Review Roundup - I, Robot

EX MACHINA (2015)

I'm always glad to see at least one low budget science fiction success each year, and 2015 doesn't disappoint. While Alex Garland is best know as a writer he takes the director's chair for the first time in this tale of robotics and artificial intelligence. I've enjoyed his films in the past and although Sunshine and 28 Days Later get some flack for the third act violence it's never something I found to be hugely problematic. This time around they with go in a direction which is a lot more subtle, so perhaps he got all that out of his system with the gloriously bloody Dredd. Which isn't to say this doesn't feature it's fair share of alarming sequences but they take a lot of time getting there, and it feels appropriate for the material. It's strange to see Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson jumping from this to mega franchise Star Wars but as usual they are great choices for a slower, small scale story and seem able to easily jump between camp blockbuster characters and the nuanced performances required here. Don't expect any fast paced action, this is slow and unsettling all the way.

Review Roundup - New Order

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

So Star Wars is back, as you might have noticed. It's unlikely you've been able to avoid an advertising bombardment of this magnitude. There will be practical effects and real locations, there will be actual characters and feelings. Or so they say. Running, yelling and panicking are also sure to be included, after all this is a J.J. Abrams movie. It's a decade since the last major release in this series But the film makers faced the minor issue of delivering something that followed films from much longer ago than 2005 -- picking up from 1983 rather than continuing in the vein of the... problematic prequel series. Besides the fact that many of the original writers, editors and cast members had been absent, the tone and style were quite different to say the very least.

Review Roundup - A Night At The Opera

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION (2015)

Brian De Palma's revival of the 60s TV series feels like a long time ago, and well that's because it was. Nearly two decades later this franchise is still going, and somehow they've managed to really pick up the pace with the last two instalments giving it all renewed energy. The 1996 feature remains a class act, and in a lot of ways it's one of those 'better than you remember' type films even if the plot has always been a little convoluted. It remains a slick action thriller with plenty of memorable set pieces and stylish direction. 20 years later... a lot has changed. It's bigger and louder, and the shifts in tone veer into comic relief a lot more frequently. And yet the double crosses, ticking clocks, high tech facility break ins and those Lalo Schifrin chords are all still here. They are still reinventing that burglary on a wire scene in new ways. Luckily the mixture of old and new creates something that really works despite them saying 'disavowed' far too often and failing to avoid the same old plot about agents on the run from their own agency. Considering this is the forth sequel, this is definitely in realm of 'better than you expected'.

Scorecard

NOVEMBER

FILM OF THE MONTH: Ikiru ☆☆☆☆

Review Roundup - Catching up

2015 (SORT OF) RECAP

With time in the year running down it's time to do a quick look at all those features I have forgotten to get into. Some would probably have been given a place under bonus reviews or even features to themselves at some point - but didn't ever make it due to one reason or another. It's going to be a mixed bag in terms of content, genre and of course quality but this is as good a time as any to get into things which have been overlooked. I think most of the blockbusters have already been covered recently so while a few here are larger names there are some which have had less hype or brand marketing. As I untangle my brain it's probably apt that two of these involve thought power and mental faculties... a couple of entries are from last year. So this is sort of a cheat but there you have it, let's get stuck in before this is all left unsaid and falls into the memory dump.