An astounding "Tail" Zootropolis also known as Zootopia depending on your region, is Disney animations throwback to the animals wearing clothes classic robin hood, and is the best example of why Disney is a juggernaut of the animated film industry.
Zootropolis is the story of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) a young bunny cop who takes on the case of a lifetime with a race against the clock while having to work alongside Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) a sly con-fox all taking place in the animal ruled city Zootropolis. While the story is nothing to ride home about in terms of its originality, Byron Howard again does his trademark plot set up having "protagonists are considered enemies of each other cat and dog in Bolt; princess and thief in Tangled. And now a fox, and rabbit in Zootropolis", this creates an odd dynamic between Judy and Nick to start off, but slowly over time each gain respect for one another. As they understand that both have been through similar hurdles in the past, and the film has some well-paced plot twists and references to past cinema, one scene, in particular. Being a mockery of The Godfather, the scene really prides itself on being its own take on it and using only visual references over story beats. Zootropolis is easily one of the most interesting and downright gorgeous locations ever crafted in an animated film to date, from the different sized shops to equate the smallest mouse to the biggest elephant.
To the distinct districts the film early on shows and the cultural references throughout the film, a banana on the back of phones referencing apple, and an entire scene early on as Judy uses a close replicate of an iPod filled with references to artists and bands such as Guns N’ Rodents or Fur Fighters. Clearly it is years of current and past culture that has helped develop this films world and story. While there is nothing special about the more technical nitty gritty film aspects such as camera work and editing, the soundtrack composed by Michael Giacchino is a show stealer, from the bubbly tunes of the city streets. To the intense beats of the many chase scenes found in the film stand out tracks being "In the Nick of Time" and "A Bunny Can Go Savage" being some of the highlights pieces from the film's OST. I urge anyone interested in Soundtracks to media to give these two in particular a listen.
However, with all the fancy Disney animation and family friendly humour, I was surprised on how blatant and expertly crafted the bigger picture was in the underbelly of the film's world was, with so many different animals roaming Zootropolis, predators, and prey, the film tackles some very real world issues we see today in the world. Racism/Discrimination is a big part of Zootropolis but it's handled in such a way that you really must commend the writers on what they accomplished, we are shown this throughout the film, the use of stereotypes for the animals is a simple yet effective way of showing the two sides of predator and prey. From the get go, Judy is told that there are no bunny cops for a good reason, she is told what she can and can’t do because of what she is a single rabbit. While Nick gets a scene devoted to his backstory showing how he was bullied just as much as Judy, and this one of the most potent moments of the film.
For the reasons briefly noted throughout this review I couldn’t recommend Zootropolis more, not only as a family film but a must watch, as the message told in this film and the way its portrayed by Actors Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin is nothing short of astounding.
"I want to know" what happened to this film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is something that seems like the last Hoorah from Harrison Ford as the profaned adventurer Indiana Jones, many would tell you about how bad this entry in the franchise is, but those appear to miss the mark as much as the film does. You know the score with these, Indiana Jones has a reason to ride off into the world to find a long lost treasure before the bad guys do, it's a film with some returning favourites and some newcomers. Indiana Jones, quite a household name at this point, when you hear that name you know exactly what your in for, the impact that the originals set in the film world can not be understated, this film had a lot to live up to. A film with adventure oozing from the title alone whether it be "Raider of the Lost Ark" or "Temple of Doom" you can't help but feel firmly planted to the chair your in with a bucket full of popcorn waiting for the witty hero played by Harrison Ford, and that is something Crystal Skull does just as well. The idea and title get you excited to see what was the long awaited return of the known hero. However sometimes watching this film the sense of flare, wit, and confidence about Indiana seems to be missing, perhaps the lack of chemistry between Harrison and Shia was what did this. Moving on however the soundtrack was unmistakably John Williams all the way giving you the sense of thrill and discovery matching the glorious looking visual presented using fancy French terms such as mise en scene just doesn't do it justice.
Now it's not an awful film, nothing even close but it does fail to bring back the same feelings that the previous entries brought, this is the fourth time we've seen Indy being brought into the thick of things all for treasure. But... You can only do so much with one character before they have nowhere else to go, and it would seem that the writers think that too, as the addition of bigger action set pieces to come into play from a fall along giant waterfall to the infamous Nuclear Bomb scene.
The same thing happened with Die Hard, once you have seen a hero succeed multiple time the journeys they take have to get harder, or else you lose that sense of progression, but for Indiana Jones, this amping up of action ruins the film. All the pieces for a great Indiana Jones film are there, the one thing that's missing is our main characters progression as a person. Adventure discovery and action are the pillars of which hold this franchise up high, and I would recommend this film, it's an ok experience but, just don't expect to feel blown away.
Possibly Genre Defining? Gattaca follows Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) in the not too distant future where the population of the world is divided, not by race not by gender, but by your very genes, Valid or Invalid that is who you are in the world of Gattaca.
Vincent is from "Gods Birth" Born an Invalid and to forever live as one, but he decides to change this. Vincent swaps lives with another Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law) a valid who has had his entitlement to perfection taken from him now living as a person with paraplegia, Vincent seizes the opportunity to live under his name. Part 1 (Why this film will rock your socks a thousand times over) If there is one thing to apply to the ingenious world of Gattaca it would be believable, a cleverly realised future that rides upon social statures of today's world, it creates this future proof mark on the film as if it is always relevant and is to stay that way. To think that worlds I'm truly invested in the worlds of other media such as Deus Ex Human Revolution, yet now I see how Gattaca as the inspiration for that world and how Deus Ex borrows heavily from this. The divide between to different types of human Augmented or Non-Augmented, Valid or Invalid, the world alone carry's this film to a new high, The most powerful scenes being anywhere Vincent (Ethan Hawke) voicing over the clips showing us the world and what he thinks. The perfect series of clips showing the life of an invalid and the valid around him with some excellent dialogue to boot such as "Discrimination down to a science."
But enough boasting about the world because if there is one other aspect that is faultless it would be the soundtrack. You can't help but turn the volume up to full whack whenever a single part of the orchestral soundtrack is played; you know a soundtrack is good when the next time you hear it, it's coming out of the speakers of your car. It is really that powerful.
Part 2 (Why my socks partially were not rocked) While the visuals, on the other hand, leave much to be desired while I throw as many compliments at this film on world building and soundtrack, the visuals take a more basic and almost sickly look. The majority of the film has this yellow grade to it now something minor would be fine, Deus Ex the game actually has the same filter effect, but Gattaca sometimes looks like they filmed it through a pint glass filled with lager. It just looks sickly actors skin tones look odd, and the world just loses some of that futuristic appeal and becomes flat, I mean just look at the image below.
Everything just starts merging, and lighting becomes non-apparent regarding separation from backgrounds.
However, while looking at it critically it hasn't had too much a cultural impact that some might expect it to have had after reading this, it is nothing short of ground-breaking in a heavily action oriented sci-fi worlds we see in todays films. There has never been a film I've felt I missed out on, but after not seeing this film ever in my life until recently, I can safely say I missed out, and if you haven't seen it either then get to watching it.
Lens Flares, Top Performances, and Many lasers. Star Trek into Darkness follows the crew of the Enterprise once again as they find themselves in a manhunt chase for a mysterious figure a one man weapon. With the world left in a state of chaos and on the brink of war, Kirk, and his crew set off to track down their target into a war zone infested territory. So it's a Star Trek film which we all know what were in for, as one of the most standout franchises of the Sci-fi genre, it isn't any surprise to feel prepared for what's about to ensue throughout the two hours ahead. First things first you have to give a massive applause to the visuals on display here, Abrams and his crew know what it takes to make a blank canvas of space, an alive battleground or graveyard of ships. Mise en scene hits you in the face, the very opening Planet of the film being the highlight with its lush jungle-like environment and vibrant use of colours, it's a beautiful and thrilling opening to the film it's another big hitter from JJ Abrams who is pretty much becoming somewhat of an Auteur of the Sci-Fi Genre from a visual perspective fast digital pans from the camera along with boat load of post FX baked into every shot.
Speaking of the opening of the film, much like the 2009 Star Trek we are thrown right into the action with a fast and well-shot chase sequence with Kirk (Chris Pine) and Bones (Karl Urban) on foot on the lush planet being hunted by the species that inhabits it. The chase while you don't get too drawn by it's thrills as you all but nobody will come to harm, as the Star Trek formula all but makes you sure that no character you see will die or come to any harm. Some can say it's a trope of the Sci-fi Genre, but it's a fun and eventful opening that kicks the film into a high note right out the gate, and the film throughout its two hours running time will keep earning it's right to thrill with more daring stunts performed by our favourite crew. The highlight coming later in the film with a daring space jump through a derelict ship graveyard way out in the depths of space.
Moving onto a stand out performance that I couldn't help but talk about it Benedict Cumberbatch playing Kahn, the almost eerie and intimidating nature that he is given through his lines. His performance and the reactions of characters around him is the stand out of the film's cast, even shadowing the likes of Simon Pegg as Scotty. There is always one moment of a film and an actor's performance where everything about the character just clicks, and for Kahn, it is his revealing of his own name, the intimidating and sly look heightens an already top-notch cast.
While some may say that his performance hits too much of a theatrical nature, with the embellished words and body language I see this as the unique nature and intricate social stature of the character of Kahn, a person who truly sees them self as better than those around him. The perfect human and the right to boast and exaggerate his every move, as if he is something to watch to behold of those lower around him. However, I must bring this up, one part that has spiked heat before is the scene with Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) something that felt rather unnecessary to the film and seems to exist for the sake of a sci-fi trope that does not suit this film's tone. Midway through the film Bones and Carol are sent to a planet to defuse a bomb, and they require a change of clothes to defuse said bomb. So a couple of seconds we are shown a shot of Bones turning around to a half naked Carol, nothing valuable came from the shot, it was a waste of time, and a trope that brought back the running joke from Galaxy Quest with Sigourney Weavers character. While most will watch Star Trek for its action set pieces and the sake of following the crew of the Enterprise on their next adventure, the true stand out for this film, the one surprise in stock was the performance of Benedict. Yes the action is great from what you would expect, Yes the visuals are Jaw dropping, Yes the film gives a sense of adventure, but this time around Star Trek can be commended on its top quality cast.
Ahh here we go another day another video game to movie, and what is it this time? Assassin's Creed never expected that one, oh and it's in Spain too.
First off I have to admit I enjoy my yearly run through the latest Assassins Creed game. But to find out in 2016 that we wouldn't be getting a game but a movie instead, you could say I was about as enthralled as a person trying to drink soup with a fork.
The convoluted plot of the games is something I imagine is very hard to squeeze into the 20-hour epics the games are let alone a 2-hour film, but alas here we are with the film released.
Assassin's Creed follows a new assassin named Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) who has been brought on by the abstergo corporation to relive his ancestor's memories that are encoded within his DNA through the power of a machine known as the Animus. With the animus in use, he takes on the role of Aguilar de Nerha, in 15th Century Spain, through living his ancestor's memories he soon learns what his bloodline has to offer.
Anyway talking about the plot of this film would take another 4 pages, all I can say is if you haven't played the games, good luck learning everything in the short time the film gives you.
The first shot of the film is a few lines of text giving a bit of backstory, giving me horrible flashbacks of M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender. Look I understand that a film that is trying to squeeze its way into an already established universe is hard, especially Assassins Creed, but you can't help but think about who is this film for.
Fans of the games will already know everything there is to know about the Assassins Creed universe, but someone just being introduced to this world isn't going to have a clue what is happening, and having 3-4 lines of text isn't going to make any difference.
This film is trapped in an ether between appealing to fans, and appealing to newcomers, but can't help to bore established fans at the start who have to sit through exposition after exposition, and newcomers are given so much information at once I wouldn't be surprised if some cinemas gave you the Assassins Creed Anthology before viewing. Just watch this clip, if your a newcomer you will literally have no clue what these are talking about.
The character Sofia (Marion Cotillard) who I dubbed Mrs. Exposition because that is her one purpose in this film, just when you think she is about to be developed something else gets in the way. This film just overloads on exposition because of how established this universe already is, if your franchise is already established and has a massive audience why bother compromising? You have a massive fan base make the film for them.
But...
This is going to seem very odd after ranting about it, I came out of this film, actually impressed, it's the first movie adaptation of a game that embodies the spirit of the original content while bringing something new to the table.
Visually the film is quite breath-taking from the untouched Spanish mountains, to the clean and functional Abstergo headquarters this film screams gorgeous at every vista that's seen.
One thing that I know I will get a lot of criticism about but, the redesign of the animus in the film is actually more visually stunning and interesting to watch than the one we find in the game.
Just look at this comparison of the Animus, how can you argue the game is better than that? A Chair versus a giant claw.
To gloss over one more aspect of this film is its structure, the daring move to use only the 15th Centaury scenes as action only and then modern day scenes for storytelling is a bold and highly rewarding method of showcasing the high octane chases while also balancing the story in an ever changing and compelling way but that's from an established fans point of view.
So I have ranted, I have praised it, but on the whole what do I think of it?
If you haven't played any of these games before, treat it as nothing more than a summer blockbuster come early expect great action with a less than forgiving plot, if you're a fan just hold on a bit after the start it gets better much, much better.
Zootropolis is easily one of the most interesting and downright gorgeous locations ever crafted in an animated film to date, from the different sized shops to equate the smallest mouse to the biggest elephant.
