as the way they fall in love is not over the top but rather understated. Some of the funniest scenes in the movie involve Shepherd trying to do normal things for himself such as ordering flowers or inviting a woman to his place which for any of us would be just a task on a to do list but prove very difficult for Shepherd. Douglas and Benning have fantastic chemistry and excel in their roles. Douglas is charismatic as the President who wants to do the right thing but is preoccupied with getting re-elected. Benning is hilarious as Sydney the smart savvy lobbyist who he falls for. The climax of the movie is both funny and smart and is one of those moments where you cannot help the goofy grin on your face. The supporting cast are equally as gifted with great talent from Martin Sheen, Michael J Fox and Richard Dreyfuss to name a few. This film is in a lot of ways the precursor to The West Wing, Sorkin's hit TV series and a lot of familiar faces from the show pop up here.
Final Verdict
A superb film from Rob Reiner and Aaron Sorkin with brilliant performances from Douglas and Benning. If you are a fan of The West Wing and have not seen this film then you need to as you will love it.
9/10
Movie 43 (2013)
Director: Multiple including Elizabeth Banks and Bob Odenkirk.
Starring: Emma Stone, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet etc...
Running Time: 90 Minutes
In the UK the version of the film that was released involved a series of unrelated short films that are discovered by a group of teenagers who are in search for the illusive Movie 43 which promises to be so dangerous it could end the world. In the US the shorts are connected by a screenwriter making several pitches to a film executive whilst becoming increasingly agitated.
I would feel comfortable saying that this will be my number one film of 2013 and it is only January. However, it will be number one on the worst films of the year list as this film (and I use the term film loosely here as it is barely applicable here) is awful. The only way I can imagine why any of the many stars that were involved in the film were in it, would be as a result of blackmail or the promise of a big pay day. I know Peter Farrelly and Charles B. Wessler did everything they could to get the stars on board, Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet being the first to jump on the band wagon and film their part four years ago and Farrelly and Wessler used their participation to hook others. They even moved production to make Richard Gere commit and very few were able to back out, Trey Parker being one who escaped unscathed. Other stars such as George Clooney managed to engage their brain and just told them to Fuck Off by all accounts. I bet all of them are wishing they took a Clooney stance now it has been released and they are probably just hoping it will be quickly forgotten.
Final Verdict (1992)
An awful movie that is a waste of time to watch. It is just like sitting bored at your computer watching You Tube videos for 90 minutes. Watching the film I was embarrassed for all the people who were in it and just counted down the minutes till it was over. Wouldn't bother.
1/10
A Few Good Men (1992)
Director: Rob Reiner.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak and Jack Nicholson.
Running Time: 138 Minutes.
Tom Cruise plays Daniel Kaffee, a military lawyer who is called upon to defend two marines for murder which they say was a result of them following orders. Kaffee, along with his co-council JoAnne Galloway and Sam Weinberg must try and prove the truth.
My second Sorkin movie of the month, I swear I am not obsessed...really...OK maybe a bit, he is just a very talented writer who creates multi-dimensional characters who are interesting. Here we have one of his earlier works and while he has definitely grown as a writer the writing here is still better than the majority of Hollywood scripts being made today. The premise is simple, the trial of two marines who admit their actions in the death of a fellow marine but were just following orders as a good marine must do. The death was an unfortunate accident and they are clearly distraught over their actions but conflicted between guilt and their sense of honor and duty as marines. Pfc. Louden Downey is a dim witted farm boy who seems very confused by the whole process and just follows the lead of Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson his co-defendant. Dawson is very stoic and brilliantly played by Wolfgang Bodison who even though has few lines in comparison to the rest of the cast communicates endless information with just one look. The narrative follows the case as Kaffee does his best to defend the marines accused and my only criticism of the script is that it does explain everything in minute detail. One of my favourite things about Sorkin's writing is that he does not dumb things down and expects the audience to have enough intelligence to if not fully understand to at least follow the narrative. In A Few Good Men the audience is treated to a diluted version of this as it is one of those narratives that tells you what is going to happen, shows you it and then kind of summarises in the third act. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing as the narrative is interesting enough to hold your attention and even though key moments are preempted by the audience knowing this was planned, it still makes an impact when the plan works. One of the famous moments in the film is when Col. Nathan R. Jessop, skillfully played by Jack Nicholson, yells at Kaffee in the courtroom telling him "you can't handle the truth!". You know Kaffee was hoping to get Jessop to loose it but when it happens the audience is still captivated and in awe. The cast is the second ingredient that makes this a good film; Tom Cruise is great as the cocky young lawyer Kaffee, Demi Moore as Kaffee's type a co-council JoAnne Galloway and Kaffee's trusted friend and adviser Sam Weinberg played by Kevin Pollak round off the legal team. Other acting talent to grace the film include Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, J.T. Walsh, and Christopher Guest all who excel in their roles.
Final Verdict
Reiner brings the great script and acting talent together to deliver a tense, suspenseful character movie that builds to the triumphant climax. A great film and well worth a watch if you can handle the truth.
8/10
Kyss mig/Kiss Me (2011)
Director: Alexandra-Therese Keining
Starring: Ruth Vega Fernandez, Liv Mjones and Joakim Natterqvist.
Running Time: 105 Minutes.
When Mia (Ruth Vega Fernandez) meets Frida (Liv Mjones) at their parents engagement party there share an interesting connection that they find surprising and very confusing. Mia is engaged to Tim (Joakim Natterqvist) who she has been in a long term relationship with and so when she falls for Frida she does not know what to do.
This film is beautifully shot and I must give props to Ragna Jorming, the cinematographer, who delivers a visually elegant movie that frames the narrative perfectly. The narrative itself is intense and believable as the story unfolds of these two women who fall in love and subsequently throw their own lives and that of their loved ones into disarray. The performances of the two female leads are a big strength of this film as they convey so much purely through their visual performance that they almost do not need words. You can see the turmoil on Mia's face when she returns home to her fiance and the guilt and anguish Frida feels over her emotions without them having to say it.
Final Verdict
The story is a simple one of two people falling in love in a complex situation but is beautiful communicated to the audience through skilled cinematography, direction and acting.
7/10
Apollo 13 (1995)
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise and Kathleen Quinlan.
Running Time: 140 Minutes.
Ron Howard tells the story of the famous space flight of Apollo 13 where three astronauts try to get home after their spaceship suffers severe damage from an accidental explosion.
My father has told me practically every time this film is on the TV or even just mentioned, how he remembers sitting watching the TV as a young man when this was happening as the world stood still to see if they would make it home. The film has that feel almost all the way through of swallowed breath in the anticipation of the moment even though you know how it ends before you press play. Ron Howard is a brilliant director and this is one of his best films, the attention to detail is extraordinary and very true to the real thing as you can see if you compare it to the documentary For All Mankind (1989) which was made by Al Reinert who co-wrote Apollo 13. The acting is also top notch with Tom Hanks (Lovell), Kevin Bacon (Swigert) and Bill Paxton (Haise) playing the three heroic astronauts struggling to get home. They are supported by stellar talent such as Ed Harris, Gary Sinise and Kathleen Quinlan. At the end the real Jim Lovell shows up on the Navy vessel and shakes Tom Hanks hand in a sweet moment where true reality meets the world of the movies.
Final Verdict
Apollo 13 tells us a familiar tale, adds the human emotional element and delivers a captivating film that engrosses you until the final shot. A fantastic film that should be in every persons movie collection.
9/10
Game Change (2012)
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Julianne Moore, Ed Harris and Woody Harrelson.
Running Time: 118 Minutes
Game Change follows John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign where he made the surprise choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate. The narrative begins during the selection process for the campaign's choice of VP up to their eventually defeat come election time.
I can see why Game Change has won so many awards, including three Golden Globe Awards and five Primetime Emmy Awards, as it is a smartly written movie which gives an insight into a political figure who became an overnight superstar. When Palin was chosen as McCain's running mate she became an overnight sensation and suddenly his chances seemed a whole lot better. However, that was until she started to talk and they realised she had very little knowledge about foreign policy, for example, in one moment that amused me as a Brit, Palin (Julianne Moore) refers to the Queen as the head of the government rather than the Prime Minister. Although the film does highlight Palin's lack of knowledge she is not vilified by the narrative but rather just shown to be thrown in to a situation she was not prepared for. I found myself feeling sorry for her as she just wanted to do what she thought was right even if I do pretty much disagree with everything she stands for. That is what made this film for me as it takes people that I totally disagree with and connects me to them, making me feel for them and about them. That is the skill of the writing and performance in this film both of which are brilliant. Julianne Moore is fantastic as Sarah Palin and I can see why she has won pretty much every award she has been nominated for this role. Moore is supported by Ed Harris as McCain, Woody Harrelson as senior strategist Steve Schmidt who is responsible for bringing Palin on board and trying to contain her during the campaign. There was not a single performance in this film that I was not impressed by and it is definitely a character piece even though it is telling the story of a real life event. The narrative is well balanced as it shows both good and bad qualities of almost every character and that is due to the exceptional writing by Danny Strong who randomly I recognised as Jonathan from Buffy the Vampire Slayer when he accepted the Emmy. I must say I was a little surprised when I realised where I knew him from but he has demonstrated himself to be a very talented writer.
Final Verdict
An interesting film which provides insight into a real life recent historical moment in American politics. With a great performance from Moore and a great script it is well worth a watch.
7/10
The Sweeney (2012)
Director: Nick Love
Starring: Damian Lewis, Hayley Atwell, Ray Winstone, Ben Drew and Allen Leach.
Running Time: 112 Minutes
A British action film based on the 1970s TV series of the same name. It centres on a hardened detective in the Flying squad of London's Metropolitan police. 'Sweeney' comes from Sweeney Todd which is cockney rhyming slang for the Flying Squad. The Flying squad get a tip about a planned armed bank robbery but gets distracted by another armed robbery at a jewelry store which results in the murder of a young woman. In true movie fashion everything is connected and the flying squad team have to delve through the evidence to find the culprits but to find a criminal you need to act like one.
I have never seen the original TV series and so had nothing to compare the movie to and I was surprised how much I enjoyed this film as it was a lot better than I first expected. Granted I had very low expectations for it as I must confess my main reason for watching the movie was Damian Lewis who is great in the film but largely underused. The real standout in the film for me was Ray Winstone who really impressed me with his performance as Detective Inspector Jack Regan the gruff leader of the Flying Squad team. The reason Winstone impressed me was he was believable in the harder action scenes but in the softer moments he has a deeper emotional depth that highlights his acting chops. Similarly Ben Drew aka Plan B also showed himself to have a greater talent than what I was expecting. Midway through the film I was really enjoying it, impressed with the emotional depth and the believability of the performances. However, it did take a turn and the last half an hour or so really let the film down for me. The narrative is fairly straight forward and simple but towards the end seemed to meander off and loose its way some what.
Final Verdict
An enjoyable film that has a surprising emotional depth and some great performances from the cast. The narrative takes a turn towards the end of the film and slightly lets it down but it is worth a watch and is a good film for a chilled out night in.
6/10
Playing for Keeps (2013)
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel and Noah Lomax.
Running Time: 105 Minutes
A fallen football (soccer for Americans) tries to reconnect with his nine year old son and finally grow up himself. He starts coaching his sons soccer team and he catches the attention of the soccer mums who he has caught the eyes of.
Playing for keeps is a pretty average movie that holds no surprises for the audience as it is extremely predictable. That said sometimes that is what you are after, a nice straight forward film that is an easy watch that fulfils the genre expectations of any good romantic comedy. It is from the director of The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) and Seven Pounds (2008) so although it is your typical romantic comedy it does have a father trying to redeem himself in his son's eyes much like in The Pursuit of Happiness. However, although Gerard Butler is very good in this film and is believable in the more emotional scenes involving his desire to reunite his family, there is a slight disconnect for me as just as your feeling for him it cuts and its another predictable rom com scene. The film has a good cast with great actresses in smaller roles such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman and Judy Greer as the soccer mums.
Final Verdict
An average romantic comedy that fulfils all the genre expectations and is the height of predictability. However, there are good performances but just when the more in depth emotional scenes come the film cuts and it would have been nice to have explored those scenes further. An enjoyable enough film that is good to watch when you just want to chill out with an easy watch and not have to engage your brain.
4/10
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