Author: Alton Williams

All About Steve *½

Coming just a couple of weeks after a mediocre romantic comedy from the director of Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality – Did You Hear About the Morgans? in case you don’t know what film I am talking about – we now have a mediocre romantic comedy from the producer of Two Weeks Notice and Miss Congeniality. All About Steve sees Sandra Bullock once again in romcom mode after last year’s hugely successful The Proposal and being joined by Bradley Cooper, once again in comedy mode after last year’s hugely successful The Hangover, although this film, having already been released in the states, did not perform nearly as well as either, finishing with about what Bullock’s last film took on its opening weekend at the box office, and less than the opening weekend for Cooper’s previous release. And, if reviews from across the pond are anything to go by, it is not hard to understand why, as All About Steve has been reported to be truly abysmal. Something which I can now confirm is an accurate assessment.

Invariably wearing her bright red go-go boots, Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock) is a crossword puzzle constructor whose mega-sized brain unfortunately ensures that she’s also a hopeless singleton. However, after a short-but-sweet blind date, Mary falls head over heels for handsome cable news cameraman Steve (Bradley Cooper). She’s convinces that Steve is ‘the one’, while Steve just thinks Mary is crazy. Determined to be with the man she thinks is her soulmate, Mary pursues Steve relentlessly as the travels the country covering news stories. Mary’s infatuation with Steve is encouraged by self-serving news reporter Hartman Hughes (Thomas Haden Church). But when Mary gets caught up in the news story of the year, both Steve and Hartman begin to see her differently…

All About Steve is a very bad film but the blame for this cannot be put onto its performers. Sandra Bullock is actually quite decent as Mary, bringing the character to life with a distinct kooky charm. Sure, her character is extremely irritating and we can really empathies with the people she frustrates along the way but, just like many of the characters in the film, we do kind of warm up to her as the film progresses. Bullock has a good love-hate (Mary loves Steve but Steve is terrified of Mary) kind of chemistry with co-star Bradley Cooper, whose reactions as Steve to Mary’s advances both seem very authentic and quite amusing. The chemistry between them continues to work pretty well as the dynamic changes to a more like-like kind of relationship, although in a slight change to the norm for this kind of film, romance is not in the air. Even Thomas Haden Church and Keith David (as Steve’s boss) are pretty amusing but despite the efforts of everyone, the material is just too weak to give them anything to really work with and their talents are ultimately wasted. Elsewhere, the film offers little of value. Lacking any wit, imagination or anything remotely smart, the film relies heavily on a lowbrow, although not crude, style of humour and the hit rate of the gags is extremely low. Apparent attempts at satire fail miserably and the use of the Jaws theme music to portray Steve’s horror whenever Mary appears is a misjudged and unimaginative attempt to create laughs, one that didn’t raise even a tiny giggle for me. There are a few gags that do hit the mark but when only two or three out of an entire film are laugh out loud moments and the funniest involves Mary falling into a hole in the ground and the event being watched over and over by Steve’s boss, you just know that the film is a dud. Frankly, much of the humour is just too cringe-worthy to work. So, overall, All About Steve is a comedy that does have its moments and shows the potential for what could have been something much better, but abysmal writing and direction means that the film is just not worth the price of a cinema ticket. Will you want to get your Steve on? I highly doubt it.

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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

The Book of Eli ****

Coming just one week after the reputedly brilliant post apocalyptic film The Road (which I didn’t get to see because no cinema anywhere near me was showing it), we have yet another post apocalyptic film hitting cinema screens. Yet, this one comes with rather different credentials. While The Road is among this year’s Oscar contenders, being a drama first and foremost, and one that has been winning rave reviews, The Book of Eli is being sold a more generic action thriller kind of film that does have some potentially Oscar worthy credentials in the form of leads Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman but is unlikely to draw much awards buzz due to the presence of directors The Hughes Brothers, whose last film From Hell received a rather poor reception, at the helm and trailers that make it look like littler more than a mindless, forgettable actioner. So, awards are definitely out of the question here, but does the film manage to deliver as a popcorn movie?

It’s the near future, and America has become a desolate wasteland. Armed with a shotgun, a samurai sword and his wits, Eli (Denzel Washington) arrives in a ramshackle Californian outpost, where the tyrannical Carnegie (Gary Oldman) rules with an iron fist. Eli befriends the beautiful Solara (Mila Kunis), Carnegie’s stepdaughter, and learns of Carnegie’s brutal plans to take control of the region. Eli has a book in his possession that Carnegie is determined to get his hands on, a book that could serve as either the ultimate tool in Carnegie’s quest for power or could be the salvation of mankind. Eli manages to escape the town and Carnegie’s clutches, and Solara follows him. However, Carnegie is still hot on their trail, and Eli must fight his way across the dangerous wastelands, travelling to the shattered ruins of San Francisco and to a climactic showdown. Here Eli must face his destiny – and its consequences for the future of humanity.

The Book of Eli is actually something of a revelation in that there is so much more to it than you would expect given the trailer’s focus on action over anything else. This isn’t to say that the film is a masterpiece because it most certainly isn’t or that it will attract any awards attention because it definitely won’t, style being very much predominant over substance, but there are certainly enough stylistic touches and surprises to make it not only a cut above the average post apocalyptic action thriller but also a very pleasant surprise in its own right. In terms of its visuals, the film looks very stylish, employing a drained colour palette – almost black and white but not quite – with a stark contract between black and white and colour as well as some quite beautiful symbolic imagery and excellent cinematography. The film’s realization of a post apocalyptic American desolated by nuclear warfare may not be wholly original, clearly borrowing from other post apocalyptic movies, but it is still very well done, putting across a huge sense of scale, creating a genuine feeling of despair and perfectly capturing the essence of what a world without hope would be like. From time to time certain stylistic touches do miss the mark, such as the unimaginative use of slow motion in the opening scene, but generally the film is quite impressive when it comes to visuals and it is clear that the Hughes Brothers do have a talent for creating impressive imagery. They also provide some very well shot and executed action sequences which provide some very good thrills but are perhaps the source of one of the things that lets the film down a little. The talent shown in the visuals is not quite reflected in the script, which throughout hints at the potential for something much deeper, the film seemingly aspiring to be much more than it is but not quite managing to do so. Despite strong religious undertones – Eli’s book is the Bible (don’t worry about me spoiling anything, it’s obvious from the start) – and plenty of opportunity for extended character development, none of the film’s themes are explored in any great detail and a number of the characters are not really that fleshed out, just being present and not much more. Nonetheless, though, the script does still have some strengths. Despite the depressing nature of the story, there are some quite humourous moments blended in, providing some light relief without seeming out of place and a late plot twist that completely changes everything we know about the protagonist, turning much of the film’s events on their heads, comes as a genuine, unexpected surprise and is almost worth a star in its own right, giving the film an edge that makes it more than the generic action thriller it could have been. The film is also well acted, even if the cast is a bit uneven. Denzel Washington is fantastic, combining grit, charisma and heartfelt emotion to create a tragic character who is sympathetic and generally well rounded. Gary Oldman hams it up as the villain for the first time since The Fifth Element and while he certainly won’t get any awards for his performance he still makes for a pretty good bad guy. As for the other players, Mila Kunis and Jennifer Beals (as Solara’s mother) are decent if unremarkable, Michael Gambon and Frances de la Tour are cast very against type as an old couple who have a rather distasteful means of survival, Ray Stevenson and Tom Waits are pretty good in limited roles and there is also a brief appearance by Malcolm McDowell. Overall, The Book of Eli is a film that won’t change your life or your perceptions about religion but it is a cut above many above post apocalyptic thrillers and one that you may take something from after leaving the cinema.

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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

KD Matheson Boundless Tribesman ****

For those of you who don’t know, KD Matheson is an artist whose works include paintings, drawings, sculptures, digital paintings and public works and who has a very distinctive and imaginative style when it comes to his art forms. Here he is the subject of short film KD Matheson Boundless Tribesman, which includes footage of him live painting, short interviews and a large amount of his art works. The film, shot, edited and scored by fellow artist vezun is every bit as distinctive as the art of Matheson himself, effectively blending together images of Matheson’s artworks with footage of him at work and attending exhibitions of his art, giving us an interesting and entertaining insight into the work of a true artistic talent, and everything is set to a refreshingly unique and different score, one which excellently complements the visuals, visuals that are quite easy to get lost in due to the beauty and uniqueness of Matheson’s art. Very well made, a great tribute to Matheson and, at only ten minutes long, completely compelling, KD Matheson Boundless Tribesman is a short film that is definitely worth seeing and as you can see it for free you have absolutely no excuse not to check it out.

KD Matheson Boundless Tribesman can be seen in full here:

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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

Up in the Air ****½

One of the big hitters amongst this year’s Oscar contenders, Up in the Air comes with some quite impressive credentials to back up its award aspirations. Director Jason Reitman was the man behind the multi award nominated and winning films Juno and Thank You For Smoking, both of which showed him to be a director capable of delivering some truly unique, one-off type films that really stand out from the crowd. His latest directorial effort is perhaps a bigger challenge than either of those films, however, as he has to take a concept that, in the wrong hands, could easily end up seeming contrived, uninteresting and self-indulgent and make it into a film that we can both care and enjoy about. Fortunately, he has the right cast for the job with Oscar winner George Clooney’s natural charm and charisma making for the perfect leading man, and already attracting substantial awards buzz. But does the film really live up to this promise or are its Oscar aspirations completely Up in the Air?

Corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is the consummate modern business traveller, his job – firing people and being a motivational speaker – taking him all over the country. He is totally content with his unencumbered lifestyle of airports, hotels and rental cars. A pampered and privileged member of every travel loyalty scheme in existence, he can carry all he needs in one wheel-away case – and he’s close to attaining his lifetime goal of 10 million frequent flier miles. There’s even romance in the air when Ryan meets the stunning Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), who shares his world view and may just be the person to change his life forever. However, Ryan’s boss Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman), inspired by young, upstart efficiently expert Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), threatens to permanently call Ryan in from the road. Faced with the prospect of being grounded, Ryan begins to contemplate what it might actually mean to have a home, and discovers what his privileged lifestyle has cost him.

Up in the Air is easily the most high profile of this year’s Oscar contenders but not only that it just may be the best. A true one-off, it takes elements that could seem extremely disparate in incapable hands and, thanks to superb piloting from Jason Reitman, brings all the elements together to make a coherent, almost beautiful whole. There is hardly a negative word that can be said about this film. For starters, in a career which has consisted of many great performances, star George Clooney delivers what is probably one of his finest performances yet. His character is one that in theory we should immediately dislike – he fires people for a living, he gets to live a pampered lifestyle for doing so and he really a rather selfish individual – yet Clooney makes it that we don’t hate him, in fact growing to rather like the man. Much of this can be attributed to Clooney’s natural charisma and charm but there is more also. He doesn’t portray his character as a stereotype but as a fully rounded human being, one who does have a purpose in life, albeit one that differs considerably from what everyone else considers to be normal. He not only wins us over with his charm but also moves us as his character begins to realize what he has been missing out on in his life. It isn’t just Clooney who shines though but pretty much the entire cast. Vera Farmiga is far from the conventional love interest. Her character being the female equivalent to Clooney’s, she delivers a performance that is strong and independent. She doesn’t fall in love with the protagonist and when the relationship moves in unexpected directions she is not the one who gets hurt. It is refreshing to see such an unconventional relationship as this depicted on the big screen and the sizzling chemistry between Clooney and Farmiga really brings it to life. Up and coming star Anna Kendrick is also fantastic, delivering a believable performance as a young executive, initially very intense and focused but soon becoming extremely tender and emotional as her character realizes the true implications of her job. She too has a great chemistry with Clooney, albeit more in the father-daughter kind of sense, her character going on as much a journey as Clooney’s and being just as big a part of the film. There are also great performances from the film’s smaller players, including Jason Bateman as Bingham’s boss and Sam Elliott as pilot Maynard Finch, not to mention all the fired employees, two played by Zach Galifianakis and J.K. Simmons, the rest played by real people who lost their jobs during the recession and answered an ad put out by the filmmakers. All were instructed to treat the camera like it was the person who fired them and either respond as they did or use the opportunity to say what they wished they had. This is one of the touches of brilliance that really makes the film stand out as these responses are not ‘fake’ performances but the real deal, and this isn’t where the realism ends, Reitman’s decision to film in real airports really adding an extra level of authenticity. Such authenticity is also reflected in the screenplay, co-written by Reitman himself. The story is very strong with superbly developed, fully fleshed out characters that we can really care about and dialogue that is as sharp as it is convincing. While the film is very much a drama first and foremost, there are also plenty of laugh out loud moments, based around smart humour rather than throwaway gags. Not only does the film have substance, though, but Reitman has also crafted a film that manages to be as visually appealing as it is moving and funny. The cinematography – including very well done aerial shots – is excellent, as is the editing, and there is a really classy look to everything. Events on screen are also enhances thanks to a great soundtrack which really empathises the moods. So, Up in the Air is a film that many great things can be said about. It is nice to look at, showcases great performances from actors and non-actors alike, is very moving and also very very funny. This film’s Oscar chances are definitely very grounded.

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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)